'Ban protests and arrest protestors'
Did you ever wonder why so many Maltese see little wrong with Muammar Gaddafi?
Wonder no more.
Here are some people on whom democracy is clearly wasted, commenting on timesofmalta.com beneath the report on clashes between pro and anti Gaddafi protestors outside the Libyan embassy in Balzan.
A Borg
why should these people come in our country and give rise to clashes??? our police force has more important things to do ….they should not come in our country and protest here…
m mifsud
arrest them all if they don’t have the permit to protest. it’s a shame that the security of our police is put at risk because of illegal protestors
N. Pace
They should be sent back to Libya to fight there cause on their home ground not ours. They should be arrested
J.Pace
I should rain today, so hopefully they will cool down … Send them to Libya on separate planes, or boats! Government should ban protests for the moment so they will be illegal and police can arrest them. These can be dangerous people for out police officers.
C.Spiteri
Attention to all Libyan citizens: Although you are welcome to Malta, remember that Malta is not your country. So if you want to protest, whether you are pro-Gaddafi or anti-Gaddafi, leave us in peace and take your protests to Tripoli and Benghazi. We are a democracy and a civilized country so please respect that and refrain from creating problems Malta.
Henry Fenech Azzopardi
If I am not mistaken any group forming more than 10 persons demonstrating without a permit is illegal. What is the authorities waitng to make sure that this illegality is observed to the letter. I am not interested which group whether it is is pro or anti Ghadafi. No one is above the law and these people have to understand that we do not share their internal problems and our police should not be made to danger to keep order.
We already experienced arrogant accusations against the authorties which turned up to be unfounded. Are we waiting for some one to be injured before the law is observed.
Moreover, if such scuffles are given inflated international image we might as well say by by to our most important tourism industry which is the livelihood of a good number of Maltese.
Act now before this libyan rivalry evolves into a long daily picque which we Maltese do not want to be part of it.
N. Darmanin
Why all this happening in Malta, go to your country and protest over there. You cannot do anything from here, nothing is gonna change. it is your duty to do such protest in your country and to your government. So please next time do not come here.
rjcostigan
To all protesting (pro and anti) Libyans:-
You are in a foreign country. Do not try to do more than you allowed to do. Those policeman are MALTESE and be careful not to hurt any of them because you find the Maltese against you. They are our fathers, brothers, sisters and all have a family. BE CAREFUL.
Frank Gauci
Dear Prime Minister, Please send these people to Libja if they want to fight for their country and not doing a mess in Malta. Although we are against of killing people we have to be also against fighting. IF YOU WANT TO FIGHT FOR YOUR COUNTRY YOU SHOULD GO TO LIBJA… Leave us in Peace please…
S. Buttigieg
Dawn il protesti ma ghandniex bzonnhom f’ pajjijzna, jaqbdu ajruplan u jmorru pajjijzhom, hawnhekk recti qieghdin jaghmlu.
Ronald Cassar
Send them all to Libya the pro and the anti GADDAFI. After all, what are they contributing to our society!
Joe Borg
I suggest a football match at the national stadium: pro- versus anti- Gaddafi players. 11 players per team, and a refereeing team from NATO countries. Each group will have their brass band and supporters. Tickets at a reasonable price. The winners will be awarded a one day protest package (horns, cars, flags, police escort, etc).
S.Mumford
I just wonder why we allow these protests in the first place!! If these 2 groups want to fight for their rights..go home, join your respective groups, protest and end of story. Just leave us & our country in peace. Just imagine if we had to be doing these protests in Libya, god forbid it would not even start let alone drag along all these weeks.
Edwin Vella
Is there anyone out there to protect our image of our tourism industry? Does anybody care for our lifehood? Sort this out and get over it as quickly as possible or otherwise we might as well close down.
Racial comments are only harming our economy.
joe falzon
This is unjust with the Maltese citizens. At this moment in time, I believe that such protests should not be allowed in our country. In a peaceful country like ours, there is no space for uncivilized behaviour. Our country have already shown great solidarity with the Libyan people and it is still showing in its initiative to help them despite the unjust repercussions on our country. The Libyan people in Malta (all of them) should reciprocate by respecting our country’s civil order and not be creating chaos. Nothing is to be gained by offending each others’ sentiments. There is definetely a consensus about this between people (irrispective of beliefs) of good will.
Malta’s stand is consistent. We respect the human dignity, civil and democratic rights, promote justice and peace but at the same time condemn ALL those who do not conform to civilized behaviour. This is Malta’s wealth and this is what we are proud of.
A.Vella
These pro gaddafi and anti gaddafi libyan citizens if they are so patriotic instead of protesting in malta why they dont go to Libya t help their brothers.
John Vella Borg
Why don’t you all go home and fight it there?
116 Comments Comment
Leave a Comment
… but nothing beats this chap.
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20110321/local/malta-is-an-accomplice-in-libya-military-action-kmb
… they just added a video. He really should do something about those false teeth. Kind of says it all doesn’t it.
I wonder who those old people sitting behind him are – all Gaddafi admirers, I imagine.
Antoine, they looked about 60-70 years old. They would have brought their children up in the 70’s, so they would be the ones who received Gaddafi’s children allowances.
Maybe it’s time his nephew – our prime minister’s personal secretary – had a quiet word with him, and advised him to keep his bl**dy trap shut.
Such people don’t know what democracy is all about.
Let’s all message PM Cameron in Britain to withdraw the Typhoon fighter jets and send in the Red Arrows over Libya, perhaps they will paint pretty pictures in the skies over Libya, and we will all live in peace!
Some contributors are so pathetic. It is obvious that those who commented this way never lived under a dictator or anybody who deprived citizens of liberty.
[Daphne – Wrong, Karl. They lived under Mintoff and KMB and loved it. That’s their problem. It’s the sado-masochistic approach to politics. And don’t forget that lots of Maltese people are uncomfortable with democracy because it comes with the burden of thinking for yourself, looking out for yourself and – that thing Maltese people really hate – taking decisions and sticking to them. People who vote Labour were brought up to venerate Gaddafi, and now they are having a really hard time coming to terms with the fact that the man they idolised is a brutal psychopath.]
“They lived under Mintoff and KMB and loved it.”
I’m quite sure there is a significant, perhaps even substantial, proportion of the Libyan population that have that same issue. They will be the major problem there post Gaddafi.
Time to place your bayonet where you mouth is, Karl.
Let me just remind you all that the issue is not how bad (or good) Gaddafi is, but whether flinging missiles at his country will solve anything.
Let me also remind you, again, that Malta has not been neutral in this matter. It has backed sanctions against Gaddafi, but it considers the current strikes as shear madness.
Well done, Dr Gonzi. There is no Labour or PN here. If the prime minister can withstand this treacherous onslaught I will vote for his party (yes, I’m using the T-word for the very first time).
Time to engage your brain, Kev.
It’s not your place to remind me whether this will solve anything but let me remind you that not flinging missiles at Gaddafi will resolve nothing.
Malta has not been neutral in this matter. It has backed sanction against Gaddafi by default because it is an EU member but we have not heard our government clearly and unequivocally condemn Gaddafi, condemn his regime, and express regret for maintaing cordial relations with him and his henchmen.
I’m not impressed that you’ll vote for the PN – the only reason you say that is that the current rhetoric echoes that of your lowly heroes who created our mess with Gaddafi in the first place.
kev, if “flinging missiles at his country” will help rid Lbya (and the rest of the world) of Gaddafi, then yes, one major problem (ensuring that the rights of his compatriots are respected) would have been solved. The plus point would be that the security of the rest of the world may be less at risk than it currently is, what with Gaddafi’s threat on the security of all, those in Brussels included.
Daphne, this is the fruit of a socialist mentality. The socialist willingly exchanges his liberty and becomes a vassal of a paternalistic government. He does so because he eschews private enterprise, personal initiative, responsibility and vision, preferring instead to receive government care from cradle to grave.
Not for him is the long toil to acquire mastery and excellence with which he may gain honour and a respectable if sometimes uncertain living. He prefers to live in a supine state, supping off the crumbs that his masters allow him in exchange for his unconditional support.
This is the state of mind that prefers government subsidies, free health and education. It is the state of mind that one encounters everywhere in Malta. This is the wretched fiefdom of the labour party though it extends amongst PN voters too. It is the state of mind of the contended slave.
This is the state of mind which is happy to compromise with dictators in exchange for dishonourable security and a promise of easy if limited gain.
Nicely put, Cornelius. Why does a certain ‘Kevvy’ immediately spring to mind?
I agree with most, but not all, that you have written. Government subsidies are sometimes a necessity. The economic forces in a micro-state as ours twist the concept of a free-market to the extent that monopolies and subsidisation have to be applied in order to ensure service at an affordable price to the consumer. Things change on a larger scale and therefore these rules are flexible. This is the approach that is adopted with the EU and for which derogations may be obtained in certain cases. One such derogation, for example, would ideally be suited for Air Malta.
Free health care is a misnomer. We all pay for our health care and contribute towards an insurance policy to do so, much like any other private insurer – where risk is assessed, resources pooled in favour of a few who will ultimately benefit. There are few differences of course. The main one being that even persons who are nationals (members of the scheme) but not contributors benefit equally if not to a greater extent at times. This is because of the principle of solidarity (not subsidiarity) – one which I must say is being applied very rigidly with great vigilance and circumspection.
Education is hardly free either. Parents spend fortunes (rightly or wrongly) on the education of their children. But I personally see nothing wrong in a free education system, though I’ll argue that it is difficult to sustain in times of economic street. Yet they have free education in Canada and it seems to work. I also think that the government has done a marvellous job of State education. From what I hear, some state schools are now much better than private or church schools – certainly much better than they were in those ‘halcyon’ days, as some would apparently have them, of Mintoff’s special brand of socialism.
Stockholm syndrome, I suppose.
Mela dawn hasbu ghadna fi zmien it-terrur tal-Labour? Dawn kieku diga baghtu l-SMU, bhal ma kienu baghtuhom f’Tal-Barrani kontra Maltin bhalhom.
Minflok, il-Gvern prezenti baghat l-SAG.
David, id-differenza hi li l-SAG qedin hemm sabiex izommu l-ordni u SMU ta’ Mintoff trejnjati minn North Koreani kienu qedin hemm spesifikament sabiex isawtu lin-Nazzjonalisti.
Ghaliex per ezempju ma kienux jidhlu il-Belt meta l-marmalja Laburista kienet tidhol tkisser? Ghas-semplici raguni li dawk kienu jkunu LABURISTI.
Dawn ta l-SMU kienu hemm biss sabiex iwerwru u jsawtu Nazzjonalisti. Ex-SMU darba qalli li meta baghtu ghalieh sabiex isir membru ta din l’iskwadra moqzieza kienu staqsewh jekk ikunx lest li jsawwat Nazzjonalisti ta’ kull eta u sess. Dawn kienu il ‘Golden Years’, habib.
One SMU member once bragged to me that every time they get hold of an Arab, they enjoy manhandling him violently. When I told him that they are “our” friends because of Mintoff’s policies, he replied that Arabs are the scum of the earth.
Yes, fine, the above comment is put rather crudely. But, Malta being so geographically close to Libya, why don’t these “protesters” pack their bags and go give their contribution to the sacred cause in their own homeland?
Or else, why don’t the anti-Gaddafi faction in Malta just grab the small arms that are easily available in Malta and just storm the Embassy?
If we’re clamouring so much for Maltese active involvement in the Libyan crisis, a little blood shed on Maltese soil won’t make much of a difference, no?
No wonder Mintoff got away with what he did and there are Maltese who still yearn for those days.
These people are really sick. They have no idea what the relatives of these Libyans in Malta are going through in Libya now. Maybe we should send these Maltese to Libya and see with their own eyes.
Can these people imagine 1,200 prisoners lined up and all shot and killed? This is what happened in Benghazi.
Worse still, can these people imagine 1500+ young men buried alive altogether, only to be rescued by accident one week later, miraculously still alive, despite the complete absence of food and water?
http://www.libyafeb17.com/2011/02/1500-young-men-discovered-in-underground-room/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kLhnV0sBDCY&feature=related
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1361555/Libya-protests-Rescuers-7-buried-alive-Gaddafis-compound-Benghazi.html
These futile people commenting like this should pass an IQ test before being allowed to submit a comment on timesofmalta or any other forum for that matter.
@ John
Never mind the timesofmalta comment board. People should pass an IQ test to earn the right to vote. That way, Malta’s problems would be over, done and dusted. Well, almost over actually, since then we have to find a new foreign minister to replace the stuttering ‘Argh, I don’t think so’ Borg who would not pass the test to vote let alone the one to stand for election.
The real danger is not in standing up to a dictator but in not standing up to him.
Amazing!
And I used to consider the Americans insular.
Hard to believe these individuals grew up in the same hundred or so square miles I did and received more or less the same education and religious upbringing.
No wonder our politicians sit on the fence so much with such an electoral base.
[Daphne – Yes, but the behaviour of our politicians only serves to encourage this kind of mentality. That is why I consider them to be failing in terms of leadership on this issue. Leaders in a crisis are not there to reflect the poor sentiments of the electorate, but to set a good example.]
Daphne,
You are right to say that politicians should not reflect the electorate’s mood when the electorate errs on ‘the side of evil’. This is the distressing result of The Times online poll. 50% want Malta to remain neutral. This is unbelieveable.
Going back to Tal-Barrani time are we?
That was the time when only one voice was allowed to be heard and only one party was given police protection.
For the one who said that it is against the law for more than ten people to assemble, then the same law should be applied to GWU/LP ‘marches’ and clam up the union when its Secretary General shouted not too long ago, “we shall take to the streets…”
Those protesting in front of the Libyan embassy and the Libyan cultural centre are mostly Libyans themselves and they have the right to protest against their own government’s representatives as long as they abide by the rules and not make a nuisance of themselves.
This one is really the star comment of the day :
C.Spiteri
Attention to all Libyan citizens: Although you are welcome to Malta, remember that Malta is not your country.
Depicts clearly the typical Maltese mentality!
Tiftakarha il-ligi tal-indhil barrani? L-istess haga bir-reverse.
Anzi ma qalilhomx “Listen” ukoll – but I can imagine how you mimed that, with the eloquent pointed finger and an arrogant look on his face. “Malta is not your country” … one word .. JAAAAAAAAAAAAQ
Anything wrong with not wanting the conflict to spill into our country as well, John ?
Yes I support the revolutionaries and I think both sides should be allowed to hold demonstrations as long as they don’t make themselves an inconvenience, but let’s not be naive enough to think that they are going to sort out their differences through dialogue.
That’s what most of us are concerned about, especially those of us who use that road on a daily basis..
Are you going to sneer at me as well now?
X’ghageb. Qatt ma’ mort festa tar-rahal f’Malta?
Hemm differenza bejn dak li jiġri s-soltu fil-festi u dak li jista’ jinqala’. U anki li kieku, biżżejjed għandna Maltin li lesti jitqatlu fuq il-qaddisin. Ma’ jiġġustifikax il- ġlied fuq dittatur u qattiel barrani fit-toroq anqas. Din saret gwerra ċivili. Ghaddafi għad għandu numru ta’ supporters minn fost il-poplu ġewwa Tripli. Ibnu tagħhom l-armi illum. Nissuġġerilek taqra fuq PC Fletcher ġewwa Londra fl-84.
Tkunx għaġeb.
Iif they are here legally, meaning that they have been granted a permanent resident status, then they have every right to protest outside their embassy. You need to understand the concept of immigration:when a person obtains a legal resident status, he/she has (almost) the same rights as a Maltese citizen.
I say almost because as far as I know, residents cannot vote except in local council elections. Therefore, if they are here legally, it is their country as well, not just yours. Deal with it and free your mind.
You do understand simple English, don’t you John? Please show me where I have objected to them protesting outside the embassy peacefully. I am concerned about another issue, not them protesting.
Oh the horror of his comments:
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20110321/local/malta-is-an-accomplice-in-libya-military-action-kmb
Iro mentioned the insularity of Americans. The sort of ‘thinking’ expressed in the comments above is in fact very similar to American redneck reasoning.
Is there the equivalent word for ‘redneck’ that can be used to describe this sort of Maltese person?
“L-udjenza ta’ Xarabank”?
True, political leaders should rise above any poor sentiments demonstrated by the electorate.
Yet, the only time in recent history I remember them getting all hot under the collar on a matter of principle was the divorce issue.
[Daphne – Parliamentary time expended on debating the sizzling issue of the divorce referendum QUESTION: 29 hours. Parliamentary time expended on debating the Libyan crisis: zero hours.]
There are no votes in Libya but thousands in divorce.
I am at such a loss. I sincerely wish to understand why there are two such strikingly different mentalities in Malta: the democratic and liberal on one side, and the ignorant, intolerant, and xenophobic on the other. I greatly fear that the latter group may constitute the majority of the Maltese population.
[Daphne – It’s the cultural split between the Sicilian influence and the British influence.]
How did Malta get to this? How doesn’t the timesofmalta.com moderator block such messages from being published, when they clearly reek of racial hatred?
Is there really any point in hoping that Malta can one day become a truly European country, not geographically or politically but, more importantly, culturally?
[Daphne – I don’t think they should be blocked. They are not against the law, strictly speaking, in terms of incitement to racial hatred. And it’s important for others to know that this kind of thinking exists and might even be prevalent.]
Daphne is correct. Blocking out these comments is an expression of the same form of intolerance as expressed by those same commentators.
https://twitter.com/N_Benghazi
minaHADJI “@ksnavarra: Retweet this picture as these are the men who are #Gaddafi satellites in #Malta http://t.co/KVLtDYN” @N_Benghazi
Do you have their names?
No, just a tweet.
Here is a new one:
BREAKING: It has been confirmed by a few sources and now also Al Manara, Khamis Gaddafi has died today, as a result of burns.
http://www.timesofmalta.com/media/serve/20110321–131900-cpkmblibya21_3_112-tile.jpg
Nice horns!
How anyone living in a democratic country can openly support a tyrant is beyond me.
Because living in a democracy does not necessarily mean that one is intelligent or sympathetic to the plights of others either. Sometimes you can live in a democracy and yet still be blinkered by ideological hatred from a certain entity, be it the USA, Jews and Israel, people with a different skin colour or what have you…
Gaddafi was hailed as a champion against western imperialism and colonialism for years by many in the left. Even when he was sponsoring people like Carlos the Jackal, trying to dominate Chad and sending troops to help that other benevolent leader, Idi Amin, annex part of Tanzania.
I do regret that British and French jets are not taking off from our airports to attack Gaddafi while KMB is still alive to see it.
But then as much as I hope that the Libyans take back their country and wish them well, I am concerned about how the replacement might turn out to be as well.
Why are the all-male catholic hierarchy against abortion?
Same reason.
It doesn’t directly affect them.
Did you live in Malta pre-1987?
Hey Kevvy! Where are you? Why don’t you do a ‘hypothetical head count’ in order to determine how many of these dunderheads populate the rock? I would guess your result would be around 50%.(all ‘below average’)
I have always wondered what you’re doing in Malta, Purdie, but now I realise you simply yearned to be part of the better half.
Yes, I too thought better of the Kanaks. I can only imagine your horror on discovering you had dropped to the lower quarter.
You’d be surprised what I do in Malta, Kevvy. I don’t. however, snipe from afar, as a kept man, in a comfy bed in Brussels.
BTW, we are affectionally called ‘Canuks’. Don’t know who you mean by ‘Kanaks’, probably some clandestine group of your communist friends.
Kanaks: http://www.photos-voyages.com/blog/caledonie/musique-kanak.jpg
Canucks: http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_rTkJSUFzWyw/TN7ADuXD3kI/AAAAAAAAB5Q/xoJA9sXQ0tM/s1600/captain-canuck.jpg
Perfect, Andrea. Phenomenal research! Thank you.
It should not be assumed that most of the Labour Party supporters admire Gaddafi or his policies. I know people who support both sides that have very similar views of the people that made the comments that you quoted.
When you speak to Labour supporters it’s not that they admire Gaddafi, but they know that due to Malta’s relations with the regime, many of us have benefitted economically.
Obviously, there are some with what I call a ‘dictator mentality’ who would not mind having such a leader to adore and obey.
However, I am convinced that the majority of the people do not like Gaddafi and their reaction is that of someone who is scared and given that Malta is so close, so small and not powerful it is quite understandable to be honest, although personally, I agree with your views on Malta’s stand towards Libya today.
The ultimate responsibility for publishing these shameful and embarrassing comments lies with the editor of The Times or the person in charge of the website.
They don’t have to publish everything they receive and, in fact do not; I’ve had so many blocked comments that sometimes I give up and stop trying to write.
The comments sections of timesofmalta.com ruin an otherwise excellent news website.
Daphne, am presently watching the British Parliament professionally debate the military action against Gadaffi. Should I expect a similar debate by our local ‘parliamentarians’–pros and cons?
Surprisingly, no one is shouting. screaming, thumping their desks, stamping their feet or throwing things.
Or cross the floor to attack the leader of the opposition, as Karmenu Vella infamously did.
And surprisingly, no one crosses the floor to attack the leader of the opposition.
The highlight of the debate so far was David Cameron’s quote of a journalist’s article published on Saturday in respect of why intervene in Libya and not in other countries: “It’s like saying, why should I tidy my bedroom when the rest of the world is such a mess?”
http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/john-rentoul/john-rentoul-why-libya-will-get-harder-from-now-on-2246969.html
No. In fact expect no debate at all.
Please Harry, I was watching it and when Miliband was delivering his speech someone from the government side remarked that it was the Labour PM Tony Blair who befriended Gaddafi.
Then Milliband said that both parties agreed not to gain political points from this debate. That’s the professionalism we already experience here !
That was one comment from a rogue, John. He was gently reprimanded by Miliband. Any other examples, John?
No. Sorry to disappoint you. Our members of parliament are busy bitching over the wording of the divorce referendum question.
We miss Eddie Fenech Adami badly. In a typical 1986 budget speech fashion, he would have said that all other parliamentary debates are irrelevant in the context of this crisis, and that we should debate the kind of support that Malta should provide to the allied forces.
A giant stateman indeed.
We’ve come to expect no better from those who post comments on timesofmalta.com, but Ugo Mifsud Bonnici took the biscuit yesterday, blaming the brutality we sustained at the hands of the Nazis on the fact that we were a British base.
He was stating an undeniable fact. ”Malta the unsinkable aircraft carrier in the Mediterranean”, Churchill once said. If we were Italian we would have been bombed by the Allies…..like Cassino say.
Just look at Kaliningrad formerly Koeningsburg – first they were attacked and occupied by the Germans, then bombed by the Allies and then ‘liberated” by the Soviets. It is still Russian territory, and obviously they are more than happy with this situation. Strategic places always get it, whichever way you look at it.
You missed this gem:
Frans Sammut
If you recall, I had warned about such developments. If I may point out I am not alone in my expressing my opinion on the current tribal warfare in Libya. Consider what Italy’s leading intellectual had to say: “Why are we today discovering that Gaddafi is not a democratic leader? ” Sgarbi added in Il Giornale that the social unrest in Libya is not simply a popular insurrection by the people for a democratic awakening of the country, but a war between tribes in a complicated system that is moved by interests completely separate to those held by the people. He argued that should Gaddafi’s regime fall, it will not be democracy to replace it, but a web of interests and alliances of the tribal families that will grasp power from the people, establishing a new regime. It is almost an echo of the opinion I have been presenting on this board between one gatekeeping exercise and another – not a clear sign of democracy in itself.
Here are some examples of “a war between tribes in a complicated system that is moved by interests completely separate to those held by the people” as Sammut put it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lCQrKS5F1WE
If Vittorio Sgarbi is “Italy’s leading intellectual” than I am ……Umberto Eco.
Here is another pearl of wisdom from timesofmalta.com::
“Frans Sammut
One may not agree with Dr Mifsud Bonnici that Malta is ‘an accomplice in the military action unleashed on Libya’ by forces working according to own agendas. I personally think both Government and the Opposition have been acting in a wise and cautious way. Nevertheless I would still sincerely suggest that Dr Mifsud Bonnici’s peacebrokering services are made use of even before Putin’s are. Not that Putin won’t be able to bring about peace among the warring tribes, but if Malta were to be seen carrying out a fruitful peacemaking mission, her prestige would soar among all nations, not least those of the Arab World whose leaders are already regretting their decision to allow, if not to instigate, the strafing that innocent people all over Libya are suffering at the hands of the Rambos of the Western World. With Dr Mifsud Bonnici I very much see EU Commissioner Dalli contributing to the restoration of peace in a neighbouring country with which we have so many ties and contacts. Bringing about the collapse of an entire country may be easy given the fire power the Western nations can wield at will, restoring peace is a much harder task.”
He does not give up on KMB even after the latter’s pathetic performance at the press conference. Even Medvedev did not agree with Putin’s stance.
And you missed this one too. Frans Sammut doesn’t want “the Brits” to strafe innocent civilians.
No. He wants let Gaddafi to do it instead.
Frans Sammut
That is exactly what I meant when I humbly (that is as a common citizen) suggested that leading Maltese personalities who have experience with Libya and the Libyans like former premier Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici and EU Commissioner John Dalli should be asked to offer their services as peace brokers among the two factions chiefly made up of different tribes from Tripolitania and Cyrenaica – the two real and effective identities lurking underneath the surface but still capable of wreaking civil havoc as manifested in the current civil war. Only people with own agendas tried to take the mickey out of my suggestion. If no peacemaking exercise is carried out, the only alternative is for the Brits to keep on strafing Libyan cities which, incidentally, contain other Libyan civilians and innocent men, women and children.
Frans Sammut had also suggested that Gaddafi was justified in killing Libyans because they are a primitive and uncivilised lot.
Once a zero, always a zero!
From timesofmalta.com:
“Frank Gauci
Dear Prime Minister, Please send these people to Libja if they want to fight for their country and not doing a mess in Malta. Although we are against of killing people we have to be also against fighting.
IF YOU WANT TO FIGHT FOR YOUR COUNTRY YOU SHOULD GO TO LIBJA… Leave us in Peace please…”
Is Frank Gauci’s message to the Prime Minister intended for the PRO or ANTI Gaddafi supporters?
If it also includes the anti Gaddafi supporters, does this mean he wishes to send them back home to be tortured so he can live “in peace”?
In that case would Frank Gauci be at peace with his conscience?
Well at least he was polite enough to say “please”.
Malta is one small parish with two patron saints, Saint Joseph and Saint Lawrence.
Was just informed that the UN security Council is being recalled tonight to ‘re-discuss’ Resolution 1973, at China’s behest. Looks like a ‘wait a minute’ moment. Putin was also quoted today: ‘beginning to look like the ‘Medieval Crusades’.
“Questioned on Gaddafi’s actions again the people, Dr Mifsud Bonnici asked what any government would have done when faced by a group of people who used weapons to attack other people and public property.
If the Libyan government shot first, that was wrong, he said. But it did not mean it could no longer be considered as being the legitimate government.”
I think this is the best part of KMB’s speech. I think he didn’t hear Gaddafi and his son saying from the beginning when protests were still peaceful that they will fight to the last man, woman and bullet.
Re the last part about the legitimacy of the Gaddafi government, does he really think the Libyan government is legitimate? Can he tell us when the last elections were held in Libya? I can’t believe Labour still has these types of people within it.
Take a look at this comment from timesofmalta.com :
“maria borg
Go home and do whatever you want, but not in other people’s country!!! Who do you think you are?? What would you say if us Maltese do the same thing in Libya??? Leave us alone and don’t try to include us in whatever is happening in your country!! This is very unselfish and irresponsible of you!”
Ignorance is bliss, but certainly not for those who have to live in a country with the ignorant.
and once again ashamed to be Maltese. Happening too much lately…
I live exactly next door to the embassy. The revolutionaries are welcome to protest outside my door any day.
Just something small I noticed today while protest and counter protest were held. The pro-Gaddafi morons appeared to be quite well dressed and well off, unlike the anti-Gaddafi protesters.
The published comments reflect a certain tolerance to dictators and intolerence towards those who stand up to them. I do not want to be disrespectful to my fellow compatriots, but it seems that some people admire a ‘strong’ leader, be it Mintoff or Gaddafi.
This probably happens because they lacked a father figure in their life. This phenomenon also tends to be more common with PL rather then PN supporters, the former coming from underpriviledged families where the father figure is missing or not quite there.
This guy’s absolutely nailed Gaddafi’s personality.
http://exiledonline.com/war-nerd-blog-day-one-year-zero/
Why do all bloggers mix up lthe Libyan crisis with our politicians!!! Don’t you realise from what happened today infront of the local Libyan Embassy between a handful of pro- and con- Gaddhafi is surely going to happen between Libyans of Tripolitania and Libyans in Cirinaica as soon as any one of them takes over control of their Country? There will be a harsh civil war and unless an international PEACE
force intervenes immediately there would be a blood bath.
Libya deserves a better future in peace.
There are plenty of Gaddafi opponents in Tripoli – the ones left over when Gaddafi killed all the others.
Gaddafi’s opponents live in Tripoli too.
Those commentators quoted above from timesofmalta.com give Akbar Zib a run for his money.
Sheer madness, Kev
L-aqwa Henry Fenech Azzopardi, gej bil-“Moreover, if such scuffles are given inflated international image we might as well say by by to our most important tourism industry which is the livelihood of a good number of Maltese.”
Jirraguna minn fejn ipoggi, u l-anqas biss jaf jispelli, gej bil-“by by”.
Mr. Fenech Azzopardi, whether or not these things happen in Malta, the tourism industry as a whole is at risk – especially that part concerning land, sea and air travel – whether or not Malta is “involved”.
Your travel firm (HFA Travel, I believe) is involved in the outgoing business too, unless I am mistaken. Ever heard of Lockerbie? Did it not cross your mind that history could repeat itself? Is not the solution getting rid of the root of all that evil, Gaddafi himself?
How can we expect “the people” to see things differently when the politicians who are supposed to be leading them are encouraging selfish and cowardly thinking?
Let’s put this situation into perspective. Generally, if the average Maltese (and this is even more shockingly true in Gozo) hears his neighbour beating his wife to death, they just raise the volume of their TV so as not to ‘be involved’. In a civilised society, one would be expected to kick in the neighbour’s door and restrain the aggressor.
Love thy neighbour. Indeed! Let’s not forget the Maltese mantra: “Rajt ma rajtx; smajt ma smajtx” (I saw but I didn’t see; I heard but I didn’t hear.)
To make matters worse, our political ‘leaders’ justify this approach by claiming that it’s not my responsibility to help the abused wife. After all, the other neghbour’s door is 6cm closer to the aggessor’s house when compared to mine, so why should I take the initiative when he can do so himself?
Let the others handle it. Stay out of trouble.
Antoine Vella,
Dak tal-qmis irrigata vjola jista jkun li jaghmila ta’ advisor ta’ KMB ghax lanqas jilhaq jiftah halqu li ma jghamilx xi cucata bhalma kien jaghmel fil-pulizija.
X’ cucata?
Someone please explain to Frans Sammut why anyone should trust a friend of Gaddafi’s.
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20110321/local/europe-fails-to-find-single-voice-on-libya-campaign
Frans Sammut
Again some respite. Malta should seize this golden opportunity to offer her mediating services. There comes a tide in the life of … a nation … The US is not happy with the overall situation in the ME which is deteriorating fast. Syria is too near to Israel for comfort. Allowing the situation there to fester would be like opening Pandora’s Box. The Arab League has shown itself aware of such perils. Nearer to home, Italy is searching for an excuse to refuse access to her bases. Norway has withdrawn from the scene completely, there certainly is a pause in the onslaught on Libya. I repeat, this is Malta’s chance to play an important role in the proceedings. This is not opportunism but a case of rising up to the occasion. There are lives to be saved on both sides of the Libyan great divide. Malta has never been a colonial power (an oxymoron even as a concept I know), she has never assisted in any attack on any Arab country, so, what is she waiting for? Do we need Cameron’s permission to act as an independent, sovereign nation?
Who are the old geezers behind KMB? Ex -suldati tal-azzar or aristokratici tal-haddiema from the Jurassic era?
It’s either the ones you mention or “il-klassi tal-haddiema.”
Malta’s politicians are all on Gaddafi’s payroll ‘mixtrijja’.
PN – pay now.
PL – pay later.
All the above are damm right why don’t all these mother fuckers go back home and fight for there freedom and not coming on our home land have a fuckin easy life many of them work illegally pay no taxes and want all the rights that we enjoy, our ancestors fought for our freedom many long time ago, go and earn your freedom in your country.
Charlie, are you a gangsta’ rapper because you sound like one ?
Rather then arresting anti-Gaddafi protestors next to the Libyan embassy, shouldn’t our police be taking the particulars of the pro-Gaddafi mob?
After all, their leader has recently advocated the resurgence of terrorism throughout the Mediterranean and Europe. If the situation gets worse for Gadaffi we may have a string of terrorist acts in Europe. Malta would be a good starting point for these heinous crimes since Gadaffi seems to have so much support here and there is little sympathy for innocent victims. A real terrorist’s Valhalla.
As for the anti-Gaddafi protestors, well, they are just voicing their discontent but they are not threatening Malta or its stability. On the other hand, terrorist acts from Gaddafi loyalists will threaten our stability and undermine our tourist industry. Perhaps the Libyan PM Mr Bagdadi told our PM just that when he last phoned him?
From timesofmalta.com:
“Henry Fenech Azzopardi …..I am not interested which group whether it is is pro or anti Ghadafi. No one is above the law and these people have to understand that we do not share their internal problems and our police should not be made to danger to keep order.”
———–
Mr Fenech Azzopardi, you should be interested that pro Gaddafi protesters have taken to our streets, and we do share “their internal problems” as these have a global effect. What’s more it is the duty of the police to keep order. That is their job.
———-
“Are we waiting for some one to be injured before the law is observed.”
Thousands of people have already been murdered and tortured, not only “injured”, but I guess your reasoning is that as long as it is happening 200 miles away it doesn’t concern you.
———-
“Moreover, if such scuffles are given inflated international image we might as well say by by to our most important tourism industry which is the livelihood of a good number of Maltese.”
Mr Fenech Azzopardi, please declare your interest: your family runs a travel bureau, so you have lost business because most people make their own travel arrangements via the internet, cutting out the middlemen like yourself. And please, if anything its “bye bye” and not “by by” but your spell check would have missed that.
———-
“Act now before this libyan rivalry evolves into a long daily picque which we Maltese do not want to be part of it.”
Your ignorance is as astounding as your spelling and grammar. Do you actually believe that this situation is a ‘picque’ or that Malta can somehow not be part of it?
And please do not generalize and say “we Maltese”. I am Maltese and I certainly do not want to be associated with someone who reasons as you do. And you should know that we are a “part of it” whether you like it of not.
Open your mind a little, Mr Fenech Azzopardi, as your mentality is that of someone who runs a little corner shop in Msida, no disrespect to other shopkeepers, of course.
If I remember correctly, Mr Fenech Azzopardi forms part of the hunters’ lobby. That could have influenced his reasoning.
http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/africa/03/21/libya…mosque/index.html
The time came for all to stand up and be counted…
…and Malta sat firmly down.
“A source at the college said some 25 students claimed they were under orders from the Libyan authorities to go and protest outside the Libyan, French and British embassies, which were on alert.
The students, who receive over €1,000 a month in stipends, were warned not to forget they had families in Libya. They were also intimidated with threats of becoming a target for not supporting Col Gaddafi, once they returned home. These claims were corroborated by several different sources.” http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20110322/local/claims-of-threats-to-students-lives
Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici must be proud of himself, defending such a tyrant.
KMB talks sense. He always has and the people who laugh at KMB should hang their heads in shame.
Honest politician that always stood up for the the ones in need. Preached equality and a decent standard of living for everyone and worked hard to achieve it.
I just wonder how some of you laugh at KMB and applaud at politicians like Maggie Tatcher and EFA who all their life preached greed and competition, inequality and hate. You moan about KMB and Mintoff but applaud at “Ha joghlew il-prezzijiet”. Bigots!
LondonTown: Are you Jon Lukas Woodenman in disguise?
Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici would be amusing if he weren’t such an irritant.
He isn’t standing up for those in need now. He never did when he was Prime Minister. Like his predecessor, his motivation is negative.
Anyone has a full recording of KMB’s press conference of yesterday?
There was a moment (I think it was broadcast on NETnews or PBS news) where he stated that some leaders are democratic even though they are not elected. He was justifying Gaddafi’s leadership.
I thought he was justifying how he was elected PM without a single vote of the people. That must be why he feels so close to Gaddafi.
[Daphne – Watch him on Bondi+ yesterday: http://public.di-ve.com/streaming/on_demand_media_streamer.aspx?id=4736&encoding=8&backUrl=streaming%2fon_demand_event_encoding.aspx%3fid%3d4736 ]
Food for thought from a gentleman who has walked the job.
http://www.rainews24.rai.it/it/video.php?id=22658d for thought from a gentleman who has walked the job.
[Daphne – The expression ‘food for thought’ is banned from this website.]
Who gave the orders to shoot at unarmed protestors in Benghazi?
See 7’0″ and 11’45” here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rw3UcJ0L-w4&
Part 1 of the documentary is here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jwt5K4KGnkk
NYT journalists released. Driver Mohamed Shaglouf still missing.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/22/world/africa/22times.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&hp
Two AFP reporters have been missing since Friday. They are being held by Gaddafi’s forces.
Those comments on timesofmalta.com could either be caused by inbreeding or drinking too much tap water.