Editorial

Even if, arguably, one were to disagree fundamentally with what the Jesuit Centre Of Faith and Justice has said about racism and xenophobia in Malta, one could never justify the acts of arson and vandalism committed at St Aloysius College on two separate occasions. In a supposedly civilised and democratic country like ours, there can be no excuse for anybody to react violently against views with which he disagrees.

Although the connection between the events and acts of violence has still to be established, the coincidence is too great to ignore. Despite the unpalatability of such a link, it would seem logical to proceed on this assumption, if only to confront two issues it raises.

The first concerns the application of the law. There have been many occasions where acts of violence have occurred - committed by disaffected and unrepresentative splinter groups - which have outraged the vast majority of Maltese but not to the perpetrators being brought to justice. The acts of vandalism at Mnajdra in 2001 and a number of other similar incidents since come to mind.

Those who instigated these acts were not apprehended, let alone brought to justice. It defies belief that in a society as small as ours - where to keep anything secret is a near impossibility - the police did not get the sort of help necessary to lead them to the culprits.

Let us hope that this time, with the forensic evidence which must exist, the Police Commissioner, renowned to be a top investigator, will show the determination to ensure those responsible are brought to justice. Both the competence of the police force and the values of our own society are at stake.

The second issue is about racism and xenophobia in this minuscule island that has suddenly had to deal with successive waves of illegal immigrants. It is a subject which, as illegal immigration to Malta increases, will not go away. As a society we must confront and come to terms with it. It is crucial to be clear at the outset what these words mean, for they tend to be bandied about with imprecision by people who have an agenda. A xenophobe is a person who dislikes intensely the people, customs and cultures of other countries. A racist is a person who hates those who are not of his or her own race.

It is difficult to support the case that the Maltese are intrinsically xenophobic. There may be some who are, but - given our history and our circumstances - it would be difficult empirically to show that we suffer from an intense dislike of foreigners.

Are the Maltese racist? There are some who are. These people manifest their hatred of those of different race in a despicable manner, fomenting prejudice and fear where none should exist. They should be treated with the contempt they deserve. Those who incite racial hatred should face the full force of the law.

The majority of Maltese are concerned, rightly, about the impact of illegal immigration into this country. But to be worried is not to be racist or xenophobic. It is a natural reaction to a phenomenon which appears to be out of control, the repercussions of which could have consequences for Maltese society, culture, religion and our way of life which are not yet fully understood.

The government carries an enormous responsibility for ensuring that these concerns are allayed through a comprehensive process of education, and that racist tendencies - where these, as demonstrated in this case, exist - are quashed immediately.