Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/779073
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 29 JANUARY 2017 16 IT has now been over two months since Diambourou, Ibrahim, Issa, Mamadou, Mamadou, Ngna- ma, Salya, Segou and Wali were rounded up and locked away in the Ħal Safi barracks, in prepara- tion for their deportation to Mali. After up to 18 months waiting to be 'processed' in a previous deten- tion upon their arrival, these men have slowly but surely become part of the social fabric of Malta, whilst Malta has become a part of their everyday existence and identity. Having been confirmed as citizens of Mali by a visiting delegation from their country, they continue to await their fate, physically and psychologically in the cold. I don't imagine there's much to do in a detention centre, except perhaps walk around your frigid cell, wondering if you've truly been uprooted from the new life it took you up to eight years to build, if you really will be forcibly returned to the life you left behind – for whatever reason –or wheth- er it's worth hanging on to a sliver of hope through the iron bars and barbed wire. The reports of one of the young men in detention becoming sui- cidal came as no surprise. In one way, detention is worse than pris- on: whereas prison, in theory at least, is 'corrective', conducive to a sincere contrition and expiation of guilt, in detention there is no wrongdoing to reflect on, except the humiliating guilt that your adopted country forces upon you: that of holding an unwelcome citizenship, or no citizenship at all. Speaking for myself, even if I were given hundreds of books to read and copybooks to scribble in to while away the long empty days, it wouldn't make much dif- ference – I doubt I would come out of detention in a state of san- ity. The Malians' resilience is to be admired. Highly. If humanity evolved by walking, from the Great Rift Valley all the way to Tierra del Fuego, then bor- ders are a form of dehumanisa- tion, impeding our development as a species. This is what makes the recent solidarity walk symbol- ic – a collective walk in support of people who have been denied the right to walk freely, and punished for having walked away from their previous home in search of a bet- ter, safer life. As recalled by Adi- tus, the event was also in support of any other groups of people or individuals vulnerable to depor- tation, according to the political whims to come. Who knows, the Maltese may soon find themselves legally deportable from post- Brexit UK. A very public and timely arrest Whereas deportations are usu- ally executed covertly, a number of the young men were appre- hended very openly, in one of the most public venues possible on the island: on the buses. The fact that the arrest of the Malians took place a day after Trump's election victory may be an utter coinci- dence, but it is no chance occur- rence that it came as preparations were being made for the Maltese presidency of the EU Council. The following Sunday, the prime minister defended the detention in his weekly sermon by stating that Malta would have no "cred- ibility" with the EU if the govern- ment chose not to go ahead with the repatriations. Whether or not the executive decision was inspired by events from across the stormy Atlantic, or came in strategic reaction to the registration of the 'Patrijotti Maltin' party for next year's na- tional elections, Muscat may have been referring indirectly to an EC Communication on the European Agenda on Migration published last February. That communica- tion avoids the word 'deporta- tion', preferring the euphemisms "return and readmission", and la- ments that "the credibility of the collective EU return system has been harmed" by Member States' lack of success in implement- ing effective deportation instru- ments. The Maltese presidency of the EU Council is now in full swing, and with it a cultural programme to be proud of, at least in terms of an artistic showcasing that goes beyond a monolithic sense of na- tional identity. Sadly for the art- ists and organisers involved, and for any Maltese citizen or villager who sees further than the tip of xenophobia's nose, Muscat has all but poisoned the spirit and possibly the future legacy of the presidency, by setting amid its highest priorities the legalising of pushbacks to Libya, and the facili- tation of deportations. It is within this context, and particularly in preparation for the upcoming EU 'Action Plan Meeting' (8th-9th February) which will follow up the conclusions of the November 2015 Valletta Summit on Migra- tion, that the government is push- News Writer and activist ANTOINE CASSAR says people should stand up for those facing deportation as 'citizens who do not own our citizenship', and that we are all vulnerable to having that privilege withdrawn, so it is not ours to sell Operational Programme I – European Structural and Investment Funds 2014-2020 "Fostering a competitive and sustainable economy to meet our challenges" Advert part-financed by the European Regional Development Fund Co-financing rate: Public Eligible (80% European Union; 20% National Funds) ANNOUNCEMENT – 27 th January 2017 Business Enhance ERDF Grant Schemes Open Rolling Calls – Cut-off dates Operational Programme I – Cohesion Policy 2014-2020 Fostering a competitive and sustainable economy to meet our challenges Further to the launch of Call 1 under the SME Diversification and Innovation Grant Scheme and the SME Internationalisation Grant Scheme dated 10 th October 2016, with the first cut-off date for submission of applications set at noon of Tuesday, 31 st January 2017, the Measures and Support Division within the Ministry for European Affairs and Implementation of the Electoral Manifesto, designated by the Managing Authority for Cohesion Policy 2014-2020 as the Intermediate Body responsible for administering aid schemes for enterprises under the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) under the 2014 – 2020 programming period, would like to announce the next cut-off dates for submission of applications under the two specified grant schemes as follows: • Call 1 – SME Diversification and Innovation Grant Scheme Next cut-off date: Friday, 28th April 2017 at noon. • Call 1 – SME Internationalisation Grant Scheme Next cut-off dates: Tuesday, 28th February 2017 at noon; Thursday, 30th March 2017 at noon; Friday, 28th April 2017 at noon. Information sessions will be organised for prospective applicants from time to time. Dates and venues will be notified accordingly. Further information on these calls including the respective Guidance Notes and the Guidelines for Implementation, as well as on the information sessions may be obtained from https://businessenhance.gov.mt. Deportation as marketing 'The Knot' monument in Castile Square celebrating the Valletta Summit on Migration, November 2015, which brought together governments of EU and African countries to discuss the facilitation of repatriations in exchange for 'aid'. The knot of detention, deportation, and of Africa's continued servility to Europe. Alternatively known as 'L-gˆoqda fl-istonku', or something more scatological reminiscent of its shape.