Empty and unprincipled

It is shocking how Labour leader Joseph Muscat misses human lives, basic solidarity and utter humanity for cheap votes that won’t even come long-term. According to Malta’s Opposition Leader, in face of the thousands of migrants fleeing the Gaddafi regime and losing their lives in the Mediterranean, the Maltese government should take a firmer stand by “doing what suited it, as other countries were doing”.

His is an extreme, far-right declaration. Such a declaration exposes Dr Muscat, who poses as some kind of moderate and liberal, for what he actually is: empty and unprincipled.

Dr Muscat castigated the Maltese government for not taking a firmer stand when, the other day, a Maltese patrol boat saved the lives of 171 migrants near Lampedusa after the Italian authorities on the Italian island did not send craft to the scene, 32 nautical miles away, and refused entry to the Maltese patrol boat that rescued the migrants. Italy claimed that “Lampedusa was full up”. He suggested Malta should take up this (immoral) Italian example by “doing what suited it, as other countries were doing”.

There is no denying that Malta is facing an enormous immigration crisis as thousands of men, women and children are fleeing from the atrocities and madness of the Gaddafi regime. The government is right to insist with the EU it needs to pull its socks up and help Malta cope with this human crisis. The EU is morally obliged to intervene and provide resettlement opportunities. Yet, we would be abdicating our responsibility as human beings if we were to ignore the plight of people who were about to lose their life as implied by Dr Muscat.

Thousands of people took part in the popular Our Lady of Sorrows processions in Malta and Gozo. Today’s Our Lady of Sorrows is that young Somali mother who fled her country hoping to secure a better future for her newborn child but, half way through, huge waves engulfed their dinghy and she witnessed her newborn being washed away by the deadly waves. Does Dr Muscat possibly expect us to safeguard our national interest when faced with such a human tragedy?

This is an issue of values and Dr Muscat’s cheap populism is simply unacceptable. This is not the first time the Leader of the Opposition jumped on the racist bandwagon for some cheap votes. Way back in 2009, he suggested Malta suspends its human rights obligations according to the 1951 Geneva Convention; an unacceptable declaration that runs contrary to natural and international law.

Far right and far left do meet and Dr Muscat is typically a melée of Mintoffian dogma and right-wing stances. He has not apologised to the Maltese people for his party’s blood-brother relations with Muammar Gaddafi, inviting him to address the crowds in Labour mass meetings. He will not apologise for burdening Malta with an old-fashioned neutrality just to please Col Gaddafi. He refuses to clearly say Col Gaddafi should go.

Somebody needs to tell Dr Muscat that his cheap populism in front of this terrible human crisis is sickening and makes him totally unfit to become Prime Minister of Malta in two years’ time. Saving human lives and defending human dignity should come before any other interest, including national interest.

Let’s not kid ourselves by pretending that in Malta the fear of The Other is not widespread. Truth is that with his irresponsible, far-right comments the Labour leader is encouraging this fear, which is deep rooted in racism and xenophobia.

Dr Psaila is information director of the Nationalist Party.