Friends of Suleiman Ismail Abubaker, the migrant who died in hospital on June 10 from injuries during a beating in Paceville, stayed away from his funeral today in protest because organisers had not awaited the arrival of his brother from Tripoli.

However officials at the mosque in Corradino, where the funeral took place, said the funeral had been put off for as long as possible.

Some 15 people, nearly all Maltese, attended the funeral.

The Imam. Mohammed El Saadi, who conducted the funeral, spoke out against racist aggression, saying it was evil and inhuman. People did not choose to be black or white, he said. God created people this way, and racism was therefore a protest against the will of God. After urging racists to put themselves in the other people's position, the Imam called on the authorities to raise their voices against racism.

The migrant's death sparked a protest walk against racism in Paceville last Saturday.