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The announced harsher penalties for racial crimes and the proposed legal widening of the defined racial term, is a positive statement and commitment from government to fight racism. Equally of note is the public announcement by the bishops that our country is in dire need of solutions to the immigration phenomenon. These two actions show that finally, albeit belatedly, after a number of arson attacks, the issue of racism is rightfully being placed high up on the political and social agenda of the country.
We totally concur with the declaration of the Maltese bishops, as we do with government’s strengthening of the criminal penalties. These are good first steps forward. Let us not delude ourselves however that they are anywhere near sufficient.
There is much which still needs to be done. Essentially, the task is daunting, it is an uphill battle, as we need to nurture a cultural change and a drastic containment of our prejudices. A good starting point would be to have racial harmony included in the school curriculum. The difficulty is how and what are the concrete and fair solutions to this problem.
Clearly throughout the world and no less in Malta illegal immigration is a burning political issue. Regrettably the inability of governments to appear in control of the situation is fuelling racial tensions. Herein lies the danger.
The local situation is somewhat unique. It is clear that immigrants abandoned in the high seas subject to increment weather are finding themselves in Malta, which is not their first landing of choice. They all aspire to reach Europe in search of work and a better life. The question arises however what is to be done when they are, albeit unwillingly, in Malta. Malta has opted for detention centres where people are confined to barracks. We have long felt that this is not a solution and fortified by the abhorrence felt by EU observers when in Malta we feel that this system only helps aggravate and frustrate the immigrants with serious consequences to their health and behaviour. We far prefer the open centre system where immigrants are allowed to integrate with our society and helped to stand up on their own two feet.
Malta’s very own history is a melting pot of different cultures. We have always been a multi-cultural society. Few realise this. The only difference is that today, cultural influence has a different skin colour. This is a new reality that we have to accept.
Fortunately, at the forefront there are a number of religious organisations, non-government organisations and journalists who are willing to stand up and be counted. They represent the conscience of the nation.
Their public ‘no to racism’ has been met with arson attacks and much verbal violence. This newspaper stands four-square behind these courageous citizens. We are not at all impressed with the public denials of well-known fascists. These are the same people who on their Internet site publicly preach hatred going so far as to state that there are not enough lampposts to hang liberal journalists! When their very verbal violence leads to arson attacks they publicly deny involvement and abhor the same violence that they themselves ignited! This is simply not acceptable.
The authorities should not to take their threats lightly. We have warned and will warn yet again that the situation will get worse; there will be more arson attacks and violence. The demands of extremists can never be satisfied and it would be wrong if politicians tried to pander to their wishes. The demands will only get worse and more violent in nature.
This all creates a management problem for our police force that still appear unable to identify, let alone control this monster. It is an issue of law and order which operates under their watch. It must be nipped now before it gets worse.
Now is the time to take drastic action. Any government has the duty to protect its citizens. We all have a moral duty to exert zero-tolerance to racism and to feel free and secure in expressing our views. Making laws harsher together with verbal condemnation and public statements even from the leader of the opposition that these arsonists must be caught and granted imprisonment sentences are praiseworthy and indeed commendable but they are not enough. These criminals have to be arraigned in court, exposed, shamed, named and imprisoned.
The whole political class must face reality.
Our society is racist: it does not want members of other races to hang around or worse to be allowed to work in Malta. The calls that these persons will take our jobs have been heard again and again. They are as untrue as they are regrettable. These persons can and should be seen as a potential enrichment of our society. What stops us from regulating their legal status and ensure that they work within the legal confines of the law?
The harsh reality is that most Maltese people would rather they were not here. This comes out in all surveys available even to the political parties who as a result are looking at this matter from an electoral perspective, ever conscious of not offending their core vote.
Politicians with vision should be aspired by the words of Martin Luther King ‘I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the colour of their skin but by the content of their character.’
We urge the political class to face this racist menace head on.
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