25 writers issue statement this morning against government plans to send immigrants to Libya
PRESS RELEASE
12 July 2013
GOVERNMENT’S DECISION VIOLATES HUMAN DIGNITY
As citizens, authors and above all, human beings, we would like to express in the most categorical terms our disapproval of the decision, or even the mere consideration, by the Maltese Government to push back the immigrants who came to Malta, an action that would have placed these people’s lives in grave danger.
We feel that the Maltese government, elected by the people, not only has the power but above all the moral duty to offer its protection to these people, who live in the most trying circumstances.
It is with dismay that we note the lack of human compassion displayed by Malta, as evidenced by the fact that this action was only stopped after an intervention by the European Court of Human Rights.
We believe that no discourse about the “national interest” can justify such an act, especially since these refugees were about to be sent back in breach of their fundamental right to make their case.
For this reason, as Maltese citizens, we dissociate ourselves from this decision because we are convinced that it is in violation of all principles of human dignity.
Clare Azzopardi 384777M
Keith Azzopardi 291091M
Simon Bartolo 210568M
Gilbert Calleja 277378M
Glen Calleja 277478M
Antoine Cassar 593978M
Leanne Ellul 472289M
Annalise Falzon 460075M
Albert Gatt 45479M
Claudia Gauci 464576M
Simone Galea 300967 M
Elizabeth Grech 337878M
Maria Grech Ganado 147343M
Adrian Grima 130668M
Tyron Grima 553076M
Simone Inguanez 543671M
Caldon Mercieca 269676M
Immanuel Mifsud 374467M
Nadja Mifsud 210876M
Walid Nabhan 0067310L
John Portelli 314054M
Marco Scerri 316901L
Mark Vella 408874M
Karl Schembri 433378M
Simone Spiteri 385083M
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Meanwhile, Michael Briguglio yesterday aligned himself with the academics who issued a similar statement yesterday, saying:
I hereby am adding my name to the list of University of Malta academics who are standing up to be counted on the immigration issue. I had already written about the subject in my blog and in Malta Today last Friday.
“The anti-deportation and anti-pushback side is the side for social justice. I am proud to be on this side,” he said.
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Aah! At long last what a sigh of relief.
The chaff is being sorted from the wheat.
This is in the true national interest – our problems can be solved without resorting to inhumane practices.
Let’s keep up the momentum.
It would be in the national interest if Joseph Muscat were to be pushed back to Burmarrad.
Oh, I correctly thought then that I would not be seeing the name of Bertu Marshall or the contemporary “haiku” writer Franco l-Ghaxqa in this list.
This is developing into a movement.
Exactly – this is the real movement with a cause worth fighting for. It is acts like these which do make us proud to be Maltese – not the scaremongering and racial hatred going on elsewhere.
I agree with you 100%. I’m definitely in on this one. To start with I am unfriending anyone who posts any racist comments on Facebook. It is such an embarrassment to know that these people were listed as ‘friends’.
“A clever, witty remark often prompted by the occasion.”
There was nothing clever and it was far from witty, he looked like a scolded boy forced to apologise.
The prime minister was considering all options, even illegal ones. Knowingly, he was going to break European and international laws.
I am surprised that no one as yet has asked for his resignation.
The point which many are missing is that those people (or at least some of them) are fleeing persecution and that they have a FUNDAMENTAL HUMAN RIGHT to apply for asylum.
This is precisely the reason why these rights are called FUNDAMENTAL i.e. because they override all other considerations.
So Andrew Azzopardi did not sign this. Shame on him.
Another ‘populist’. He had a survey going on whether people agreed with the pushback threat or not. 70% of his respondents were in favour, so he doesn’t want to scare off his readers.
PROSIT lil dawn il-kittieba u awturi, kif ukoll lill-akkademici, li hadu din il-pozizzjoni kontra l-politika ta’ ‘push-back’ tal-immigranti irregolari.
L-awturi li hargu ghonqhom mhumiex fost il-‘heavyweights’ tal-letteratura f’pajjizna. Uhud minnhom huma popolari waqt li ohrajn mhux daqshekk. Hadt nota ta’ dawn tal-ahhar biex insir nafhom ahjar.
Barra Andrew Azzopardi hassejt ukoll in-nuqqas ta’ Oliver Friggieri li f’intervista li dehret dil-gimgha fil-gazzetta ‘Illum’ qal li l-akbar ghadu tal-PN m’hux il-(M)LP imma l-Ewropa u l-istituzzjonijiet taghha ghax dawn jisfidaw l-identita’ ta’ dan il-partit.
L-istess argument jista’ jinghad PRECIZ ghall-(M)LP. U dan bil-provi – kif ghadna kif rajna din il-gimgha.
Jekk l-akbar ghadu tal-PN u tal-M)LP hija l-Ewropa u l-istituzzjonijiet taghha nistghu mela nghidu l-istess ghal Malta.
Issa jien ma nahsibx li Oliver Friggieri jara lill-Ewropa bhala l-ikbar ghadu ta’ Malta. F’dak il-kaz allura Malta hija l-akbar ghadu taghha stess!
Ghalhekk ippretendejt li nara isem Oliver Friggieri f’din il-lista. Ir-raguni ghaliex mhux qieghed hemm jafha hu biss. Ahna nistghu biss nobsru.