Immigrants speak out against police plan

A committee representing associations of immigrants, unions and political parties yesterday criticised the National Police and its Plan Focus, meant to stamp out delinquency. The full name of the group is Committee for Democracy and Social Globalisation. Jaime Zambrano, representing the Observatory of Human Rights of Latin America, alleged that the Plan was “designed with premeditation against immigrants,” adding that it corresponded to the “xenophobic declarations of some political parties.” He alleged that many of the detainees did not dare to report matters because they were waiting for their situation to be regulated and were afraid of reprisals. The Association of Moroccan Immigrants criticised police action on November 11 at the mosque in Calle Juan Mestre at the start of Ramadan. Mustafá Boul'Harrak and Mohamed Derbadi have filed a complaint, saying that police searched everyone leaving the mosque without due cause, demanding papers and acting aggressively. They said that no arrests were made because everybody's papers were in order. The two men called on all foreigners affected by National Police searches and demands for papers to report the matter. Boul'Harrak claimed that the campaign has as its objectives “immigrants in general, not just those here irregularly.” Aina Díaz of the United Left criticised the fact that the Balearic government's interior ministry was excluded from the Citizen Security Committee which drew up police plan “so that it could not express a critical opinion of it.” Ernesto Baletto of the USO union openly accused the Popular Party and the Majorcan Union of “this frontal attack against immigrants”.