Time to re-evaluate an untenable position

The Times reported on a court case (October 10) resulting from a "fight" at the Ħal-Far Open Centre, involving rival tribes, who also happen to be illegal immigrants from Somalia. The fight, which had taken place the previous weekend, was sparked off by arguments between rival tribal members over "... the recently-legalised (narcotic) khat!", the presiding magistrate was told.

Several months ago a person of Nigerian origin had been arrested at the MIA while attempting to import a sizeable quantity of the same narcotic drug into Malta. It now appears that the powers that be have acquiesced to its legalisation in deference to the "cultural customs" of Malta's ever-growing illegal immigrant population.

Khat (Somali qaat or jaad; Ethiopian chat), is a flowering plant native to tropical east Africa and the Arabian peninsula. It contains the alkaloid cathinone, an amphetamine-like stimulant which is said to cause excitement and euphoria. In 1980, WHO classified khat as a drug of abuse that can produce mild to moderate psychological dependence. It is a controlled/illegal substance in many countries, but is legal for sale and production in many others. During the 1993 siege of Mogadishu, Somalis loyal to warlord Mohammed Aideed, high on khat, battled the US military for many days without let-up. The result was more than 400 Somali dead (including women and children), along with 18 US servicemen killed.

Evidence also exists that it is the narcotic of choice of suicide bombers, and it (or its South African equivalent) must have induced in the Zulus a sense of invincibility at Rorke's Drift and other battles in 1879, as they faced the superior fire-power of the vastly outnumbered British.

Kenya is also a major producer, and the Kikuyu Mau Mau used khat to stimulate their resolve while taking their blood-oath to fight the then British colonial regime. Likewise, khat may account for the audacity of Somali pirates as they ply their infamous trade hundreds of miles away from their home shores. Some of these may now be semi-retired, and may even be enjoying the fruits of their ill-gotten gains as our guests. Penniless illegal immigrants they may claim to be, but they're still able to post bail amounting to several thousand euros.

Where illegal immigration is concerned, Malta stands at a disadvantage because of its geographical location. This has been exploited to no end by a coalition of human trafficking cartels (perhaps operating with the tacit approval of our neighbours to the south), our so-called EU "partners", as well as the UNHCR. In the face of this subtle form of terrorism, the EU launches ventures doomed to fail such as Frontex, and makes empty promises which it knows full well its disorganised collection of misfit nations will never support.

As a last resort, it attempts to silence the occasional charitable contribution. Meanwhile, the Maltese government blunders blindly along, forever bowing to outside pressures, and all the while scoffing at the concerns voiced by the very same people which elected it to power.

It is high time the government seriously re-evaluates this untenable position. To continue to pursue a policy of acceptance and accommodation to this alien threat, and bow to the dictates of the EU at the expense of the safety and well-being of the Maltese people defies all the norms of wisdom and common sense of governance. Ethnic, cultural and tribal differences have been more of a bane than a boon to the concept of regional harmony in Africa. There is no reason to believe things will be any different here, or anywhere else for that matter.