A total of 30 people with a temporary humanitarian status in Malta will be leaving for the US to get together with some family members within a few weeks’ time, head of the Emigrants Commission Philip Calleja said yesterday.
Speaking at a media conference to mark Pope Benedict XVI’s message for World Day for Migrants and Refugees, Mgr Calleja spoke about the commission’s message in line with that of the Pope, which focuses on the condition of emigrant families.
Giving details of the work the commission has been carrying out over the years, Mgr Calleja expressed concern over the fact that around 50 per cent of refugees or persons with temporary humanitarian status in Malta are either separated from their families, or have relatives in Europe.
He pointed out that although those with a refugee status have the right to bring their spouse and children to Malta it is not feasible for the Maltese government to do so. Presently, there are 223 such people who are separated from some 600 family members, stated Mgr Calleja.
“It is not only unfeasible financially, but also as a result of limited space. Our density calls for help from other countries.”
While Malta’s population density is of 1,261 people per square kilometre, Canada and Australia enjoy very low population densities with just 9.3 and 6.8 people per square kilometre respectively, said Mgr Calleja.
He expressed satisfaction that the US finally seems to understand the precarious situation in Malta. In fact, 30 people with humanitarian status, all of them having relatives there, will be leaving Malta in the coming weeks.
Mgr Calleja said a number of immigrants from countries like Somalia, Ethiopia and Eritrea have to leave their families behind.
Some of the refugees present for the media conference were shipwrecked and lost some relatives on the way; one particular boy lost his mother and five siblings so he is alone here in Malta.
Although refugees have a certain sense of security, they lead still lead difficult lives in Malta, said Mgr Calleja. A family for example, consisting of a husband, wife and children receives Lm2 per day for each of the parents and Lm1 for each of the children.
Mgr Calleja said that when they leave their respective countries, these people sometimes also need to change their names, so the situation only gets extremely complicated when they also register their children under false names.
He mentioned the situation in Sudan, where marriages are not registered, so complications increase drastically and it is extremely difficult to reunite families when they are separated after they leave their countries as irregular immigrants.
“Our wish is to reunite as many families as possible in line with what the Pope has said when he referred to the Holy Family, who were also emigrants. To do so we require help from other countries.”
Holland, Lithuania and Germany have symbolically accepted a small number of people, but we still have a very big problem in Malta.”
Mgr Calleja said the commission is hoping to strike some form of agreement with Canada to accept some people who have relatives living there, while trying to negotiate with other countries that may help share the burden.
The number of children born to refugee parents in Malta has increased at a steady rate since 2003. Last year alone, 55 refugee babies were born, compared to 21 in 2003, said Mgr Calleja, adding that the Emigrants Commission presently houses 365 people, including 203 children in its 14 different homes.
Mgr Calleja insisted that the right to be united with one’s family is a human right; it is also one of the commission’s main commitments: that of working hard to unite separated refugee families.