Jesuits warn against calling racism by another name

The Jesuits have underlined the need for an intensive nationwide educational campaign to stem or at least control the "worrying" rise of racism in Malta.

The convenient excuse of posing under the emotional banner of patriotism to express racist and xenophobic sentiments was a very dangerous development, Jesuit provincial Fr Paul Chetcuti yesterday warned.

"You can't call yourself a Christian and a racist at the same time. It's a contradiction," he underlined.

The Jesuits felt compelled to call a news conference to explain their stand in favour of refugees and expose their work in the community, especially in light of the criticism levelled at them by the anti-immigration organisations.

Discrimination and the fear of whatever was different was nothing more than a threat to the country's soul, Fr Chetcuti warned.

"We are not saying that everyone should come into Malta and do as one pleases. There are rules to follow but let's stop these irrational fears. If we don't tolerate foreigners then it shows that we are intolerant even among ourselves," he said.

"Where there's hatred there's irrational behaviour and that can be very dangerous. Before we know it, the insults towards immigrants may grow and this is unacceptable for a country which calls itself tolerant."

It was up to all the authorities to ensure this cauldron of emotions did not spill over and everybody had a part in knocking some sense into the debate, be it the politicians, the Church or the media.

Asked whether he was concerned with the growing far-right and anti-immigration organisations and websites, Fr Chetcuti replied metaphorically: "A good tree bears good fruit, a bad tree bears bad ones".

St Aloysius College rector Fr Patrick Magro underlined the importance of education to combat racial discrimination.

Every person has racial sentiments in him, the rector argued, but the challenge is to tackle them and overcome them.

Fr Edgar Busuttil, from the Centru Fidi u Gustizzja, asked why many individuals persisted in claiming they were not racist when their words and actions implied otherwise.

University chaplain Fr Jimmy Bartolo believes that the arrival of more irregular immigrants had only helped to expose racism, which was previously a taboo subject.