115 immigrants rescued off Malta

Phil Humphries

Aug 17th 2009, 10:30

Just an idea, but rather than bringing them to Malta, why doesn't the AFM take some of the boats that the earlier immigrants arrived in with them when they go on these missions. The endangered mariners could then be transferred into them from their overloaded boats and as soon as their safety was restored they could be escorted back towards Libya.

Seems like common sense to me.

J Farrugia

Aug 17th 2009, 09:28

@ Sandra Azzopardi - if you dont support a good thing then you are a traitor to our country. You want to have foreigners invading us and you wont lift a finger to stop this illegal invasion. Just try and go to Libya or to Italy without papers and see what happens to you.

lgalea

Aug 17th 2009, 09:04

Robert Scullion
You consider everyone's comments against the intransigence of our government and the illegal immigrants uncharitable (basically racist) comments. The vast majority of Maltese citizens not only do not share your opinion but they want the ILLEGAL immigrants OUT of Malta. They have absolutely NO right to be here and MUST be EXPELLED.

Muscat/Pat

Aug 16th 2009, 22:08

Malta is full up.This is sheer madness, becoming the refugee island for all Africa! We canoot accept more economic immigrants. No one must bully us. These people should help themselves and get rid of their corrupt leaders and governments. We have arrived at the tipping point. DR Gonzi wake up.

marthese mussett

Aug 16th 2009, 20:50

@ m.azzoppardi
we will be crying in a few years time.I disagree with tyou my friend.We are crying already.84,115.what next?I am not racist.In fact I met a few immigrants who even gave up their seat for me on the bus.And helped carry my buggy.And I dont tolerate abuse or violence towards these people.BUT now we have too many and we cannot cope.Maybe a thousand at the most we could handle,no more.We have enough problems of our own and we n eed to solve them not add to them.

Denis Catania

Aug 16th 2009, 19:08

@tanya sciberras camilleri: DON't let this picture fool you. These people left a safe place (Libya)

c. camilleri

Aug 16th 2009, 18:37

What stopped us from sending them back Libya as Italy has done only recently?

Claire Fenech

Aug 16th 2009, 17:45

Here we go again, The invasion is on. Burden sharing is having a really poitive effect on Malta, it is attracting more and more them with the prospect of European absorption.

Our MEP's have, once again proved useless and the pre=election battlecry was all in vain. While our government focuses his attention on hounding amusement machines and closing down bingo halls in an effort to advantage the three casinos and Maltco, it does nothing to stand up for the country.

We are being ridiculed and persit in showing what a weak, spinless nation we are. I do hope these immigrants sre sent back to Libya!

m azzopardi

Aug 16th 2009, 17:15

it is true that Africa has its own problems of war and famine but we must not forget that by continuing to take illegal immigrants into our country is creating problems for our tiny rock in the Mediterrean !!!

African problems should be solved in Africa and not creating another problem in Malta or Europe!!!

m azzopardi

Aug 16th 2009, 16:28

T Gauci..i totally agree with you because the so called Liberals preach that we should all be equal and in favour of democracy but then as soon as we disagree with them , they start being undemocratic and calling us racists !!

We are patriotic. We do not want Malta to end up like Italy and UK where the immigrants who were once given a finger are pretending to take the whole hand!!!

Louis Gialanze

Aug 16th 2009, 16:14

When will the people of Malta wake up from their deep slumber.. Shed off your political blinkers for a change. Stop seeing just red or blue and come to terms with the situation on the ground. The maltese have been had by their very own representatives. These unfortunate people are simply good for business and an abundant source of cheap labour. You threw away the opportunity to express your disapproval last June. You can now savour the pleasures of full EU membership ,in the run of which, Malta took aboard a heavy load of political obligations by stealth.

tanya sciberras camilleri

Aug 16th 2009, 15:16

Congratulations to Darrin Zammit Lupi for the photo which is more powerful that so many articles and comments on the subject. It really conveys the desperation of people in search of what they consider a better life for their families and themselves. Only desperation would make one take such a perilous journey.

Sandra Cassar

Aug 16th 2009, 14:35

i don't support this italian policy.

John Azzopardi

Aug 16th 2009, 14:22

The Maltese government needs to start solving this issue once and for all the same way the italians did earlier this summer. We, an island of only 122 sq miles with 400,000, cannot keep accepting these illegal immigrants. Period. We already have 8,000 people who we cannot repatriate and we are stuck with them. Period. This is national suicide. It's up to the people to put pressure on the government as well as the opposition to handle this issue. Or do they want the measle Euro's we are getting to house these people. Are our politicians this greedy. There was a time when we encouraged weathly people to come and live in Malta. Today, we accept penniless individuals and all of them are able bodied man. Isn't anyone realizing that this will have the maltese at the bottom of the EU statistics in terms of GDP. Or is this what this government wants so that they can get a few more million euros detrimental to our nationhood. As for the concept ot burden sharing, there is no such thing. The few that leave are the serious ones and we are left with the troublemakers.

Edward Zammit

Aug 16th 2009, 14:09

Us the people should call on the Government to make a referendum on illegal immigration (whether we should send them back immediately or not). This is getting out of hand. First we go to the Italians for help, and then when they give us a very good and clear example on how we should treat these people the Government stalls ! THIS IS NOT FAIR ON US HONEST TAX PAYING CITIZENS !!

Raymond Sammut

Aug 16th 2009, 13:32

@ Joseph Sammut

One cannot send them back, especially if they are in a sinking dinghy. But they can be, and should be, handed over to the Libyan authorities. This would be the only legal action to take in order to stop the never ending exhaustion and human carnage. In fact, had this been done years ago, in accordance with Maritime Law, hundreds of lives would have been saved. No one thus far has been held accountable for the hundreds who have drowned between Malta and Libya. 700 from four illegal boats are on record to have drowned this year alone. Why should anyone subscribe to the belief that while Africans on illegal boats are drowning, everyone should just keep watching without anyone in authority is ever held to account? Who in authority is in a position to do what is required by law, but is not doing it?

Mark Galea

Aug 16th 2009, 13:30

May every bloggers' family receive what he/she wishes to others.

Cebejer

Aug 16th 2009, 12:18

If the italian's were able to send them back to tripoli, why DON'T WE have the same guts to do so?
Why is that us Maltese have to be burdened with these illegal immigrants livings off us, but the Italian people are lucky because their government has enough spine to send them back, but NOT malta.
XBAJT FUQ LI XBAJT.
the authorities here are more interested in these illegals than the maltese. We Maltes, are only good to pay heavy taxes so these illegals are supported.
Is there a chance of a referendum? After all this is Malta and it belongs to ALL the maltese, not just the authorities!

T.gauci

Aug 16th 2009, 12:13

@Robert Scullion

everyone who disagree with you liberals is racist ? hahaha don't make me laugh

m azzopardi

Aug 16th 2009, 11:48

Thanks to the famous burden sharing fairy tale it seems that the traffickers strategy is the head to Malta not Italy because the patriotic Italians will send the boats back and the gullible Maltese authorities will let them in !!!!

Prosit tassew !!! We're gonna be crying in a few years time

Joseph Sammut

Aug 16th 2009, 11:39

Why was they not sent back to libya,like the italian navy Did

G. Camilleri

Aug 16th 2009, 11:25

Here we go again. Another 115 illegal immigrants. And all this notwitstanding Frontex, Carmelo Mifsud Bonnici, our newly elected MEP's, bi-lateral talks with Italy, Libya and i dont know who. And all this notwitstanding that most EU countries have promised to help. Italy sends them back to Libya. We dont. We are absolutely impotent and the future is more bleak than ever. We just have to lump it. Government, when are you going to wake up from your deep coma? And where is the oppostion? Joe Muscat please stop chatting and start delivering please. We are showing the whole world what a hopeless country we are. One consolation. We now have 115 new tourists on the island and, I guess, they will be such a help for our economy.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Joseph Cauchi

Aug 16th 2009, 10:49

“It is the usual story; they tore the dinghy so they would be rescued as castaways and avoid being arrested for illegal entry into Greece”

The above quotation is from a Greek immigration official, which appeared in the Times of Malta of June, 18th. of 2009 article called “Small inviting Greek island is migrants’ gateway to Europe” by Helen Colliopoulou.

Does the above have any connotations with Malta’s position, today?

JC.

Joanne Micallef

Aug 16th 2009, 10:41

So they sent us those of the day before plus a few others how generous of the traffickers. Just like they used to be thrown overboard by the traffickers to cling to the tuna pens, if they are to be intercepted so close to Libya they will start resorting to over boarding the dinghy in the hope that they will eventually start sinking, so we wont have any other alternative but to rescue them to Malta.
I hope the authorities make it very clear to these 34 women that the free lodging is only temporary, and that eventually kids or no kids, they will have to fend for themselves.

Robert Scullion

Aug 16th 2009, 10:38

No doubt this page will be full of uncharitable (basically racist) comments shortly

louise vella

Aug 16th 2009, 10:22

Thanks to Berlusconi and Maroni and the Italian government’s no-nonsense policy, the arrival of boatloads of illegal immigrants has slowed down. Let us recall that Dr Gonzi has never expressed support for this Italian policy. Now it is obvious that Italy alone cannot stop the influx. It is time Dr Gonzi campaigned for upgrading Frontex and turning it into a coastguard with teeth. That is with the power to push back all illegal sea craft to Libya.