Political parties rarely win elections by adopting pro-migration and integration policies. On the contrary, as evidenced by the recent European Parliament elections, it is right-wing groups that shun integration that are nowadays capitalising on voter disgruntlement and making political inroads.
It was therefore admirable to see Opposition leader Simon Busuttil buck the trend by calling for a common front between the government and the Opposition on migration last week. It was especially admirable since it comes in the wake of another whopping electoral defeat for the PN. Instead of jumping on the anti-immigrant bandwagon, the PN has opted for what is morally right.
Dr Busuttil insisted migration should be taken out of partisan politics and the government and Opposition should work together. But he made it very clear the first priority would be to save lives.
Politicians have a duty to educate the public and explain why people are forced to flee their countries. They should explain that, as signatories to the Refugee Convention, we have a duty to provide a safe refuge to asylum seekers, even if they are travelling without any documents.
The PN’s appeal against any migrants’ pushback comes with an important caveat. Those who are not eligible for protection should be sent back.
Unfortunately, governments are often hampered by the fact they have to rely on the authorities of migrants’ home countries to sort out the paperwork. The government is right to establish diplomatic contacts with countries of migrants, provided it does not repatriate those who do qualify for some form of protection.
Dr Busuttil insisted that every effort should be made to control the influx of migrants to ensure Malta did not shoulder an excessive burden.
In reality, nobody has the solution to the irregular migration issue. As long as wars, famine and economic hardship persist, there will be people who flee to another country.
Lastly, Dr Busuttil said, populism should be taken out of migration and the language used, because it foments racism and xenophobia. When the rare calls of solidarity are drowned out by an army of racists and xenophobes, it is evident that the racial discourse in Malta has almost become institutionalised.
It was a relief to hear Prime Minister Joseph Muscat immediately accept the offer for a united front. But he was wrong to say that such a common front existed in the past. It did not. When former prime minister Lawrence Gonzi urged the Maltese to understand migrants’ plight, there was an eerie silence from the then Opposition leader. Instead, the former Labour opposition opted for populism and adopted tough words on immigration to such an extent it drew sympathy from the likes of Norman Lowell.
But it’s pointless looking back. Irregular immigration is a problem which is here to stay and it needs a common political strategy to hammer out the best solutions.
What Malta needs to do is build a common front with border states to create a workable solution with the EU and humanitarian agencies. Countries like Italy and Malta have carried too much of the burden.
Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi summed it up perfectly last week when he said: “If when facing tragedies of immigration, we are told ‘this is not our problem’, then I say keep your single currency and leave us our values.”
Dr Busuttil’s proposals only skim the surface, but at least they’re a good initiative if we are to make any inroads and retain our values.