"We should not make a difference between those people who come to

Malta on dinghies and those who come to Malta on cruise liners.

Both are human persons, both have the same rights and dignity."

Prime Minister Gonzi

These words spoken by our Prime Minister some time ago are clear evidence of the values that guide him in his work. His statement will not endear him with many xenophobic voters but will endear him with anyone who has a basic modicum of humanity. It is very clear that many Maltese are found to be wanting even on this allegedly basic characteristic of every man and women.

This week there were two different incidents which once more showed the xenophobic spirit that exists among us.

BEDA JBERRAQ

Last Monday our papers reported the rescue of twenty-eight immigrants by our armed forces. The Times and In-Nazzjon published their report on page three. The Malta Independent lead with a caption story on page one and a report on page three. All these reports were factual and to the point.

Unfortunately, L-Orizzont, decided to walk another path. It had a screaming headline on the front page. BEDA JBERRAQ was the headline presented in the largest type size possible. BEDA JBERRAQ is the phrase used to warn people of a storm or looming trouble. The editor of L-orizzont did not choose a heading which just states the facts, but he decided to choose a heading which made a comment. He chose a heading which many people would interpret as saying that these people equal trouble.

Since the editor of L-Orizzont wanted to make a comment wouldn't he have been more dignified had he chosen a heading which shows compassion to these fellow human beings?

Wouldn't he have been more humane had he decided to make an issue about the decision to divide the immigrants between Malta and Libya? Who took this decision? Who decided to send people to Libya where these immigrants are treated worse than animals? The editor of L-orizzont quite rightly raised a number of pertinent and very good questions when recently a Maltese person died after his boat collided with a yacht. However, in this instance since the 27 people who were sent to a country which does not respect their rights were foreigners, he did not bother at all with raising intelligent issues. He just alarmed people.

In my opinion, the headline of L-orizzont was an alarmist headline fitting a paper run by Norman Lowell. It does not do justice to the GWU, the owner of the paper, which repeatedly has defended the rights of these immigrants.

I also object to the use of the word "klandestini", which is used by several and not only by L-Orizzont. This word is disrespectful and mistaken. These people were on a boat on the open seas, were picked by our armed forces because they were in danger of losing their lives (not because they were doing anything illegal) and were then brought to Malta. What is clandestine about them?

Perjury and prejudice

There was a second incident, and a serious one at that. A court ordered the police to take action for perjury against two immigrants, Mahmoud El-Habib and Osman AbdulKader after finding that evidence that one of them had been injured by the manager of the Marsa Open Centre was false. The court had been told that Terry Gosden had injured Osman AbdulKaderin. The incident happened on September 8, 2006. The court found that the claims had been contradicted by Mr Gosden, a doctor and a migrant who were also present.

What these people did was awful and it is fitting that they pay for it. However, the Maltese xenophobes went on the rampage. Instead of condemning an incident where two immigrants - out of thousands - were involved, they generalised the incident to tarnish all immigrants.

Read some gems posted on timesofmalta.com:

Tracy Caruana:

Ja bahnan Malti kompli hallas it-taxxi ghalihom. Il-knisja imissha tisponsorajhom kollha la hi favurhom. Bil-flus il-poplu kulhadd qalbu tajba!

Denis Catania

They know how to manipulate the system and only a few get caught. These people are taking the Maltese for a ride.

Louise Vella

They do not seem to know the difference between truth and lying, they seem to say what they think will get them what they want. here is another instance - this time offialised by the court - of illegal immigrants not telling the truth.

lgalea

Good job. Now will they be expelled after serving their sentence? Look how much they have already cost us Maltese taxpayers for keeping them here and also how much time they made the police and courts lose. And they still find those gullible here who still believe their stories about why they left their own country and came here.

Such attitudes tempt me to feel ashamed that I am Maltese.

The crusade is on

Fr Daniel Cardona the Archpriest of Zebbug was in the news these last few days. His billboard about divorce created quite a stir. One can agree or disagree with his decision to put this billboard on the Church parvis. I have no problem with that, and had Fr Cardona asked for my advice I would have counselled him against the initiative, as it was just a parish initiative. However, I do have a problem with the attacks made on Fr Cardona and the firm sponsoring the billboard which was part of the parish pro-family campaign.

The attitude of several commentators was intolerance incarnated. They wanted to deny Fr Cardona's right to put the billboard where he decided to put it. They wanted to deny the firm's right to sponsor this billboard. The most emotive language was used to condemn Fr Cardona. The firm was threatened with boycotts! It is very clear that it is not the Church that is organising a crusade or declaring a fatwa. It seems that the crusade and the fatwa are being declared by some among the pro-divorce lobby.

Were Birdlife, or the hunters or whoever ever attacked in this savage way for using billboards as part of their communication campaign? Do some citizens have fewer rights than others? Does the Church or a single priest have fewer rights then others if they want to organise a communications campaign? Is advocacy the right of NGO but not the right of the Church as well?

Perhaps Fr Cardona should not have gone it alone, but I do not think that he should have been so manifestly left alone and let down in public.