Grant citizenship to migrant children born in Malta, Democratic Party insists

The decision by the government not to give Maltese citizenship born in Malta to migrant parents is another painful manifestation of its double standards and hypocrisy, the Democratic Party said on Sunday.

“While the government grants citizenship to any Tom, Dick and Harry and anyone who can come up with enough money – irrespective of how it was made – it is denying the basic human need of citizenship to those children born and bred in Malta,” the Democratic Party (PD) said.

The party’s comments were made after home affairs minister Carmelo Abela brushed off calls to give Maltese citizenship to children born in Malta to migrant parents. “These children are registered and have been provided with documents their place of birth, but the government has no plans to give them Maltese citizenship,” the minister said.

Ever since 2001, those born to undocumented asylum seekers are not entitled to Maltese citizenship, leaving them stateless and with their documentation only stating their names, place of birth and protection status, but not their nationality.  The plight of stateless children was laid bare this week when three Malta-born children of Nigerian parents were told in writing by the Refugee Commissioner to send copies of their work documents and rent agreements in order to renew their protection statuses.

Hitting out at the government and minister Carmelo Abela, the PD, whose leader is former Labour MP Marlene Farrugia, insisted that the government was guilty of denying undocumented migrants their basic human rights.

“While this government prides itself in being a champion of civil rights, it is blatantly denying undocumented displaced people the basic human rights that allow them to enjoy full civil rights and become all round contributors to our developing economy and diverse multicultural society,” the party said.

The party, which has also voiced its criticism at the government’s treatment of a group of Malian nationals who have been detained and facing deportation, some of whom after living and working in Malta for more than a decade, insisted that undocumented individuals who have lived and integrated in Malta should not be deported.

“The party also reiterates its stand for the briefest integration orientated detention policy,  and to immediately absorb undocumented people into its education process pending their coming of age or becoming eligible for jobs.”

“Integrating our own migrants fully practising what we preach on human and civil rights and reiterating our stand that all countries should shoulder their responsibilities will give Malta’s presidency of the European Council the high moral ground it needs to be able to push a humane organised immigration agenda,” it continued.

Malian migrant becomes suicidal while locked up in squalid detention

Meanwhile, one of the nine Malian migrants who have been locked up inside the Safi detention ahead of their deportation reportedly turned suicidal, lawyer Gianluca Cappitta told MaltaToday earlier this week.

The nine migrants have been locked up in detention since 16 November, when the police arrested them as part of a joint EU project to return failed Malian asylum seekers. The detention of the nine Malian migrants, which has also been heavily criticised by the University Students’ Council, has seen them being subjected to squalid detentions at the Safi detention centre, including this mattresses, pillows with no vest, and limited access to fresh air.

They are currently protected by Temporary Humanitarian Protection (THPn) status. This is an ex gratia type of protection that used to be granted to failed asylum seekers, that the government recently decided to scrap entirely, leaving previously protected migrants at risk of deportation.

THPn holders have now been given until 31 October to procure a valid passport from their countries of origin that will allow them to apply with Identity Malta for residence and work permits.