Are we racists?

Xenophobia? Justified fear as more boatloads of immigrants pour in? Or is racism rearing its ugly head? Herman Grech queries whether basic Christian principles are going out of the window.

During a recent satirical show at Ta' Qali, the biggest laugh of the evening was reserved for a sketch featuring a well-known radical right-winger taking aim at an "illegal immigrant" and shooting him.After the show, one of the patrons expressed discomfort at the loud laughter:

"During that sketch I wondered why they were laughing: because the actor was so good at personifying the man in question or because they secretly approved his actions?" he asked.

One thing is certain. As Malta grapples with an influx of irregular immigrants, and following the London bombings, xenophobia is on the rise. Are the Maltese justified to air such concerns?

Speaking about the plight of irregular migration during a recent public meeting at Castille, Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi said he was guided first and foremost by the fact that he was dealing with human beings and not with beasts.

"We all have a duty to curb any racist arguments but we also have to listen to anyone who is preoccupied," he said.

But this balancing act has been difficult indeed, amid a whole spectrum of views that range from demands to get rid of detention to pure racist comments.

Social Policy Minister Dolores Cristina admits that her ministry is at the receiving end of racist and xenophobic sentiments.

"Apprehension and fear", she said, is a natural reaction to the overwhelming number of irregular immigrants that have reached our shores and who, because of the bottleneck caused by international procedures, are not moving on to other countries, as many of them would like to.

These immigrants are stretching the island's human and financial resources so many Maltese are concerned about matters such as unemployment as well as the cultural repercussions that this influx might have on Maltese society, Ms Cristina said.

A survey carried out by The Sunday Times showed that the Maltese are becoming increasingly suspicious of anybody who decides to settle permanently in Malta. Such fears were also present in the run-up to EU accession and a number of people preferred to have the safeguards against a flood of labour that were introduced by the government.

To address the migrant situation, the government is involved in bilateral and multilateral initiatives, Ms Cristina said.

"The Sunday Times survey indicates that the issue is largely one of intolerance to whatever is perceived as different, rather than racist hatred.

"In my opinion, better education and awareness would help combat these xenophobic attitudes. The government and NGOs are in fact doing valuable work to aid understanding between the Maltese and the immigrants, as well as among the immigrants themselves, who hail from different countries and live together in the open centres."

Ms Cristina described racism based purely on skin colour as "scary".

"It feeds on the apprehensions and fears that are natural but fuels them, possibly into situations which might have dire consequences. History is living proof of the negative results of racism and the violence, fear and divisiveness it instils," she said.

"This is where we all have to take a long look at ourselves and rethink the Christian values we have always been so very proud of."

Are politicians fanning xenophobia?

During the electoral campaign in the UK, the UNHCR urged politicians to stop capitalising on the anti-immigration feeling. Are our politicians doing likewise? Fingers have been pointed at Parliamentary Secretary Tony Abela who spoke about "the beginning of the battle" where illegal migration was concerned, while MP Franco Galea lamented in Parliament about Africans working in Malta.

Contacted for his views, Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi said:

"Politicians have a dual responsibility in front of this major challenge. In the first instance, we have to understand, appreciate, and reflect people's real concerns about this issue. This is a natural reaction that is shared by other countries who are facing the same challenges. They are valid and we have a duty to address them.

"But politicians cannot stop there. We have the difficult and delicate responsibility to lead people into making the right choices that will help us overcome our fears and face this challenge as a society that has enshrined its identity in human history by the values of solidarity, hospitality, family, industriousness, ingenuity and creativity.

"I always encourage my parliamentary group and party members to work closely with people and community groups, to address their genuine concerns, to make our weaknesses our strengths, and our strengths always stronger. I have urged our MPs to speak with a high sense of responsibility and to reflect the values and principles that are the backbone of our political beliefs.

"Franco Galea explained to me that his intention was to highlight the realities that we are facing today while remaining fully committed to the values embraced by the Nationalist Party. On the other hand Parliamentary Secretary Tony Abela echoes the call we are making to join forces at European and bilateral levels in order to address the issues that we are all facing.

"It has been said before that the true test of character in front of any challenge is how we behave when faced with difficult choices. In addressing the problem of illegal immigration we need to be clear about the value choices that will shape our decisions and ultimately shape the character of our nation.

"This is an issue that needs to be addressed by the whole of our society. Politicians do have some difficult choices to make. But these same choices must also be made by our social and religious leaders, as well as our media."

Catch them young

Jesuit Refugee Service media coordinator Marija Schranz believes that a small percentage of the Maltese are racist though xenophobia is nothing short of overwhelming.

"I believe there's a big difference between the two because with the right information and campaigns, the rate of xenophobia may be controlled," she said.

Ms Schranz said it would be advisable for the authorities to be more cautious in their choice of language.

"Words like 'crisis' and 'tidal waves' have very strong connotations which fuel further the anti-immigration sentiment. Of course even JRS acknowledges that it's a difficult situation, but solutions are not found by talking off the top of our heads."

She urged politicians to emulate Dr Gonzi's tone, and to speak sensitively about the plight of immigrants, despite highlighting the extent of the problem.

The media also had a prominent role to play, by ironing out the misconceptions and stressing Malta's international obligations.

Ultimately, racism and xenophobia can be stemmed through education. This is why JRS is now going into schools to inform children about refugees, their cause and the effects of detention.

The Curia, on the other hand, strongly objected to suggestions that it was reluctant to condemn the racist incitement and fears being bandied about.

"The Church's teaching on racism and xenophobia is clear enough. The Diocesan Synod's stand on racism came before the problem reached its current status. Archbishop Joseph Mercieca also spoke on the subject last February," a spokesman for the Curia said.

"Racism is wrong. It can never be acceptable as all human beings are equal in the eyes of God. No one should ever incite or encourage racism."

The Church's Diocesan Synod, in its document on Diakonia and Justice states that the best safeguard against racism is early and integral education in the values of love, tolerance, pluralism and the appreciation of other religions and cultures.

The spokesman said that the Maltese people are well known for their sense of generosity and solidarity with those in need of love.

"One should not rush in interpreting certain current feelings as if our people have lost this characteristic and have been overcome by racism and xenophobia, which are always regrettable."

It would appear, the spokesman said, that current feelings among people are triggered mainly by a feeling of uncertainty in a densely populated island.

He said it would also appear that preoccupation was also increasing because to date there is no sign of some form of concrete solidarity or remedial action on the part of other much stronger nations to control and possibly solve the problems leading to the current Mediterranean boat-people phenomenon.

The anti-immigration sentiment in figures

A survey published by The Sunday Times last weekend was stark confirmation of the feeling of intolerance in the air. Just 17 per cent of respondents stated that everybody should be treated the same, irrespective of skin colour. A total of 79 per cent would not grant asylum to Muslims and 77 per cent would refuse it to Jews.

Last week, over 90 per cent of respondents to the latest online poll by The Times overwhelmingly agreed that Malta should take unilateral action to halt the influx of illegal immigrants.

An EU-wide perceptions survey conducted to gauge citizens' preferences with regard to a multi-cultural society showed that Malta was the country with the highest number of people favouring harsher anti-immigration rules among the 10 new states.

According to the report, 40 per cent of the Maltese favour the repatriation of legal migrants. On the other hand, an EU average of one in five want them sent home.

The survey was carried out earlier in the year, before the summer influx of illegal immigrants.

The letters page in The Times are a good gauge of the feeling of xenophobia. Letters condemning irregular immigrants outnumber those sympathising with their cause by at least six to one. A Dutch contributor's opinion piece in The Times recently, in which he argued that the term "illegal immigrants" was incorrect and unfair, elicited a deluge of disapproving opinions.

Threats and taunts

While most people might ignore or even laugh at the taunts and threats levelled at migrants, some fear that it will not be long before words turn to action. These are some of the incidents reported in the past three months:

August: Leaflets were scattered in the streets of Birkirkara announcing that the "hunting season on land and on the sea" was open on illegal immigrants.

July: Leaflets signed by a group calling itself KKK called illegal immigrants "bummers" and told them to get out before they start killing them.

July: An Eritrean man is attacked on the road between Hal Far and Birzebbuga. He was also robbed of his mobile phone and the Lm200 salary he had just collected. The victim had to be treated for facial injuries.

June: Four Eritrean immigrants were surrounded by a group of between eight and 10 young men as they walked back to the Hal Far open centre. Two of the Eritreans were assaulted and repeatedly punched in the face.

June: Unknown persons posted notices in prominent places in Blata l-Bajda, Msida and Floriana urging people to "defend the country from the invasion of immigrants".

A number of websites are increasingly airing their anti-immigration views, though none admit they are racist. A particular anti-immigration website recently even started naming those companies that were employing non-EU migrants.

The government has already taken the necessary legislative action against racism and given clear directions for criminal action to be taken against persons who incite racial hatred.