From Mr C. Debono
Europe is set to play its trump card in curbing illegal immigration from the African sub-continent. In June 2006, it will erect a barrier across its southern flank and the sacrificial lamb will be Malta. This was revealed by the commander of the armed forces.
The new amendments to the search and rescue convention will place Malta as the sole country responsible for an area of 260,000 square kilometres. As a consequence, all illegal immigrants coming from Libya and Tunisia will end up in Malta. Even if they manage to enter Italy without being intercepted, they will be deported back to our country.
Some statistics will help put this vile betrayal by Europe into perspective. Between June and October of last year, more than 10,000 illegal immigrants landed in Lampedusa. From June of next year, these 10,000 will be forced to land in Malta. To this figure, one must add the 1,600 or more who make it to our shores each year and the number of immigrants who make it directly to Sicily. For the sake of argument, I’ll round up this total to around 13,000 immigrants each year. Malta will be flooded with immigrants. One cannot even begin to imagine the devastating effect it will have on our lives, economy, infrastructure, and the health and security of our citizens.
The fact that Malta is an island and therefore isolated from any mainland, fits in well with Europe’s plan. Our country will be used as a reception centre for immigrants hoping to enter Europe. An Italian minister already suggested this plan some time ago. The plan achieves a number of goals all of which are detrimental to the Maltese.
The number of immigrants entering Europe will be controlled by nations other than Malta. Immigrants will be marooned here for years waiting for their application to be accepted, which may never even come. Europe will also tighten its control on terrorist infiltration, especially in the light of recent arrests of human traffickers in Italy who were found to be in contact with al Qaeda operatives. There is growing conviction in security organisations, that al Qaeda is heavily involved in this trafficking and is reaping millions of dollars to fund its terrorist’s actions across the world besides infiltrating its own operatives. Finally, this plan will appease UNHCR who opposes repatriation in Libya.
Although the proposed changes will come into effect in June of next year, I fear that we will start seeing its subtle implementation well before that date. The €1 million emergency fund and the proposed naval patrols, leave a number of unanswered questions. Top of the list is where will the rescued immigrants disembark? Without a repatriation agreement, it can only be Malta.
After such shocking news, I would have expected Tonio Borg, the minister responsible, to make a public statement assuring the Maltese that such treachery will not be allowed to happen. On the contrary, he assured the public that his government is to build larger centres to accommodate even more immigrants – perhaps in preparation for the expected invasion. I would also have expected the opposition to take a firmer stand. A simple request by the shadow minister will not induce this government to take a credible stand especially for an administration that has always placed the rights of Maltese citizens second. Being called a racist is a small price to pay when we are fighting for our very survival.
The fate of the Maltese nation is in the hands of this administration and the Prime Minister in particular.
The government’s moral obligation must be towards its own people and not to a treaty that is being shamelessly manipulated by other nations, with the intention of laying the burden of illegal immigration on to a tiny country that is struggling with the thousands already here, let alone with the envisaged influx. Malta cannot take any more immigrants.
I implore the prime minister; for once put the interests of your own people foremost because if you give in to this treachery, you will be signing the death warrant of your own nation.
Charles Debono
MARSA