Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1513303
3 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 17 DECEMBER 2023 NEWS operative text and recitals of the resolution acknowledg- ing the joint investigation on Frontex, Malta and the Libyan militia. References to the report were shot down by the EPP group and Renew, while S&D voted to include the reference recit- als. The overall amendments failed to get a majority and were not taken on in the final text of the resolution. Frontex fact-finding mission The resolution marked the end of a fact-finding mission by the parliament's Frontex Scrutiny Working Group. The text was adopted with 366 votes in favour, 154 against, and 15 abstaining. In the resolution, MEPs said Frontex could do more to in- crease the EU and member states' capacity to carry out search and rescue operations at sea by investing in appropri- ate assets for such operations. MEPs also expressed severe concerns on the allegations made against Greek authori- ties in relation to pushbacks and violence against migrants. In this regard, MEPs said Fron- tex should scale down its oper- ations to mere monitoring and presence on the ground in cas- es where a member state is un- able to respect EU principles and values. The resolution is based on a fact-finding investigation car- ried out by the Civil Liberties Committee Working Group on Frontex Scrutiny. It was set up in January 2021 to monitor all aspects of the functioning of the border agency, including its compliance with funda- mental rights. The Libyan militia A joint investigation by re- porters from MaltaToday, Lighthouse Reports, Al Ja- zeera, Der Spiegel, Le Monde and SIRAJ revealed that a Lib- yan militia called the Tareq Bin Zeyad brigade has been forcibly returning migrants to Libya while out at sea. A Maltese AFM pilot had communicated coordinates directly to the militia group, resulting in a pullback to Libya from Malta's SAR. In a sepa- rate incident, Frontex direct- ly communicated coordinates to the brigade, resulting in a forced return. The Tareq Bin Zeyad bri- gade (TBZ) is a military force in Eastern Libya led by Com- mander Saddam Haftar, the son of military leader Khalifa Haftar. It forms part of Haftar's Libyan Arab Armed Forces (LAAF) and is one of its larg- est armed groups. According to confidential EU documents seen by journalists, the brigade is supported by Russian private army Wagner and Sudanese mercenaries. The brigade is known for its aggressive behaviour and hu- man rights abuses. Amnesty International published a re- search briefing last year doc- umenting the many crimes and abuses of the TBZ, which include torture, rape and hos- tage-taking. Reporters also spoke to sev- eral migrants who have expe- rienced this abuse first-hand. Bassel, a 36-year-old father of two kids, was beaten until his body turned black. Another migrant, Hasan, saw a soldier shoot and kill one of the mi- grants on board a vessel at sea. After shooting him, the soldier threw his body into the sea. Meanwhile, Ahmed was forced to drink from a toilet while de- tained by the TBZ. The names of the migrants spoken to have been changed to protect their identity. Khalifa Haftar is the de facto leader of the administration that runs eastern Libya and is a rival to the Tripoli-based in- ternationally recognised gov- ernment. UN efforts to bring the two sides together in the hope of holding national elec- tions all over Libya have so far failed. Libya has been in turmoil ever since dictator Muammar Gaddafi was deposed in 2011 in a western-backed revolu- tion. Following Gaddafi's removal, rival militias battled for terri- tory and influence. Attempts to create a government of na- tional accord based in Tripoli were scuttled when a rival par- liament in Benghazi refused to recognise the UN-backed ad- ministration Haftar waged war on Tripo- li in 2019 but his forces were pushed back leaving the coun- try split down the middle. diverge on resolution changes Frontex-Libyan militia cooperation Senior Maltese government officials met with eastern Libya's de facto leader Khalifa Haftar in 2023 in a bid to establish a communication channel with the Benghazi-based administration. Seen here are Christopher Cutajar, foreign ministry permanent secretary (left), with Haftar (centre) and Maltese Cabinet Secretary Ryan Spagnol (right). At the back is Malta's special envoy on migration to Libya, Alex Dalli. Labour MEPs Cyrus Engerer and Josianne Cutajar were the only Maltese MEPs to vote on the Frontex resolution but held differing views on whether reference should be made to a joint journalistic investigation that uncovered how Frontex cooperated with Haftar's militia The articles hereunder form part of a content series called Ewropej. This is a multi-newsroom initiative part-funded by the European Parliament to bring the work of the EP closer to the citizens of Malta and keep them informed about matters that affect their daily lives. These articles reflect only the authors' views. The action was co-financed by the European Union in the frame of the European Parliament's grant programme in the field of communication. The European Parliament was not involved in its preparation and is, in no case, responsible for or bound by the information or opinions expressed in the context of this action. In accordance with applicable law, the authors, interviewed people, publishers or programme broadcasters are solely responsible. The European Parliament can also not be held liable for direct or indirect damage that may result from the implementation of the action.