This newspaper is not anti-hunting. Within the limits of the law, there can be a time and place for everything. We fully acknowledge that while not everyone’s cup of tea, the practice or hobby is weaved into the fabric of Maltese culture and society.

Indeed, Malta is not the only nation where the killing of wild creatures takes place. There are few countries, in fact, where the practice is banned outright. Britain does not just permit the shooting of birds, but also game as well as the brutal killing of foxes – which is seen by some as a gentrified pastime.

Closer to home, few object to people fishing with a line or a spear, though of course it cannot be denied either that people enjoy killing what lies beneath the sea as well as above. Indeed, for some it is a way of life.

Hunting of any type only becomes objectionable when it is practised illegally, and this is what this media organisation wholeheartedly opposes. Unfortunately, it is taking place in many forms.

Let’s start with the type of bird that can be hunted. At certain times of year it is permissible to shoot turtle dove and quail. Yet the minute the season opens, or even before and after, countless images emerge of all sorts of other birds that have been either injured or killed by gunshot. Migrating flamingos are perhaps among the most headline-grabbing, but there are many more that belong to this unenviable club.

Campaigners are right to present these carcasses to the media when they have been shot, because it highlights the lawlessness that is capable of existing among the hunting community.

On the other hand, the authorities’ decision to prosecute these campaigners for doing just that – under the pathetic premise that they were illegally in possession of protected birds – makes a mockery of any civilised legal system and adds insult to the injuries these birds had suffered.

There is no doubting that Malta has another problem when it comes to hunting: availability of land. While in larger countries people can go about their ‘pastime’ without anyone noticing, over here it is almost impossible not to hear a gun being fired outside one’s home.

On such a tiny island, there is an element of inevitability to this. But because of ridiculously poor regulation, successive governments have allowed hunters to construct countless illegal structures in the countryside and take over the very few places where we encourage families and tourists to walk. The atmosphere in the countryside is not just potentially dangerous, but it is also intimidating. Last Sunday’s incidents were ample proof of this.

The third hunting issue concerns season. The EU, which Malta joined a decade ago, prohibits hunting in spring. There are very good reasons for this and we have steadfastly opposed successive governments’ stance to open the season (much as we applaud its decision to suspend the autumn season over illegalities).

While we initially expressed reservations about holding a referendum on spring hunting, we believe there is now no choice.

This government clearly has no intention of stopping hunting during a season when birds are migrating. So a referendum, triggered by the constitutional mechanism, must be held. We insist it must take place by early next year and that the government should encourage people to vote. Moreover, we are proud to take a joint stand with The Malta Independent and Malta Today on this issue.

We will not rest until the government makes a commitment to allow people to express their will on the issue – this is a democratic right – and hope that our readers will do the same.

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