Simon Busuttil’s stupid sliding tackle

Busuttil is wrong to question the government’s decision to bring in migrants from Syria. Malta was in no position to bicker with Italy while people where drowning in the sea.

On migration, Simon Busuttil is racing with the hares and hunting with the hounds.

Back in June he correctly criticised the government over a decision to push back migrants to Libya. Subsequently, he supported the government's hardline position on the Salamis stand-off, which risked leaving hundreds of people stranded on the high seas. This humanitarian tragedy was only averted after Italy relieved Malta of its obligations.

Now he raises questions on whether Syrian asylum seekers should have been brought in to Malta after being rescued because Lampedusa was the nearest port of call.

In so doing he is taking the same stand taken by Joseph Muscat when in opposition. Back in April 2011 Joseph Muscat suggested that a group of 171 immigrants rescued off Lampedusa should be sent back to Italy. To this, then prime minister Lawrence Gonzi replied: "How can one go onto a child or a man and tell them, 'I saved you from death, now tonight I'm going to pack you up, put you in a plane and send you to Italy'?"

Yesterday in parliament Busuttil questioned whether Malta should have accepted to bring in the Syrian asylum seekers on a boat of migrants who were drowning at sea. In this case Malta ended up taking 156 migrants while Italy took the other 56. In such a situation, bickering on who should take responsibility over migrants were drowning would have been tragic and would have exposed us as a heartless nation.

Busuttil is correct in pointing out the contradictions of Labour's migration policy. But he may well have done this without questioning one rare occasion where Muscat put humanitarian considerations before his usual appeal to national egoism.

Curiously Busuttil chose to win points among the xenophobic crowd on one of those rare occasions where people in general have been more sensitive to the plight of those involved, simply because they look so much like us.

In fact one hopes that the government's new position represents a shift in policy from the days when this government was effectively planning a pushback of 45 sub-Saharan migrants to a country where militias have a license to shoot at migrants, something which happened again in this particular case.

It would be tragic if the government is singling out this group of migrants for humanitarian treatment, simply because of the regional link. Muscat's speech in Ghaxaq on Sunday suggests that this may well be the case. "We are not only dealing with people from Somalia and Eritrea but with people from Syria, the same people who risk their life, their job, because they fear war."

The official press release reporting Muscat's speech, highlights the fact that the group included a group of medical doctors including a neurologist. But what exactly is the difference between escaping war in Somalia and escaping war in Syria? The only difference lies in the level and intensity of media coverage. African lives seem to occupy the lowest rung in the hierarchy of life.

Moreover despite the softening of his stance vis-à-vis migrants, Muscat has upped the tempo in his verbal attacks on the European Union, forgetting that the problem in this case is not the European Union but the Council of Ministers, composed of individual member states.

For any long-term solution through which migrants applying for asylum without having to cross the Mediterranean sea are divided among all 27 EU member states requires the agreement of all member states.

The other legitimate solution, revising Dublin 2 in a way that migrants granted humanitarian status can be given travel documents to settle wherever they like, also requires consensus. Talking about a veto may in itself be counterproductive to seeking a new, much-needed consensus among 27 independent nation states.

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Could you do us all a favour and be a journalist serving the interests of the people of this country. No one really wants to be bothered with the tit-tat goes on between Busutill/Muscat or any the the others. What people want is for our local media to get in the face of the European Union and keep reminding them that we are sick and tired and their tit-tat. We want an immigration policy that has a component of shared responsibility between all 27 member countries - nothing more and nothing less. Be a good journalist for your country Mr. Debono, not some back street scribbler.
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Quo Vadis Maltatoday?
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Huh, I was sure that you would not publish my comments criticizing this article. So much for freedom of speech Maltatoday! Anyway, maybe this short comment will find itself in the print unlike my previous one, after all. James, stop playing the cool smart guy. The absolute huge majority of the Maltese are sick and tired of your bickering and defence of the immigration problem. Our country has experienced enough unnecessary hardships from being drained of vital resources that could easily have been channelled to other good causes in the interest of the Maltese and Gozitan people.
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Mr. Toilet your remark is worth considering after all Shakespeare is said to have said: We are only but actors that come on the stage for other to take our place. Yes Sir, it had to be a Toilet to remind us we are all Muppets and from dust to dust we shall return. Mr Toilet if everyone past, present and future come to realize it we might find our time on stage less destructive.
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joseph mercieca
Mr. Toilet if you have something to say just say it if not be quiet. In this forum everybody has the opportunity to air his/her opinion. None the less nobody (including you) have the right to insult anybody by labelling them Muppets and their opinion brodu. This is neither a kazin nor titotla. Show us your worth and elucidate us why our comments are childish. By the way it is one thing being funny and flippant and another to be downright rude by calling yourself toilet. No wonder you do not respect us since you do not even respect yourself.
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Even when criticizing Simon Busuttil, James must find something to criticize Dr. Muscat with. Not surprised at all !
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I know that Maltatoday must be seen to be apolitical and impartial when it comes to partisan politics and therefore must play the balancing game. But to publish such racist comments against one's own prim minister and to hurl insulting abuse and misinformation as the article penned by Mr Debono is doing is simply horrendous and shamefully unacceptable. At the same time, Debono indulges himself romancing with the leader of the opposition's gaffes and spokes in the wheels aimed at hindering the government's work. Why doesn't the learned gentleman not come out with a doable solution instead of sitting pretty, playing the know-it-all smart guy and criticising all the hard work done by the Hon PM?
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Gents Gents I'm not sure if I am to cry or laugh with your childish comments, I guess you all sound brodu to me (Muppets)
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joseph mercieca
This time you really hit rock bottom my friend. I am not going to try to rebut your blathering. Your reasoning stems from a central theorem which is that all that Joseph Muscat does is wrong. Even if he gets one right it is motivated by wrong intentions. This last contribution is proof of this. Now PM Letta, the President of the Italian Republic Napolitano,’ Barros, and even Maelstom agreed on the responsibility of Europe or lack of it. A lot of what they said especially from the Italian government like for example Alfano the deputy PM and interior Minister tallies with what Joseph Muscat has been saying all along about the need for European involvement in the immigration issue. Now you flouted the theory that Europe has nothing to do with it as it is the Prime Ministers of Europe. So the leaders of the member states meeting to discuss a European problem are not the EU. So what are they the Holy Inquisition or a new Free Mason lodge? All of us who support Joseph Muscat are chagrined as this time you hit below the belt. You wrote and I quote “It would be tragic if the government is singling out this group of migrants for humanitarian treatment, simply because of the regional link”. Now this is rich it’s flabbergasting. You are implying that Joseph Muscat will only rescue immigrants from certain regions only. You are accusing Muscat that his motives are not humanitarian but politically motivated. Just imagine a boat capsizing in our area of competence. The AFN Search and Rescue move out and when they arrive on the spot they find a tragedy unfolding. They inform Minister Mallia about the situation and nationality of these immigrants. Mallia informs the PM who in turn calls the rescue operation off because it is not politically feasible for Malta save their lives. Do you really believe that Joseph Muscat is so callous? Do you consider Joseph Muscat a criminal? That is what you are overtly suggesting. This is a very deliberate accusation aimed to damage the PM both on a political, institutional and personal level. Remember the only pushbacks occurred under GonziPN when the Somalis were sent home to torture and death. I challenge you to publish what you wrote at that time. Criticise and harangue Joseph Muscat as much as you like since you are privileged to have a media platform. But keep it on the level of political dialectic. Do not let your personal feelings both positive and negative blur you capacity to reason objectively. It would enhance your credibility if you kept within the deontological limits.
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Mr. Debono I feel with this article you are tip toeing not to hurt anyone. In so doing one is open to interpret the cards on the table. The facts are that what happened lately Dr. Muscat was 101 correct in his actions and as my neighbour said after hearing Dr. Busuttil yesterday: He could be a good spokesman for a 6 minutes stand in the European Parlament speaking to himself with no one opposing, however as a leader of the opposition he still has a long way to go. I was going to quote my friend when he said he is brodu but that is a bit cruel.
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Jiftah halqu biex jghid xi haga, u hlief jizloq fin-niexef mhuhiex.
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You see, contrary to what many have apparently come to believe, this is not a case of the LP being the "anti-immigrant" and the PN the "pro-immigrant" party. Both governments have behaved exactly the same in similar situations. Both have a tough line against migration, first among them the Leader of the Opposition. But somehow no NGO, no "group of lawyers" raised their voice against his speech yesterday, in which he berated the government for acting in a humanitarian way. So, if Busuttil were Prime Minister, he would have picked up a fight with Italy regarding were the tired, thirsty, hungry, desperate immigrants ought to be taken ashore. Way to go! This is, after all, what the PN government did practically each time an incident involving the rescue of migrants happened. The present government, on the other hand, seems to be working on a strategy which seeks to rope in Italy, so that Malta and Italy can speak in one voice about this problem. For all their "pro-EU" posturing, the Nationalists did not even manage to at least bring in Italy to be on Malta's side regarding immigration. On the contrary, they managed to bring Italo-Maltese relations to an all-time low in 2009.
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Dear Simon keep it up ,noting good and concrete comes out of your mouth which is a good thing for the ruling party.I wonder how on earth can you bring back those 36000 lost sheep.
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There is a big difference between Syrian refugees escaping a real and terrible civil war and African irregulars who in most cases are economic migrants seeking a route to a better life in the west. In the case of Syrian Christians a stronger distinction should be made for they are essentially suffering a religious cleansing by the extremist opposition forces and find themselves as the worst helpless victims in this terrible civil war.
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Well Simon.......... or shall we say the Maltese version of 'Alice in Wonderland'......... has drove himself once again .......... gas down straight to the wall!!