Becoming Invisible

Deja – vu

In July, I have written about a man named Mirko. I have met him outside a shopping center, quote close to my office. He had lost an arm in a car crash and was asking passers -by for donations. We had spoken on several occasions, until he was arrested by police and possibly deported. Begging is illegal in Malta. Mirko was Romanian by citizenship but belonged to a minority known as Roma (also referred to as Gypsy), he travelled the Europe to support his family of five.  You can see the post below:

http://ontestinggrounds.wordpress.com/2012/07/19/mirko/

I often thought what have happened to Mirko, if he was safe and reunited with his family. But to be very honest, I thought that his story was off my radar for ever.

I was wrong. Mirko`s story returned to me in a strange twist of deja-vu and now it is much, much different. You see, to put it bluntly, Mirko was lying.

Photo I took of Mirko back in July.

Fast forward to November 30, 2012. Its been raining since morning, temperature is just above 10 degrees, cold wind makes you dream of a cup of hot chocolate and a warm blanket. Another lunch break, the same street corner, the same shopping complex. People rushed by doing late shopping. Nobody noticed a man sitting with his trousers rolled up and bare feet. Or rather what were once human feet. A paper cup was held tightly in his hand.

I rushed towards him, within minutes I was kneeling next to him trying to talk to him. He wasn’t Mirko, but there were so many similarities I could barely control myself. He spoke Romanian, very limited Italian and had no knowledge of English. He was also a Roma. He sat in the same place, silently showing his wounded body and asking for donations into a paper cup.

He was thin, hungry, shaking with cold, having just trousers and a shirt and a small polar jacket on. He had no shoes, ho socks; there were no crutches anywhere near him and judging from his condition, he could barely walk.  He said his name was Vlad, other that that he only replied “Si” to my every question. When I asked him where he was staying he just uttered “casa”. The use of Italian words was again, similar to Mirko.

Vlad sitting in the same place as Mirko used to months ago.

I have brought him food and tea and took a photo of him despite his weak protests. As you can see, it is slightly moved, because I have been shaking with rage. This is not uncommon in mainland Europe for organized groups to bring disabled people from one country to another and to force them to beg. Roma are known to be involved in such a scheme, from both ends: as the profit makers and as the victims.  Seeing Vlad, I have understood why Mirko was really in Malta for. His whole story being just a cover up.

Vlad was scared, traumatized, constantly looking around himself as if he was looking for somebody. I would not take a photo of him in other circumstances, but considered it of importance. I wanted to document his plight, the situation he was in, his bare feet in the cold.

I left him to enjoy his hot drink and cam back 30 minutes later. A police car was there and Vlad was being packed into the car, arrested. He looked through the window and gave me a look of pure hatred. He thought I was the one who called the police. I went down on my hands and knees and begged police to give him protection and psychological help. I told them about Mirko, asked them to wait for those who put Vlad on the street to come. After all Vlad was just a pawn and those who profited from it all were somewhere in the area. They had done the same to Mirko back in July; they would surely do it in the future.

Police told me they knew about Mirko and just drove away. They however promised they would call Romanian consulate.

Every year thousands people share the fate of Vlad and Mirko.

The Trafficking Protocol defines human trafficking as:

“the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring or receipt of persons, by means of the threat or use of force or other forms of coercion, of abduction, of fraud, of deception, of the abuse of power or of a position of vulnerability or of the giving or receiving of payments or benefits to achieve the consent of a person having control over another person, for the purpose of exploitation. Exploitation shall include, at a minimum, the exploitation of the prostitution of others or other forms of sexual exploitation, forced labour or services, slavery or practices similar to slavery, servitude or the removal of organs.”

//Mal

Edit 23/02/2013

I do not like recent news at all. I am unsure if this is related but something tells me (call it a hunch) that we are here looking at the same story. We had again Romanian Roma appearing on the streets in the same area Gzira – Msida – Sliema – St Julians. But this time around people begging are not disabled. They are women. And small kids are involved.

Just in spite of two days:

On February 23, 2013 a woman was arrested in Gzira for defrauding several shops. She carried a small baby with her. A photo of her was circulated on Facebook in the last few days.

http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20130223/local/romanian-woman-arrested.458881

http://www.di-ve.com/news/police-arrest-romanian-woman

On February 22, 2013, two other Roma have been arraigned in court for begging outside of Mother Dei hospital. They had flyers with them in broken English stating they were collecting money for a sick child.

http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20130222/local/suspended-jail-term-for-romanian-beggars.458742

I am not police so I may be wrong. But I have been raised in a country that seen similiar tactics before. And the patterns as worrying – speaking as a risk analyst – every 2-3 months we have Romanian Roma appearing in the streets of the same area (Gzira-Msida-Sliema-St. Julians are in a straight line along a very busy seaside promenade frequented by tourists and locals alike), they also appear in places that are known to be full of people – Valletta in the morning or Mater Dei hospital. Thing is the people who come they are from outside, they speak a bit of Italian and have no command of English (at least Mirco and Vlad shared that trait). Judging from the articles the women from outside Mather Dei had no command of English either. If they are new to the island, how are they able to know the busiest spots? Where do they stay and why they always frequent the same areas? Why are they always the most vulnerable: disabled, women with small children? How are they managing to survive here if they don’t know the language and need help?

Who is taking care of them? Why are they always Romanian Roma and not Roma from other European countries?

Who, what, where, when, why and how?

I have seen the tactics before. Disabled people, the wrong change trick, collecting money for operation of a child – you can call them traditional ways to raise money. Methods tested over many countries, over many years. The issue here is – people at their weakest are used and trained to do it, they are transported to places that are not yet accustomed with these tactics.

As I said, I may be wrong and I will stand happily corrected. But I believe that somewhere out there, there is someone or a group of people who benefit from this procedure now for months (at least from July last year when Mirko first came). And they will not stop until apprehended.

/m

[Note: Please excuse the poor photos in this entry. I have completely failed to capture what was happening, but its rather hard when you are dragged around by six police officers.  I have tried my best to have ANY shot in these circumstances - Mal]

I don’t go looking for troubles. They usually find me. And they catch up with me in all sort of bizarre places, even if I go out of the office for an hour during my lunch break.

All I wanted was some peace and quiet (that’s our family credo because we never seem to get some!). It turned out to be chasing, running and risking arrest.

I should have known something was up when I left the office. I forgot the camera. It is very rarely that I go anywhere without it. It is a bad sign actually, I wanted to turn back but convinced myself that I was just leaving for a coffee and I would be back in no time. Plus what could go wrong on the Sliema strand full of coffee shops and lazy Italian tourists.

It was ten to 15:00 and we just paid our bill.  Suddenly a man in a red shirt started fighting with a group of taxi drivers just meters away from our table. They tried to get hold of him but he was like a wild animal- twisting punching, kicking and biting. A group of six men could not hold him down. He broke out finally and raced down the street, shirtless. His red shirt was now a piece of cloth lying on the street. Another man came running – he was a security guard dressed in white. He started to speak with the drivers and then continued his pursue of the shirtless man.

Police speaking to the taxi drivers

I went over to taxi drivers to ask what happened. They were confused. Said a man came running and asked for a taxi. Once in the car, he changed his mind, got out and started to kick the car. The drivers went to prevent him doing any damage; this is when the brawl started. My friend in the meantime, acting like a professional journalist, went to interview the waitress. She was told the rest of the story. Apparently the man in red shirt stole some things from a Zara shop nearby. He ran away from a guard who spotted him. He tried to escape in a taxi but then changed his mind.

Police officer came and spoke to the taxi drivers. The red shirt and other items dropped by the escaped man hanged from iron construction next to the taxi drivers post. The drivers were agitated. I was pretty much upset that I didn’t have my Canon, but took mobile phone and snapped some photos. Then out of nowhere the security guard in white uniform came back shouting for the police officer that the escaped man was in underground parking just meters away. They both sprinted and I followed in seconds hoping that I would get a shot of the thief being arrested, since I completely missed to document the fight with the taxi drivers. I ran after the police  and the security guard with my mobile phone ready into the garage to see how they both searched in vain for the man. He was nowhere to be found.

Another call came up that the shirtless man was seen up the street next to Tower Supermarket car-park. Just outside of my office. I turned around and ran again after the police officer and the guard.

When I arrived at the Tower Supermarket there was a huge crowd of passers -by and a few police cars. Six officers marched back and front talking to supermarket security. How quickly it escalated into a real size -chase. I snapped some more photos with my phone and went to the office (climbing three stories) to get my camera. I entered the office panting and running silently for the gear. My colleagues are now pretty comfortable with that. They have seen me doing that at least dozens of time. My manager didn’t even finch as well. Malicia was on the chase and it was pointless to stop her.

Police cars in front of my office building

I came down and started to shot with my Canon. I kept my distance; I was about 30-40 meters away from the police blocking the car park entrance and on the side so I didn’t disturb anybody. I know where to stand and where to shot.

By standers gathering around the police to observe what was going on

Officers going into Tower Super-market

Yet it seemed that the thief ran out again and the officers were looking for somebody to get their anger out. And there was a girl 5`2 with a Canon camera. Just the right target. I managed to take maybe 15 frames in all when it started. One of the police officers was especially blunt telling me that if I didn’t stop taking photos, he would get me arrested. The usual set of excuses followed: you can’t take pictures of the police, you are not media, and you are not licensed journalist. We will take your memory card away. I tried to politely explain that I was in the open, public place that I was not disturbing and that I had right to shot as this was something that happened in front of me and I wanted to see this though.

Shot outside my office

People observe police looking for the thief

It only escalated the matter and at some I was dragged away to get my ID card. I marched into the office and loudly informed my manager that I could be arrested for taking photos. I came down and they took my particulars, trying to intimidate me. They called a sergeant and asked if I had the right to be there taking photos. Finally I was told I was no menace to them, that I was in the right but should have shot in secret – so I don’t have troubles. I should also apply for a license to photograph police because I may take photos to embarrass them. And best of all mobile phones were allowed, Canon cameras not.

Police officers trying their best to intimidate me

I tried to explain that my old Canon took worse photos than a smart phone and if I had one Id shot on digital zoom and it would be on YouTube in seconds. But police officer I spoke to had no idea about technical issues and tried to turn the whole case around that I was the trouble – maker and I was causing them issues. Yes standing on the side walk meters away from them. I was also asked “Why do you risk being arrested for a bunch of photos”. I replied that it was what photographers were doing. The police officer replied “She has balls” and let me go. Soon after that they just folded the whole thing and drove away.

A photo you take when they drag you away

My friend found me and told me that during the entire 30 minutes when they were trying to intimidate me, many cars went out unchecked form the car park. The person they wanted to catch was possibly in one of the cars, hidden. But they already had somebody to punch around.

After the police cars were gone, I realized that it was raining heavily, my clothes were soaked. I retreated to the office.

The thief remained at large. All was fine as long as a photographer got disturbed.

I know this happens to other photographers as well but it is unnerving.

//Mal

Job ad found in Paceville

There was a good article in the local media about some misguided advertising.

http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20121011/local/-Only-women-wanted-.440533

I could not help but post the photo above.

//Mal