Security stepped up as vandals target Ghadira and road to Hagar Qim
Lana Galea and Matthew Vella
This week’s vandal attacks on Ghadira Nature Reserve and the area around Hagar Qim temples, with its slogans of “Viva l-Kacca” and “Hunting Forever”, strongly suggest a concerted campaign of intimidation and cultural terrorism in response to the recent curtailment of spring hunting.
Although no hard evidence links the Ghadira attack to hunters, for BirdLife Malta executive director Tolga Temuge there is little doubt who is to blame: “In view of the recent vandalism close to the Qrendi temples, and keeping in mind the statements that were posted on the FKNK website forum last January promoting violence and vandalism, the culprits of the recent attack on the Ghadira nature reserve are not hard to determine.”
BirdLife Malta originally estimated that some 10 gallons of used car oil was thrown into the Ghadira wetland conservation reserve on Tuesday night, polluting the soil, ditches and ponds. But in a statement issued yesterday, BirdLife conservation manager Adrian Raine said the damage was considerably worse than originally thought: “The quantities of oil in the ditches, as well as large numbers of bottle caps lying around the perimeter of the reserve, suggest that the initial estimate of 10 gallons used in the attack is very much an under-estimation.”
New evidence suggests that vandals struck from at least four different points around the reserve. BirdLife believes that they climbed over fences to pour oil into the surrounding ditches and threw oil-filled bottles far out into the ponds and reservoir. This indicates a planned and well-orchestrated act of sabotage, with oil being poured into strategic locations to cause the most damage to the fragile ecosystem.
“Used motor oil is insoluble and contains toxic chemicals and heavy metals that persist in the environment for many year,” Dr Raine said. “The oil can seriously impact biodiversity and will also enter the wetland food chain. It has knock-on effects as it accumulates in invertebrates, which are in turn eaten by birds and other animals in the reserve.”
Reserve warden Charles Gauci, one of the visionaries behind the Ghadira nature reserve when it was established in the early 1980s, was not surprised by the attack itself, but rather by its timing. “I was not expecting it now, because I thought to myself these people cannot be foolish enough to continue shooting themselves in the foot,” he said.
Due to insufficient existing security measures, Gauci believes that a government-funded security system for the reserve is necessary to successfully prevent such attacks in future.
Recently, quotations were obtained for a new security system to be installed in the reserve, with the cost amounting to Lm12,000.
Heritage watchdog ups security at Hagar Qim
Meanwhile, last Friday’s vandalism of the road, pavement and bus-stop in the vicinity of Hagar Qim – including the ominous warnings “Mnajdra RIP” and “Il-kbir ghadu gej” (the worst is yet to come) – brings back memories of 1994 and 1996, when vandalism of the temples was attributed to belligerent opposition to Stanley Zammit’s hunting reforms.
To counter what is fast emerging as a determined attempt to intimidate the government into submission, authorities are now stepping up security for the World Heritage Site.
Heritage Malta chairman Mario Tabone yesterday confirmed that the heritage authority has increased security efforts, roping in army personnel to secure the area.
“I’m amazed that they target these temples,” Mario Tabone told MaltaToday. “To me it’s a form of parricide, having to target these sacred places built by our forefathers.”
Tabone said the area is already monitored 24 hours a day, and that security has now been reinforced. “We are on the alert. I hope this madness does not continue.”
Significantly, the attack took place on the same day that four hunters were accused in court of having thrown bottles in the direction of the police, among other acts of violence, in the protest in Valletta on 7 March.
Christopher Azzopardi, 29 and Tony Farrugia, 41, both from Qormi, were accused of throwing bottles in the direction of police officers and other people with the intention of committing a serious crime. The two hunters were also accused of threatening public officials and of having disturbed the public peace.
Massimo Bartolo, 22, from Birkirkara, was accused of having fired fireworks which could have been of danger to the public. Stephen Caruana, 26, from St Paul’s Bay, was accused of carrying a fire arm without the necessary licence. Bartolo and Caruana pleaded guilty. |
