Migrants Solidarity hits out at government, AFM over pushed back Somalis

The movement expressed its sadness “that the Maltese government, fails to see the disgrace of this incidence and the irresponsibility of the AFM.”

“What happened was not only completely out of line with international law and obligation but also a disgrace,” the movement said, adding that “the AFM who claim to patrol the Maltese waters for any emergency which should arise, failed to live up to their duty by letting the asylum seekers be sent back to Libya.”

The Migrants Solidarity Movement stressed that Libya is not a safe port for asylum seekers as it is not a signatory to the Geneva Convention for refugees, while the UNHCR office has also recently been closed, “clearly showing that asylum-seekers are far from respected and given their rights within this country.”

The movement stressed that no asylum seeker in his “right mind” would want to venture back to Libya, clearly showing that people were taken back against their will.

Not only did this incidence separate the whole group of people travelling together but sadly separated a husband and pregnant wife, surely an atrocious thing for both parts, owning to mental and emotional detriment.

“The Maltese government seems to forget that we are not dealing with cargo but with people, in this case all of them Somalis,” the movement said, adding that Somalia has been undergoing civil war for the last 20 years and civilians have a right to leave and seek refuge in a safe country.