Editorial

The billboard of Azzjoni Nazzjonali's deputy leader Anġlu Xuereb threatening to close down Balzan's open centre for migrants raised strong reactions.

Immediately following its appearance, Mgr Victor Zammit McKeon, director of the central office, Ejjew Għandi (Children's Homes), wrote a message addressed to Mr Xuereb expressing shock at the slogan on the billboard. While acknowledging Mr and Mrs Xuereb's help for his charitable work, Mgr Zammit McKeon insisted that he could no longer accept their financial help.

Ejjew Għandi runs five child day care centres, assisting families afflicted by social problems, most living below the poverty line. There, children are looked after while their parents are at work or receiving the assistance they require.

Even Mgr Philip Calleja, director of the Emigrants' Commission, publicly deplored this unchristian poster. The Good Shepherd Refugee Open Centre in Balzan is run by the Emigrants' Commission and provides shelter to 180 persons. In a defiant statement, Mgr Calleja declared that he would never allow Mr Xuereb to stop him from doing this charitable work among such unfortunate people.

Although Azzjoni Nazzjonali changed the offensive poster - specifying that its posters were changed after a few days, as if to stress that the decision was not taken in view of Mgr Zammit McKeon's reaction - Mr Xuereb persisted in upholding the published statement and maintained that, once in government, AN would close down the open centres for refugees.

The existence of new political forces contesting the general election should be considered a healthy development. It is, therefore, disheartening to see a new political party trying to exploit racial intolerance, whether directly or indirectly, intentionally or otherwise. Xenophobia is a reality in every country faced with the problem of refugees from regions with marked racial and cultural differences. Yet, the problem termed illegal immigration, of people trying to escape persecution or seeking a better future, is as old as history.

Suffice to remember how many Maltese, over the centuries, have felt compelled to leave and settle elsewhere in search of a better future. Thankfully, many of them did not have to resort to the extreme measures taken by so many people from the subcontinent of Africa.

With the current economic and political instability in Africa, immigration towards the better-off countries in the EU is and will remain a phenomenon we will all have to face. Malta will have to play its part in burden sharing and raising awareness of the causes that promote such a situation so that they can be addressed in a humane and just manner.

This will definitely involve political responsibilities and decisions that are open to serious debate. However, it is rather distasteful that, on the eve of a general election, a political group resorts to simplistic and negative slogans which betray a crass disregard for common decency.

The reactions of Mgr Zammit McKeon and Mgr Calleja were right and proper as well as a salutary reminder that Malta cannot accept this shabby manner of doing politics. Living up to their Christian vocation, the two monsignors make it crystal clear that the problem of refugees cannot be addressed by denying humane support for those that end up trapped on our shores.

On the contrary, their presence among us should focus our attention on the root causes of their predicament. The bishops too referred to the problem in their pastoral letter issued in the run-up to the election.

One hopes AN has reconsidered its attitude and correct its negative intolerant approach to a problem that deserves cooperation and compassion from all the political leaders and opinion formers.

Except for this incident, the issue of refugees and immigration has not been addressed in any depth by the political parties. One is quite sure that once the election is over, the matter will have to be taken in hand and seriously addressed. As we have just seen, the flow of illegal immigrants has already started.

Meanwhile, it is important that such sensitive topics are not exploited to score cheap political points.