Maltese bishops ask European counterparts for support over stranded migrants

With 49 migrants, including children, still stranded on two NGO rescue ships in the Mediterranean, the Maltese bishops have asked their European counterparts for solidarity.

In a letter to the Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the EU, the Maltese bishops said they were deeply concerned about the fate of the migrants. Read the full text of the letter below:

The two ships were yesterday given permission to shelter inside Maltese territorial waters as a result of worsening weather conditions but the migrants have remained on board.

Archbishop Charles Scicluna, Gozo Bishop Mario Grech and Auxiliary Bishop Joseph Galea-Curmi said the situation was “in desperate need of action”.

Ironically, as we Catholics were celebrating the birth of Our Lord who was rejected at birth, a group of 32 migrants was refused shelter by Europe Maltese bishops

“This situation… has prompted us Maltese bishops to repeatedly appeal to the leaders of our country to express solidarity in a tangible way… We understand that such complex situations require a European solution, which is why we urge you to invite the Episcopal Conferences across Europe to take similar action and appeal to the leaders of their respective countries,” the bishops said.

They added that Malta was playing an “important role” in rescuing and relocating migrants despite the constraints imposed by the country’s small size and high population density.

The Maltese church is cooperating in providing shelter and support to migrants who were brought ashore.

The bishops also invited Catholics across Europe to cherish Christian values and show solidarity by saving people in need.

“Ironically, as we Catholics were celebrating the birth of Our Lord who was rejected at birth, a group of 32 migrants was refused shelter by Europe after being rescued at sea off Libya,” the bishops pointed out.

The bishops’ appeal for solidarity comes as Malta is trying to broker some form of agreement with other EU states to relocate rescued migrants.

Over the past week, the army rescued and brought to Malta 249 migrants, who were crossing the Mediterranean. The rescues happened in an area of Malta’s competence.

On Wednesday, Home Affairs Minister Michael Farrugia tweeted the coordinates of the rescue operations in which the two NGO ships were involved in, showing how the closest ports of call were Tunisia and Lampedusa.

Malta and Italy have so far refused to disembark the 49 migrants who remain stranded on the two ships, now sheltering along Malta’s western and southern coast.