Emanuel Cilia Debono, Mosta
Reflection of public opinion on migration
Allan Gatt (October 30) misinterpreted Maurice Mizzi (October 23). At no stage did Mr Mizzi, in his correspondence, suggest any degradation of immigrants. Indeed he states clearly that "while these immigrants are in our islands they should be treated with all respect and kindness".
The degradation Mr Gatt refers to takes place in those countries where women "were publicly whipped by masked Somali Muslims for wearing bras, while men received the same dose of punishment for shaving their beards".
While being sympathetic to the plight of Africans who may have good reasons to flee their countries, among others to save themselves from degrading practices publicly avowed there, a massive uncontrolled flow of irregular migrants causes problems of assimilation and integration to the receiving countries, and it cannot be sustained locally in the absence of an effective burden-sharing agreement within the EU.
I have no doubt that Mr Mizzi - a gentleman in all respects - is reflecting the views of many ordinary Maltese citizens. Mr Gatt's suggestions of racial discrimination tend to be emotional and misplaced.
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lgalea
Nov 3rd 2009, 23:32
carmelo aquilina, M. Aloisio
All of them if need be. All of Africa.
They are invaders of our country and invaders are repelled by any means.
They know the risks they are taking so let them face the consequences.
Mario Attard
Nov 3rd 2009, 20:00
I am sure that there are thousands of maltese who are really concerned about illegal migration to Malta. And rightly so. One has just to look at the UK. What a mess!
Then there are thousands who litterally choose to stick their heads in the sand and pretend that nothing is going on.
Then there are the third kind. These always point their fingers to others and present themselves as the champions of sainthood. They remind me of the pharisees in Jesus' time.
Yes, Malta should take its share of burden, but Malta should also consider its security. If not, I don't see good times ahead.
M. Aloisio
Nov 3rd 2009, 18:36
Louise Vella, I too would like to know how many immigrants you would prefer to let drown instead of rescued.
Muscat Pat
Nov 3rd 2009, 18:33
The Home secretary in the Uk admitted that the " government had got it all wrong on immigration". And the UK is a bigger nation than micro Malta. So what are we supposed to do? Follow what others have admitted as mistakes? Malta is too small we are full up. We do "our bit" with bona fide refugees; the rest have to be helped in their country of origin. That is where justice has to be done. No one has the right to bully us to repeat the mistakes of the Brits.
Joseph Calleja
Nov 3rd 2009, 17:36
I have my own theory about illegal immigration to Europe, I tried to express thoughts in a comment I made to a letter on Saturday, 31 Oct. but the Times omitted the comment, or at least decided not to print it for what ever reason. I still believe that this invasion has a purpose, and most of it has nothing to do with political asylum..
Graham Holme
Nov 3rd 2009, 16:00
@
Mr Sutherland
Muslims making fools of themselves?
Tell that to the survivors of 7/7,the relatives,friends of those who perished at the hands of"These Fools"
The powers that be,openly state,there is no if,but when, the next terrorist attack is perpetrated by "These Fools"
"Fools"they are certainly not,it is the Christian Population of the U.K. who are the "Fools",for letting these Militant Muslims,preach their messages of hate,wherever,and whenever,they feel fit
Louis Gialanze
Nov 3rd 2009, 14:59
Africa accounts for some 21 per cent of the world's land mass. It contains enough mineral resources,material riches and fertile land to feed itself and Europe 5 times over. There are plenty of places the illegal immigrants can migrate to in Africa itself. Naive europhiles wake up - you've been had by your own political leaders who are socially engineering the demographics of Europe for their own ends.
Malcolm Farrugia
Nov 3rd 2009, 14:46
@Carmelo Aquilina,
What has Christian conscience to do with immigration? Did you forget how many arabs the church's army had wiped out in medevial times in order to protect Israel! The majority of us Maltese which object to this invasion, doesn't wish any harm whatsoever to africans. But we must protect our shores, afterall we joined the EU and not the African union, therefore we should only welcome immigrants from member states who's identity and hopefully their conduct is known and confirmed.
D. Scerri
Nov 3rd 2009, 12:56
@carmelo aquilina
About 700 million.
D Muscat
Nov 3rd 2009, 12:36
@ C Aquilina
The more we take in, the more will come. Some will drown on the way. The larger the numbers that come the more deaths that will occur on the way. By encouraging them to come ( they do read the times in Libya on the internet), aren't the dogooders indirectly causing more and more to drown?
When Italy sent them back to Libya fewer attempted the journey and fewer drowned. That is the way forward.
Furthermore I do not want to, in 20 years time end up like England, with the same people we rescued telling us in demonstrations that they will dominate us and that freedom can go to hell.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1220830/Far-right-Dutch-MP-Geert-Wilders-arrives-UK-winning-travel-ban-appeal.html
At our rate of immigration don't be surprised if in 20 years time you will be writing away all your hard earned rights . Burying your head in the sand will not change the outcome.
John Sutherland
Nov 3rd 2009, 12:04
@Graham Holme. ...exceprt of course that the EDL is an offshoot of the British National Party - the BNP, even if the EDL deny this....pictures of those among the couple of hundred EDL protestors have been matched with pictures of the same people handing out BNP leaflets. Speaking for myself I would rather have muslims making folls of themselves than giving the BNP any encouragement.
carmelo aquilina
Nov 3rd 2009, 11:35
@ Louise .. you keep asking "how many should we let in"... and I have to ask you how many would your Chrtistian conscience let drown instead of rescuing ?
Graham Holme
Nov 3rd 2009, 11:29
With the government in the U.K,turning a blind eye to the Radical Muslim Movement,who feel it is their right to march through the streets of Britain with their banners of hate,their so called leaders demanding the Islamification of Britain,a new movement has come to the fore,in the U,K.
The E.D.L,English Defence League ,a non racist party,who welcomes,people of all religions,creeds colours,gender.
The aim of this movement? to stop the Islamification of Britain,to halt the Radical Muslims in their tracks,to prevent Sharia law,ruling the Country.
louise vella
Nov 3rd 2009, 10:59
Today’s London Times (www.timesonline.co.uk) reports:
“The Home Secretary admitted yesterday that the Government had made mistakes in its handling of immigration ... Alan Johnson said that ministers had ignored immigration problems and the growing pressure on jobs and services in parts of Britain. Some communities had legitimate concerns because they had been particularly affected.
Mr Johnson is the first Labour Home Secretary to admit mistakes on immigration. He said his predecessors had not addressed problems that led to huge backlogs of asylum seekers and foreign national prisoners…Mr Johnson said: “There are communities which have been disproportionately affected by immigration, where people have legitimate concerns about the strain that the growth in the local population has placed on jobs and services.”
Labour had been “maladroit” in its handling of the issue but ending immigration altogether was “no sensible argument”…Chris Grayling, the Shadow Home Secretary, said: “What we need is a tightly controlled system with much lower levels of immigration and an annual cap on the number of people who come to live and work here.”
louise vella
Nov 3rd 2009, 10:20
In the meantime, www.ansa.it reports that there are 700 million adults in the world, mostly in Africa, that want to migrate. How many of them should we take in Malta?
"(ANSA) - ATENE, 2 NOV - Settecento milioni di persone adulte, soprattutto dall'Africa, sono pronte a emigrare permanentemente per cercare un futuro migliore... Lo rileva uno studio Gallup presentato ad Atene al Forum Globale per l'Emigrazione e lo Sviluppo. Secondo la ricerca, la destinazione finale preferita dalla maggior parte di coloro che sono pronti, avendone l'opportunita', ad abbandonare i propri Paesi sono gli Usa, seguiti in Europa da Gb, Spagna, Francia e Germania."