Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/761508
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 11 DECEMBER 2016 4 News MIRIAM DALLI THE Aldo Moro Road's pedestrian overpass in Marsa had become the home of refugee Haji, a Somali man who despite living with protection status, had been ravaged by destitu- tion and mental health problems. It was under that same bridge, where he had spent countless nights sleep- ing rough, that his lifeless body was found earlier this week. It stands out as one of the first reported deaths of homeless, mi- grant men, who live outside the institutionalisation of shelters and support groups, bringing to light a new, hidden reality of homelessness among the poorest of the poor. They are not only economically emarginated, but seen as second- class citizens who endure discrimi- nation from most quarters of so- ciety due to their status as asylum seekers and refugees from sub-Sa- haran Africa. Yesterday human rights NGOs marked Haji's death by reiterating people's basic human right to live in dignity. "The grim discovery of his dead body, under the bridge that he had made his home, brought to light the disturbing but all too often hidden reality of poverty and home- lessness among migrants in Malta," the NGOs, amongst them the Adi- tus Foundation, said. "Unfortunately, the circumstanc- es surrounding Haji's death are not unique – our work is a daily encounter with people who cannot meet their basic needs. People for whom finding food and, at times, shelter is a constant struggle." Their problems are often exacer- bated by mental illness or alcohol dependence, which not only make people more vulnerable to poverty and homelessness in the first place, but also make it virtually impos- sible for them to break out of the destructive cycle of poverty without extensive support. "Although it would be facile to place all of the blame at the door of the State, it is clear that there is much more that can be done to ensure that migrants are able to live with dignity and effectively enjoy their rights," they said. Dr Ahmed Bugre, formerly the head of the NGO that ran the Marsa open centre, told TVM that Haji was a typical case of home- lessness amongst mental health migrants. "Haji was a mental health issue, he wasn't a person walking the streets, but he hid his pain through alcohol," Bugre said. Haji had at- tempted to stay with friends, but was not easy to host. "The migrant community are so connected they try to help the people who are lu- cid. The people who have mental health issues are sometimes diffi- cult to take care of." But he said tackling the problem of homeless migrants like Haji was evidently not a priority to the authorities. "People like Haji had protection to live in Malta. He ended up dying like... like a chick- en, like an animal, under a bridge. That is painful." Even though asylum seekers are granted some form of protection, they are provided with very lim- ited support to rebuild their lives in Malta. "Often, they turn to NGOs for help to learn the language, further their education, or to find a job or housing," Aditus said. "Those struggling with mental illness or alcohol dependence, who need in- tensive services and support, are often unable to find it. This, cou- pled with difficulties finding work that is not precarious, seasonal or under-paid, and soaring rent pric- es, makes it increasingly difficult for migrants to live with dignity." For example, the African Me- dia Association, says that whilst migrants are permitted to work, some are excluded from JobsPlus, the national employment agency, and find it hard to connect with potential employers. "Other mi- grants accept any job, like cleaning kitchen floors, but have unused skills which employers need, and while in this basic work are not looking for more suitable work. Unemployment in Malta is low and these skills are not a threat to Maltese jobs, but an untapped asset for the economy," the AMA says. The association has launched a website, theskilledmigrant.com, to collect CVs and with the help of a human resources profession- al, provide training at the Malta Council for the Voluntary Sector, as well as advice about living and integrating in Malta, maintaining mental and physical heath and un- derstanding work ethics. And policies that are apparently legitimate often act as a barrier to the enjoyment of rights, leaving people trapped in poverty and des- titution. "As the world marks In- ternational Human Rights Day, we urge the government to address the issue of poverty even among the migrant population and to take steps to ensure that individu- als living in destitution receive the support that they need to live with dignity." PD: Reform citizenship laws "Basic human rights in certain sectors of Maltese society are not being protected," the Democratic Party said yesterday in a statement commemorating Human Rights Day and making special reference to the planned deportation of re- jected asylum seekers. "[Minister] Carmelo Abela re- cently said children born in Malta to Eritrean parents will not be sent to Eritrea due to lack of docu- ments in Eritrea. We therefore ask: are these children stateless? If that is the case, then they should be given the citizenship of the country in which they were born, Malta," the party said. Some 28 rejected asylum seekers, amongst them Malian nationals who have been in Malta for seven years, are amongst the most inte- grated in Maltese society but they now face deportation after years spent without the government ef- fecting a removal order. The PD described them as law- abiding members of society who were better candidates for citi- zenship that the millionaires ac- quiring Maltese citizenship for €650,000 under the Individual In- vestor Programme. The PD said Malta's citizen- ship system, left to the minister's discretion, was unjust and elitist. "Those with money are treated differently from those without. It must be revised so that all are treated equally. Only then will the fundamental human rights of all living here be safeguarded." 'He died like an animal' The death of 'Haji', a Somali migrant who spent years destitute and sleeping rough, sheds light on the hidden problem of poverty, and homelessness suffered by migrants in Malta CCTV rumbles woman over false police beating claim MIRIAM DALLI A woman who accused police officers of beating her up was caught on camera harming her- self, according to the Malta Police Association. A camera that was record- ing at the Valletta police station caught the woman in the act, as she banged her head against the bench, before she levelled the ac- cusations against the officers. The woman made the allega- tions after she was arrested by the Valletta district police. In a statement, the MPA said the incident only served to recon- firm the repeated requests made by the association to the Home Affairs Ministry, to have cameras installed in all police stations. "This is the sort of attitude which officers face on a daily ba- sis. Whilst officers would be car- rying out their duty, such lies cast shadows on their credibility and integrity," it said. The MPA said similar stories end up in the media, whilst po- lice officers have to continuously defend themselves against those who mastermind such lies, ex- ploiting the weaknesses of the criminal justice system. The association also called on police officers to understand the importance of having CCTV sys- tems installed in police stations. Motorcyclist grievously injured Man falls two storeys from scaffolding A man of 40 was grievously in- jured when a car collided with the motorcycle he was riding. The Bugibba resident was rid- ing a Yamaha motorcycle, when at around 7:30am on Saturday, it collided against an Isuzu ELF, driven by a 20-year-old from San- ta Venera, on the Salini road in Naxxar. A 13-year-old passenger in the car suffered light injuries in the accident. A 34-year-old man was taken to hospital yesterday morning after injuries suffered from fall- ing off a scaffolding. Police said that they found the man, a Bormla resident, injured inside a venue hall on Gharghur Road, l-Iklin. The man was assisting staff in the removal of certain items during an event. Police said the man had fallen off a scaffolding, from a height of some two storeys. Homeless Somali migrant 'Haji' (inset) was found lifeless (above) under the bridge where he used to sleep