Let us stem it once and for all

Last October, I wrote a piece in this column entitled Do We Let Them Drown? I stated that if there is one thing that worries me more than the challenge of immigration it is its impact on the very social fabric of our society, as a result of the rising tide of xenophobia and racism. I had argued that racism and xenophobia are now a real and present danger for our society. And the sooner we shake them off the better.

Nine months on, I am returning to this thread, not least in the light of a recent deadly incident which, rightly or wrongly, has been labelled in public perception as a racist attack.

Of course, it would be naïve to condemn xenophobia and racism without a serious attempt at understanding what lies at their root. My assessment is that they are fuelled by a combination of fear and anger. And unless we address their cause, there is little point in being shocked at the consequences.

Presumably, fear must come from a perception of a silent invasion from black Africa with numbers that a small country cannot possibly absorb. And fear is exacerbated by claims that, in no time, we will be taken over, become a minority in our own country and even lose our religion. On the other hand, anger is fomented by a sense that not enough has been done to control the flux, not least by our European partners that had hitherto resisted our calls for burden sharing.

Thankfully, there are signs that the root causes are finally being addressed.

For one thing, the number of arrivals this year seems to be in decline, although, admittedly, it is too early to draw any conclusions. And the decision of the European Council last week to launch a pilot project that would enable the resettlement of migrants from Malta to other EU countries shows that the EU is finally responding to Malta's concerns. Countries like France and the US are leading by example.

Yet, despite the encouraging signs that the root causes are being addressed, we cannot just wish racism away. And it is high time we all stood up to stem it once and for all.

To my mind there are four primary actors that have a leading role in doing so.

The first is the government, which should embark on an educational campaign to explain to the public the phenomenon of immigration. Where do these people come from and why and how do they come here? Why is Malta affected and what is being done about it? Answers to these questions must lie at the heart of an education campaign that reaches out to schools and households and beyond.

Whereas Home Affairs Minister Carm Mifsud Bonnici has been acquitting himself admirably on the dossier of immigration, he must now find time and resources to embark on an effective educational campaign that engages the public on this matter. For it is only a proper understanding of the phenomenon that can truly combat xenophobia and racism.

The second are public personalities, especially politicians, whose public statements and actions carry great weight in public perception. Political responsibility therefore calls for a careful choice of language on an issue where even one's tone and nuances can leave a lasting impression on how people feel and think. Needless to say, turning immigration into a partisan issue rendered a great disservice in this regard.

Public personalities, other than politicians, also have a role. Regrettably, we have had too few of them who have taken the step to speak out.

The third is the Church, which has long given an outstanding contribution in solidarity causes, not least in the area of immigration where a number of religious organisations play an active role. Nevertheless, the Church hierarchy has generally shied away from taking the bull of racism by the horns insofar as it is an outright negation of Christian values. And it may be just my impression but Sunday sermons seldom seem to seize the opportunity to call on the faithful to reject racism and embrace tolerance.

Lastly the media, which plays a determining role in shaping public opinion. Let's face it, some headlines and stories do little to calm public emotion. Some letters to the editor are thinly veiled expressions of xenophobia whereas online commentaries are often shocking. True, the press tends to be a faithful expression of a society. But the power of the media is simply too great to be left idle in the face of this growing challenge.

All these actors have serious responsibilities to stem the rising tide of xenophobia and racism.

And the time to stem it is now.

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Dr Busuttil is a Nationalist member of the European Parliament