Sunday, 28th June 2009 - 10:30CET
Ghanaian proud to be Maltese
Video: Mark Zammit Cordina
Ghanaian-Maltese Ahmed Bugri, who has lived on the island for 18 years, is often confused with an illegal immigrant, but he is proud to be Maltese and takes the insults in his stride, even though the labels hurt.
As pastor and coordinator of the Marsa Open Centre, he believes he can be a bridge between Maltese and Africans, even though this can have its consequences.
“The Africans expect too much while the Maltese expect me not to take the African side,” the father of three and law student says.
He explains that Marsa can be a shock for people, but a comfort for others, especially those immigrants who face persecution and seek solace behind the centre’s walls.
“Some immigrants face hostility, not from everybody because there are many Maltese who are generous... but then you have the few who pass by and spray pepper spray in immigrants’ eyes,” he adds.
Mr Bugri is in the unusual position of understanding the psyche of both Maltese and African communities and in an interview with Ariadne Massa he attempts to give a clearer picture of migration in Malta and the cultural differences that can lead to misunderstandings.
He points out that the death of Sudanese immigrant Suleiman Ismail Abubaker in a Paceville brawl brought several issues to the fore and forced migrants and Maltese alike to rethink their stance.
However, he is disappointed that far-right Imperium Europa leader Norman Lowell was allowed to contest the European Parliament election: “I think that was a blow.”
Watch excerpts of the interview above. Read the entire interview in today’s edition of The Sunday Times.
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20090628/interview/im-black-and-i-am-maltese
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Comments
“THANK GOD my grandfather was welcomed as an immigrant in Canada......for now I can say ' I am proud to be a Canadian' and was never criticised by Canadians for saying this . Ahmed Bugri has all the right to say this too”
Is this really an appropriate comparison Ms. Xuereb? The Canadians had every good reason to welcome your grandfather because (back then at least) Canada had no overpopulation problems and (presumably) your grandfather was a regular immigrant and not an unwanted, illegal one. Conversely Mr. Bugri is effectively defending illegal immigrants to an already grossly over-populated country i.e. Malta. How can one claim to be “proud to be Maltese” and at the same time justify acts against the interests of the traditional, real Maltese natives?
Mr. Bugri you might have a legal Maltese passport and even voting rights but that still does not make you MALTESE in our eyes. You were not born and brought up in the Maltese Islands and neither were any of your ancestors. Neither you nor any of your ancestors ever had to fight any wars to defend Malta and the Maltese against invasion and/or oppression by inappropriate rulers. You clearly have no respect for us true Maltese if you protect illegal immigrants and try to interfere with our laws, culture and with who should or should not be allowed to stand for the EU election as a potential Maltese representative in the EU Parliament. True Maltese are those who work hard to protect the interests of the Maltese; who strive to maintain the Maltese resident population within sustainable limits; who promote a culture that educates and legislates against air/water/noise/light/chemical/electromagnetic pollution; who try to protect the natural environment of the Maltese islands and territorial waters….
Personally I believe that children born in Malta to illegal immigrants should not be granted automatic Maltese citizenship either
Your You Tube reference has got nothing to do with blacks or whites, and definitely nothing to do with illegal immigration in Malta. The presence of thousands of unlawful entrants in Malta is a very serious and an ongoing burden to the Maltese government, and is in no way related to anti-Jewish satirical videos.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vb3IMTJjzfo&feature=related - "In my country there is problem and that problem is the blacks.. they take everybody money...they don't give it back...throw the black in the sea... so my country can be free"
May I suggest a little reading on the works of philologist Johann Gottfried Herder. This scholar, very much like Dun Karm Psaila, urged his countrymen to speak German so they may know they are German. We know we are Maltese most of all because of our tongue; the only Semitic language in Europe and boasting a richness in poetry. It shares a great deal of its vernacular with that of the Lebanese today -- owing to its Phoenician origins. "Malta" is itself a Phoenician word, one of the few in Europe which does not end with "-ia" or "-land".
Australians, for example, started to identify themselves as "Australian" following their experience in the Gallipoli campaign. It lasted less than a year and less than 10,000 Australian comrades lost their lives. Compare that with what the Maltese have experienced and survived: (1) Berber attacks (Furbani) form Algeria (2) Ottoman invasions (Torok) from Turkey and more recently (3) the French occupation. We do not even have counts of how many Maltese men and women were killed or taken as slaves. Above all, 160 years of British colonialism strengthened the Maltese language even further rather than weakened it.
@ Czarb
Were we terrorists?
‘Regarding politics, democracy allows everyone to take part in any elections. For example in certain countries, terrorist groups such as Hamas ended up in government (with the blessing of groups such as the UN).’
------------------------
Some powerful media resources portrayed HAMAS (before not long ago it was all the Palestinians) as ‘terrorist’ – Admitting that means, we Maltese were terrorists when defending our land from the Turks, so, were the Germans, French and Americans…etc. Portraying your enemy as the biggest EVIL on earth is the old fashion psychological technique of wars. Always depend on which side of the fence one stands. Conclusion: If you don’t bend over to USA you are a ‘terrorist ‘
If you don’t vote for what the elite wants you are ignored. What about the Irish ‘NO’ to Lisbon treaty?. If this is the type of democracy you believe in, then good bye democracy.
I am a born Maltese who emigrated to America and became an American. I served in the American navy and fought in Vietnam, landed in Lebanon with the marines and flew missions over Cuba during the missle crises. You are wrong Jamie. I am an American, and I am proud of it. The only people in America who could claim to be native are the American Indians, all others are emmigrants.
By the way, i am also a proud Maltese citizen who love Malta just as much as I love America. My father and his fathers' fought and some died for our Malta, just like I would be willing to do.
I understand the frustration of some people that since there were no landing of immigrants recently, they must vent their xenophobic anger on something (bad luck there is no open hunting season - else the birds would have got it).
Are you in malta at the moment?? If you are then you should go back to the states.You should be ashamed by saying that you are american and not Maltese.Mr byrgi is not Maltese at all he is just living in Malta and that's it.
This 'negative attitude' is felt in nearly all European countries whom unlike Malta has a big debt to pay towards these African countries. The only difference is that the former colonisers can afford hiding behind political treaties meant to keep immigrants at the EU borders, while we cant do that. It is also felt in former colonies with a long history of fighting racism. Take South Africa for example were immigrants were treated much worse then they were treated in Malta
Regarding politics, democracy allows everyone to take part in any elections. For example in certain countries, terrorist groups such as Hamas ended up in government (with the blessing of groups such as the UN). If a person (any person) can't grip the concept of democracy and the right for anyone to take part in any election than his place is not in a democratic country.
As for contesting the elections or as for him voicing his opinion on the way Malta conducts the elections , you have to decide whether he wants to first, and secondly you have to decide whether freedom of speech is for everyone or just the maltese, or should I say the white maltese. Make up your minds because this is just confusing the issue. Let me know what you decide, and I can tell you if I agree with you. You know my opinion. We should give amnesty to the migrants who qualify for it and we should help them integrate into a European lifestyle before they leave for mainland Europe.
You are not an American, you can claim you are but the fact is that, you are not eligible to contest for US presidency. too much pride for being American eh ?
@margaret richards
Dear margaret, Imperium Europa had the right to contest for the MEP elections because this is a free country not a communist country. it seems freedom doesn't go down well with you and i would like if you stop calling us Christians because i am not affiliated with any religion.
No I will still be a Maltese and the same applies to Mr BugriIt i
It is a shame that an immigrant (legal or illegal ) tries to dictate who shall contest an election or no in our country.
citizen....By your reasoning (Ghanaian proud to be Maltese ) I am not American???
I can see that Malta is having a "refugee" problem but taking your frustrations on Mr. Bugri or the illegal immigrants
is not going to solve your problem.
The comments I read were, for the most part, very racist. and I feel ashamed to say that I was born in your country.
Mr. Bugri keep up the Good work perhaps some day one of your sons will become the prime ministers of Malta.
Mr. Bugri you are Maltese.
Valent
If Mr Bugri, like myself and Mr Hamilton have lived long enough on this island to obtain a passport, ID card and the right to vote, put up with the xenaphobic attitudes, the constant moaning about politics, blaming gonzi for things which are your own fault, speed cameras and traffic wardens yet still have enough love and pride in our island to call ourselves Maltese then i think we deserve to be respected
Having said that, I don't think most Maltese are racist. Many are just worried about illegal immigration. THen there are the racists, who for visciousness or political opportunism blow the issue out of proportion and scare the rest
@Joseph Psilia.... Well said my friend. When there is money involved there is no better friend than a Maltese.
You are mistaken. If you or anyone were to obtain US citizenship through naturalization, you enjoy the same rights as any US citizen who derived his/her citizenship by virtue of birth on US soil.
Also, please note that there is no 'pure' Maltese (or any other) race - the Maltese people today are the result of centuries of genetic mingling.
I am sorry to see that the Maltese are so racist. I am proud to be born in Malta, and Yes i call myself American now, not Maltese. However I must say that the Maltese have to make sure that these people do not change the laws of the land like its happening here with the illegals. I see a similar situation between the Texas, Florda, and Malta its too bad to see both countries that i love going down the tubes because of our own stupid laws.
Funny. I too am from Birzebbugia and catch the local bus at least twice a day, and yet I have never yet watched a driver complaining because they give him too much money. On the contrary, almost on every bus I catch there seems to be a clown present who refuses to pay or gives less money than the fare expected. So forgive me if I don't believe your claims!
T Gauci: "what if i as a Maltese obtain an American citizenship, does that make me an American ? no." As a matter of fact yes it would, and this should put you to shame.
For the record, a foreigner who legally obtains Maltese citizenship is thereby entitled, by our very own constitution, not to be discriminated against.
This has nothing to do with illegal immigration. Being anti-discrimination does not mean being pro-illegal immigration, however much all the racists who are coming out of the woodwork like to bundle the two things up together.
But not one do-gooder condemned the rape and robbery of a Japanese student and in another case a French student (both males) by residents of the Marsa open centre. Both crimes originated in Paceville establishments where the perpetrators gained the confidence of their victims. The Japanese student was then invited to go to Marsa and raped by two Africans and the French student was lured on the rocky beach at Dragonara and gang raped there. Those are just 2 of many more similar incidents. Of course these do not count as a racist attack because the victims were not black.
And our friend Mr Bugri is surprised that Africans are not welcome in Paceville.
Thallatx il hass mal bass.
Burgi twieled Ghana min demm Afrikan, ghalhekk QATT ma jista jigi rikonoxxut MALTI.
MALTI hi dik il persuna li titwieled minn demm MALTI f'kull rokna tad-dinja, anke jekk f'mitt
sena qatt ma rifes/rifset fuq il gebla MALTIJA.
Cittidanza ma tbiddilx id-demm.
Li-zball dwar Burgi u kull persuna ohra li mhix demm MALTI, li thalliet taghabita jew
jnatalhom xi permess biex jabitaw f'MALTA huwa zball kbir tal GVERN.
Burgi qieghed jghix f'HOLMA , johlom li huwa MALTI. HIS PROUDNESS IS SMOKE w / out FIRE.
Sahha J.Cachia
he can't be a Maltese. he was not born in Malta and was not born into a Maltese family, so therefore he is not a native Maltese. just because he had obtained a Maltese citizenship it doesn't make him a native Maltese. what if i as a Maltese obtain an American citizenship, does that make me an American ? no.
Mr Bugri should acknowledge the fact that these people entered our country illegally. This is not immigration, this is illegal immigration.
Interesting. We should make you director for the centre.
Generally speaking, the Maltese are not racist by nature and never have been. However, one must remember that when a small country like ours is experiencing a huge, never ending influx of illegal immigrants such as no other country has ever experienced before, people are bound to be concerned and to feel threatened. The fear of being overwhelmed is understandable and Mr Bugri should acknowledge this fact.
You have surely come out to challenge the Maltese. Is yours a high life? And which part of the earth do you "shuffle", Mr Psilia?
It seems that you do not follow what happens in Sweden.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Evo66rwK3zY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Evo66rwK3zY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQ6VI_bc1j4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vlSnKDdEqOU
http://www.thelocal.se/18356/20090320/
Plenty more where those came from. All these are very recent events.
Go ask Swedes who have fled Sweden and retired in Malta if you want to get the raw truth.
Do we have to wait till Malta is also in this predicament?
Do we not have a reciprocal right to our preservation? It is a question of numbers. Had there been no massive immigration, no one would have minded about him.
Once he ventured into political issues, where does Mr. Bugri espresses the fact that this is unsustainable to Malta and the Maltese (he claims to be)? Or his interest is seeing this community grow?
Except for the number Mr.Bugri & my son have the identical document, are you implying then implying the same for my son!? How dare you!?
I can understand those of xenophobic sentiments, yes to some extent they are a logical reaction to situations we have limited control & I have no trouble saying I do get them too, it's all over Europe at the moment & it's also affecting job mobility in Europe as well, but please let's keep ourselves objective & address our concerns & frustrations towards those who have a real say in the matter properly.
@Jim Hamilton, I understand what you are saying and it hurts me as well as a Maltese citizen when I read some comments here.
@Igalea, are you like best buddy with Mr. Lowell? Is one betraying his country because he is disgusted by comments like yours? Well, I do rather betray my country than support your views.
And he says he is married and he has three children.
He may have been granted a passport but he can never be Maltese.
John Pisan
Totally agree with you.
Louis Gialanze
You means thousands of euros for illegal immigrants to let water running continuously and electricity on because we are paying for it.
B Agius
How can people take it any longer seeing the thousands of illegal immigrants being allowed to remain here while we pay for everything they need while stealing work from Maltese workers and families? They MUST be ALL EXPELLED.
Moses Mula etc
You are wrong Mula. We demand the EXPULSION of all ILLEGAL immigrants, including those who overstay their visa. And NO we do not consider him as a Maltese citizen. His postings and the interview he gave to the German magazine clearly shows where his allegiance lies. You can call us what you like because it doesn't make the slightest difference to us who are defending OUR country against this illegal immigrants INVASION.
Mark Galea
How about opening one for people who betray their country by supporting illegal immigrants?
But it now seems that times have changed.
Reading the comments below I get the impression that I've made the wrong decision by settling here...........My crime is that I'm not a bona-fide Maltese, (I guess that coming from the far north I'm probably not dark enough, so I could never be considered Maltese ).
According to LGalea and others, I shouldn't be allowed to interfere in Maltese internal affairs, although I have been paying taxes for nearly forty years. I would have thought that should by all accounts, allow me a say in the matter.
Unfortunately, some people are so xenophobic in their attitude that if you are not a true born and bred Maltese then you shouldn't have a voice on how this country is run.
So where does that leave Mr Bugri and the many others like myself?
Well you could say that we are definitely not welcome here, it seems a case off, keep on paying your dues, but keep your mouth shut.
@Tony Caruana
‘Ahmed Bugri remember even if you lived in Malta for a Hundred years You will NEVER be Maltese. ‘
@Malu Rosso
‘Mr. Bugri you might have a Maltese passport but that does not make you MALTESE.’
This is exactly what I have been saying too. Being a member of the EU doesn’t make us European.
If only these locals would spend their mispent energies on chasing up their local MEPs and confronting them with the same viceral disgust, instead of moaning about people who have little choice but to look to survive. Your local MEPs on the otherhand earn a disproportionately high salary (compared to local earnings), and are the only people who can actively do something to change the situation, and look for adequate solutions for ALL parties involved.
Just how Maltese do you Maltese think you are? You have Arabic skin tones and language, Italian and French names, British style parliament, a Hebrew's religion (which you don't practice)... The traditions and pastimes you think are your own are all imported. When will you realise that humans are humans, no matter where they come from? And no-one owns the land, you just temporarily live there before you shuffle off this earth.
I'm sure most of you would refuse to believe that we all came out of Africa.
You always talk about how friendly and hospitable you are, and I've yet to see you being that way toward people unless there's money in their pockets for you.
I am a regular bus user and can confirm what you say. There was an incident where an African (don't know his status or country, I'm assuming cause he's black and speaks with Arabic accent) started creating trouble for a very minor provocation.
However, I've witnessed much more abuse ON Africans. From offending a person, not stop the bus so that he climbs up where he was definitely visible, beating a person and even telling him the bus doesn't go to the destination he asked for when it wasn't true (I was going to the same destination).
Apart from citizens, there are many black people who are not migrants, but students, tourists and a friend of mine who was doing voluntary work. He had to leave back to France before his term expired due to the racism he suffered here. Despite his nice personality, and having many Maltese friends, he was victim of a lot of abuse, especially on buses. Once we travelled together. Coming back, he was the only black person on the plane. He was also the only person who was strip searched and 'interrogated' for a whole hour, though he is a law abiding person.
Well, well, well so this 'Ghanaian is proud to be Maltese'...... with friends like Ahmed Bugre who needs enemies????
How can you compare Malta to Australia? Australia is the second least populated country on the planet with less than 3 persons/ sq km (2.7) while Malta is nudging 1300/sq km! Yet the Australian government cares enough about the country to enforce very strict immigration policies.
@ Moses Mula
Let me correct you. It was the Swedes who integrated with the immigrants in Sweden and not the other way round. A cursory search on Google and youtube will bear this out and more. Sweden is now paying the social price for this tolerance.
Mr Bugri claims that he came to Malta at the invitation of some Catholic organisation. He claims to be Christian but isn't Ahmed a strange name to give to a Christian? You can hardly find a more muslim name than that. I'm sure there is a logical explanation which I'm all agog to learn.
Min m'ghandux "dnub'' jixhet l-ewwel gebla...
is this country turning into a communist country where someone dictates other people what to do and what not ? let me use the same logic as these immigrants use, that is racism against the Maltese.
Ahmed has been living in Malta for the past 18 years and is a Maltese citizen but you still regard him as an inferior citizen to you. If he was a white European you would not have the same views. You are really sad people. And then you get annoyed if you are called racists. But what can I call you when your extreme views are so clear in your comments? You say you love your country so much but all you are doing is damaging your country. The only consolation is that whatever you and a few others might think, multiculturalism is and always will be with us and thankfully so.
@Maria Falzon, I live in Sweden and all the Africans I know, and that is a lot, live a normal life and have or had no problem integrating with the Swedes. So before you start typing try to get your facts right because there is nothing more annoying than making statements which have no base.
If Mr Bugre is representing us abroad I would rather he didn't. In an article on Neus Deutschland (16 September) he called us racist with politicians in particular. “Iva u l-politiċi Maltin huma fuq ta’ quddiem.” He also said that it has become common for up to 10 corpses being washed ashore every day. He also gave his opinion on the detention centres the AFM , church etc. They weren't very complimentary and in some cases were exaggerated and even untrue. See the artcle here:http://www.l-orizzont.com/news.asp?newsitemid=47574 As I said I would rather he did not represent me.
I cannot understand how he is proud to be Maltese after reading what he had to say about us, I really can't.
Mr Bugri, came here as a legitimate immigrant and he is a Maltese citizen. I'd rather more people were like him: smart, open-minded and kind. Instead we've got a bunch inquisitors and peasants crying for Grandmaster Pinto to wake from the dead and dispel this invasion with his 8 pointed wand.
I'd love to know what bus you saw that incident on.
I live in B'bugia and use the bus very often (unfortunately); and the only problem i see immigrants giving the drivers is the fact that they give them too much money and the driver complains that he has to count the change. Infact there have been several occasions when immigrants whom i used to work with have demanded to pay MY fare on the bus!
Besides, even if immigrants did give less than the correct fare to the driver, i don't think the driver would have too much of a problem balancing his cash at the end of the day given all the change he has from avoiding giving the correct amount back to passengers or from passengers too embarrassed to have to ask for their change back.
I rest my case.
@ M AQUILINA
I BOTHERED TO WATCH THE VIDEO BEFORE POSTING MY COMMENTS.
IF PASSING JUDGEMENT ON WHETHER A LEGITIMATE CITIZEN SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO EXERT HIS RIGHT TO BE CANDIDATE FOR AN ELECTION OR NOT IS NOT INTERFERENCE AND MEDDLING IN MALTESE AFFAIRS TO YOU, I WONDER WHAT IS.
I have worked 20 years in Africa and know for a fact that foreigners are not given the same freedom of speech. Pity they come across like martyrs to our shores yet pretend to want to change the system to accommodate their cultures, religions and habits.
Australia has the right attitude, send them back where they came from. Period.
Have a nice day.
This is probably true, but so is the following from an article in MaltaToday, March 1, 2009, titled 'Our very own inconvenient truth' by Vincent Farrugia, secretary general of GRTU:
"Some are becoming a real threat. They create difficult situations in streets, bars, petrol stations, shops. They order goods and if the bill reaches beyond what they have in their pocket, they simply say 'no money' and expect to walk out with the goods. Before the shop owner opens his mouth, out comes the mobile, a number is dialled and suddenly the ship owner has a mob in his place".
Many have seen similar situations on buses. A group of illegal immigrants go on the bus, they tell the bus driver "no money". They are several, the bus driver is on his own and other Maltese passengers will not intervene. So the illegal immigrants get a free bus ride. Is this serious? Not very, but if I do such a thing I'll find myself in court.
"When people come here and are detained it reinforces their hatred of the island".
"It was disappointing to have Mr Lowell contest the MEP election, especially after he was convicted of inciting racial hatred".
So it's OK for African illegal immigrants to harbour "hatred of the island" - meaning of course the Maltese (not that I mind!) But if it's the other way round, the Maltese citizen should not be allowed to exercise his civic rights.
"The need to provide for the family is crucial to an African way of life, so going back empty handed is not an option".
Does the need to provide for the family give an African the right to land in Malta illegally? If so, to how many Africans? 10 000? 50 000? 100 000? Going back empty handed is certainly an option for someone who came in empty handed - no money, no passport, no luggage, no nothing.
"sometimes immigrants in Malta send back 90 per cent of what they earn or recieve in benefits".
So that's where the money is going! Is the government keeping a tab on the money that's going out?
As to illegal immigration, he is actually trying to bridge the gap and do something about it. I suggest YOU wake up. Rallying people against foreigners, be they illegal immigrants or not, is definitely not the way forward as that attitude only brings hostility! I wonder what Maltese locals married to foreigners and living in Malta would say if only they read your comment!
How good has Mr Bugri been at his job? How many illegal immigrants has he helped to go back to their country? That is what Mr Bugri should speak about.
The insinuation that migrants are exploited because they are migrants is just utter rubbish.
My employer never pays my salary on time, and I cannot join a union because I'd get the sack immediately. There are more abuses of the labour laws where I work, but I will not mention them. When I asked for help about "Conditions of work" from the government office that is there for this purpose, I was given the most unprofessional help ever. It turned out that the people working there were friends of my employer.
Stop this "because I'm black" rubbish. It is just nonsense. If you don't like it, leave as quickly as you came here illegally.
How cheeky that an immigrant demands that a legitmate Maltese citizen such as Norman Lowell be denied the right to stand as a candidate in the elections.
Can things get any worse? And to top it all up, they do not understand why the Maltese are rightly so concerned about the situation. Give us a break, will you? If you don't like it, just go.
The more uncontrollable immigration becomes, the more there will be negative attitudes against it. No one can escape this inevitable fact. He understood nothing of the maltese psyche, and he will never do.
All this proves what we have been saying. It's not a matter of colour but of numbers and the way the illegal immigrants came. Mr Bugri came to Malta in a normal way, with a passport etc, took up an activity and settled here. We can integrate a handful whatever their colour. But we cannot integrate a large and unending number of culturally different people coming illegally by boat. Malta has reached saturation point. Malta is full up!
Yes, but one community is made of Maltese citizens, voters and taxpayers, that is, legal inhabitants of the Maltese islands. The other community is made of illegal immigrants from Africa who came by boat and whose identity, nationality, police record, medical history etc are often a mystery. More importantly the latter community is unwanted by the vast majority of the Maltese resident community, as any number of surveys, opinion polls, online polls etc show.
"When people come here and are detained it reinforces their hatred of the island".
But we do not ask the illegal immigrants to love us. Just to leave, go back to their country and leave us in peace.
I believe it says he is a Maltese citizen in the interview. Therefore allowed to vote and is entitled to his opinion on some of the candidates.
He should go for MEP or MP. I'm sure that with the thousands of economic illegals having more rights than true Maltese citizens, he could secure a seat effortlessly and without any doubt.