Updated: Three migrants to be arraigned over Safi riot

d. Carabott

Mar 25th 2009, 11:14

How unfortunate for us that we have to deal with this mess. Fine, its easy for me to sit here and just wave my magic wand and say "let's rid of the lot". It's easy for me to forget the hardship that some of these people had to endure just to get onto our tiny island. Unfortunately, Malta has its own problems which need to dealt with. I don't beleive that this current situation is a result of political stagnation but a case of helplesness experienced by a nation in crisis. I'm sorry, but we just can not afford to maintain the endless barage of people entering our country illegaly. We try to hide them away by setting up "camps" in remote corners of our land but soon we WILL run out of space and money... then what?

J. Grima

Mar 24th 2009, 18:24

@ G. Manion

Clearly your life is all about politics, politics, politics and even more politics. Can you think about this matter as a national matter not as a political matter? Wake up and realise that this problem is not a political one but a national one where everyone should fight against hand in hand, no matter what colour you prefer, red or blue.

G. Mangion

Mar 24th 2009, 11:43

Any new bright Ideas from the mlp leader ? of course not ! Gallerija as usual ,
I wonder if he even see these comments,
it is the red Guy here, who seem to have the right Solution, lol. muhx hekk boys ?

roderick zammit

Mar 24th 2009, 09:09

backdated at another riot when a police superintendent broke his rib, no one was arraigned and the damage he sufferd no one gave it back. Instead, they were given back all the things they damaged, in a matter of hours!!! are human rights in favor to those committing such acts and no to those who serve and protect?!!!

Paul Psaila

Mar 23rd 2009, 22:01

Please give them the maximum. Send them back to the country they came from.

John Carmel Navarro

Mar 23rd 2009, 21:12

I find it difficult to understand people who take any comment made about an issue that affects all of us as a political jibe at who is in Government. The problems are the same for all of us whether Nationalist or Labour, however please remember that the current Government is the one with the power to do something about it. There has been too much sitting on the fence action needs to be taken as a matter of urgency; the situation has been monitored for far too long now. If the break down in law and order carries on at the said Detention Centre it will only be a matter of time before we see it on our streets. The Army and Police are getting stretched to the limit now is the time for positive action to irradiate this problem once and for all, the failed Asylum cases must be returned to their Countries now.

J.Scicluna - Rabat

Mar 23rd 2009, 20:56

@c.camilleri (1 hour, 43 minutes ago)
Labour supporters who are criticising the Govt's handling of the illegal immigration problem should come with labour's solution to this problem.

No my friend...the Government governs - therefore it is the Government that should come up with solutions not the Opposition. It made its bed, now it should lie in it.

Every time the LP came up with recommendation, GonziPN and their l'il elves denigrated them and their input. I'll give an example to "refresh" memories that seem to be slipping.

When the MLP suggested an extra year in Kindergarten, Alfred Sant was taken to task for wanting to "burden" children with an extra year at school. NOW we have John Dalli who states that Malta has a very low attendance in Play Schools for the 0-3year olds. He argues that, if more kids are placed in these schools the more women can return to employment.

What a cheek.

AnnMarie Pawley

Mar 23rd 2009, 20:22

And then these people have the guts to complain they are homeless...

A Vella

Mar 23rd 2009, 20:08

Xi hlew! as if they will be made to pay damages to the soldier and for the things they destroyed. Now we'll have to support them while they are in prison, full-board ! and the chances that they get deported grow thinner. Those who create trouble whilst in detention, even those who might be eligible for protection, automatically should loose this right once they behave in an uncivilised manner and should be deported IMMEDIATELY.

Jackie

Mar 23rd 2009, 19:32

maltarightnow.com no news about this morning riot How come? Please Dr. Gonzi try to take this situation seriously. Keep MALTA safe

c.camilleri

Mar 23rd 2009, 19:05

Labour supporters who are criticising the Govt's handling of the illegal immigration problem should come with labour's solution to this problem.

L.Gauci

Mar 23rd 2009, 18:24

This is the way Malta is thanked by these ungrateful people for rescuing them, providing accomodation, feeding and clothing them. I pity the AFM personnel who have to face these situations every day. I hope the three soldiers will soon make a full recovery. In the meantime, we wait impatiently to see what punishment will be meted out to the perpetrators of this aggression.

peter azzopardi

Mar 23rd 2009, 18:16

WHEN IS ACTION GOING TO BE TAKEN? HOPE NOT WHEN IT IS TOO LATE

louise vella

Mar 23rd 2009, 17:29

Today is the 5th anniversary of Lawrence Gonzi's annointment as Prime Minister.

What arguments have Dr Gonzi, UNHCR and the NGOs used to defend illegal immigrants?

Christian values. International obligations. Moral obligations. Christian values again. Humanitarian obligations. Maltese values. Christian values, again and again....

Can these arguments be used with the illegal immigrants who rioted this morning?

Maybe Dr Gonzi, UNHCR and the NGOs can try.

john micallef

Mar 23rd 2009, 16:57

minister mifsud bonnici? are you going to change your mind that the current state is not alarming and under control? week after week there have been riots in the detention centres. what if all the 500 - 600 escaped from there? wouldn't it be an urgent national security issue?

A. Tabone

Mar 23rd 2009, 14:51

As if for them being put in jail is a punishment .... LOL . Probably jail is better than Safi.

Anyways ..... thanks Gonz for failing to take action against this silent invasion, which will eventually have devastating results, like you can see for yourself today.

Catherine Farrugia

Mar 23rd 2009, 14:08

This shouldnt be our problem after all it wasnt us who occupied their countries and left a disaster behind us. Where is
the safety of our nation? I believe that Maltese people are not racist but everyone is concerned about the safety of our
families and children. How safe are the people living in the nearby villages are when they escape from the detention centres?
Come on Government wake up from that long sleep in Castle Palace and stop saying everything is under control. Nothing
seems to be in control on this island.

r vassallo

Mar 23rd 2009, 13:42

With sirens wailing and blue-lights flashing.. Gudja was wide awake by 7am! All things come to mind, anything happened at the airport... then after a pause thinking.. one concludes it's Hal Far again! Thanks to the 3 immigrants! This is not the first time.. thanks for ruining our town’s peace & quite!

g. scerri

Mar 23rd 2009, 13:33

Where the staff of MSF around to see the good use their clients made of the bleach and doubtless the toilets and basins which are always broken us to be used as weapons in such circumstances? They did their best to shame a country that is trying to do its best to come to grips with a problem that is too big for it.

Joanne Micallef

Mar 23rd 2009, 13:31

I wish to express my solidarity with the AFM, thet are living this problem hands on and with very limited human resources.

J.Scicluna - Rabat

Mar 23rd 2009, 13:28

And I suppose that us taxpayers will have to fork out money to repair/replace the stuff that was broken or burned?

Malta's obligations should be revoked and send all Illegal Immigrants back to their own country.

Michelle Dali

Mar 23rd 2009, 13:24

'The other Detention Service officer had bleach thrown at him.'

What a vicious thing to do! I hope the officer recovers completely from the attack and is not left with any scars as a result of the attack. The same goes to the soldier and other officer who were injured in this riot.

Let's hope the government gets these illegal immigrants out of the country as soon as possible before anyone else gets hurt.

ANDREW HARDING

Mar 23rd 2009, 13:18

Enough is enough !, surely the time has come for these camps to be guarded by armed AFM, these actions constitute a riot, in times of riot the authorities should be given the go ahead to deal with hem in whatever way it requires.

John Carmel Navarro

Mar 23rd 2009, 13:14

The time has come for positive action by the Government; otherwise these incidents are only going to escalate onto our streets. I just cannot understand why we have such a large amount of failed Asylum Seekers as quoted 500 still in our Country, surely the whole idea of the process is to identified genuine cases once this is done than it should be bye to the failed ones. Maybe the time has come to fly these 500 to Brussels as guest of the Pompous EU Justice Commissioner Jacques Barrot who did not like what he saw during his visit to the Detention centres. It would be interesting to see what coverage this is given on the World Media Stage.

Adrian Cachia

Mar 23rd 2009, 13:11

And now if found guilty..will they be imprisoned or deported???

d. borg

Mar 23rd 2009, 12:53

All the migrants who took part in the riot should be expelled immediately. They are here illegally anyway. The Maltese people refuse to pay for their upkeep and their breakages. Moreover, two Maltese officers have been hurt. This situation is unsustainable.

F Borg

Mar 23rd 2009, 12:37

Probably in their country, they would have had their hands cut off, or flogged or stoned to death as a legal punishment for their crimes.

Let's see what suspended sentence they'll get here, if convicted.

CMB, GONZI: RESIGN NOW.

K. Vella

Mar 23rd 2009, 12:37

"The other Detention Service officer had bleach thrown at him."

I wish this officer a speedy recovery. Hope there's no permanent damage done.

A Coppini

Mar 23rd 2009, 12:35

And what's the worse that can happen to them if found guilty? put in jail?