Brussels, 07/03/2006 (Agence Europe) - 'We should close all detention centres for immigrants currently detained in EU territory,' Giusto Catania MEP (GUE/NGL, Italy) told reporters on Tuesday: 'These centres violate human rights and individual freedoms but they do not deter illegal immigration nor help with the identification of immigrants,' he explained at the launch of a publication on the detention centres in Lampedusa and Melilla, both of which he has visited (see EUROPE 9057 and 9089). Catania argued against various measures in the draft directive unveiled by Commissioner Frattini in September 2005 (see EUROPE 9018), like the suggested six months' detention for illegal immigrants. Jean-Marie Cavada, President of the European Parliament's Civil Liberties Committee, said following his visit that a few days are needed to establish a dossier, which is why he wanted to launch a European campaign involving civil society to get all detention centres closed down. Giusto Catania explained that 'detention centres are like prisons, even worse.' Alongside closing them down, Catania suggests a residence permit for immigrants looking for work and using transit areas where immigrants would only be kept two or three days before going to asylum services where asylum requests would be processed.
'Europe must change its approach to immigration,' said Luisa Morgantini (GUE/NGL, Italy), President of the European Parliament's Development Committee: 'Migrants cannot be the damned of the earth: we must change our attitude and at the same time increase development aid to immigrants' countries of origin, to avoid, in particular, the constitution of the African 'brain drain'.' Portuguese MEP Miguel Portas (GUE/NGL) said there was a danger that 'public opinion will be manipulated and there will be a push for an immigration policy that ignores the human aspect of the issue. We must continue to emphasise the humanitarian side so this does not happen.'
Giusto Catania said he had gone to Paris on 20 February with a delegation from the EP's Civil Liberties Committee to visit two immigrant detention centres ('centres de retention administrative' or CFAs) at Mesnil-Amelot near Roissy (Seine-et-Marne) and the centre under the Paris 'Palais de Justice' (law courts). Catania said that before visiting the centre, the MEPs had not believed that what they had been told was possible, but had been shocked by the lack of air and the general conditions in the detention centres, describing conditions as 'unimaginable' in Europe. Echoing comments made by Council of Europe Human Rights Commissioner Alvaro Gil-Robles, the visiting MEPs welcomed the fact France had 'finally' decided to close down the law court detention centre in June 2006. The MEPs said the Paris centre was similar to the one in Lampedusa, except that the one in Lampedusa was not as dark. French internal minister Nicolas Sarkozy announced on 15 February that the centre would be closed down, just after the publication of Gil-Robles' report.
MEPs will be visiting Malta at the end of the month, to continue reflection and measures on the return of immigrants.