"Libyans are getting mixed messages from the Maltese authorities"
Volunteers and NGOs are organising ad hoc aid shipments from Malta to Misrata
In The Times today:
Taruk Tarhuni, member of a team which ships aid to Misurata, said Malta is the closest aid-relief point for the city. “People there are struggling as the city is under siege,” he said. “Malta has a very good chance to play a memorable historic role in helping out.”
However, he complained about what he called mixed messages from the Maltese authorities.
Libyans, he said, did not know what direction the Maltese government had taken with regard to the uprising in Libya. Although Maltese citizens had been very helpful, Libyans would like to get the same support from the authorities.
For instance, he complained about the fact that pro-democracy demonstrators in Malta were arraigned in the middle of the night last week over a scuffle with pro-Gaddaffi demonstrators outside the Libyan Embassy. They were “treated like criminals,” he said, pointing out they were eventually asked to guarantee €5,000 per head for their bail.
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Here is the link:
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20110329/local/misurata-lives-in-fear-of-snipers
I’ve yet to understand whose side we’re on.
Gaddafi’s back-side, from the looks of it, Maria..
Naturally, the winning side !
Meta jkunu certi min ha jirbah, imbaghad jittniffsu.
We’re on both sides and on neither side. We’re on the side of “prudence” and evasiveness.
We’re not even opportunistic because a true opportunist instinctively knows when it’s time to switch allegiances (vide Italy).
We’re hearing it from Libyans themselves (the Benghazi government has already expressed itself in the same way) so it’s not an invention of the “Bidnija blogger”.
What is the government waiting for?
No one’s side. Gaddafi can shoot them and we will patch them up and send them back to be shot again.
With all due respect: a scuffle is a scuffle, whether you are pro-democracy or anti-Gaddafi!
Interview with Eman al-Obeidi’s mother – English subtitles.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FSfFlVvLwtI
Let’s call a spade a spade. If those protesters broke the law then they had to be arraigned – just as I would if I broke the law. I don’t thnk there is anything ambiguous about our stance.
[Daphne – There was no violence. They didn’t have to be arraigned. I say this as somebody who was arraigned by the police after a protest in 1984. I think that the police, sick of facing those protestors day after day for a month, were just gagging to clap a few of them in handcuffs. A couple of years ago the police down at the Spinola station prosecuted me on all sorts of trumped up charges because I walked into the station to protest about a parking ticket marked 12.10pm when I was parked directly under a sign saying parking was allowed after noon. They were unbelievably rude and I told them where to stick it. Of course, qabda Laburisti that they are down there, they were dying to get me up on something. I turned up in court to find around five police officers had taken time out to testify against me – when only one of them was present in the room that day. They all lied through their teeth, and one policewoman actually turned to her superior, while still on the witness stand, and told him ‘Hux hekk ghidtli biex nghid?’. The case was dismissed, of course – but if the police will do that to me, imagine what they will do to Libyan manual labourers. ]
We are hosting these people in our country, they have every right to peacfully demonstrate, we are a democtratic country, but do not have the right to create the havoc they created, of course they be arraigned in court, and rightly so asked to pay bail, are they any different from from our own countrymen who would have created the same problems.
[Daphne – Are you the same Ronald Agius who posted this comment on timesofmalta.com?
“Ronald Agius
I read the below interview, I do agree the game is not being played on equal grounds, I was in Tripoli the first week this uprising started, the international press was giving diversified stories from the truth.
One evening while watching TV news, to our amazement the international news was commenting that the area i was staying was being bombed, houses being ransacked, a complete lie, the area was serene and no gunshots. I stand to agree with Mrs. Losta, is the coalition being fair, are not the rebels fully armed, hasn’t the other part every right to defend itself, from day one, it never was a peacful demonstration, I condem violance, a legtimate government has to defend itself, we see many demonstrations in the western world, some of them violant, and the state always defended itself with the full means it had, in Libya, it is the pro-ghaddafi supporters which are being unfairly subjected to continous attacks, simply to aid the rebels advance further up west, if the eastern Libyans get closer to west, this will lead to a Libyan tragedy, It is time the countries with good intents help these good people find a solution..”]
We should be siding with those who want a quick and just solution to this chaos. The Maltese goverment should put Grand Harbour at the disposal of the coalition forces to help provide humanitarian aid to the civilians in Misurata and other towns nearest to our island.
Why, I had no idea that the Grand Harbour is closed to coalition (and other) marine craft engaged in ‘humanitarian aid to the civilians in Misurata and other towns nearest to our island’, have you?
I honestly cannot understand how our elected representatives are not truly representative of the majority of our citizens.
At least I hope that’s not the case. I trust that we’re not, for the larger part, a bunch of wishy-washy eunuchs – because, sadly, that’s what our elected representatives are exponentially looking like with the passage of time.
In the meantime we are, unfortunately, seemingly impotent to reverse the status quo and remove Malta from its misguided ‘comfort zone’. Frankly, I don’t know what it’ll take.
It’s pretty clear to us Maltese whose side we’re on. We’re waiting to see who wins, then we’ll jump on that bandwagon. Pathetic, if you ask me. I don’t ask much of our leaders, but I do expect them to take decisions. That’s what WE pay them for: to make difficult decisions.
Is the bit about 5000 euros per head for bail correct? If so it reflects very badly on Maltese justice. Shame.
We should protest.
Whatever side we take is not going to make any difference
We can only hope that thr Libyans obtain peace and freedom without further bloodshed
It bloody well makes a difference. One side is a brutal dictatorship led by Gaddafi – I have been firmly entrenched on the other side since the late 70s.
What about you, John?
No. You can do more than hope. You can actually do something useful. You’re a citizen in a democracy with the freedom to speak openly and the ability to put pressure on your political leaders. Use it.
The pro-democracy demonstrators have to understand that they are in Malta, where trying to stop with force other opposing demonstrators is anti-democratic and also a criminal offence.
Oh shut up.
What force? Eggs, tomatoes and pebbles they picked up on the spot? For all the fuss made, you’d think they’d hauled out a medieval catapult to sling boulders across the road.
The stupidest move in controlling the crowds that day was to allow pro-Gaddafi demonstrators to line up in front of the embassy, shielded by members of the SAG, the police and a double row of steel barriers, while pushing everyone else to the other side of the road, reinforcing the idea that Malta is on the side of Gaddafi and indifferent to the havoc wreaked on his opponents’ lives.
WHY MUST WE BE PUT TO SHAME EVERY BLOODY TIME?
Because we are a ridiculous, parochial bunch.
Because this nation should never have existed in the first place. We are not fit for independence. It’s been one facepalm after another since 1964.
People who have business in Libya are being given priority at the expense of the national interest.
When the money was rolling in, things were fine. Now the prime minister seems to have been hijacked.
I hope that when things are over these people will have the decency to keep their mouth shut and suffer in silence for NOT having answered to the call.
This reminds me of the quip about driving in Malta.
They do not drive either on the right or on the left; they drive in the shade.
This is our national trait. We do not take sides.
We just sit where we think it is most convenient to be.
A petty country with a petty mind. Maybe one follows on the other.
Maybe we should have a referendum to decide which side we’re on, la darba ahna qabda ‘cowards’.
H.P.Baxxter please note:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/mar/29/gunships-mark-change-tactic-libya
Well yeah, French planes have been firing their guns (as opposed to their missiles) for about two weeks now. Not to diss the Yanks or anything, but it’s about time we Eurowussies kicked some arse.
The Italians, according to RAI, have been sending their Tornados over Libya to enforce the no-fly-zone without a single shot being fired. Bloody hopeless! It seems every country gets the government it deserves, vide Silvio, Frattini and the whole motley crew.
That’s because Italy sent Tornado ECRs in the reconnaissance role and the two Tornado IDS are being used for aerial refuelling.
Or it’s because they do not want to get their manicured hands dirty.
I don’t know. I’m merely pointing out the importance of linking the nerd techie details to the big picture. The Italians haven’t carried out ground support since bloody yoicks anyway*, so they were probably politely asked to step aside for that part of the mission.
*Even though they were the pioneers back in 1912 in the Italo-Libyan war…
How about using the good old reliable refurbished B-52s?
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20110329/local/libya-opposition-sets-out-post-gaddafi-vision
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12776418
#
1610: The French ambassador appointed to the rebel stronghold of Benghazi has been named as Antoine Sivan, a 53-year-old Arabic-speaking diplomat, AFP news agency reports, quoting a senior official source. Mr Sivan has held several posts in the region including that of French ambassador to Qatar.
I do not understand why anti-Gaddafi Libyan demonstrators had to be arrested last week.
In particular, I do not understand why pro-Gaddafi demonstrators were allowed in front of the embassy while it was known that there were, or would be, other demonstrators.
Isn’t the duty to protect the embassy that of the government and of the police? Why was provocation permitted?
Keep Gaddafi in power so no immigrants will come to Malta – comment on timesofmalta.com
“Fabio Grech
Since Gaddafi’s forces are busy trying to fight off the rebels and the so called coalition forces, they are not able to combat the illegal immigration that takes place. Once Gaddafi started receiving money to stop immigration (vide Berlusconi kissing his hand) all of a sudden the influx of migrants stopped. Now that he is no longer happy with the EU, and his forces are fighting, the immigration started once again. Is it possible that Gaddafi in government was the less of 2 evils? What will happen once the regime falls? Will the new government be able to control this exodus? I highly doubt it, and gues what? Malta has to pay the highest price (and Italy also though to a lesser extent), because we’ll be left fighting on our own, because everybody is happy, since the problem is not on their shores. So much for all the thanks we received for giving humanitarian aid to all those countries. Don’t just be grateful, show us your gratitude by helping us take a stand and ward off these immigrants back to where they came from”
Har har har har har har. Uber-neutral Sweden has decided today to send up to 8 Gripen fighters (indigenous design, so neutral are they) and, a reconnaissance plane, and a Hercules transport aircraft to join the coalition. They’re also sending around 125 troops.
http://www.aftonbladet.se/nyheter/article12799933.ab
Skuzi se nkun esplicitu, imma ghal mal-Isvedizi ghal xi horizontal deployment biss immorru nigru. Imma mhux gwerra, ma mmorrux inkorru.
Speak for youself, Baxxter.
Speak for myself about what?
Live transmission from London just now showed Malta Foreign Minister Tonio Borg carefully placing himself dead centre in the ‘coalition’ photo group and smoothing out his ‘bezbuza’ for that shot for posterity. The only kind interpretation of his choice of place in the group is that it was consonant with Malta keeping itself equidistant from all.
Malta’s proper placing however should have been back row extreme left – and preferably out of camera range.
Tassew Malta ma ghandiex zejt – u mid-dehra lanqas f’wicca.
Tonio Borg was standing next to Franco Frattini.Ah, they are birds of the same feather.
The Minister’s interpretation of his position in the photo would of course be that “Malta kienet fuq ta’ quddiem nett fl-ghajnuna biex hrigna lill-barranin mil-Libja, inkluzi British nationals. U Malta kienet fuq quddiem nett biex tghid li mhux ser tiehu sehem fl-infurzar tan-no fly zone. U l-Prim Ministru kien fuq quddiem nett biex jghid li t-tluq ta’ Gaddafi hu “inevitabbli.” U Malta se tkun fuq quddiem nett biex titlob ghajnuna meta jibdew jaslu ir-refugjati mil-Libja.”
Keep up to date, Ciccio – http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20110329/local/busuttil-calls-on-european-commission-to-activate-solidarity-mechanism
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20110329/local/illegal-migration-malta-appeals-to-international-community-for-assistance-with
We have just been treated to an excitable report on PBS. At the London summit, Hillary Clinton thanked Malta for helping evacuate US citizens from Libya and Borg’s central message was that Malta needs help to cope with immigration.
And then we were treated to the sound of Dr “I wouldn’t say so” telling us that his ‘appell’ was received positively.
So that’s why so many people spent so much time and money to gather in London: to hear the self-described ‘smallest EU country’ whine for attention and sympathy from countries that are already spending millions to sort out problems in Malta’s immediate neighbourhood.
@stefan vella
I side with a united Libya free of any dictatorship. Democracy
does not necessarily means freedom…. in Malta we have democracy but are we really free? Take for example divorce…censorship ..nepotism ..political appointments etc
Some commentators above must be sarcastic when they suggest that Malta will take the side of the winner in this conflict.
I say so because I hope that neither those commentators nor out government are under any illusion that Gaddafi can win this conflict. He cannot win it, neither militarily nor morally.
Taking sides reminds me of Mussolini’s dilemma when it came to take sides during World War II. He then decided to take sides with the winning side.
He’d already seen Italy do the same thing in 1914.
It is the media and bloggers who give this impression. The government has chosen its side – Against Gaddafi… now we all can chooes our side.
“The government has chosen its side – Against Gaddafi”
If I were a news editor trying to find a soundbite to illustrate that headline, I’d just give up and phone Pixar.