Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando
Is it a case of human pawns?
"It would seem that (the Libyans) are impatient to start drilling for oil in our waters."
I have attended numerous meetings in relation to the worrying phenomenon of illegal immigration over the past months. During one particular meeting a high-ranking government official postulated that the Libyan authorities might be turning a blind eye, or worse, to the organised illegal trafficking of humans from two particular ports in Libya for a very specific reason: oil.
The Medina Bank belongs to Malta (it is in what is technically referred to as our Economic Exclusive Zone - EEZ). Some may recall that the Libyan government had sent gunboats to threaten us when we had started to drill for oil there back in Dom Mintoff's days. Tiny Malta had no choice. We had to back off.
The Libyans are claiming this area as their own even though it is north of the maritime boundary set by the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which clearly demarcates it as being in Maltese waters. Historical and geological considerations also militate against the Libyan claims.
Do the Libyans know something we don't? They have a clear advantage over us in having excellent national geological services, something that is sadly lacking in our country, making us a notable exception among all Mediterranean and European countries.
The fact that Malta has an immense Search and Rescue (SAR) area means that most, if not all, illegal immigrants leaving from Libya will have to pass through Maltese waters. Many of those vessels that end up in distress fall under our responsibility. Reducing our SAR would seem to be an easy solution to our problem. However, reducing our SAR would also give more muscle to the Libyans who are insisting at the ICJ that the Medina Bank is theirs.
Could they be using the unfortunates who are risking their lives in the organised illegal shuttle service from Libya to Europe as pawns?
This theory is not as far-fetched as it might seem. A map published in the official journal of EAGE (the European Association of Geoscientists and Engineers) clearly shows that the Libyans have awarded an oil-drilling concession in the Maltese EEZ to Sirte, the state-owned drilling company. It would seem that they are impatient to start drilling for oil in our waters.
They seem to be playing the same games they played in Mr Mintoff's days. However, tiny Malta is now not as helpless as it was back then. We are now part of the EU. It's about time we used our political muscle to get the EU to call on Libya to put a stop to these shenanigans.
It is apparent that the Libyans have forgotten that Malta showed herself to be a "friend in need" when the international community demonised them in the not-so-distant past.
We cannot allow ourselves to be bullied any longer. We must insist on the international community to bring pressure to bear on Libya to put a stop to the illegal trafficking of human beings, which is not only resulting in unbearable pressures on our society, but also, more importantly, in the regular loss of lives.
"'The sword of the law should never fall but on those whose guilt is so apparent as to be pronounced by their friends as well as their foes" - Thomas Jefferson.
The author is a Nationalist member of Parliament.
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albert muscat
Apr 18th 2009, 16:42
Just trying to decipher Gaddafi’s brain.
To get rid of the Jews, after the holocaust, Europe supported the immigration of Jews and helped the Jews (and still doing) to settle a Jews home is Palestine.
In 1948 Israel was born by the annihilation of original inhabitants: the Palestinians. Since the birth of Israel, the entire Middle East has turned into blood pool and political instability. Arabs don’t accept an alien body among them.
European Jews Immigrants were exported to a place they don’t belong to in terms of religion, culture, and values. This is precisely the same case as of the African illegal immigrants to Europe.
Israel is alien to Arab world…so are the illegal immigrants in European countries.
Israel is creating instability in Arab world …so are the immigrants in European countries.
During the last Gaza-Israel war (Dec -2008- Jan 2009)...Israel killed about 1300 Palestinians (half of them were kids).
….how many illegal immigrants Libya Exported to Europe during the same time? Malta’s share was close to 1000 illegal immigrants this figure we all know, but what we should think about was it a coincidence? .
LGalea
Apr 18th 2009, 14:26
The case was decided by the ICJ and both countries are bound to abide by the judgment. Whatever our political colours we stand united not to allow the Libyan government or others to steal what is ours.
Grant Dines
Apr 18th 2009, 14:06
Malta should draw a line in the sand at the 50:50 boundary, and gain allies in the UN or the US to back those just claims. There's possibly billions of $$$ of oil in these waters and Malta cannot allow Libya to steal it.
If i was the Maltese government, i would sign a special security pact with the US to defend Malta from aggressive, larger neighbours. Some US oil companies already hold some acreage in these disputed regions so have a interest in the outcome.
Grant.
Joe Grima
Apr 18th 2009, 12:20
Point of correction: During the standoff between Maltaa and Libya over drilling rights during Mintoff's premiership, it was not Malta that backed off. Without informing the Maltese Government who had hired the rig, the captain of the Saipem II oilrig decided that he did not want to be caught between two disputing Goverments and took the rig out of the diputed area and left.
I was not aware that the Libyans are claiming back the Medina Bank? Where does this information come from.?