Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/751614
5 CONTINUES FROM PAGE 1 Uncon- firmed sources say that the mi- grants were from Mali. "The rest of the persons have been detained in view of a coor- dinated initiative at a European level," the ministry said. It added that, as part of this Eu- ropean operation, an African del- egation will be visiting a number of EU member states, including Malta, to identify these persons and determine "the next step for- ward". When contacted, Falzon said that some of the people he spoke to arrived relatively recently whilst other have been living in Malta for some eight years. "It is unfortunate that people living in Malta, and fulfilling their obligations by reporting to police, are detained. These peo- ple are not hiding and they are fulfilling all their obligations," Falzon said. MaltaToday understands that the detained individuals were all given an appointment at the Po- lice Headquarters on the same day so that they could be easily detained. When asked to explain why they were being detained, Falzon said that he did not have such infor- mation, but said they are to be deported. "We suspect that the ministry has been given the opportunity to repatriate people on a f light being organised by the EU, and have de- cided to deport these people," said Falzon. He also reiterated that the peo- ple detained were not on tempo- rary humanitarian protection and confirmed that one had in fact been found to be receiving tem- porary humanitarian protection and was released. Whilst the government insists that this is a coordinated effort on a European level, Malta has long adopted a system that tolerated the stay of immigrants without travel documents and accorded them the right to work and obli- gation to pay tax. The Office of the Refugee Com- missioner has currently suspend- ed temporary humanitarian pro- tection (THPn) pending a review of the system; however, this has left beneficiaries of THPn in the dark, especially since those who have tried to renew their papers found a closed door. Such third-country nationals have had to renew their immigra- tion status on a regular basis, so that they could also claim their working permit. Information of what the review entails has left several failed asy- lum seekers clueless as to how the changes will affect their future. The arrests fall under the Euro- pean External Action Service and targets people from Niger, Nige- ria, Mali, Senegal and Ethiopia. The ministry yesterday insisted that persons who are entitled to protection will be granted such protection, whilst failed asylum seekers will be deported "and their rights protected thanks to a European agreement". "The Maltese government is committed to follow laws and in- ternational regulation and ensure that people who qualify for pro- tection are protected. Those who do not qualify must be sent back, as European directives and laws state," the Home Affairs Ministry reiterated. Additional reporting by Matthew Vella maltatoday, WEDNESDAY, 16 NOVEMBER 2016 News MINISTRY FOR JUSTICE, CULTURE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT The Permanent Secretary, Ministry for Justice, Culture and Local Government invites applications in the Policy Development and Programme Implementation Directorate for the following Post: Junior Legal Officer Details were published on the Government Gazette No. 19,673 dated Friday, 4 th November 2016. Applications and details are available through the following link: www.recruitment.gov.mt within the 'External Calls' section or from the Office of the Corporate Services Directorate, Valletta on Tel: 2247 9900. Applications will be received till noon (Central European Time) of Friday, 18 th November, 2016. Reinstate temporary humanitarian protection, human rights NGOs urge government PAUL COCKS THE decision by the home af- fairs ministry to suspend the Temporary Humanitarian Pro- tection N(ew) (THP-n) status has effectively stripped men, women and children of their identity documentation with severe implications on their ability to access employment, healthcare, education and oth- er basic services, according to a number of NGOs. The NGOs said in a state- ment that they were extremely concerned at the decision tak- en by the ministry to suspend the renewal of THP-n status, pending a review by the min- istry. "Overnight, and without a clear plan of action, the minis- try has thrown people into the dark about their future by rob- bing them of the little security THP-n provided," they said. "The ministry must be made aware of the human con- sequences of this decision, whereby rights granted are be- ing unfairly and cruelly with- drawn." Following the media's insist- ence, the home affairs minis- try issued a public statement confirming that on Monday, immigration police had de- tained 33 foreigners who have been living in Malta for a num- ber of years "irregularly", but who could not be deported for various reasons. The statement was signed by aditus foundation, The Critical Institute, Foundation for Shel- ter and Support to Migrants, Gender Liberation, Integra Foundation, International As- sociation for Refugees, JRS Malta, Malta Emigrants' Com- mission, MGRM, Moroccan Community in Malta, Movi- ment Graffitti, Organisation for Friendship in Diversity, the People for Change Foundation, the Platform of Human Rights Organisations in Malta, SOS Malta and Spark 15. The NGOs said they wel- comed – in principle – a re- view of the THP-n status, but called for the ministry to im- mediately revoke the decision to suspend THP-N status re- newals. They also called for a meet- ing the ministry and migrant communities to discuss the THP-n status review. THP-n beneficiaries and hu- man rights NGOs have been left in the dark over the review of the process that is underway since a new Commissioner for Refugees took over. Several failed asylum seek- ers are now clueless as to how the changes will affect their future. Law yer Katrine Camilleri, director of the Jesuit Refugee Services, and Neil Falzon, of aditus foundation, told Malta- Today last week that the review was completely new to them. Introduced in 2010, THP- n was described by the then Refugee Commissioner, Mario Guido Friggieri, as "an ex gra- tia type of protection" that was left up to the commissioner's discretion to grant to failed asylum seekers who had not been deported from Malta. It now appears that upon tak- ing office, recently-appointed Refugee Commissioner Mar- tine Cassar, launched a review of the status. "The Refugee Commissioner is currently reviewing THP-n," a spokesperson for the Home Affairs Ministry would only say, in reply to questions sent by MaltaToday to explain what the process entails. THP-n is valid for 12 months and is renewed at the discre- tion of the Refugee Commis- sioner. The Refugees Act provides for the recognition of two forms of protection: refugee status and subsidiary protection status, following the submission of an application for the recognition of international protection. When an asylum applicant fails to qualif y for refugee sta- tus or subsidiary protection, it is up to the Refugee Com- missioner, at his discretion, to recommend on a case-by-case basis the granting of THP-n. Such cases would involve unaccompanied minors, or individuals who cannot be re- patriated on medical or other humanitarian grounds. It can also be applied for former applicants for international protection who cannot be re- turned to their country of ori- gin due to legal or factual rea- sons and through no fault of their own. Migrants arrested after being given appointment by police PHOTOGRAPHY BY JAMES BIANCHI