Révolte du centre de détention de Malte mars 2009
500 illegal immigrants break out of compound
Tuesday, 24th March 2009
Three security personnel injured
About 500 rejected asylum seekers forced their way out of a detention compound within the army’s Safi barracks yesterday morning, leaving three slightly injured security personnel and wrecked classroom equipment in their wake.
A Detention Services officer was hurt in the eye when a cupful of bleach was thrown at him and another DS officer and a soldier from the army’s Third Regiment were hit by stones thrown by the immigrants.
Two tents that served as an education centre for detained immigrants were ransacked. A computer, a projector, books and other classroom equipment were destroyed and set on fire.
The situation was brought under control within a couple of hours when the immigrants were forced back into the compound. A spokesman for the Home Affairs Ministry said « reasonable force » was used but no tear gas.
No injuries were reported to immigrants during the riot and throughout the riot squad’s operation.
The disturbance started at around 7 a.m. when immigrants lodged in the detention facilities known as Warehouse A and B emerged onto the Safi barrack’s main road after forcing open the doors and tearing down some fencing.
Some immigrants were protesting against their detention and others against being sent back home, army sources said.
Some of them may have got wind of the presence of African diplomats in Malta last week who were here to discuss the possibility of repatriating immigrants. No further details of this visit were available yesterday.
The vast majority of the immigrants remained in the compound but at least a couple escaped. The two, both Palestinian, managed to make their way to Marsascala where they were spotted by the police.
One of them was arrested but the other one jumped into the sea and wouldn’t come back ashore when he was ordered to. The police had to call in a fisherman who took them out to the migrant, who was pulled out of the water and taken back to shore.
The rest of the immigrants within the barracks were soon contained by the army’s riot squad, supported by a contingent from the police Special Assignment Group. An AFM helicopter was seen flying low overhead.
At the same time another disturbance occurred in Block B, a separate detention compound to the warehouses within the barracks, but this was immediately brought under control.
At about 9.25 a.m. soldiers and SAG personnel entered the compound to identify and arrest the ring leaders.
A thorough search was carried out by security personnel and the damaged fence and broken doors were replaced immediately.
Three immigrants deemed to be the ring leaders are expected to be arraigned today.
All three injured personnel were discharged from hospital soon after receiving treatment and the DS officer injured in the eye was seen again at Safi some two hours later.
The spokesman for the Home Affairs Ministry, which is responsible for the detention centres, confirmed that 600 immigrants housed in the two warehouses all had their application for asylum turned down.
The vast majority hail from western African countries. Yesterday’s riot follows a similar although smaller incident that occurred in the closed centre at Lyster Barracks three weeks ago, although with a different motive.
Tunisian immigrants awaiting deportation had smashed windows, doors, and toilets and set mattresses on fire insisting that they wanted to be repatriated. Four Tunisians were subsequently jailed for six months each after admitting to causing extensive damage.
Immigrati: rivolta in CPT a Malta, 3 feriti
23-03-09
(ASCA-AFP) – La Valletta, 23 mar – Tre membri delle forze dell’ordine sono rimasti feriti stamane nel corso di una rivolta in un Cpt a Safi, sull’isola di Malta. Lo ha riferito all’Afp un portavoce del ministero dell’Interno.
Un centro educativo finanziato dall’Unione europea e situato in questa ex base militare, ha precisato, e’ stato distrutto dal fuoco, cosi’ come tutto il materiale educativo e informatico.
Due guardiani e un poliziotto, ha aggiunto, sono stati feriti dal lancio di pietre nel momento in cui circa 500 immigrati hanno cercato di fuggire dagli edifici che servono loro da dormitorio.
Le forze anti-sommossa della polizia maltese sono riuscite a bloccare gli immigrati e la calma e’ tornata dopo circa due ore.
Il portavoce ha spiegato che la maggior parte degli immigrati che hanno preso parte alla rivolta sono originari dell’Africa centrale o dell’ovest e in attesa di rimpatrio in quanto la loro richiesta d’asilo politico e’ stata respinta.
Rebellion in a detention camp for immigrants in Malta: Three injured
Three members of the security forces were injured Monday morning during a rebellion in a detention camp for illegal immigrants at Safi on the island of Malta, said to the press a spokesman of the Ministry of the Interior.
An education center founded by the European Union and located in this former military camp was destroyed by fire and all the educational materials and computers, he said.
Two guards and a policeman were injured by stones when about 500 immigrants tried to escape from the buildings serving as a dormitory, said the spokesperson.
The anti-riot Maltese police have managed to block migrants and calm has returned after two hours.
According to the spokesman of the Ministry of Interior immigrants in revolt, are mostly from Central or West Africa and are awaiting repatriation because their request for political asylum was rejected
Violence erupts at Malta detention centre
Mon, 23 Mar 2009
Valetta, Malta – At least one person was injured Monday during clashes at a migrant detention centre in Malta, officials said. An undisclosed number of would-be immigrants fled from the centre during the disturbances, in which rioters also started several fires, the officials said. Reporters saw one detainee being carried toward a waiting ambulance. Information on the person’s condition was not immediately available.
The two hour-long rampage was brought under control following the intervention of riot police backed by military reinforcements, officials said.
Activists have repeatedly denounced what they say are overcrowded and unsanitary conditions at migrant detention centres in Malta.
Earlier this month, the international relief group, Medecins Sans Frontiers, said it had suspended its operations at the centres to protest conditions there.
Detention Service officers, soldier injured in Safi riot – ring leaders arrested
Monday, 23rd March 2009
Two officers of the Detention Service and an AFM soldier were injured in a riot involving between 500 and 600 migrants at Safi Detention centre this morning.
The riot developed at about 7 a.m. when the migrants – who are all asylum seekers whose applications for asylum have been rejected – forced their way out of the compound. The riot was however contained within the barracks and it is thought that no one managed to escape – despite reports of escapes earlier this morning.
Official sources said two fires had been started and damage was caused to a building, known as the warehouse, where more of the migrants live.
The most serious damage, however, was caused to the migrants’ education centre within the barracks, where computers and a projector were destroyed.
The migrants were forced back inside the compound by army and police reinforcements, including the SAG, but no tear gas was used.
An AFM helicopter was seen flying low over the area.
By 9 a.m. the situation was under control. Policemen stood by in buses while members of the SAG, carrying riot shields, moved out of the detention compound but stayed within Safi barracks.
The injured men were taken to hospital. Their condition is not believed to be serious. Sources said they appeared to have been hit by stones hurled in their direction. One of the Detention Service officers was later seen back at Safi, with a bandaged eye.
Meanwhile at about 9.25 a.m. members of the SAG were seen going into the migrants’ compound again. Sources said the ring leaders were being identified and arrested.
anthropologie du présent 