The Communist Party of Malta describes the agreement reached ​​by Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi with the Rebel Council in Libya to curtail the flow of emigrants to Europe as shameful.

This is a similar agreement that was reached by the Italian government with Muammar Gaddafi, where most of the immigrants were denied of their right to seek asylum.

Reports are claiming that people of different African nationalities are being persecuted, killed and abused by some of these armed rebel groups in Libya who are participating in the civil war against the forces of Colonel Muammar Gaddafi.

The Communist Party of Malta appeals to the Maltese government to take a clear position against this agreement. We condemn the Italian government in failing to respect the right of asylum.

We also condemn the policy that was adopted by the Maltese government and other European countries by excluding African nationalities from the whole process of evacuation of foreign people and workers from war torn Libya. We consider this as an act of hypocrisy.

Victor Degiovanni

Secretary

Communist Party of Malta