Updated: Migrants block Hal Far centre in brief protest

C.R.Taliana

Apr 23rd 2010, 16:48

They have a right to pray and they were given a room. They don't have the right to impose their religion on non-Muslims.

Etienne Pavia

Apr 23rd 2010, 14:59

How dare someone even film this? I clean my own place or any place I stay at, whether live or stay in it. They should clean the place they're given to stay and not leave it get dirtly and disgustingly become arrogant instead of being thankful for being in a better place than they were otherwise they are welcome to go back. When I lived abroad, I always followed the laws of the particular country. No one forced them to come to Malta. If they keep on fleeing their countries the problem will never be solved unless they fight it like our ancestors did in Malta!

A. Camilleri

Apr 23rd 2010, 14:22

some sympathy for their way of living yes, but if its dirty they clean it. i clean my own house when it gets dirty! they should too!

C.Zammit

Apr 23rd 2010, 13:41

@ Derek Fenech- Where are you seeing messages of Hate. Just because your catholic it does not mean that you leave someone do what they like in your country. Yes it is our country. No one is telling them not to pray they are free to do so. Since it is not a muslim country they have no right to voice their prayers on a speaker. If they don't like it they are always free to go back. Your argument of pope and not pope it's usless. He never said leave them do whatever they like because I hear him talk. Maltese give a lot for charity much more than other countries who are bigger in size. We feed immigrants and give them shelter but to leave them roam about our streets and do whatever they like NO WAY! Derek Fenech if you are such a good man give them shelter in your house you will make us and the goverment happy as you will then pay for them.

Derek Fenech

Apr 23rd 2010, 12:45

First we go to greet the Pope, listen to his message of compassion and acceptance, pray with him, wave at him, boast that we are a Catholic country and then after he is gone back to Rome we go back to our messages of hate. Imma basta Kattolici u rajna lil Papa...what a paradox!

J.Camilleri

Apr 23rd 2010, 08:17

Aren't prayers supposed to be done in private and peace and not make a show out of it.

s.mumford

Apr 23rd 2010, 07:51

What a shame to hear yesterday around 30 children retrieved by social service and given back to the families that have abused them as the country has no where safe to keep them. SHAME SHAME and then we house thousands of illegal immigrants in church houses, shelters, trade school turned somalia village in Marsa and give them all that is needed and yet we find no place for our MALTESE children. SHAME ON ALL YOU POLITICIANS. Some of the children are placed at the corradino prison and mount carmel mental hospital as there is no place elsewhere. This makes me sick to the bone and all these are asking for rights, asking for speakers to voice their prayers. WAKE UP EVERYONE!!

Denis Catania

Apr 23rd 2010, 05:15

The Facebook group Save Malta From Illegal immigration will be planning a demonstration/ flier distribution in front of the Sweden mission to the UN in New York. To protest the planned deportation of 500 foreign illegal immigrants to Malta from Sweden.

Denis Catania

Apr 23rd 2010, 05:10

THE MALTESE PAY FOR YOUR GAS, not you. Matter of fact they pay for your food clothing and shelter.

T.gauci

Apr 22nd 2010, 18:59

@Keith Goodlip, Kenneth Cassar, D Phillips

Equality is communism, do you want us to be like the former Soviet countries where they demolished churches ? do you want us to be like China and North Korea where they abolished religious rights ? do you want us to be like the UK where Muslims already outnumbered Christians in some areas ? That's equality for you. Nobody in Malta is pointing a gun at your head for being Atheist or Muslim.

cinzia grech

Apr 22nd 2010, 16:39

when will the authorities wake up from their slumber?? i usually feel so alone in my deep fears and worries regarding the future of our dear country, but luckily i am now seeing that i'm not so alone after all. thanks to all those whose eyes are open and who are not afraid to comment and be wrongly labelled racist. how easily can people be blinded? i guess it's the biased media and general upbringing that teaches us to be 'nice to everyone' but we need to understand that treasuring and safeguarding all that we are is wise. so much more i wish to say but in a nutshell i see us heading for disaster.

SMifsud

Apr 22nd 2010, 16:04

In my opinion, they should air their prayers via a low power transmitter e.g 500mW, and those from their community who want to listen to the prayers just tune in the frequency...those not interested or have different religion can listen to some music or something else. In principle it is the same thing currently adopted in hospitals and elderly homes, when they listen to catholic rosary. I dont agree that they should keep the speakers loud, but just audible to three people max simultaneously.

GF Cortini

Apr 22nd 2010, 16:03

I'm not really interested in the 'religious' element but I am concerned about even more noise pollution in Malta.

It's bad enough having church bells, festi and speakers blasting out adverts and religious services - not to mention the noise pollution from our many cars, building sites etc.

To me it has nothing to do with religion - I'm a catholic but I don't want ANY speakers blasting ANY sort of unsolicited noise in my house and my environs. A religious service should be a private moment of contemplation with the Creator not an earth-rumbling decibel-fest.

My wife suffers from constant chronic migraines. How fair is it to make her suffer further? Where is the respect and sympathy for other people who may be suffering from similar ailments or would simply like some peace and quiet?

Loudspeakers blaring calls for prayer? No thanks! Malta is noisy enough as it is...

Frederick Borg

Apr 22nd 2010, 13:30

Are we entitled to a free copy of the Koran so that we can actively participate in the prayers once the PA system is set up and running ?

Gil Borg

Apr 22nd 2010, 13:12

This is a european country and shall remain so. The migrants should stay at their country and practice what they want but not here!!!!!!!!!! GO BACK IF YOU DO NOT ENJOY THE STAY !! thank you

Derek Fenech

Apr 22nd 2010, 12:18

Viva l-Papa! L-aqwa li kulhadd mar ixejjer u jisma il-quddies il-fosos imma...

Kathy Elliot

Apr 22nd 2010, 11:49

As far as I know, don't even the Mosque not have the permission for an this sort of broadcasted prayer? Malta has freedom of religion, but the permission for loud public prayer had another legal term that I have come across a few times, and that isn't authorised in Malta. Correct me if I'm wrong here; I don't mind, quite the contrary.

Sean Grima

Apr 22nd 2010, 11:21

as usual some people take the opportunity to make sweeping, unreasonable statements: if a few people protest peacefully, we should throw all immigrants out.

Denis Degabriele

Apr 22nd 2010, 11:08

please they can pack there belongings and go from where they come because no one has send for them, we already have our own problems and by the way we are Catholics.

Mark Fenech-laudi

Apr 22nd 2010, 09:54

This was and still is a european country with a majority christian belief and european way of life SO PLEASE LOCAL AUTHORITIES , NOTE THIS IN YOUR BRAINS AND DO NOT AND I REPEAT DO NOT EVER EVEN THINK OF GIVING IN TO THESE REQUESTS OR ANY OTHER REQUESTS THAT MIGHT OR WILL ENDANGER ANY MALTESE LIFE ESPECIALLY OUR CHILDREN.
PEOPLE MAY DESCRIBE ME IN ANY WAY THEY PLEASE BUT , GOD COUNTRY AND FAMILY SHOULD AND MUST ALWAYS COME FIRST.
CHARITY BEGINNS AT HOME, THAN TO OUR NEXT DOOR NEIGHBOURS, THAN TO THE REST OF THE STREET, THAN TO OTHER STREETS IN OUR CITY/TOWN/VILLAGE AND THEN TO THE REST OF OUR BELOVED COUNTRY, " MALTA GHAWDEX KEMUNA ".
THAN IF WE ARE IN A SOUND ECONOMIC SITUATION, THAN IT IS OUR DUTY TO HELP OTHER LESS FORTUNATE COUNTRIES IN EUROPE ( AFTER ALL WE ARE A PART OF THE E.U. AND NOT A.U./AFRICAN UNION ).
PORTUGAL/SPAIN/FRANCE/BELGIUM/ENGLAND/ITALY PLEASE NOTE THE MESS YOU LEFT BEHIND IN AFRICA IN VARIOUS TREATIES YOU MADE TO SHARE IN THE AFRICAN SPOILS BY WHICH VARIOUS ETNIC PEOPLE WHERE DIVIDED SO THAT YOU COULD RULE.
LONG LIFE TO MY BELOVED MALTA AND ITS PEOPLE.

JOHN O SCERRI

Apr 22nd 2010, 07:55

Thank GOD all people here in Malta have the right to pray BUT... . NO ONE has the right to force others of a different creed to listen to one's prayers.

NO ONE, especially if on this island illegally has the right to dictate to authorities what and what not to do.

The play is dirty.. Yes ...Who made it dirty? ....Who lives there obviously.
Who can clean up instead of sitting and doing nothing all day long?.....Who lives there obviously.

Migrants should be asked what is best for them ...here, with the limitations they have or go back to where they came from?

If it is the latter they should speak up quickly and a flight will be arranged ASAP.

This way all will be happy including us tax payers.

Patrick Sacco

Apr 22nd 2010, 03:38

Aren't they forgetting something? If they don't like our country and our methods, they have the right to leave! After all, we did not force them to come here and we don't want them to stay here either! What arrogance! Try to do this in their country! Enough is enough!

John Azzopardi

Apr 21st 2010, 23:56

The worst is yet to come. They are few in numbers but they are the majority in the centers and they are already demanding to impose their will.

lizzie buhagiar

Apr 21st 2010, 21:38

I think this is an utter insult to Maltese people, who do these people think they are?? if they want to pray they can do it in silence why should they be allowed speakers...I live in England even us brits are getting fed up of all this political correctness your frightened to say anything as your classed as being racist if there not happy about this why don't they go back to there place of birth....

Louise Vella

Apr 21st 2010, 21:32

Fact is we have been treating these illegal immigrants much too well. They come illegally, then they want to dictate their conditions. The centre they have is much better than anything they ever had in their own country, which is why they don't want to go back. They don't have enough self-respect to keep it clean.

Trevor Lorenzo Mizzi

Apr 21st 2010, 21:19

Odd thing that these people want all kinds of islamic freedoms and since most are from east africa, Saudi Arabia was so close to their homeland, why didn't they go there?
Saudi Arabia is a large rich nation and they can be with their brother co-religionists
I am sure the Saudis will meet every demand they make to them and then some.
Why come here and bother us?

Charmaine Marmara'

Apr 21st 2010, 21:09

of course and then put loudspeakers all over malta too ,to call everyone to prayer...u halluna kwieti ..il ala ghandna noqoghdu nisimaw it talb taghhom meta lilna qalulna biex innehhu il kurcifiss mil klassijiet ta wliedna xi whud minn dawn in nies li gew malta.........MALTA TAGHNA MUX TAKOM ...ITILQU JEKK MINTKOMX KUNTANTI TAMLULNA GRANDISSMU PJACIR ...

Charles Massa

Apr 21st 2010, 19:41

Their next request is to centralise them in a 5 star hotel. Those who complained should be sent back home

Ronald Galea

Apr 21st 2010, 19:20

If they wanted freedom of religion, they should have stayed home. This is just the beginning.

lgalea

Apr 21st 2010, 19:14

This is a harbinger of thing yet to come.

R.Gauci

Apr 21st 2010, 19:06

I am a legal immigrant myself that is I am working and living and paying taxes and national insurance contributions in another country! I don't get neither free accomodation nor any social benefit payment . I applied for my child's benefit payment, cause now they are due from here the country where I am paying my contribution cause that's an EU law , more then 18 months ago and still didn't got 1c yet because of papers bureaucracy!
I am sharing a house with other people for which we all pay a monthly rent + bills and we have a weekly roster for cleaning and keeping this house clean and dispose of rubbish accordingly that is to recycle it! We are responsable to keep order in this house,respect each other believes and don't annoy anyone with our behaviour!
I never complain about the above cause I know that these things are basic when living in a civilised country/society and nothing is free in life!!
As the Maltese say "Help yourself and God will help you" Ghin ruhek biex Alla jghinek"!
Did you got my point?

Bonello David

Apr 21st 2010, 19:01

PEOPLE MAKE CULTURE NOT CULTURE MAKE PEOPLE. FORTUNATELY OUR CULTURE IS ALREADY ESTABLISHED. WE'VE BEEN ROMAN CATHOLICS FOR 1950 YEARS. OUR COUNTRY IS BEING TAKEN SLOWLY SLOWLY BY ALL MEANS. WE'RE NOT ASKED WHAT TO DO BUT WE ARE TOLD TO DO. WE'RE LOOSING OUR IDENTITY WHICH OUR FOREFATHERS FOUGHT FOR. WE DONT GO TO MUSLIM COUNTRIES & DICTATE THEIR PEOPLE TO ADJUST TO OUR CULTURE. THIS IS SUICIDE. ONCE WE WERE PROUD TO BE MALTESE, IN A FEW YEARS I DOUBT IF OUR CHILDREN WILL BE GIVEN A CHANCE TO BE CALLED MALTESE. THE MALTESE PEOPLE HAVE HAD ENOUGH. THEY ARE BEING PUSHED TO FAR NOW. WHAT IS THERE IN FUTURE WITH THESE MIGRANTS, IS ALREADY SHOWING.

victor pulis

Apr 21st 2010, 18:57

who put it into their heads that we want to hear their call to prayer?

Claire Busuttil

Apr 21st 2010, 18:45

Any by the way....most of the dirt and bad conditions they live in, is their fault....many of them have no idea of hygine, I don`t blame them, it is their culture, but to complain, about the dirt....is really funny......
go to halfar next to ETC......you will see the mess that there is, made of clothes and rugs, everywhere ......on the grass, on the road...etc......I even saw a refuge, urinating , near a parked car...in the middle of the day, and with people passing near him!!

Claire Busuttil

Apr 21st 2010, 18:42

These people, need to know, that nothing is given free....however they are the only people getting something free in Malta. Maltese Citizens, work hard, to make their living, to buy food, and gas-whish price rocketed sky high now. We buy our mobile phone top up cards, we pay home loans, high electricity bills....etc etc....many people, find it extremly hard to make it till the end of the month........
and these people, who I know they are human beings, that have a right to live etc etc.......are pretending a bit too much, once is that they do not want to be put in detention....even if it is only for 18months, and than they will be free.....(remember they broke the law, by entering a country without documents)......another time is that they want loud speakers for their ramadam cerimonies......well , amybe they do not know, that Malta`s majority is Christian, and not Muslim, no one, goes in a muslim country and pretend to practise openly the christian religion.....they should just respect this country, that is keeping them, and giving them at least a safe place.

Guze Xerri

Apr 21st 2010, 18:30

Other than wasting their time complaining by wanting a PA system to make more noise, they should grab a few brooms and trash bags and maybe a toilet brush and a bottle of VIM and scrub the place clean for jeeper's sake. Cleanliness comes before godliness, the place is looking like some third world inner city.

R.Hunt

Apr 21st 2010, 17:08

Why not supply them with a DJ at weekends to make full use of the speakers and maids, to give them daily room service, in their quarters!!

J. Bonnici

Apr 21st 2010, 17:06

The illegal immigrants said quote "They said the place was dirty and the kitchen was too small to cater for their requirements." Well who uses the said place? So they dirty the place. They have nothing to do, so the least they can do is clean it up. It looks that they have a skip where to throw their rubbish but they used it for the wrong purpose, to block the gate. As to the displayed placards, 'We have the right to pray' and 'We want freedom of religion", the authorities are not denying this, they simply did not allow the use of the loudspeakers to relay the call for prayers. We are in Malta not in an Islamic country and they should respect our way of life. They should not expect us to change into their way of life.

Charles Zammit

Apr 21st 2010, 17:06

These people have all the right to freedom. Something which one is given to believe they enjoy fully back home. Our government should take heed of this and repatriate then in order for them to enjoy their freedom more.

Emma Xerri

Apr 21st 2010, 17:04

Tell them that when Christians and other faiths are allowed to practice their faiths in Saudi Arabia and other Muslim countries, without interference and fear of violence, then they have the right to speak, but not before.

C.Zammit

Apr 21st 2010, 16:46

@ Keith Goodlip - Do you know that you are in a catholic country? If the family next to the loudspeaker has other beliefs then it's there problem not ours. So now because there are athiests , muslims and other religions in your opinion you should stop village fests, good Friday procession and also easter sunday one too mhux hekk?? No WAY! If there is someone who does not belong to this country pack and leave! Did you see the the crowd there was to watch pope and best of all the 12,000 youths who gathered to watch pope at valletta. Does that say something. So there should be no religion in your opinion? Ma tarax. And to all thoese who want devorce & gay marriage and so on forget it. The pope has left a good influence on both country and goverment. DREAM ON !!!!!!

S Demicoli

Apr 21st 2010, 16:34

What if it were the other way round (ie. christian illegal immigrants in a Muslim country such as Saudi Arabia, for example). What are the chances of Muslim authorities providing and installing loudspeakers to relay Christian prayers across the open centre?

Everyone works to protect their own.

They did not, actually specify what the interventions by Alex Tortell and Asst Comm Josie Brincat amounted to. I just hope they did not simply give in to their requests to keep them quiet .

Also, they complained of having a small kitchen and that the place was dirty. Like someone else said, they should thank Allah for the kindness of the Maltese people - food, shelter, social services and even POCKET MONEY! I'm sure that when the Maltese authorities provided shelter for them it must have been in a reasonable condition. Should they not be responsible for keeping it in a reasonable condition?

If only one takes a look at the gate in the picture, one could see signs that the gate has been damaged. One can't help asking if the damage was caused during this or any previous protest?? Is this the way to pay us back for our kindness?

m.baldacchino

Apr 21st 2010, 16:30

This footage is NOT of where they are living, as you clearly can see there are no beds. How about filming the new barracks built just for them next door????
This footage is putting bad light to the people who take care of them, whether they like it or not.

Joseph Calleja

Apr 21st 2010, 16:27

They said the place was dirty and the kitchen was too small to cater for their requirements. Maybe they are asking for the maid to show up more often to clean up their mess. A whole lot of Maltese have small kitchens and they have to make do.
I applaud the authorities in denying the speaker request. And immigrants if you want the place clean, who made it dirty in the first place? A good saying is. Don't crap where you eat!, clean up your own mess.

J Brincat

Apr 21st 2010, 16:24

If the want to install these loud speaker they can always pack and go home.

Don't they realise that we have been patient enough.

Trevor Lorenzo Mizzi

Apr 21st 2010, 15:54

What arrogance !!

anthony borg

Apr 21st 2010, 15:42

This problem is festering! Throwing illegal immigrants in so called Open Centres is just delaying the inevitable. Send them back...repatriate them - the "beloved mother EU" has not lifted a finger to help us.

Keith Goodlip

Apr 21st 2010, 15:40

Using the same train of thought that the article and the comments do....loudspeakers used during the Good Friday week should be abolished too. What if the family next to the loudspeaker has other beliefs or lack thereof? Why do we always have to use a two counts two measures approach? I agree that they shouldn't let them broadcast their prayers over loudspeakers. But neither should anyone else.

Charles Alamango

Apr 21st 2010, 15:33

I think that the time has come to investigate the illegal immigrants complaints and take action, we should close all the centres ad hoc, then we should start a hosting scheme so that all the Maltese who are in favour of these illegal immigrants staying in Malta, should 'adopt' and host any number of immigrants they wish for in their own house, pay for their expenses and give them a monthly allowance to be able to go out to enjoy themselves and also pay their mobile usage. The host families should also be held responsible for the illegal immigrants they host and pay for any type of damage or fines imposed by our law courts if these immigrants break the law. We 'other' Maltese who are not in favour of illegal immigrants staying in Malta are fed up with the exorbiant amount of expenses required to keep them on our island.

Timmy Farrugia

Apr 21st 2010, 15:27

hope the authorities do not give in to them. if they want to pray they should gather in an area an pray in peace.

donnelly arthur

Apr 21st 2010, 15:26

Isn't it beautiful that people come to your country and stat demanding things.
I saw this when I was reading the paper from florida.
My opinion is throw the migrants out

J. Debono

Apr 21st 2010, 15:24

@ Cynthia Mercieca

The reason being that whilst catholics are raised to be tolerant to others and help others,
Muslim people are generally not tolerant to other religions.

This is evident in
1. Countries where the majority are Muslims
2. Even when they do not have the majority, they try to enforce their influence (like removing crosses from public spaces for one ex.)

Louise Vella

Apr 21st 2010, 15:11

Does Malta need this trouble over a loudhailer calling Muslims to prayer? Is this the foretaste of things to come when Muslims will be using their loudhailers to prayer in our towns and villages?

K mifsud

Apr 21st 2010, 15:02

Sorry ta imma ala ana natu kas ta kull haga li jajdu??? nahseb jien jekk ha npoggu din l-idea fis sehh ha tkun wahda mill-pjagi il kbar tal knisja kattolika f'malta ax anke l-imigranti li munhiex musulmani ha jibda jkolhom influwenza kbira musulmana allura hallu kollox kifinhu ax f'dal pajjiz maniex bzomm iktar problemi!!!!

Barbara Attard

Apr 21st 2010, 14:58

I live half a km away from these immigrants. During the 2008 ramadan they were allowed some kind of loudspeaker. Whether I like it or not I had to listen to their prayers. See how loud?? ... better pray in peace!!!

Raymond Sammut

Apr 21st 2010, 14:55

They should be accommodated in one of Malta's monasteries. Monasteries in Malta today are largely empty anyway. Once inside a monastery, a loudspeaker system can be installed.

Peter Wood

Apr 21st 2010, 14:55

The simple answer is, If you are not happy with your lot, then GO BACK to where you came from. END OF PROBLEM !!

lgalea

Apr 21st 2010, 14:51

Fundamentalism already rearing its ugly head.
When are the authorities going to repatriate all the illegal immigrants?

Stephen Koludrovic

Apr 21st 2010, 14:46

If the place is dirty, surely its up to them to keep it clean.

J Abela

Apr 21st 2010, 14:43

Why do they need load speakers to pray?

sandro pace

Apr 21st 2010, 14:30

This is not an islamic country, and neither should it sound or look like one. Hal Far is (or was) a quiet place.

Good for the authorities. Their decision does not hinder migrants' right to pray.

Chris Mifsud

Apr 21st 2010, 14:22

Today they are complaining about not having speakers in the centre.

Tomorrow they will be complaining that they don't have enough mosques and that they want loudspeakers installed in the streets of Valletta, Sliema and so on.

This has happened all over Europe and Malta is not immune.

If they want to live by their tradition they are more than welcome to do so back in Somalia and the like, where they came from.

s.koludrovic

Apr 21st 2010, 13:55

If they are so religious,why did they bother to come to Malta?
They should have stayed in Tripoli instead, after all Libya is a muslim country which has more than enough loudspeakers to satisfy all of their religious needs.

Edwin Mifsud

Apr 21st 2010, 13:26

We are not doing enough to help these people.

Since the Maltese are attending mass less frequently we should give them a couple of churches to convert then to Mosques. Mosta dome, St. John's Co- Cathedral and Mdina Cathedral come to mind.

The centre should be closed down as soon as they inform us wheather they would like a seaview apartment in Tower road, a house of character in Mdina or a Farmhouse limits of Rabat.

CHARLES AQUILINA

Apr 21st 2010, 13:17

Mur gibu xi Malti jinstalla loudspeakers go xi pajjiz musulman b kant katoliku !!!!!

ABORG

Apr 21st 2010, 13:11

instead of installing loud speakers and instead of trying to impose thier beliefs on others, why don't they go to a muslim country?

cythia mercieca

Apr 21st 2010, 12:59

I am not rascist and I believe that everyohne should respect the beliefs of others, but if they are not all muslim in there why do they pretend to install just the Muslim prayers on the loudspeaker??? Xi haga irragunata din.

Paul A Vella

Apr 21st 2010, 12:57

Now this is pushing things too far....if they have to pray, let them do it the way we do...that is in an enclosed area and without disturbing the public peace!! Next thing we know, they will be applying for a permit to build a minaret!! I am not a racist at all but I do beleive that everyone has a right to pray to whichever religion they belong to and this should be done without causing discomfort to the other religions present here...if they don't like things as they stand, then they should all go back to their own countries and face te music there!!

I Abela

Apr 21st 2010, 12:55

Is it not an open centre? Migrants can leave and come back whenever they want. So if they want to pray they should go to their mosque in Paola. We have also allocated a room where they could pray. Now they want to install speakers ?? They should thank Allah for our generosity in providing them shelter, food, and social services. Now 2 maltese saying come to mind at this point. 1) Mis-swaba jiehdu l-id, 2) Iddardarx l-ghajn li qed tixrob minnha. T

Julian Galea

Apr 21st 2010, 12:44

Of course they should not be allowed to relay Muslim Prayers across the whole camp. Just because they are Muslims it does not mean that all Migrants should listen to their prayers. If they were in a Muslim country it would be different story. But they are not.
Should we install Speakers into all of Malta and Listen to their prayers.

We listen to Catholic prayers because we are a 98% catholic country and that is Maltese tradition.