Sunday, 24th August 2008 - 12:42CET
Updated: More illegal immigrants reach Malta
Photo: Jason Borg
(Photo added)
A total of 108 illegal immigrants landed in Malta in two groups this afternoon.
The first 31, landed at Delimara early in the afternoon. Seventeen men, two women, a boy and a girl were found on land and another 10 men were on a boat trying to escape. They were escorted to land by the Adminsitrative Law Enforcement police.
The second group, of 77, including two women, were landed at Wied il-Buni at about 3 p.m. They were brought to shore by the Armed Forces of Malta on two AFM patrol boats after they were rescued from rough seas by the container vessel Stadt Goslar some 50 miles south west of Malta.
They were spotted by the vessel’s crew stranded on a crammed rubber dinghy whose engine had stalled.
The Stadt Goslar also took on board a migrant who had been rescued by a Spanish fishing trawler.
RSS
Comments
Love it or hate it, most are not that submissive to this unfair taking of our land.
Please stop dreaming now.
And you go it even wrong on the Dalai Lama. He was referring to a different context wherein Tibet region remains within China, renouncing to total independence.
But if you know a thing of what the Dalai Lama stands for, you should know that he is and will always remain vociforous against the settlements and 'immigration' of ethnic Chinese in the Tibetan region. Something which he usually refers to 'CULTURAL GENOCIDE'.
Something which is also happening to MALTA.
We need tough leaders, not the cheesecakes we now have.
If the world recognises that 'mass immigration' is cultural genocide everywhere, why not in Malta. Why does the government fail to make such a point internationally? What does he fear?
No, indifference is not an option. The people will be educated that this is cultural genocide on the maltese, and it is up the them to make their mind and their attitudes.
@ R Borg... No on the contrary it is important to keep the comments coming. Just accepting the situation would be adopting defeatist attitude.
The politicians are pretending that they do not heed these comments but I am sure they do.
Here again, love it or hate it, the maltese has to live with these immigrants. The EU or Libya are not going to do anything to help us, the government and the opposition are going to do anything and the election is 5 years away.
Please stop complaining now!
Very good point. Well done for raising this crutial issue.
There are now well in excess of 10,000 Africans in Malta, most of them able bodied men in their prime and a good number of whom have military training. How many able bodied men can the AFM and police muster? I wouldn't put it past 800, and I am being optimistic.
This also begs the question, why is the EU so in favour of breaking down the homogeneity of every European country? Are there some secret agreements with North African countries which the citizens of Europe are not privy too? All I know is that the EU has a lot of programmes to help the process of the integration of North African countries with Europe, most under the euphemism of "Mediterranean" which means all the countries of North Africa.
We should be ashamed at the inability of our MEP's to deliver, ashamed at our presiden't visit to Libya which only brought more dishonour to this nation.
We have become the laughing stock of the mediterranean, our armed forces and police have been outnumbered by these illegal immigrants and we still fail to call a state of emergency and refuse to let them in. Our euro parliamentarians are still pressuring the EU for more frontex funding while we have dropped below crisis level. Libya is obviously enjoying our humiliation after having imposed a visa on it's nationals when we joined the EU.
Anybody voicing concern is either brought to trial or labelled a racist by the liberalist movement which us running this nation and controlling our media.
History will repeat itself!
"based on the language and dialect that they speak this can be done easily and accurately".
This is where the fun starts. Multilingualism is the norm. It is normal for people living in Africa to speak 4 or 5 languages, and toss in a couple of dialects. Keep posted on forensic linguistics and you'll find that the phrase "easily and accurately" is far from the truth.
An open invitation to all:
Culture and tourism protectionists
Our futures generation guards
Please click the following link and post some comments on one of our SERIOUS PROBLEMS
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20080825/local/party-culture-fuelling-demand-for-cocaine
All our Gale’s – Vella’s –Sammuts’s –Camilleri’s –Pace’s are welcomed
1/ Be proactive. See the problem coming and do something about it to avoid it.
2/ Be reactive. Do something when the problem is already there.
3/ Sit down in a corner and hope that the problem will be solved by itself.
Seems our leaders have opted to option 3 as they hardly ever say anything about this growing problem. Cant imagine what they are capable of doing if for some reason we have a dispute with North African countries. EU does not seem to have any interest in our problem. Dr. Simon Busuttil seems to be hoping that something will be done but I really dont believe it ever will.
Hope govt opens its eyes and listens to the people. Surely they read what is written and if they do they should know what the Maltese people are feeling.
They must keep in mind that they represent MALTESE AND NOT AFRICANS.
ACTION PLEASE BEFORE ITS TOO LATE.
The Answer to your question No.1 :
Man charged with rape
Mumin Trabulé, a 21-year-old man from Ivory Coast, currently residing at Ħal Fal Tent City has pleaded not guilty to attempting to rape two women and raping a third between March and this month.
Police inspector Carlo Ellul said Mr Trabulé was an illegal immigrant who arrived in Malta two years ago without any identification and did not have a permanent address.
The charges against him were serious so granting him bail would not be suitable.
Defense lawyer Mark Busuttil said that Mr Trabulé should not be denied bail just because he was a foreigner.
However, Inspector Ellul argued that the accused had admitted, in a police statement, to the attempted rape of one of the women.
Mr Trabulé was remanded in custody.
Writing just comments on comments in every single article on this site with regards to this topic will not help!
Please lead by example, Mr Camilleri. You know how to get to Marsa, Birzebbuga, Hal Safi, ...
If Malta has never been a nice country to you, it may yet be. This is your opportunity. Go ahead and do what you think is right.
Well done to the government for the strong action he is taking in this respect...also thanks EU for not even giving a crap about Malta.
Let's all go to Africa!!
Do you have anything new to say?
"• No power on earth will stop a hungry human to get food and security."
Would you have the cheek to suggest that a human, or an animal for that matter, couldn't get food in a continent the size of Africa? In tiny Malta, almost all food items are imported, some of them even from Africa itself.
" ... only reflect our xenophobic and racist sentiments ... "
Speak for yourself. What exactly are you on about, M. Mercieca.
Again, I believe that we need MEP's who have the guts and courage to speak out in our favour and safeguard what is ours.
1 What will happen in 12months time when most of these migrants will be roaming our streets?
2 Where will they work? Perhaps exploited by some well off bloodsuckers.
3 Where will they be accomodated? Perhaps by epening open cantres around Malta and Gozo.
4 How and where will they receive healthcare? Perhaps by increasing taxes, surcharge, etc. and by using Mater Dei while you wait years for your needs.
5How will they affect our culture, religion, health, tourism and the overall economy?
6 How is it that all powers that be - government, opposition, unions, church authorities, especially media, MEP,s - choose to remain silent?
7 Why are we all being ignored and cast away? Perhaps it's not election time.
8 Will you ever trust and vote these people again?
We have to accept the reality that this is a phenomenon which is here to stay and we must adapt ourselves in order to help these people assimilate themselves into our society as much as possible. Segregation will ALWAYS make things worse.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_population_density
Better than watching Eurovision but, at this rate, just as predictable.
1 What will happen in 12months time when most of these migrants will be roaming our streets?
2 Where will they work? Perhaps exploited by some well off bloodsuckers.
3 Where will they be accomodated? Perhaps by epening open cantres around Malta and Gozo.
4 How and where will they receive healthcare? Perhaps by increasing taxes, surcharge, etc. and by using Mater Dei while you wait years for your needs.
5How will they affect our culture, religion, health, tourism and the overall economy?
6 How is it that all powers that be - government, opposition, unions, church authorities, especially media, MEP,s - choose to remain silent? Perhaps they have something to hide and have a finger in the pie - otherwise how do you explain this silence.
7 Why are we all being ignored and cast away? Perhaps it's not election time.
8 Will you ever trust and vote these people again? If your answer is "yes" , you must be mad.
Whatever they are called, boat peoples, Irregular, illegal, undocumented immigrant, this is an increasing phenomena and will stay with us.
• The government is doing the right job, and receiving funds from EU to handle irregular immigrants that eventually send to other EU countries. No penny is taken from our taxes to immigrants. (Debatable)
• We should never listen to the peoples that the immigrants for political gains. Same peoples scaremonger the public aiming to create tension and press the government (in vain)
• Social tension only reflect our xenophobic and racist sentiments, which again enables EU, human rights organizations to slam us on the face.
• No power on earth will stop a hungry human to get food and security.
• The topic has also bestowed xenophobic and racist peoples a good cloak to come into sight patriots like! And this is against EU values.
• Just because some persons do not have documents, it does not mean they do not have rights.
• Malta is a country that forms part of the international community and not (isolated Bocca-Club in Mosta or Hamrun)
I
This is a poignant part of what was reported by the International Herald Tribune on June 12, 2007:
Quote:
Friso Roscam Abbing, spokesman for Frattini, added that a program dividing up illegal migrants among EU members could act as a magnet. "I do not see how we can share out illegal migrants. It would give a bad signal to say, 'You can come, we will save you, we will distribute you among ourselves,' " he said.:Unquote
The Maltese interior minister at the time was Tonio Borg. Since then, Tonio Borg called it quits, and is now enjoying a more lucrative portfolio.
It is now left to the current interior minister to say himself what Tonio Borg and the EU could not get themselves to say to the illegal immigrants:
'You can come, we will save you, we will distribute you among ourselves'.
And here they are: 27+27+27+27=108.
This picture says it all.
Mr Joseph Caruana, you took to liberty and acted as spokesman for the interior minister in this blog. Can you now please enlighten us on the contingency plan that had been promised by the interior minister?
Those who are saying send them back are not saying shoot them or let them drown so your comment is senseless.
I am no racist and respect them as well. but I don t like thousand of people coming to my country without any documentation and in a few years time they will walk all over us.
Just look at Marsa and Birzebbugia, these places are almost a no goers for maltese.
The situation is getting out of hand, just think about tourism or maybe your income doesnt depend on tourism. How about the welfare we are paying to them. and then the government will say that Malta doesn t have money for pensions and for those promises he made before election to those people who bought property beleiving that the government is going to help them and then he said no more money.
What would Libya say or countries if we were to go illegally into their country.
Some say they don t want to come to Malta and yet the number has increased. They have sent very few to USA so we are encouraging them.
Even if the EU is helping ( I don`t know, I presume) Do we need this sort of help which will later on be thrown back at our agruments ? Who from the other 26 are coming over to look into the situation as it is: Next time an EU minister comes over and they soon will due to the new presidency , lets show them how and why we can`t cope anymore, lets inform him that all other items on the agenda whatever be it defence, climate,approving new candidates for membership, whatever, will be blocked untill MALTAS problem is solved.
there is one mathematical formula about to solve this problem:
a fair distribution of immigrants to all "1st world" countries according to following criteria:
- population density of the country
- area of country
- economic wellbeing of the country (GDP per capita)
if all these 3 variables are taken into account a simple equation can be formed to distribute all immigrants all over the world. (for instance for every individual we host, countries like america would have to accomodate 1000 )
3 questions i constantly ask myself about these immigrants:
1. Do they get medical tests regarding HIV / other STDs?
2. Why are about 95% of all immigrants MEN?
3. What impact will malta have with all these men knowing that statisticaly speaking Africa has an Adult HIV Prevelance of 15% !! ?
We have practical solutions:
1. Renegotiate Malta's Treaties to take into account its small size and homogenous culture. In short adopt a position like 'civilized" Japan that protects its unique culture and heritage. Malta cannot and should not accept refugees or immigrants from ANY country.
Any treaty that states we must take in 'Refugess" must be rescinded immediately and if necessary unilaterally.
We cannot sit and wait as" Lifeboat Malta" sinks under a flood of humanity pouring in. Treaties should not prevent Malta from protecting its national interest if it is being threathened ,and threathened it is! This is not the time for pedantic Eureacrats and nay sayers to tell us we cannot do anything because "we have signed a piece of paper".
2. Repatriate humanely all these so called Refugees back to their country of origin - based on the language and dialect that they speak this can be done easily and accurately.
It is now time for ACTION ! - A LARGE & PEACEFUL protest march in front of Castille is necessary so that the wishes of the Maltese people will not continue to be ignored.
to fenech adami, his eu
soon you have to do what lot of people did during mintoff time leave the country while you can
they keep coming soon they out number you
Coincidentally many of the comments I read below also remind me of these bad people and their attitude towards persons they accused of stealing them of their land, their money and their ethnic purity.
Yes in Malta we have a problem with illegal immigrants, there is no denying that. But the problem is not that they are coming to our island, the problems are first that we do not know what to do with these unfortunate people once they are here and second that they keep desperately fleeing their countries . Many of them do not chose to come to Malta, they just leave their countries because they are desperate.
Solutions need to be found, that is for sure, but in the mean time, let us treat these peole with dignity and not comit things that history taught us can lead to abominable things.
Instead of accepting the invitation, the statement was used for political mileage.
And for those apologisers, kindly note, that the Government is democratically elected by the majority of people to tackle ALL sorts of problems, not just a fraction, for the benefit of the Maltese Republic and its people, so, concrete action MUST be taken.
I would object even if they were from any other country with blonde hair and blue eyes. We just cannot accomodate so many and it's about time our government does what the Italian government has done - in fact, our President should have done that two weeks ago but he probably forgot!!!!
The issue is more than a financial one. And if you think that it 'all' boils down to that, you are gravely mistaken.
Defending the government for its indifference will not do any headway. There is more that can be done to raise our voices, one of which is what Mr. Malcolm Seychell suggested. The government is doing nothing, because it is chosing to, not because it cant. If the EU is not willing to co-operate, it cannot be allowed to tie our hands.
No responsible government will let Malta become one whole immigrant centre. Indifference is illegal to the present and future generations.
You are so very true. Being reversed into a corner is such a horrible situation, and meanwhile these poeples infest our island with smiling faces and try to IMPOSE their culture on us... but are we powerless to do anything?
Definately not.
The poeple make up a country, not its religion, its economic bodies or its minorities.
The poeple are the blood and flesh of a country.
The poeple.
Now, all you need is a leader to lead the poeple in the right direction...
Can the commentators who are writing that the government should do something , explain to us what this 'something' is?
@ A. B-C: Any which way you care to phrase innuendo, we have always considered ourselves a civilised nation. We arrest and detain those who break our laws!
That is why we elect genius politicians ,who have genius layers like you to advise them how to find the solution.
What the majority, who by the way are not genius like you ,want is a solution!
For the good of genius' as well as the ignorant majority.
Ps. By the way ignorant people like me are worth a vote too. Remember??
The so called 'Refugee" problem that Malta has been experiencing is not new to other countries who have been taking in refugees for a number of years. They know the laws and what welfare benefits they are entitled to before they arrive and demand them. They even send for their many wives to join them and get extra welfare for the babies they have each year too. Please, do not be so naive.
Malta cannot afford to adhere to the Refugee Treaty it signed in good faith years ago. I appeal to our elected government to rescind this immediately and make it know that Malta does NOT accept refugees of whatever colour. They will all be sent back. If you think that this cannot be done, please note that many respected countries have not signed international treaties such as those prohibiting the use of Land Mines, Kyoto, Convention on the Rights of the Child, just to name a few.
If a Treaty goes against the National Interest, then it should be scrapped.
“Il ministro delle Riforme Umberto Bossi annuncia che a breve l'Italia chiudera' un accordo con la Libia in tema di immigrazione. "Penso che in questi giorni Berlusconi dovrebbe firmare un accordo con la Libia - ha dichiarato il leader della Lega - e, quindi, si chiudera' per sempre la vicenda degli immigrati provenienti da quel Paese".
Louise, to me this more of a BAD NEWS. Now the traffickers will have no choice other than bring them to Malta, because if they take them to Lampedusa they will be sent back and hence the buisness will stop as it will get a bad name !!
DO ALL THOSE WHO WRITE THAT THESE ARE DESPERATE PEOPLE LOOKING TO RUN AWAY FROM HARDSHIP HONESTLY BELEIVE THAT THE PEOPLE IN THIS PHOTO TRAVELLED ON A BOAT FROM LIBYA TO MALTA? THEY LOOKED SMARTLY DRESSED AS IF THEY TRAVELLED ON AN ORGANISED SHIP TO ME !!!
Just the answer of what one illegal immigrant costs. Medical bills ,Meals, clothes, electricty,detention time, salaries for staf, and so on. Realy I am very concerned as we all so be, as we are, but in the end it all boils down to how much more direct and indiredt taxes can we afford. We pay tax on on saleries and then we pay taxes in the by VAT and then we,,,,,,,,
Those who dare to say a word against this invasion will be immediately labelled as racists. Unfortunately, we will just have to see this country become an island of Africa. The majority of the Maltese people, who are against this illegal invasion, can only watch their country being taken over by these foreign people.
Vote against every law proposed by the EU.
Like this the EU stops until we are given the help we need.
Meetings and more meetings are useless
civilized men don't commit suicide!
I'm adopting these immigrants with the TAX I pay!!!!!!
Finally someone who has summarized what happened...needs to be done and what is the real situation...frankly speaking. Xarabank style accusations in favour or in negative light towards such immigrants are useless.
Right now the problem can be alleviated through co-operation between the Libyan government and the EU....and more help by the EU to spread the burden of illegal migrants would help. I think the latter is the only temporary solution right now. Far right or far left rethoric, and I add as well Catholic rhetoric, do not matter much.
Give up your savings, your life and get trafficked to the doorstep of Europe. You end up in a detention centre and then moved to an open centre. It is a leap of faith into a better world, and tbh i would do the same.
Now, take your kids/wife/girlfriend/(insert loved one here) for a walk outside the open centres in marsa, or go for a walk late at night along the long road in Hal Far, and then tell me that in a few years time things won't be all 'jungle-like'.
Of course 'Mogadishu' and 'jungle-like' is a bit extreme, but that is the use of hyperbole, i.e. to really accent the finer parts of the problem. ** And we are in the early stages of the problem **
Now I think you are wise enough to know that it is not a world you would want your children in, unless you yourself are a sympathiser or in the 'all aboard' brigade, but believe me, you *really do* want your children to grow up around like me.
Iddahaqnix! Ciao!
WE ARE FEED UP Shame on you PN / MLP its about time you do something not Bla Bla as allways.
Human loving, UN loving and leftism aside.
0.02% of the Maltese population came illegally today.
0.02% of a population for example is like 140,000 Illegal immigrants going to London (pop 7mil) in one day.
"are I-L-L-E-G-A-L and breach a bunch of international conventions to which Malta is signatory." Joseph Caruana.
Ok then the mistake was to become signatory!!!!!!!
What do we do next is the question.
This way more Maltese small business people (or sharks) get richer quicker.
You're right, you're not a genius.
Malta is such patient now.
Malta should pull out of the EU so this illegal invasion can be dealt with on our own terms and very soon.
The Interior Minister is doing just what he should do in this case... keep all the arrivals in detention until they are granted humanitarian protection or refugee status. I don't know how many times I have to spell out you that all the suggestions being put across here on how to deal with the problem such as "giving them supplies to proceed with their voyage north", "send them back", "tow them outside our territorial waters" are I-L-L-E-G-A-L and breach a bunch of international conventions to which Malta is signatory.
In these limited circumstances Government can only keep those that are granted neither humanitarian protection or refugee status under lock and key for 18 months until they choose to go back home or are forcefully repatriated.
Without co-operation from Libya and the EU, there is nothing else that can be done. Coming up with ludicrous suggestions or trying to pin the blame on someone won't help either.
You and your family are blissfully sailing on your 13 foot boat when the Titanic sails by with 2229 people on board and hits the proverbial iceberg. Survivors start swimming desperately in the direction of your boat and, as obliged by your Christian persuasion and international obligations, you start taking them on board.
Need I go on?
you and your government are betraying us the maltese people. we want action and you are being a dissappointement to us Maltese.
Emma Xerri gave you a suggestion
"Malta should change its Refugee Laws and opt out of any Refugee Treaties - Malta's very existance is at stake here! "
Arrogance from you is not a solution either!
is anybody telling you to shoot anybody?
Or is it because you yourself do not have a solution?
The average Maltese person is not a genius, true, but you do not need to be a genius to read the obvious!
Charity yes - allowing them to use us, no.
Jeremy, then why not grant their wish and send them up to Italy or wherever they want to go.
I want my children to grow up in a Maltese country, not Mogadishu.
And one more thing... where do the suggestions we come up with go? where do we send them? who do we tell? who is listening?
Hail those who respect the names of our fore fathers and mothers who suffered famine and death but still didn't leave this island fall into our enemies' hands! Shame on you who betray our island's heroes.
Minister Mifsud Bonnici has showed he has absolutely no control of the issue.
These illegal immigrants are coming straight from Libya and not Africa. They should be prosecuted and send back home.
This is not to say that there shouldn't be efficient, humane and considerate repatriation for people not in danger. Nor is it to be taken that the Government shouldn't put pressure onto our European colleagues to take their fair share of the burden.
In the meantime, though, we will continue to behave in a civilised manner towards other human beings.
Good let us greet them on the Quay with Maltese folklore, and flowers.
Send them back the way they came, enough is enough. And for the reason of these ILLEGAL immigrants, I say, 'roll on winter and rough seas'!
I feel that we citizens are being completely ignored simply to appease some agreement with the EU or the United Nations. It is as though we totally depend on these institutions to establish a policy for our country.
I say the the responsibility rests totally on Dr Gonzi's shoulders. I suggest that Dr Gonzi gets down to real business and resolve his home problems without having to rely or ask permission to other countries.
They have the continent of Africa, and some come from resource rich countries. The EU should be there to help these countries get their act together so that they stay there, and not granting assylum. I am sure it is not a picnic for them to come on these boats and that if things were different, they too would rather stay home and be with their own.
I recall that when EU accessions negotiations were underway, the government had stressed and made special concessions so that Malta, because of its small size, would not be innundated with foreigners. I believe they thought that it would be other Europeans who would flood in. Malta should change its Refugee Laws and opt out of any Refugee Treaties - Malta's very existance is at stake here!
I'm not racist but I'm fed up of this situation. In a couple of years it will be the African island in the middle of the med. instead of Malta the tiny island.
Shame on you and shame on the MEP's because they are our voice in Europe and they are there doing nothing.
Of course, everybody supports those people who have left their lands and
their homes because of violence, but we don't want it at the expense of
giving up our land or changing the demographics of our land."
Something must be done, to send back all illegal immigrants
Jokes apart....the situation is fast becoming critical, and I'm sure Cikku l-Poplu is not far away from the edge of its tethers...
“Il ministro delle Riforme Umberto Bossi annuncia che a breve l'Italia chiudera' un accordo con la Libia in tema di immigrazione. "Penso che in questi giorni Berlusconi dovrebbe firmare un accordo con la Libia - ha dichiarato il leader della Lega - e, quindi, si chiudera' per sempre la vicenda degli immigrati provenienti da quel Paese".
A similar agreement was announced last December, but the influx has not stopped – indeed it accelerated. Let’s hope this one is for real and will also cover Malta. We are suffering from an Italian problem. Most of the illegal immigrants come from Somalia, Eritrea and Ethiopia, formerly parts of the short-lived Italian empire. They transit through Libya, which was also an Italian dependency. They want to go to Italy, the rich country they know best. Malta just happens to be on the way. Still the Maltese government has been supine or worse.