As reported in The Malta Independent (23 May), the Maltese Federation for Hunting (FKNK) sent a document to members of Parliament to “counter” the anti-spring hunting declaration presented to MPs by several NGOs on Monday evening.
That the Hunters’ Federation claims that the declaration is full of inaccuracies, lies and misconceptions, is no surprise (though I would have appreciated it if the Federation would have pointed out what were the inaccuracies, lies and misconceptions).
The FKNK said it is a welcome relief for the federation to hear that now even anti-hunters have come round to accept what it has been stating ad nauseam, that is, that other EU member states do permit spring hunting by application of a derogation, and it is not true that it is only in Malta that spring hunting is permitted.
What the FKNK does not realise is that, for not wanting to see facts as they are (or simply for convenience’s sake), the federation did not properly understand the anti-spring hunting declaration.
It is simply untrue that other EU member states permit hunting by application of a derogation. Since no EU member state has been given a derogation, spring hunting is not permitted in any EU member state. It is one thing having the right to apply for a derogation. It’s quite another being given one. So the FKNK’s claim that Malta is not the only country where spring hunting is permitted by the EU is simply untrue. Not only does the EU not permit spring hunting in other member states, but the EU also does not permit spring hunting in Malta.
The counter-declaration from the FKNK goes on to say that “the FKNK has always stated that as an EU member state, Malta has every right to apply a derogation to allow spring hunting under very specific conditions, even more so given the unique and particular conditions prevailing in the Maltese islands”. Of course, we find no fault in this.
The EU gives any member state the right to apply for a derogation, but the EU has never given one. The “counter declaration” goes on to say that “the FKNK is also aware that these conditions can be met, are well-documented and are supported with solid scientific data.
The FKNK, therefore, can only attribute the Malta government failure to exercise its right as an EU member state, notwithstanding having guaranteed legitimate pretence to the contrary to the thousands of Maltese “sportsmen”, to lack of political will and an inferiority complex attitude.
That these conditions (that would justify a derogation) can be met, is apparently only the opinion of the hunters themselves (what would one expect?), and of the politicians who are using hunters’ credulity to get their votes.
As for the failure of the government to exercise its “right” to take heed of a small minority of hunters, and not to take heed of 80 per cent of the Maltese population that opposes spring hunting, I believe the right of the overall majority to decide that the government should not allow the murder of birds in spring trumps any supposed right of a minority of bird hunters.
As for any scientific study, I won’t go into the merits of the validity of a biased study.
In any case, the killing of one bird is enough to justify a ban on hunting (and not just in spring). The Hunters’ Federation should thank their lucky stars that we still live in a speciesist age, and that they will probably enjoy killing birds in autumn for several years to come.
The Hunters’ Federation, in its “counter declaration” says that the anti-hunting declaration was presented by the usual “handful of individuals”. Perhaps it should be pointed out that these handful of individuals are representatives of 15 organisations and 80 per cent of the Maltese population who oppose spring hunting.
Kenneth Cassar
Animal Rights Malta