Alone we can do nothing

It welcomes migrants, but at the same time it launches a cry of alarm to the European Union to act in a spirit of solidarity over a situation that cannot be handled by an island with less than 400 thousand citizens on an area of 316 sq km. It is the position of Malta according to Alfred Vella, on the board of the Commission for Migrants, through which the Church of Malta provides support to all those who leave their home countries as a result of local conflicts or poverty. The Commission was established in the 1950s by Maltese people in search of a better life. Two decades later it started to deal with the problems of those seeking shelter beyond their national borders. "Our office is always open to meet their requests", Vella told SIR Europe. What help do you provide to those arriving on the island of Malta? "We have 400 housing units, made available by the Church. People in need come to us for help. In coordination with the government’s agency we identify the most vulnerable cases and provide them with accomodation, according to our possibilities. We also help migrants with various services. Some of them need documents, others want to communicate with their families in their countries of origin after their long journey, others need help with registering children in schools or need medical assistance…".Since when have you been dealing with migrations? "Since the beginning of the 1970s, when a first group of migrants arrived from Uganda. The governments still hadn’t ratified the 1951 UN Convention for Refugees, so the Commission for Migrants took over, welcomed them and started to work with UNCHR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, ed.’s note) which enabled migrants to benefit from the programs of the Agency. Since then the Maltese Church has always been a point of reference for refugees on the island".How are the relations with public authorities? "There is a good level of cooperation between the Church and the Maltese government".But in the past days the EU warned Malta not to expel Libyan migrants landing on its coasts… "The European Commission replied to a statement issued by the government to step up the EU’s awareness of our difficulties". That is?"The number of migrants arriving in Malta is enormous compared to the local population and to our means. Only this year more than a thousand arrived: they may seem few, but it’s as if a million had landed in Italy".As Maltese Church, what are your requests to the EU? "We agree with the government that help should be given according to the principle of solidarity that should animate the EU. South European countries – not only Malta – can’t be left alone facing the situation of political refugees and of those who land on our coasts in search of better living conditions. It’s a commitment that ought to be shared by all EU member countries". In the island Lampedusa Pope Francis spoke of the "globalization of indifference". Has this disease also affected Community institutions? "The pope’s statement should prompt reflection. The world should be aware of the migration reality. Everyone is called to give their contribution, according to their own possibilities".