Joseph fil-Ġnus Magħquda

Huwa tajjeb li Joseph Muscat il-bieraħ fl-Assemblea Ġenerali tal-Ġnus Magħquda tkellem dwar l-immigrazzjoni. Dwar il-ħtieġa tal-involviment ta’ kulħadd, għax wara kollox, din hi problema globali.

L-emfasi tiegħu fuq il-ħtieġa li jkun indirizzat dak li qed jikkawża l-immigrazzjoni kienet ukoll emfasi flokha. Mhux biss iċ–ċaqlieq minħabba l-gwerer, imma issa ukoll minħabba t-tibdil fil-klima. Mhux biss is-Sirja, imam anke s-Sudan, is-Somalja, l-Etijopja u l-Eritreja. Għax kulħadd għandu ħabta jinsa ukoll.

Huwa tajjeb li dan nibqgħu insemmuh, għax dan huwa kompletament differenti mill-politika tal- pushbacks li kienet il-politika ta’ Joseph Muscat u l-Gvern tiegħu sa sentejn ilu. Imma jidher li fetaħ għajnejh sewwa. Dan għandu jkun rikonoxxut kontinwament għax il-kambjament hu kbir ħafna. Ferm aħjar milli jistqarr dubji dwar jekk il-pajjiż għandux iħares l-obbligi internazzjonali tiegħu.

Mill-kummenti li nisimgħu hu ċar li dan mhux kulħadd jifhmu jew jaqbel miegħu. Għax biex timplimenta politika rejali ta’ solidarjetà mhuwiex faċli. Dejjem, ovvjament,  jekk tkun temmen f’dak li tkun qed tagħmel.

 

Il-millimetri li ċċaqlaq Joseph Muscat

It-Times online tal-bieraħ irrappurtat lil Joseph Muscat jgħid hekk:

“Most of what was said today by central European was said in the past by Mediterraneans… We had the luxury of retaining the position we had taken then without even needing to shift just one millimetre.”

Dr Muscat said he was proud to have attended a summit where Malta was not asking for help but offering it. The number of refugees allocated to Malta, a total of 189, was extremely manageable and people could be really welcomed. The decision also gave Malta strength and credibility politically that if it was faced with problem once again there was a blueprint in place and it could ask for assistance.

(Times of Malta 23^rd September 2015)

 

Ma nistax ma niftakarx f’Joseph Muscat ieħor li f’Lulju 2013 kien rappurtat jgħid hekk :

“Prime Minister Joseph Muscat has reaffirmed his government’s position not to exclude the controversial pushbacks of migrants at sea, even though he has acknowledged that the practice employed by the Italian government in the past was found to be illegal by the European Court of Human Rights. Muscat today brushed aside criticism from NGOs who took his position on migrant pushbacks to task, saying that his government had a mandate to take a “strong position”.

(Malta Today 6^th July 2013)

Nistgħu ngħidu li għamel progress! Mexa ħafna millimetri l-quddiem!

 

 

 

Joseph: issa favur is-solidarjetà, daqshekk pushbacks

 

 

Huwa b’sodisfazzjon li qed naqra li Joseph Muscat il-bieraħ flimkien ma Matteo Renzi Prim Ministru Taljan tkellem dwar Ewropa li trid tkun waħda ta’ solidarjetà ma’ dawk kollha maħruba minn pajjiżhom, il-bogħod mill-ġlied u mit-terrur.

Qed jitgħallem ftit mingħand Matteo Renzi li l-bieraħ ġo Palazzo Medici Firenze kien qed jgħid li: “L-Ewropa trid turi l-lat uman tagħha. Dan xi drabi jinħass in-nuqqas tiegħu, kif jidher min-nuqqas ta’ rispons ta’ mexxejja oħra, Ma hemm l-ebda triq oħra għajr dik li nsalvaw il-ħajja ta’ dawk li jippruvaw jaqsmu l-Mediterran.”

Dan hu Joseph differenti minn dak li sentejn ilu ordna lill-Air Malta biex tkun għal-lest ħalli tieħu lill-immigranti lura l-Libja. Dakinnhar żammitu l-Qorti Ewropeja tad-Drittijiet tal-Bniedem fi Stasbourg.

Dan huwa l-istess Joseph li kien favur il-pushbacks.

Huwa tajjeb li qed jitgħallem ftit. Avolja meta jitkellem favur is-solidarjetà għadu ma tantx jitkellem b’konvinzjoni.

Imma bil-mod, għax għadu qed jidhra b’vokabolarju ġdid. Wara kollox trid tagħtieħ ftit ċans!

Kif jinbidlu l-ideat!

Huwa ta’ sodisfazzjon li l-ideat tal-politiċi fil-Parlament dwar l-immigranti inbidlu tul is-snin.

Niftakru sewwa meta l-PN fil-Gvern kien jappoġġa lill-Gvern Taljan. Dakinnhar il-Gvern Taljan b’Berlusconi Prim Ministru u l-Legista Roberto Maroni Ministru tal-Intern kien qed imexxi l-quddiem politika ta’push-back: jiġifieri li jimbotta lill-immigranti lura lejn il-Libja. Inkella jekk isalvhom jeħodhom lura fil-Libja.

Ankè Joseph Muscat bħala Prim Ministru bl-appoġġ ta’ Manwel Mallia Ministru tal-Intern mexxa l-quddiem politika ta’ push-backs. Niftakru meta ordnaw ajruplani tal-AirMalta, biex jieħdu lill-immigranti lura lejn il-Libja fis-sajf tal-2013. Dakkinhar il-Gvern immexxi minn Muscat kien inżamm mill-Qorti Ewropeja tad-Drittijiet tal-Bniedem fuq talba tal-għaqdiet Maltin li jaħdmu favur id-drittijiet tal-immigranti.

Dawk iż-żmienijiet fortunatament spiċċaw għax issa jidher li kkonvertew u m’għadhomx jitkellmu jew ikesksu favur il-push-backs.

Huwa ta’ sodisfazzjoni li anke fuq din ġew jaqblu ma Alternattva Demokratika li dejjem tkellmet kontra l-push-backs u favur is-solidarjetà.

Huwa tajjeb li issa lkoll leħen wieħed kontra push-backs u favur is-solidarjeta. Hekk bħala pajjiż aħna ħafna iktar kredibbli meta ninsisitu li l-Unjoni Ewropeja għandha terfa’ parti mill-piż magħna l-Maltin.

Iż-żjara tal-President Ġermaniż f’dan is-sens hi ukoll ċelebrazzjoni favur id-dinjità tal-immigrant. Tajjeb ħafna. Imma għad baqa’ ħafna x’isir għax għadna fil-bidu.

 

Fin-nofs, nisfidaw il-mewt

L-immigranti miġburin mat-tul tal-kosta tal-Libja jafu li ser jisfidaw il-mewt. Imma f’pajjiżhom m’għandhomx futur. Bejn is-sogru kbir għal ħajjithom, x’ħin ikunu bejn sema u ilma, u l-ħajja ta’ miżerja f’pajjiżhom lesti jissugraw. Il-miżerja f’pajjiżhom hi tant kbira li ma jaħsbuwiex darbtejn biex jiffaċċjaw l-isfruttament tan-negozjanti tal-mewt u l-qilla tal-baħar.

Qed jingħad li ħallsu $2,000-il ras għal-passaġġ bejn il-Libja u Sqallija fuq biċċa qoxra li għerqet. Għalihom aħjar il-mewt mill-ħajja li qed jiffaċċjaw.

X’għandu jsir? Żgur li ma baqax iktar ħin għall-paroli. L-imblokk tal-portijiet minnfejn jitilqu l-immigranti m’hu ser isolvi xejn. Dan diġà sar u bħala konsegwenza kien hemm iktar li issugraw ħajjithom.

Il-ġlieda kontra n-negozjanti tal-mewt li qed tipproponi l-Unjoni Ewropeja hi pass tajjeb. Imma l-iktar li hu meħtieġ hu li l-Libja jkollha Gvern demokratiku li jkun jista’ jgħaqqad lill-pajjiż u jmexxih b’awtorità. Gvern li jkun jista’ jikkontrolla l-kosta u l-fruntieri u jirrispetta lil niesu. Ankè dan il-pass, meta jseħħ, ikun pass kbir il-quddiem, imma mhux biżżejjed.

L-immigranti jieqfu ġejjin meta jkun jagħmel sens għalihom li jibqgħu f’pajjiżhom. Meta l-għajnuna internazzjonali li diġà qed tingħata lil pajjiżhom, tibda tħalli l-frott. Meta pajjiżhom ma jibqax iktar għarkuptejh.

Ħafna mill-immigranti ġejjin minn żoni ta’ gwerra ċivili. Inkella minn pajjiżi fejn in-nuqqas ta’ xita wasslet l-agrikultura f’kollass totali. Il-bidla fil-klima fil-fatt hi ukoll waħda mill-fatturi li qed timbotta lill-immigranti biex jitilqu minn pajjiżhom.

F’wieħed minn dawn il-pajjiżi, is-Somalja, l-amministrazzjoni pubblika tal-pajjiż iddiżintegrat u mhux faċli li tinbena mill-ġdid. Il-komunita internazzjonali – inkluża l-Unjoni Ewropeja – diga ħadmet ħafna f’dan is-sens, imma r-riżultati jiġu bil-mod.  Imma fl-aħħar din hi l-unika soluzzjoni.  Meta jkun possibli li l-immigranti irabbu l-fiduċja f’pajjiżhom mill-ġdid, imbagħad tinstab soluzzjoni dejjiema għall-mewġa tal-immigranti fil-Mediterran li kontinwament jisfidaw il-mewt.

Sadanittant kull min hu irrabjat għall-immigranti għandu jdur fuq dawk il-pajjiżi li jinnegozjaw l-armi u armaw liż-żewġ naħat fil-gwerer ċivili.  Inkella jista’ jdur fuq dawk il-pajjiżi li mhux jagħmlu biżżejjed biex jindirizzaw il-bidla fil-klima. L-immigranti huma l-vittmi f’dan kollu u għandhom ħtieġa kbira ta’ solidarjeta rejali.

Pajjiżna huwa prattikament l-ewwel fruntiera għal dawn in-nies. M’hiex għażla tagħna, l-anqas m’hi għażla tagħhom, iżda hi għażla tal-ġografija li poġġiet lil pajjiżna fuq ir-rotta tal-immigrazzjoni.

Ħlief għal xi mumenti qosra taħt kull wieħed minn l-aħħar żewġ Gvernijiet, meta kien hemm xi boloħ jitkellmu jew irewħu favur il-push-backs, pajjiżna dejjem kien fuq quddiem b’solidarjetà rejali.  Hekk għandu jibqa’ avolja l-piż hu kbir u ma nifilħux għalih waħedna. Għax li nagħmlu dak li hu sewwa m’għandu qatt jiddependi minn kemm ħaddieħor jagħmel jew ma jagħmilx dmiru. Ir-rispett lejn id-dinjità tal-bniedem huwa dak li għandu jmexxina l-quddiem. Hu tajjeb li dan issa jidher li hu aċċettat u li ġie imwarrab il-ħsieb li Malta tista’ xi darba tikser apposta l-obbligi internazzjonali tagħha.

Qegħdin hawn f’nofs il-Mediterran biex nisfidaw lill-mewt w inkunu għassiesa favur il-ħajja. Sadanittant kull għajnuna li nirċievu, merħba biha.

Indifferenza li toqtol

Il-mewt mgħarrqa ta’ mill-inqas 700 immigrant fil-baħar bejn il-Libja u Lampedusa hu frott tal-kultura tal-indifferenza li tirrendja madwarna. Huma 700 persuna li qed jaħarbu mill-konflitti u mill-miżerja, sfruttati min-nies bla skrupli u injorati mill-bqija.

Huma 700 persuna li ħtieġu l-għajnuna u din ma ġietx mogħtija lilhom. Minn flok  ma ngħataw l-għajnuna tħallew jaqdfu għal rashom.

Hi problema kontinwa li l-pajjiżi Ewropej fuq il-fruntiera Mediterranja tal-Unjoni Ewropeja tħallew jiffaċċjaw waħedhom. Għax l-istrutturi Ewropeja li kienu kapaċi jħeġġu s-solidarjetà mal-banek f’diffikultà għalqu għajnejhom u sabu diffikultà biex jgħinu l-bniedem li qed jaħrab mill-miżerja u t-terrur.

Allura qed isejħu iktar laqgħat biex juru li taparsi qed jagħmlu xi ħaġa. Dawn huma l-istess nies li ftit ilu kien jrewħu l-mibgħeda u jitkellmu fuq il-pushbacks. Kienu jħeġġu li d-dgħajjes bil-bnedmin maħruba kellhom jitreġġgħu lura minn fejn ġew. Kienu jgħidulna ukoll li dawk li xorta jaslu għandhom ilestulhom l-ajruplani w jibgħatuhom lura minn fejn ġew.

Bħat-traġedji ta’ qabilha, din l-aħħar traġedja hi ukoll ikkawżata mill-indifferenza tal-istituzzjonijiet.

Sadanittant, iktar paroli. Iċ-ċimiterju madwarna jkompli jikber: ħtija tal-indifferenza.

Fl-Unjoni Ewropeja : l-immigrazzjoni problema tagħna lkoll?

Mistiedna fi Franza tal-President Francois Hollande diversi mexxejja Soċjalisti ta’ Gvernijiet fl-Unjoni Ewropeja qed jaqblu li l-immigrazzjoni għandha tingħata iktar importanza.

Qalulna ukoll li l-operazzjoni Mare Nostrum immexxija mill-Gvern Taljan għandha tgħaddi f’idejn il-Frontex. Il-Gvern Malti jaqbel ma dan u ser jagħti l-appoġġ kollu tiegħu. Li kieku jseħħ hekk ikun tajjeb. Issa jekk dan isirx jew le ma nafx. Imma anke’ jekk isir, il-proċess ta’ salvataġġ huwa biss parti żgħira minn dak li għandu jsir. Wara li l-immigranti jkunu salvati x’ser jiġri? Hemm qegħda l-problema l-kbira. Dwaha ma hemmx qbil. Min irid il-push-backs u min ma jrid jagħmel xejn.

Issa ħa nkun ċar: jidher li hemm qbil minn Jean Claude Junker li l-Kummissjoni Ewropeja immexxija minnu tagħti prijorita’ lill-immigrazzjoni. M’għandix dubju li ser jipprova  jagħmel hekk. Fid-diskussjoni issemmiet il-ħtieġa ta’ politika olistika dwar l-immigrazzjoni. Junker wiegħed ukoll li ser jeżamina l-proposta tal-Ħodor għall-bdil fir-regoli ta’ Dublin.

Imma biex jittieħdu d-deċiżjonijiet meħtieġa huma l-Gvernijiet li jridu jiċċaqalqu u mhux il-Kummissjoni Ewropeja biss. Il-Kummissjoni tul is-snin għamlet bosta proposti. Iżda l-passi l-quddiem kienu ftit u bil-mod.

Il-laqgħa ta’ Pariġu hi pass tajjeb. Iżda xi tfisser fil-fatt għad irridu naraw meta niġu għad-deċiżjonijiet. Pariġi kienu presenti rappreżentanti minn 10 pajjiżi, meta fl-Unjoni Ewropeja hemm 28 pajjiż! Kif jaħsbuha it-18-il pajjiż l-ieħor?

Fil-passat kemm il-Gvernijiet immexxija mis-Soċjalisti kif ukoll dawk immexxija mid-Demokristjani jew mill-Liberali dejjem qagħdu lura milli jaċċettaw li l-immigrazzjoni hi problema tal-pajjiżi kollha fl-Unjoni Ewropeja, u mhux biss ta’ dawk fuq il-fruntiera. Jekk is-Soċjalisti hux ser jibdlu it-triq għad irridu naraw.

Meta kienu Malta f’Mejju li għadda kemm Martin Schultz kif ukoll Jean Claude Junker tkellmu b’mod li jpoġġihom viċin ħafna tal-posizzjoni tal-Ħodor fil-Parlament Ewropew.

Jekk dak kienx tejatrin, għad irridu naraw.

Never been so close

 

The interventions in the local debate on immigration by Martin Schulz and Jean Claude Junker have moved both the PN and the PL closer to the AD position as well as closer to each other.

Both the PN and the PL have in the past supported pushbacks. They may blush about it when they are reminded. Fortunately they have now moved closer to upholding European values in immigration policy too.

The influx of immigrants in their thousands has transformed the Mediterranean Sea into a cemetery: a human tragedy developing around us. So many human lives are being lost. Each life lost is testimony to a failure which can only be addressed if we urgently put our heads together and come up with a long term solution.

Immigration through EU borders is not and should not be dealt with as an issue to be dealt with by the border states alone. Due to their geographic position the border states act on behalf of the whole Union. Immigration is a responsibility of all the member states of the European Union. The matter has been on the EU agenda for some years, even though some have been reluctant to handle it. Martin Schultz and Jean Claude Junker together with Green candidates José Bové and Ska Keller have focused on it a number of times in their speeches. Not only in Malta. In fact it cropped up in the Firenze Presidential debate last week too.

Being on the EU agenda means that all the political forces in Malta have succeeded in sensitising their sister parties in Europe on the matter. This has not only meant that the matter is now on the agenda but more so that the PN and the PL have identified more acceptable positions.

Would it be too much to desire the formulation of a national immigration policy which is truly national, that is, one owned by one and all. Whilst there are still a number of differences, it is about time that we recognise that the three main political parties have never been so close on immigration.

L-iżball tal-Ministru George Vella

George Vella hu persuna valida. Għandu l-ideat tiegħu. Ħadem favur tagħhom biex jara politika aħjar. L-affarijiet mhux dejjem ġew kif xtaq. Għandi kull rispett lejh. Diġa ktibt dwaru xi drabi oħra fuq dan il-blog.

Fl-intervista riċenti li kellu fuq is-CNN, George Vella bħala Ministru tal-Affarijiet Barranin qabad il-problema tal-immigrazzjoni irregolari minn sieqha.

Il-kundizzjonijiet fil-kampijiet tal-immigranti huma fatt. Ir-rewwixti f’dawn il-kampijiet huma fatt ukoll. Pero’ dawn m’humiex il-problema.

Il-problema hi waħda: sempliċi u ikkumplikata fl-istess ħin.

Ir-regoli interni tal-EU magħrufa komunement bħala l-Konvenzjoni ta’ Dublin, jew Dublin II wara xi emendi żgħar li kienu sarulha, ma jippermettux illi refuġjat jiċċaqlaq mill-pajjiż tal-EU li fih ikun niżel l-ewwel darba. Biex dawn ir-regolamenti jinbidlu jeħtieġu l-approvazzjoni tal-Gvernijiet membri tal-EU.

Biex jitnaqqas il-piż minn fuq Malta, Lampedusa (u l-Italja), kif ukoll minn fuq pajjiżi oħra li jkunu effettwati minn żmien għal żmien jeħtieġ li dawn ir-regoli ta’ Dublin jinbidlu.

Il-Ħodor Ewropej (European Greens), wara diskussjoni interna li fiha Alternattiva Demorkatika tat kontribut kbir jaqblu li dawn ir-regoli għandhom jinbidlu u dan biex tkun iffaċilitata l-qsim tar-responsabbilta’ (responsibility sharing) bejn il-pajjiżi kollha membri tal-Unjoni Ewropeja.

Martin Schultz, il-Kandidat Soċjalista għall-Presidenza tal-Kummissjoni Ewropeja iddikjara diġa li jaqbel ma dan.

Imma l-Gvernijiet Ewropej għadhom ma qablux.

X’għamel George Vella biex ta’ l-inqas jikkonvinċi lill-Gvernijiet immexxija mis-Soċjalisti?

Din hi l-probelma reali Dr Vella. Mhux aħjar tmidd għonqok għax-xogħol?

Naf li iebsa ħafna. Imma hi l-unika triq. Dejjem aħjar mill-paroli vojt u bla sens.

Sharing our responsibilities

The Lampedusa tragedy was a tragedy waiting to happen. .

Human persons in need of help have been on our doorstep, Europe’s doorstep. The help they sought was not available.

Malta has a government which belongs to that family of political parties, the socialist family, which describes itself as being the champion of the vulnerable and the downtrodden. In migration policy, in just seven months, the Labour Party led government in Malta has failed miserably in living up to its core values.

At this point in time none are more vulnerable than migrants fleeing persecution: in particular Somalis and Eritreans who account for the vast majority of migrants at this doorstep of Europe. The Labour Party in Government is not interested in their plight. It is more interested in a populist discourse to impress its hangers-on. Labour’s populism has diluted its core values  beyond recognition.

Labour’s push-back policy was not implemented due to the timely intervention of the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg. Those who think that  Joseph Muscat’s pushback policy was an exercise in bluff would do well to remember that  when still Leader of the Opposition Joseph Muscat had made statements on the need to suspend Malta’s international obligations if faced with large numbers of boat-people.

Many crocodile tears are currently being shed by those who in the past weeks advocated a hard-line inhumane attitude. Those who advocated push-backs are apparently shocked by what has happened.

Are they?

When we criticise the European Union for tackling immigration inappropriately we are also criticising ourselves as since May 2004 Malta and the Maltese are an integral part of the European Union. Malta forms part of each and every decision-taking structure within the European Union. Together with all the other member states Malta participates whenever a decision is taken.

The European Union needs a common migration policy which recognises that each and every refugee within its borders is its responsibility. The border states like Malta, Italy, Spain, Greece and Cyprus are shouldering a disproportionate responsibility which must be shared by all  members states.

So far, in the struggle between life and death the European Union (Malta included) has not opted to give adequate assistance to the living. As a result we are collectively responsible for the Lampedusa deaths. It is useless shedding tears for the dead if we did not respect them when they were still alive.

The Lampedusa tragedy was no accident. It is the direct consequence of the fact that on migration there is still a free for all in the European Union. A common policy is required to give flesh to practical solidarity and bury once and for all the culture of indifference.

The Greens in Europe are all in favour of responsibility sharing. That is, the recognition by European Union institutions that once a migrant crosses the EU borders he is its responsibility. Common borders are not just a tool for the payment of customs duties. A humanitarian migration policy is a must in every corner of the European Union. Crossing the border into the European Union should mean moving into an area which respects every human person, with no exceptions being permitted.

A first step would be amending what is known as the Dublin Convention such that the arrival of a migrant within any of the member states would not signify any more that he is restricted to remain in the country of arrival. Such an amendment to the Dublin Convention would facilitate the movement of migrants within the European Union and, consequently, their applying for refugee status, if this is applicable,  within any one of the member states.

This is the official policy of the European Green Party to which policy Alternattiva Demokratika has contributed considerably through constructive engagement with our European partners. The Greens in Europe are the only European Political Party which has fully appreciated the situation which EU border states are facing. Without any stamping of feet or smelling “pushover” coffee the European Green Party is the foremost proposer and supporter of an EU which shoulders its responsibilities through a policy of migration responsibility sharing.

The others just stamp their feet and indulge in inconsequential rhetoric interspaced with crocodile tears.

It is about time that the Nationalist Party and the Labour Party accept that their approach to migration has failed. They should take a leaf from the policy book of the European Greens and seek to convince their partners in the European Union of the need to share responsibility for migration with the border states.

Whether the Lampedusa tragedy will serve as a wake-up call is still to be seen. The comments from Jose Barroso and Cecilia Malmström at Lampedusa on Wednesday are good indications.

Well Muscat can smell that coffee now.

As published in The Times of Malta, Saturday 12 October 2013