FKNK accuse BirdLife Malta of being 'politically motivated'

Hunters' federation FKNK has called for the setting up of a local and "genuine" ornithological society which lacked anti-hunting sentiments and was "not politically motivated" like BirdLife Malta.

In the latest dispute between BirdLife Malta and FKNK, BirdLife accused the government of giving in to the hunters' demands by extending the autumn hunting curfew. On Tuesday, the environment NGO walked out of an Ornis Committee meeting after a proposal by the Wild Bird Regulations Unit for a derogation to allow the autumn trapping of song thrush and golden plover was described as "an inside job by the FKNK".

But according to the hunters, BirdLife's "childish actions are unacceptable in a democratic and civilized world".

BirdLife has also criticised the presence of WBRU's special initiatives officer Joseph Lia on the Ornis Committee, having been a former FKNK council member.

According to FKNK, BirdLife's "unethical and discriminate target of government employees" was unacceptable.

"BLM should come to realise that they cannot lead Government by the nose, nor continue to deceive the general public and connected European entities by continuing such charades," FKNK secretary general Lino Farrugia said. 

"Therefore, for the good of wild birds and Malta, true ornithologists should see to the establishment of a local genuine ornithological society that lacks anti-hunting sentiments and is not politically motivated as is BLM."

Farrugia said that in 2010 during separate meetings with then Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi, Joseph Muscat and the Federation of Associations for Hunting & Conservation in the EU (FACE), it proposed the setting-up of a government hunting governance unit in line with other EU Member States.

This Unit, the WBRU, now set-up within the Environment Ministry, deals with all matters regarding sustainable hunting and trapping (live-bird capturing), and as such, besides other conservationists, has deemed fit to include, within its ranks and employees, hunting and trapping experts.

"BLM now seem to be enraged with this unit and have resorted to shameful, unethical, desperate and personal attack methods in their anti-hunting efforts to rubbish the unit and tarnish its integrity," Farrugia said. 

"Their attacks on a civil servant employed with the Unit, a trapping expert who is a member of the FKNK and an ex-council member of the same FKNK, verge on serious unconstitutional discrimination, since the personal attacks are based on the fact that this particular civil servant happens to also be a trapper."

Farrugia said the FKNK could name several BLM officials, members and activists who were, over the past decades, employed with the Environment Department and other related government departments.

"These officials' functions were directly related to and directly affected hunting and trapping issues that have now been taken over by the WBRU," he said.

Farrugia went on to refer to Joseph Sultana, founder of BirdLife Malta and MediaToday Managing Editor Saviour Balzan, whom Farrugia dubbed "Sultana's BLM pupil" and negotiator on hunting and trapping matters during Malta's EU membership application.

Balzan was also the founder of the Ornis Committee.

"The Ornis Committee is there to preserve nature and not to destroy it," Balzan said in a reaction.

"One should also not be ashamed to have mentors who worked to preserve nature and wildlife. It is those who foment age-old traditions that are completely out of line with today's society who should be ashamed."

Farrugia also listed Alfred Baldacchino, Darren Grima and Natalino Fenech.

However, out of "respect and ethical manners", FKNK said it would not reveal other names as at present they still occupy "influential positions within hunting and trapping related government departments and who are known to be anti-hunting". 

"Two of these form part of the WBRU, while two others occupy high official positions with other government ministries," Farrugia said.

Reportedly, one of these heads the environmental polices at MEPA at the Malta Environment Planning Authority (MEPA) while others were employed within the Environment Protection Department.

Farrugia accused BLM of a "premeditated intention" to boycott Tuesday's meeting as "no sooner had they walked out, the news was splashed online". 

BLM's representatives, he added, walked out of the meeting since they refused to listen to a report about trapping that was eventually also addressed by the trapping expert employee from the WBRU who is also a FKNK member. 

"BLM representatives conveniently 'forgot' that when another BLM president, Antoine Vella - commissioned by the committee to carry out a survey on trapping - addressed the Committee with the survey's report, no one walked out in protest," he said.

Farrugia also noted that the present Ornis chairman, whom BirdLife's executive director Steve Micklewright "suggested" should resign, was a former BirdLife activist.