Forgetting the past

The past few months have seen considerable press coverage given to the plight of the illegal immigrants being held at Safi and the sub-human conditions they are being held under, with various articles or letters, for and against, appearing in various sections of the press.

To those who are in favour of the present situation, I would like to remind them that not so many years ago quite a number of our youths used to go to England for a holiday, then find a job illegally and overstay their visa. Many others married English nationals simply to attain work permits. In fact, it got to the point where many of our youths were turned back from Heathrow Airport. Which is perhaps similar to the situation in Malta and our airport over the past few years.

Many of us have a convenient short memory that allows us to forget our recent past, the economical and political turmoil our country went through because of which many Maltese had to look beyond our shores in order to survive and create a future for their families. In keeping with our own tradition we should be much more charitable, both in our attitude and conditions being offered to the refugees/asylum seekers being held at Safi.

On the other hand, our representatives in Europe should lobby with our bigger counterparts to give us a helping hand with the refugees/clandestine phenomena. After all, many of the woes of these refugees are a direct or indirect result of colonisation in Africa by the larger European countries that built their infrastructures and super economies on the back of Africa.

It is my feeling that all the publicity being created is just what the authorities are looking for as this publicity taken beyond our shores will act as a deterrent to other persons (to reconsider) before seeking refuge in Malta.

In my opinion it is not right and also abusive of our police to detain people for such a long period, especially families and children. Only our courts should have the right to detain, punish and imprison. Any person on Maltese soil should have access and recourse to our justice system, including legal representation. If the police do not agree with the demand for liberty they have every democratic right to oppose and explain why.

All those who allow human beings to be caged and treated as animals on Maltese soil have conveniently forgotten that in the very recent past Maltese have fought, suffered and died defending democracy against the potentiality of a police state. The law of the land should have one weight, one measure and one democratic justice for all, even for those who decide to visit us.