Immigrants found south of Lampedusa taken by Libyan patrol boat

pcallus

Jun 21st 2009, 21:14

Firstly - there is a distinct difference between the term "illegal immigrants" and "refugees".
The misuse of the term illegal immigrant does not best describe the plight and suffering that these refugees are escaping from and adds to a racist sentiment that seems to be emerging locally.

Instead of engaging in local partisan politics and allegiances, people should be asking their local (very well paid) MEPs to look at lobbying the EU to find suitable long term solutions for all parties involved. Libya's dealings in the past have been alarming: see article below

http://www.wsws.org/articles/2000/oct2000/liby-o28.shtml

It is a known fact that the current state of Sub-Saharan political, economic, social upheaval is a direct consequence of its history of colonialism, their plight is a consequence of the wealth we enjoy in the West.

Locals are misdirecting their attention to the victims of this situation - rather than thinking of REAL solutions to help - repatriation is NOT this. Where is the strong Catholic faith that we all preach? Tolerance, understanding, love - instead we seem to have the dawning of a new age.. "not in my backyard" and consequentially racism!

R. Callus

Jun 21st 2009, 18:45

@ Ivan Attard
Did Berlusconi et al give any hint to what will happen to them? How did they assume they didn't deserve humanitarian protection or were refugees? Libyans don't decide on this issue.
Is it possible they are in a Libyan 'Guantanamo' prison? Or sent to their country of origin to be tortured and killed?

Those talking about human smugglers, the both was sent back, but were the smugglers apprehended? To fight these criminals we have to catch them, not send back people who have already payed them for their voyage. We are only harming the exploited (migrant) not the perpetrator (smuggler)

Ivan Attard

Jun 21st 2009, 13:43

The admiration I had for Berlusconi and the Lega Nord has only increased TENFOLD!
While all Europe and the Liberals have been whining and urging 'talk', 'talk', 'talk', the rightist coalition governing the Italian peninsula has ACTED and RIGHTLY so.
...and the results are obvious. Concrete action at last and which is TANGIBLE. Proof, if ever was needed, that it is determined action with total disregard to whoever only proposes 'talk' and dallying while pandering to the illegal human traffickers!
I just hope GonziPn holds true to its support in words to our Italian saviors!

Joe Scicluna

Jun 21st 2009, 11:56

Does anyone know what happened to these people since then?

L. Camilleri

Jun 21st 2009, 11:08

I think the clash about the illegal immigrants between our Maltese and the Italian Governments has helped alot especially the wise intervention of our Minister Carmelo Mifsud BOnnici.

However, PDL, Maroni and Berlusconi interventions were fondamental. One has to take in consideration that the Italian Government has poured a lot of money to the Libyan Government due to war damage, etc.

John Micallef

Jun 21st 2009, 08:27

For me this is worse then before. Can anyone assure us about the way they have been treated when back? For sure not on a red carpet.

Before their is a proper setup that they are treated properly (I mean monitored by competant NGO's & european authorities when back), this should not be allowed!!!

This means that it could be that we are solving our problems at an expensive price, that is lives!!

Does anybody remember what was yesterday in the news regsrding treatment in Libya of illegal imigrants??!! This confirm all the above.

victor vella

Jun 20th 2009, 20:21

@ My name sake v vella
I sincerely hope for only one thing regarding Joseph Muscat stand.and way of doing things.That what he is saying now will not change after the elections,that he states what he means and means what he states.We have allready seen him doing a U turn on the utility bills.It is one thing to say things here and a totally different thing to get thse same things out of the EU.

E Gatt

Jun 20th 2009, 11:49

@ Adrian Pace

Are you concerned because the immigrants are illegal or because they are Moslems>

Because if it is the former, then when (if) Turkey joins the EU the movement of its citizens to other parts of Europe would not be illegal as much you going to other EU countries would not be illegal.

If your concern is the latter (because they are Moslems) then I would say that that is a very rascist comment. Besides that, not all immigrants are moslems, a number of them are of different Christian denominations.

Adrian Pace

Jun 20th 2009, 10:55

This is all thanks to Maroni. He took a stand and the Italian Government stood firm.

We, on the other hand wasted five precious years whining about fromtex and burden sharing while the invasion was on. Anyone who attempted even slightly to express concern was labelled a racist and a NAZI.

The politicians we voted for in the 2004 MEP elections evn went on to lobby for Turkey to join the EU. Incedentally Turkey is a Moslem state of over 100 million people ready to invade Europe.

Thank you Maroni, for however long this may last, it is a breath of relief.

David Schiavone

Jun 20th 2009, 09:59

Proset...Good Work Indeed! This is how it shall be done..after all they come from Libya and the whole process starts in libya. Yesterday i saw a lot of migrants going away from Malta by making use of our sole Airport Terminal. If I guessed right they where going away on the RyanAir Flight to Pisa..So this consolidates the point that these people do not want to live over here and they react like they do due to the fact that they are aware that some maltese people (im trying to be as fair as possible here) do not want their presence in malta and also due to the fact that here there are no oppurtunities except for getting through a "backdoor" to europe or america.. Finally Libya seems to be co-operating after we suffered huge problems with these people.

A Caruana

Jun 20th 2009, 09:18

@ v.vella

If compulsory burden sharing was the turning point what would happen is that all illegal migrants will desperately try to cross whatever it takes. dead or alive they ll try, for them its better risk their lives rather than staying in their miserable countries. The ONLY reason we are not seeing anymore of them or the crossings are failing is thanks to Marroni and friends. The italians are the only ones to have saved the day, and they had to because their country is plagued with illegals. This is what i call a responsible government, not like the Prodi led one.

muscatp@onvol.net

Jun 20th 2009, 07:16

@ A Vassallo
So if the illegal immigrants are stopped it is thanks to Gonzi, if not and PL protests, the oppositon is being racist! Gonzi wan't stop anyone from doing what he wants,let alone stop illegal immigrants. HE has lost all sort of control, nowonder PN's President is determined to rape the Bahrija valley! And what does GONZI say? Nothing, ZERO, XEJN! Gonzi the man of action? Go and tell it to the marines!

v.vella

Jun 20th 2009, 01:07

@A.VASSALLO.The 2 cases you refer to are ONE OFF.If you think the EMIGRATION Problem is solved you are very much mistaken,since the actual scenario was brought to the forefront by J.MUSCAT,I dont know how many times GONZIPN has given us to understand that the problem is solved only to find out later on that we are still back to square one.IRELAND ( RE LISBON TREATY ) AND POLAND when they put their foot down with the EU they got what was theirs.In our case as GONZIPN goes begging to be given what is ours by right only manages to get pledges which never materilise,the only way we get what we deserve is through J.MUSCAT WAY.ie Stand up for our rights in all circumstances Begging gets us nowwhere.

Alexander Morana

Jun 19th 2009, 19:44

Why A. Vassallo, you wouldn't comment on my post? Are you lost for words? If it wasn't a political issue then the PN would have got more votes and elected a third candidate for the EP.

colin wilcox

Jun 19th 2009, 19:14

what about taking the ones on malta out on afm boats to the libyan
boats and let them take them back to libya

Mary Galea

Jun 19th 2009, 18:51

Why does everything have to have a political scoring here in Malta? Whoever suggested what does not come into it. It is about time our government and the opposition who seem to have equal calls from the electorate, joined forces on some national and critical situations and got what is best for the island sorted out between them. We are small enough to govern properly and the Maltese are intelligent enough to appreciate a united front. It does not matter whose ball it is as long as we all enjoy the game and the result is good. VIVA MALTA !!!!!

M.spiteri

Jun 19th 2009, 18:14

Lucky GonziPN got a trashing in the last EU elections to wake him up on the illegal migration problem.

Michelle Dali

Jun 19th 2009, 18:10

Well done to those involved in taking these people back to where they came from. This is the only way to beat the human traffickers and ultimately prevent further loss of life at sea. Now that the EP elections are over, let us hope that we will not start to see hundreds of illegal immigrants packed like sadines on rickety boats making the crossing from Libya to Europe.

A. Vassallo

Jun 19th 2009, 17:40

@ Charles J. Buttigieg

Am I having a laugh? Absolutely not, that is exactly what happened, whether you like it or not. Most probably you are not too happy that the PN may have found a solution to all this.

@ Alexander Morana

I will not comment on your contribution being a Right Wing supporter. This is a HUMAN tragedy, nothing political.

d. borg

Jun 19th 2009, 17:38

I hope that this will be the norm from now on. They should all be returned to Libya or from wherever their journey commenced. What about the illegal ones still on the island? Why have they not been repatriated yet?

A. Vassallo

Jun 19th 2009, 17:30

@ v.vella

No, I am not referring to VOLUNTARY BURDEN SHARING

I am referring to the BOLD decision taken by the NATIONALIST GOVERNMENT not to bring illegal immigrants to Malta if they are rescued close to a safe port like Lampedusa, when the Italian Government expected that we should have taken them ourselves.

That is the way how to tackle this issue, not by using Joseph Muscat's VETO

m azzopardi

Jun 19th 2009, 16:50

Prosit to all who worked for this from Belusconi and Maroni to Gonzi and Carm Mifsud Bonnici and Gaddafi. Let's keep it up!!!

malcolm seychell

Jun 19th 2009, 16:42

Well done to Berlusconi and Maroni.

this is what you get when people elect center right and right wing governments.

Lets hope at least one big party in Malta shifts to the Right. it is the only solution to the problem of illegal immigrantions, recessions and criminality.

lgalea

Jun 19th 2009, 16:11

Alfred Bugeja
Who said that the Malta Ops Centre did not coordinate the operation?
Malta Ops Centre ia Malta and not Frontex.
If anything Frontex is using the Malta Ops Centre.

c. camilleri

Jun 19th 2009, 15:39

All this thanks to Maroni and il-Cavaliere.

Joanne Micallef

Jun 19th 2009, 15:23

Let us hope that when the time will come our Goverment will also stand firm

Lee Micallef

Jun 19th 2009, 15:11

Although this is welcome news . i feel that its like shutting the gate after the horse has already bolted !

Like Charles Sammut states , the ball needs to start rolling on getting the immigrants repatriated asap !

Alexander Morana

Jun 19th 2009, 14:47

E. Gatt ..................Rest assured that the Right Wing is here to stay.

Mr. Vassallo, where are you living and where have you been, on the moon? It’s thanks to the Italian Government not to our stooges, that something has been done about these illegal immigrants. Remember there haven’t been any landings before the EP elections, as per Berlusconi said. This boat might be a tentative push by the human traffickers to see the resolve of both the Libyan and Italian Governments.

M Attard

Jun 19th 2009, 14:47

Thanks to Italian intervention... my foot! The Italians only sent those immigrants a few weeks ago back to Libya because we wouldn't take them since they were found closer to an Italian port. The Italians will dump these immigrants anywhere and everywhere, but when our ministers stood firm, they had to find an alternative solution. So Libya it was. The Italians wanted to find a solution, but they did not care if it was the right solution. As long as they were off thier land, all well and good.

G.Debono

Jun 19th 2009, 14:07

Well as long as they don't move their point of departure further east, then we should be fine. But if they do, then we're in for a rough ride because of our SAR zone.

Charles J. Buttigieg

Jun 19th 2009, 14:05

@ A Vassallo. Are you having a laugh?

T.Gauci

Jun 19th 2009, 13:59

Thank you Mr.Maroni & Berlusconi

John Borg

Jun 19th 2009, 13:52

and thank you mr. sciberras for thanking mr. berlusconi

J Brincat

Jun 19th 2009, 13:38

Merit has to be given when it is due.. Therefore, thank you indeed Sig Berlusconi.

Your astute actions have given Malta a helping hand.

v.vella

Jun 19th 2009, 13:38

@A.Vassallo.You stated THE STAND TAKEN BY OUR GOVT,are you refering to VOLUNTARY
BURDEN SHARING,dont make us laugh ihow can you call that a STAND.The real stand was that suggestion
forwarded by JOSEPH MUSCAT were he urged the GOVT to enter in an agrrement with the LIBYAN GOVT as the ITALIANS did and insread of discussing this SUGGESTION GONZIPN tried to redicule this suggestion after which he had to do a MAJOR U TURN and is trying to adopt JM SUGGESTION ie COMPOLSERY BURDEN SHARING.Its only tks to JM that this subject came to the forefront to be discussed at national level as otherwise if it were for gonzipn he would have let it out of sight under the carpet as this seems to be the major policy
of GONZIPN on subjects he is unable to tackle in the interest of the NATION.

Alfred Bugeja

Jun 19th 2009, 13:33

lgalea,

It was the Maltese Rescue Co-Ordination Centre that co-ordinated the operation, because the incident took place in the Maltese SAR area. The Frontex helo gave situational awareness to the Maltese authorities which resulted in the eventual interception of the boat and the return of the immigrants to Tripoli.

lgalea

Jun 19th 2009, 13:32

How about our AFM and also private aircraft patrolling the Libyan shores and informing the Libyan Patrol boats to pick up any illegal immigrants boats sighted?
The cost of also engaging private aircraft is definitely much less than having to keep thousands of illegal immigrants here.

anthea doughty

Jun 19th 2009, 13:25

Fantastic news!!!!!!!!!!! You MUST NOT TAKE EVEN ONE MORE illegal immigrant, let alone any more boatloads. I pray for beautiful Malta that this continues.......

JOHN BORG

Jun 19th 2009, 13:22

we should support italy and libya for this move , they are illegal so the only way is back to libya, soon the word will spread ........

Charles Sammut

Jun 19th 2009, 13:17

@ Edgar Gatt You obviously do not know enough about Right Wing politics. You believe what you read in the newspapers, that Right Wing parties are a bunch of racist, nazi, fascists.

Stopping the influx is only half the battle. We have to deport the thousands who are here illegally as well.

Now let me pose a hypothetical question. What would have happened had this boat been reported 25 miles south of Delimara? So much for the "Thanks to out Government" yapping.

Karl Abela

Jun 19th 2009, 13:14

Some credit due to our Prime Minister maybe??? hello....?!?!?!

A.Sciberras

Jun 19th 2009, 12:59

Thank you Mr Berlusconi.

edgar Gatt

Jun 19th 2009, 12:54

When this problem is solved, it will create another problem............Right wing parties will not have anything to write about. I could see this blog drying out.

M.Bezzina

Jun 19th 2009, 12:51

Thanks at least we r moving!!

Alfred Falzon

Jun 19th 2009, 12:43

.. and thanks to the Maltese aircraft who reported the boat in the first place.

A. Vassallo

Jun 19th 2009, 12:41

@ Charles J. Buttigieg

We are getting somewhere due to the stand taken by the Maltese Government (Ministers Borg, Mifsud Bonnici and PM Gonzi), after which than the Italians started refusing them and taking them back to Libya with their own boats and now the Libyan Government started cooperating ar last.

Thanks to our Government.

Edwin Mifsud

Jun 19th 2009, 12:39

It's never over until the fat lady sings.....

We need to wait till the end of the season before we can tell whether cases like these will be the norm or the exception.

lgalea

Jun 19th 2009, 12:38

Alfred Bugeja
It was not Frontex that spotted but a private aircraft.
Furthermore, it was Italy's Maroni's stance against the illegal immigrants and Italy's forced repatriation of the illegal immigrants against the wishes of the Maltese and Italian do-gooders and the eu idiots that set the ball rolling. Let's hope it keeps rolling and that we do not see any further boats and those that are already here are sent back to Libya or repatriated.

Adrian Allain

Jun 19th 2009, 12:17

That's the way to do it!
A fine example of international co-operation to deal with a tricky problem.
If every case was dealt with like this, the flow of illegal immigrants from Libya might stop.
One can only hope.

Charles J. Buttigieg

Jun 19th 2009, 12:01

LOOKS LIKE WE'RE GETTING SOMEWHERE thanks to the Italian intervention.

Alfred Bugeja

Jun 19th 2009, 12:00

Oh... so the Frontex Patrols are helping us, after all...