The Four (Hundred) Horsemen of the Apocalypse

“And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the fourth beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a pale green horse; and he that sat on him was called Death, and Hades followed with him. And power was given to them over a fourth of the earth, and that they should kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.”

Revelation 6:7 – 6:8

Should you ever have wondered, in a dull moment, about the horsemen of the Apocalypse – Lies, Violence, Famine and Disease – pop along to the latest immigration stories on timesofmalta.com and you’ll find them on the comments-board. Here are some of the best bits from beneath the reports on the visit to Malta of the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention and on the government’s response.

D. Borg
We cannot improve their situation otherwise they will keep on coming. As you may notice, these immigrants are always talking on the phone wherever they are, probably updating the others about the situation. The Maltese want their repatriation no matter what anyone says.

Louise Vella
Unfortunately, the incidence of AIDS is highest in Africa. An estimated 22 million adults and children were living with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa at the end of 2007. During that year, an estimated 1.5 million Africans died from AIDS. Maltese hospitals are already treating some African illegal immigrants suffering from the disease. How many of Africa’s 22 million AIDS sufferers should Malta take? Indeed, if we advertise the treatment we are already giving, we may attract more of them to Malta. This is a serious dilemma. The better you treat illegal immigrants, the more of them will come. And there are more than 900 million people in Africa.

Kenneth Galea
The GonziPN government is providing comfort to these illegal immigrants because he is spineless and succumbs to the unreasonable demands of the UNHCR. It is about time the government listens to its own legal citizens and cleanse Malta of this illegal invasion once and for all. The majority of the Maltese people do not support anyone who break the law in any shape or form. This is exactly what these illegals are doing.

lgalea
Why didn’t the Spanish rapporteur take (the Somali suffering from HIV and chickenpox) back with her? Did she expect him to be allowed to roam around to spread his disease to the Maltese population? The government said that efforts are continuously being made to enhance existing facilities and enlarge capacity. This is exactly what is attracting the illegal immigrats. Better facilities to make them more comfortable.Get rid of them not making them more comfortable GonziPN.

Joseph Mallia
Should we send them to a four or five star hotel on full board. They should be grateful to our government for rescuing them, clothing them and feeding them besides the little pocket money given to them.

lgalea
International law is changed by states NOT observing it. There is no way we will allow them to integrate with us. Yes, prisoners have their rights but they are in their own country or they were imprisoned because they did something wrong. They have been in Libya and Tunisia for years and should have stayed there and claimed asylum there. The illegal immigrants came here ILLEGALLY. They deserve nothing else except to be kept in detention until they are repatriated. This is OUR country not theirs. We have our own problems and do not need the illegal immigrants to exacerbate them.

lgalea
They must also be kept in detention until they are repatriated so that the message will get through that they will never be allowed to roam our streets preying on women and taking the work from Maltese workers. No, they should not mingle with us. They are here ILLEGALLY and should be expelled.

John Borg
Do we and our families have a right to live freely without thousands of foreigners imposed on us? Where are our rights to remain Maltese, to retain our identity and freedom to live as we wish and not as how some would like us to do? Why should I assimilate to anyone? No, I don’t ask that others assimilate to my way of life if they don’t want to, but they cannot AND WILL NOT impose themselves on me. Are we a nation of cowards, afraid to speak up?

John Azzopardi
The issue of illegal immigrants has been created by the EU. Malta, by joining, is now facing enormous problems. The problem is not those illegal immigrants we already have but those thousands upon thousands who will be coming with no end in site. Of course, we all know that the EU is pumping a few millions euros here and there and they are in actuality buying of our government to keep quiet on this issue. And that is what the government is doing. They go to forums outside of Malta and cry, but is anyone listening. No sir. Our maltese social fabric, as we know it is doomed if something is not done right away to address the illegal immigrant issue. Please think of your future and your children.

Louise Vella
We joined the EU to rise to European standards but African illegal immigrants are pulling down our standards – wages, conditions of work, social cohesion etc. The reappearance of slums, and begging in streets and buses, are examples. So is the state of waste collection. Waste collection is essential but unattractive. The authorities can make it more attractive by raising wages, cutting hours of work, and improving conditions (hygiene etc). That way the Maltese will accept the job. The authorities are economising on money at a much higher cost to the national identity of the Maltese people, our security and our social cohesion. Other countries were obliged to admit foreigners from other continents, or at least did it naturally, because they were imperial powers lording it over them. Why does Gonzi refuse to listen to the people’s voice?

Kenneth Galea
Those who support this illegal invasion know that Malta cannot continue to host thousands of economic migrants. The government is obliged first and foremost to protect the national interest and safeguard the interests of the legal citizens and NOT the illegal ones.

Vincent Zerafa
We are overwhelmed. What the government should do is take a stand and say enough to this systematic invasion. Illegal immigration is threatening the stability of our tiny island. We have the resonsability to take a quota of refugees but we also have the right to sustain a normal, stable and thriving Maltese society. Nobody has the right to take that away from us!

P Debono
If Ms Castillo (of the UN Working Group) finds the conditions so ‘appalling’, then why doesn’t she keep them all in her large mansion? I’m sure there is ample space for all of them to stay there, and she would be getting her wish that they are treated better.

Sandro Pace
Whatever the international law says (and abiding by it in this case is not as obligatory as many think, if there are not other turnarounds) Malta cannot just default its detention policy. There are issues of public order involved in controlling the amount of illegal immigrants in liberty, and are far more important then what the international law says.

Anthony Formosa
For those asking for RIPATRIATION, I say yes their will be soon, just be patient. However without being sarcastic, min xarbu l-bakkaljaw irid jieklu, this is what many people said to other issues.

Trevor Scicluna
now that we seem to be richer than the richest countries in europe why don’t we buy the whole of Africa, cover it in gold and send these illegals to live there?

Chris Mifsud
The UN should mind their own business and keep their opinions to themselves. The government should do a referendum and see what the voting public really thinks about the illegal imigrants.

T Scerri
(About the UN Working Group calling detention conditions in Malta ‘appalling’) I EXPECT AN APOLOGY FOR THESE HARSH WORDS. ANYONE WHO DOESN’T LIKE IT HERE IS FREE TO LEAVE AND NEVER RETURN, AND ANYONE IS FREE TO TAKE A-L-L THE ILLEGALS WITH THEM TO WHEREVER THEY WANT OUTSIDE OF THIS TINY POOR AND DECADENT COUNTRY. The average Maltese does not have it any better at all than these illegals. I have already written an email to the UN in very explicit language to complain about these insults. I encourage real Maltese to write to them as well. Our politicians and the international community are selling us way too short and providing nothing but lip service. GONZI & CARM, what are you wanting for to do something? For civil unrest just like in Greece or what?

d. borg
We don’t care what the UN working group said. These immigrants came here uninvited so they can all go back to their countries. What do they expect, red carpet treatment after entering our country illegally? They are breaking the law and that’s that.

Kenneth Galea
This is a farce and we found ourselves in this huge mess thanks to the UNHCR which is encouraging illegal immigration and our spineless government who wants to be politically correct. The government would have been better off inviting over Gaddafi and not the UNHCR! Gaddaffi is the one who has the power to stop these illegal crossings from Libya to Malta/Southern Europe shores.

Sandro Pace
Malta cannot continue building villages for immigrants as if nothing happens. It is not accomodation, but sanctioned colonisation. God forbid if the government ignores public opinion in general, and takes UNHCR’s criticism seriously. The Status Quo is Unacceptable.

Ryan Bugeja
They are free to go back whenever they want and enjoy their life back home.

Edwin Mifsud
HELLO!!!It’s not like we invited them over. They are all free to leave the centre as soon as they please. Leave to where they came from that is. What does the UN expect at a time of international financial crisis? Does the UN expect the AFM to ask these ‘invaders’ (as described by the PM himself) wheather they prefer a sea or country view? TALK IS CHEAP!!!!

Louise Vella
We did not invite any of the illegal immigrants to come to Malta. Malta is not detaining any illegal immigrants against their will. They are ALL FREE TO LEAVE. They can go back to their country if they want to – and if their country wants them (because in some cases their own countries do not want them back).

lgalea
If Manuela Carmena Castrillo doesn’t like it why didn’t she put her money where her mouth is and took all of them back to Spain? NO INTEGRATION ONLY REPATRIATION. INTEGRATION OVER MY DEAD BODY CASTRILLO.