Financial help sought to restore vandalised Foresta 2000

The destruction of 3,000 pine saplings by vandals in Mellieha earlier this week was yesterday branded a "terrorist act" and condemned by authorities, organisations and political parties.

Two companies - HSBC and Maltacom - have already forked out Lm10,000 for the area's restoration, and the public has been asked to support the effort through small donations.

An entire area beneath the Red Tower, known as Foresta 2000, was on Tuesday night systematically wiped out by vandals who uprooted the trees, broke their branches and sawed them off one by one. Efforts to plant more than 12,000 trees in the area, a project costing tens of thousands of liri, had been going on for three years and involved Din l-Art Helwa, BirdLife and the Environment Ministry's Parks, Afforestation and Countryside Restoration Department.

At a press conference on site yesterday afternoon, BirdLife Malta and Din l-Art Helwa called on the government to take immediate action to bring the criminals to justice. Environment Minister George Pullicino insisted that whoever thought the senseless act would discourage the government from pursuing further embellishment projects was wrong.

DLH executive president Martin Galea said the despicable act of cultural violence was not isolated. This was part of a pattern of violence and a slap in the face of all Maltese and those who love the natural heritage. "The police must do all in their power to find the culprits and safeguard our heritage from further damage," Mr Galea said. He said the perpetrators were mistaken if they thought they could make a political statement through such cowardly means.

Mr Galea expressed solidarity with BirdLife, which had received a number of threats in recent months. He also expressed solidarity with Ray Vella, the person who planted and takes care of the trees, watering the saplings every day early in the morning.

Over the last months, two BirdLife Malta project sites, namely Ghadira nature reserve and the EU Life Project at Rdum tal-Madonna, were vandalised. BirdLife has also filed two reports to the police regarding threats it has received.

Rubble walls and a bus shelter near the Neolithic temples of Hagar Qim and Mnajdra were daubed with pro-hunting slogans. BirdLife Malta president Joseph Mangion charged that in spite of all the incidents no one has been caught to date. "I am afraid that the destruction of the Foresta 2000 site will not be the last case if the government continues disregarding these threats and does not catch these criminals," Mr Mangion said.

Mr Pullicino said the government would do its utmost to mitigate the effect of this vandalism.

"The Maltese community has suffered because of this act of vandalism," he added, explaining that several people, including families, schoolchildren and company employees had contributed to the project giving up their free time. He said it was the public's turn to show support to the project by supporting it financially, adding he had asked the ministry's employees not to buy him a gift for his birthday next Saturday but instead to make a donation towards this cause.

Italian Ambassador Paolo Andrea Trabalza condemned the act saying it had been done by "terrorists" who did not have the courage to come forward. As part of the project, 8,000 trees and shrubs were donated by an Italian organisation, Corpo Forestale dello Stato, and were shipped to Malta by the Italian government.

Mr Trabalza said the damage had been made not to the authorities but to the perpetrators' own children, promising he would personally donate Lm150 to the cause.

Police Commissioner John Rizzo promised that the police were working thoroughly on the matter and explained that the act had been given utmost priority. Calling the vandalism "an attack against the state", Mr Rizzo promised his commitment to increase patrols near potentially sensitive areas.

He appealed to anyone who could provide any information to phone 119, 112 or 2122 4001, adding that anonymity would be guaranteed.

The Mellieha local council, Alternattiva Demokratika, the Malta Labour Party, the Nationalist Party's Mellieha office, the Ramblers Assocation, Graffitti and the National Youth Council condemned the attack.

An HSBC bank account 033221458007 has been opened where the public can make donations for the destroyed trees to be replaced.