Following the recent Lampedusa tragedy, Alternattiva Demokrtika Chairperson, Prof. Arnold Cassola, said “The death of so many people in one go again highlights the inhumanity of pushback policies and of those who propose them. Expressing solidarity after death is no substitute for showing solidarity during life and we condemn the hypocrisy of those who today show solidarity but yesterday were the foremost proponents of pushback policies.
“European political leaders should put their actions where their mouth is, forget national egoisms and ensure that they adopt the concept of solidarity and responsibility sharing in practice, whilst revising the Dublin convention accordingly, to allow refugee status seekers to move within the EU and thus relieve the disproportionate burden carried by smaller member states,” concluded Prof. Cassola.
Robert Callus, spokesperson for social policy, said: “The simple fact the immigrants know beforehand the huge risk of perishing in the Mediterranean is a clear indication that the majority are not simply looking for job opportunities but actually fleeing persecution. The fact that most immigrants hail from Somalia and Eritrea is further proof of this fact. It is for the same reason that policies such as long-term detention do not act as deterrents but are nothing more than an inhumane practice and a burden on the taxpayer that only serves to make politicians look tough.”
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B’referenza għat-traġedja reċenti f’Lampedusa, iċ-Chairperson ta’ Alternattiva Demokratika, il-Prof.
Arnold Cassola, qal: “Il-mewt ta’ tant nies f’daqqa mill-ġdid tenfasizza n-nuqqas ta’ umanita’ tal-politika tal-“pushback” u ta’ dawk il-politiċi li jipproponuha. Li tesprimi s-solidarjeta’ wara l-mewt ma hija l-ebda sostitut għas-solidarjeta’ matul il-ħajja u aħna nikkundannaw l-ipokresija ta’ dawk il-politiċi li llum juru solidarjeta’ waqt li ‘l bieraħ kienu fuq quddiem biex jipproponu l-politika tal-‘pushback’.”Il-mexxejja politiċi Ewropej iridu jgħaddu mill-paroli għall-fatti, jinsew l-egoiżmi nazzjonali u jiżguraw li jadottaw il-kunċett ta’ solidarjeta’ u qsim tar-responsabbilta’ fil-prattika, waqt li jirrevedu il-Konvenzjoni ta’ Dublin biex jippermettu lil min qed ifittex ażil jiċċaqlaq minn pajjiż ghall-ieħor fl-Unjoni Ewropea, b’mod li jittaffa l-piż sproporzjonat li qed iġorru l-pajjiżi membri ċkejknin,” ikkonkluda l-Prof Cassola.
Robert Callus, il-kelliem ta’ AD dwar il-politika soċjali, qal: “Is-sempliċi fatt li l-immigranti kienu lesti jirriskjaw ħajjithom fil-Mediterran huwa indikazzjoni ċara li l-maġġoranza mhux qed jaħarbu lejn l-Ewropa biex isibu x-xogħol, iżda li qed jaħarbu mill-persekuzzjoni, u dan imsaħħaħ mill-fatt li l-parti l-kbira minnhom ġejjin mis-Somalja u mill-Eritrea. Għall-istess raġuni, il-politika tad-detenzjoni għal zmien twil ma hiex qed taħdem bħala deterrent iżda hija prattika inumana u piż fuq il-Malti li jħallas it-taxxi, biex il-politiċi jkunu jistgħu jilagħbuha tat-‘tough guys’.”
