The Refugee Crisis -- Il-Kriżi tar-Rifuġjati

 

A few days ago, between the 11th and 12th November, a conference was held at the Mediterranean Conference Centre in Valletta, where European and African leaders discussed the refugee crisis, mostly about Africans who go to Europe for economic reasons.  As we know, many, too many of these tragically end up at the bottom of the Mediterranean.

 

The Conference concluded with the establishment of a fund of two billion dollars, intended for development in the origin countries, so that those considering emigrating might consider looking for opportunities closer to home,  the increase of opportunities for temporary education visas in Europe and increase cooperation between Europe and the origin countries.1  This will surely take time, and remains to be seen whether this initiative is only a drop in the ocean.

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At the same time, the other big migration from the Middle East to western countries continues briskly unabated, with people from Iraq and Siria fleeting in their hundreds of thousands the hell therein.  Apart from the civil war where many Sirians want to get rid of the dictator Assad, the organisation at the top of everyone's lips is Islamic State.

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In the recent few days, this group has launched attacks in Beirut, Lebanon, on the Shiite Muslim group Hesbollah (40 people dead), in Egypt they have been accused of exploding a bomb on an airplane returning Russian tourists to their homeland from a visit to Sharm el-Sheikh (200), and the latest atrocities are the suicide attacks in Paris in France (130) and the killings in a Mali hotel (20).  There are suspicions that at least one of those who attacked people in Paris had inserted himself with refugees entering Europe from Greece a few months back.

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This is leading unfortunately to pressure from several countries to halt the flow of refugees.  We've seen this in Australia, where this request was made even by an MP of the governing coalition,2 in Europe and now also the United States, where even presidential candidates in that country, including Donald Trump, are adding their voice to this call.

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Instead of making stricter controls on being accepted as a refugee, let's stop everyone.  If a group of drivers break traffic rules, we ban driving.  Logical, is it not?

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And from whom are refugees fleeing, if not the same terrorists?

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It's a tragedy that refugees are painted as being all, or mostly, Muslim and terrorists.  It's being said that they can't be good citizens as for them God comes first, they aren't allowed to be friends with Christians and Jews, their spiritual leaders want the destruction of Israel and America, that (a man, presumably) has to have four wives and whip them if they disobej, that democracy and Islam don't go together etc etc.

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I have no doubt that some Muslims believe so, however can they be considered representative?  Does the Klu Klux Klan represent Christians?  Are there not Christians who believe that God's law trumps state law?3  Doesn't the Catholic church say that citizens should not obey laws considered immoral or against Scripture?4

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Speaking for myself, in my life I've had several Muslim friends, some close.  At the same time I also know Christians who wouldn't dream of having a Muslim friend.  Is this representative of all Christians?  Didn't Abraham, the patriarch of Jews, Christians and Muslims, have two women?  I haven't heard any priest condemning him at church.  And is it possible not to have heard of Indonesia and Turkey, democratic countries where society is predominantly Muslim?

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In my life I've seen too much prejudice, and people rushing to judge and condemn.  In these difficult times we're living in, I often ask myself, what would Jesus do?  What attitude would he have taken?

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Perhaps a better question is, what did he do in his time?

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The answer is quickly found in the Christian Bible, and is surprising.  Jesus cast his gaze to many of those categories of people considered outcast by his society: Samaritans, prostitutes, tax collectors, Romans, the sick (lepers and the blind, whose sickness was taken as evidence of sin in the family); he talked to them, loved them and embraced them!

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In a parable he praised a Samaritan (who would have been a Muslim Palestinian today) for help provided to a beaten person in the middle of the road, told a prostitute he would not condemn her, told his followers that he had never seen faith bigger than that of a Roman centurian, removed from the sick the cause of their society's disdain, and we could go on.

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There is a clear message: we should open our hearts to those of good faith even from outside our society and not allow prejudice to cloud our eyes.  Our fight should be had with the small yet loud and murderous minority - the terrorists whose sole interest is to use Islam - and not with the quiet and meek majority, who look to Islam having the same root as the Arabic word for peace (SALAAM).

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Ftit ġranet ilu, bejn il-ħdax u t-tnax ta' Novembru, saret konferenza fis-Sala tal-Mediterran għall-Konferenzi fil-Belt Valletta, fejn mexejja Ewropej u Afrikani ddiskutew il-kriżi tar-rifuġjati, l-iktar dik ta' Afrikani li jmorru l-Ewropa għal raġunijiet ekonomiċi.  Bħal ma nafu, ħafna, wisq, minn dawn traġikament jispiċċaw f'qiegħ il-baħar fil-Mediterran.

 

Il-Konferenza kkonkludiet bl-istabbilment ta' fond ta' żewġ biljun dollaru, bl-intenzjoni li jsir żvilupp fil-pajjiżi tat-tluq, ħalli min ikun imħajjar jemigra forsi jitħajjar ifittex opportunitajiet qrib ta' daru, jiżdiedu opportunitajiet ta' viżas temporanji għal edukazzjoni fl-Ewropa, u ssir kooperazzjoni bejn l-Ewropa u l-pajjiżi tat-tluq.1  Dan kollu żgur jieħu ż-żmien, u wieħed irid jara jekk din l-inizjattiva hijiex biss qatra fl-oċean.

 

Fl-istess ħin, il-migrazzjoni l-kbira l-oħra lejn il-pajjiżi tal-Punent mill-Lvant Nofsani, għadha għaddejja b'ritmu mgħaġġel, b'nies mill-Iraq u s-Sirja jaħarbu l-infern li jeżisti hemmhekk bil-mijiet tal-eluf.  Apparti l-gwerra ċivili fejn ħafna Sirjani jridu jeħilsu mid-dittatur Assad, l-organizzazzjoni fuq fomm kulħadd hija l-Istat Islamiku.

 

Dan l-aħħar, fi ftit ġranet, dan il-grupp wettaq attakki f'Bejrut, il-Libanu, fuq il-grupp Musulman Xijta il-Ħeżbollaħ (40 ruħ mejta), fl-Eġittu ġew akkużati li splodew bomba fuq ajruplan li kien qed jieħu turisti Russi lura pajjiżhom minn żjara f'Sharm el-Sheikh (200), u l-aħħar atroċitàjiet kienu l-attakki suwiċida f'Pariġi ġewwa Franza (fejn mietu 120) u l-qtil ġewwa lukanda fil-Mali.  Qed jiġi ssuspettat li mill-inqas wieħed minn dawk li attakkaw lin-nies f'Pariġi kien infilza ruħu mar-rifuġjati li daħlu l-Ewropa mill-Greċja ftit tax-xhur ilu.

 

Dan qiegħed iwassal sfortunatament għal pressjoni f'diversi pajjiżi sabiex jinżammu minnufih id-dħul tar-rifuġjati.  Dan rajnieh hawnhekk fl-Awstralja, fejn it-talba saret anke minn membru tal-parlament tal-koalizzjoni fil-gvern,2 fl-Ewropa stess u issa anke fl-Istati Uniti, fejn anke kandidati għall-presidenza ta' dak il-pajjiż, inkluż Donald Trump, qed isemmgħu l-vuċi tagħhom għal dan il-pass.

 

Minflok ma jsiru kontrolli iktar stretti fuq min jiġi aċċettat bħala rifuġjat, inwaqqfu l-kulħadd.  Jekk grupp ta' sewwieqa jiksru r-regolamenti tat-traffiku, inwaqqfu s-sewqan.  Loġika, le?

 

U minn min qed jaħarbu r-rifuġjati?  Mhux mill-istess terroristi?

 

It-traġedja hi li r-rifuġjati qed jiġu mpinġija li huma kollha, jew ħafna minnhom huma, Musulmani u  terroristi.  Qed jingħad li ma jistgħux ikunu ċittadini tajba għax għalihom Alla jiġi l-ewwel, ma jistgħux jagħmlu ħbieb mal-Insara u l-Lhud, li l-mexxejja spritwali tagħhom iridu l-qerda tal-Iżrael u l-Amerika, li (preżumibbilment raġel) irid jiżżewweġ erba' nisa u jsawwat lill-mara meta ma tobdix, li d-demokrazija u l-Islam ma jistgħux jeżistu flimkien eċċ eċċ.

 

Jien m'għandix dubju li hemm Musulmani li jemmnu hekk, imma dawn jistgħu jitqiesu rappreżentattivi?  Il-Klu Klux Klan jirrappreżentaw lill-Insara?  M'hemmx ukoll Insara li jemmnu li l-liġi t'Alla tiġi qabel dik tal-istat?3  Il-Knisja Kattolika ma tgħidx lil ċittadini biex ma jobdux liġijiet immorali jew kontra t-tagħlim tal-Evanġelju?4

 

Jien ngħid għalija f'ħajti għamilt diversi ħbieb Musulmani, uħud fil-qrib.  Fl-istess ħin naf ukoll Insara li lanqas joħolmu li jagħmlu ħbieb ma' xi Musulman.  Dan jirrifletti fuq l-Insara kollha?  Abram, il-patrijarka tal-Lhud, Insara u l-Musulmani, mhux żewġ nisa kellu?  Għadni ma smajt lil ebda qassis fil-knisja jikkundannah.  U possibbli ma smajniex bl-Indoneżja u t-Turkija, pajjiżi b'sistema demokratika fejn is-soċjetà hija predominantement Musulmana?

 

F'ħajti rajt wisq preġudizzji, u nies jgħaġġlu biex jiġġudikaw u jikkundannaw.  Jien f'waqtiet diffiċli bħal dawk li qed ngħixu fihom daż-żmien, nistaqsi lili nnifsi, kieku Ġesù x'kien jagħmel?  X'attitudni kien jieħu?

 

Forsi mistoqsija aħjar, x'għamel fi żmienu?

 

It-tweġiba malajr neħduha fil-Bibbja tal-Insara, u hija sorprendenti.  Ġesù xeħet ħarstu fuq ħafna minn dawk il-kategoriji ta' nies mwarrba li kien hemm fis-soċjetà ta' żmienu: is-Samaritani, il-prostituti, il-kolletturi tat-taxxi, ir-Rumani, u l-morda (bħall-lebbrużi u l-għomja, li l-marda tagħhom kienet titqies evidenza tad-dnub fil-familja); tkellem magħhom, ħabbhom u għannaqhom miegħu!

 

Lil Samaritan (kien ikun aktarx Palestinjan Musulman illum) f'parabbola faħħru talli għen lil wieħed imsawwat f'nofs ta' triq, lil prostituta qalilha li ma jikkundannahiex, fuq ċenturjun Ruman qal lil ta' madwaru li ma kienx ra fidi ikbar minn tiegħu, lill-morda neħħielhom il-kawza tal-istmerrija li kienu jħossu għalihom is-soċjetà ta' madwarhom, u nistgħu nibqgħu sejrin.

 

Il-messaġġ hu ċar: niftħu qalbna għal min hu ta' rieda tajba anke minn barra s-soċjetà tagħna, u ma nħallux il-preġudizzji jagħmuna.  Il-ġlieda tagħna għandha tkun mal-minoranza żgħira imma storbjuża u qerrieda - it-terroristi li l-Islam jinqdew biss bih - u mhux mal-maġġoranza kwieta u ġwejda, li l-Islam jaraw fih l-istess għerq tal-kelma SLIEM.

 

1http://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/meetings/international-summit/2015/11/11-12/, retrieved 17/11/2015

2http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-11-16/dutton-rejects-internal-call-for-australia-to-close-borders/6943552, retrieved 17/11/2015

3http://www.theocracywatch.org/biblical_law2.htm

4Catechism of the Catholic Church, para 2242

1http://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/meetings/international-summit/2015/11/11-12/, retrieved 17/11/2015

2http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-11-16/dutton-rejects-internal-call-for-australia-to-close-borders/6943552, retrieved 17/11/2015

3http://www.theocracywatch.org/biblical_law2.htm

4Catechism of the Catholic Church, para 2242

Indigenous People in Prison -- L-Indiġeni fil-Ħabs

Adult Incarceration in Australia

Recently, during a conference for Official Visitors of jails in NSW, I learnt that around 27% of Australia's jail population were indigenous1 (that is Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islanders), when the indigenous proportion of the general Australian population is only around 3%.  The indigenous representation in jails is extraordinary, and alarming.

We Maltese have no experience of an aboriginal population.  I remember being surprised on arrival in Australia, or more specifically Sydney, as in daily life I could not note people obviously aboriginal, except for a few in well known tourist haunts, such as Circular Quay.

It was years later that I realised that although unrecognised, several aboriginal persons may have light skin, even being blond and blue eyed.  My eyes were opened by an aboriginal Uncle during the citizenship ceremony, who looked Anglo-Saxon, who had explained that there was much mixing by communities with time.

I can add that around Australia, in other states like Queensland and especially the Northern Territory, there are many other people who have the more traditional aboriginal appearance.

Coming back to the jail situation.  Another statistic is that aboriginal adults are incarcerated 13 times more often than non-aboriginal adults, and for minors the ratio is 24 times!

This situation is only one example of life's divide between being aboriginal and not, where the former have a lower life expectancy, higher child mortality, worse health and lower levels of education and employment, amongst others.2

The Australian Government's report 'Overcoming Indigenous Disadvantage', which has been published approximately bi-annually since 2003, quotes several researchers who suggest that there are profound reasons for these issues, collectively called 'intergenerational trauma' being the result of colonisation, loss of land, language and culture, the loss of spiritual and cultural identity, the forced removal of children, racism and discrimination.3  This is apart from more immediate concerns of alcohol and drug abuse, mental health and child experiences of violence.

In my travels around Australia, I could see with my own eyes aboriginal people being blind drunk, roads full of rubbish and aimless loitering.  Nevertheless, I have to say that I've seen these things also in non-aboriginal people, so that it's clear that these aren't just characteristics of indigenous people.

I was sad to note in that government report that although some aims of previous reports had been reached (such as a reduction in child mortality), others weren't (such as the rate of domestic and community violence) or indeed went backwards (such as a marked rise in incarceration, especially young people).  The image below shows the marked increase in overall indigenous population.4

I think that many don't understand the lasting impact what indigenous people have gone through in this country.  They think that the White Australia policy, forced removal of children etc happened decades ago, now are no longer the case and therefore all is well now.  Hence when they hear of such problems, many people blame the indigenous, as if these choose the problems they are facing.

It would be much better if we all show a bit more respect to this ancient culture, that has its beauty and unique characteristics, as we Maltese have.  People who are down on the ground and trying to get up need help, not disdain.

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Dan l-aħħar, waqt konferenza għal Viżitaturi Uffiċjali tal-ħabsijiet ta' NSW, tgħallimt li madwar 27% tal-popolazzjoni tal-ħabsijiet fl-Awstralja huma indiġeni1 (jiġifieri Aboriġini jew nies ta' Torres Strait), dan meta l-proporzjon ta' indiġeni fil-popolazzjoni ġenerali Awstraljana huma biss ta' madwar 3%.  Ir-rappreżentanza indiġena fil-ħabsijiet hija straordinarja, u allarmanti.

Aħna l-Maltin m'għandniex esperjenza ta' popolazzjoni aboriġina.  Jien niftakarni kont sorpriż meta wasalt l-Awstralja, jew iktar speċifikatament f'Sydney, fil-ħajja ta' kuljum ma nnutajtx nies li kienu ovvjament aboriġini, ħlief għal xi wħud f'postijiet magħrufa mat-turisti, bħal Circular Quay.  

Kien xi snin wara li ndunajt li għalkemm ma jintgħarfux, diversi nies aboriġini jistgħu jkollhom karnaġġjon bajda, u saħansitra bjondi u għajnejhom blu.  Kien fetaħli għajnejja Ziju aboriġenu waqt iċ-ċerimonja taċ-ċittadinanza, li kien jidher Anglo-Sassonu, li kien spjegali li sar ħafna taħlit tal-komunitajiet matul iż-żmien.

Irrid ngħid li madwar l-Awstralja, fi stati oħra bħal Queensland u speċjalment in-Northern Territory, hemm ħafna iktar persuni li għandhom id-dehra tradizzjonali Aboriġina.

Niġu lura għas-sitwazzjoni fil-ħabsijiet.  Biċċa statistika oħra hi li adulti aboriġini jiġu inkarċerati 13-il darba iktar minn dawk mhux aboriġini, u għal minorenni l-istatistika hija ta' 24 darba!

Din is-sitwazzjoni hija biss eżempju wieħed tal-qasma fil-ħajja bejn dawk aboriġini u dawk le, fejn tal-ewwel jistennew tul ta' ħajja iqsar, rata iktar għolja ta' mortalità tat-trabi, saħħa agħar u livelli iktar baxxi ta' edukazzjoni u impjiegi, fost l-oħrajn.2

Ir-rapport tal-Gvern Awstraljan 'Overcoming Indigenous Disadvantage', li ilu jiġi ppubblikat madwar kull sentejn mill-2003, jikkwota lil diversi riċerkaturi li jissuġġerixxu li hemm kawżi profondi ta' dawn in-nuqqasijiet, imsejħa kollettivament 'trawma interġenerazzjonali' b'riżultat tal-effetti tal-kolonizzazzjoni, telf tal-art, il-lingwa u l-kultura, it-tnaqqis tal-identità kulturali u spiritwali, it-teħid sfurzat tat-tfal, razziżmu u diskriminazzjoni.3  Dawn huma apparti effetti iktar immedjati bħall-abbuż tal-alkoħol u drogi, mard mentali u esperjenza miċ-ċokon tal-vjolenza.

Jien fl-ivvjaġġar tiegħi madwar l-Awstralja, stajt nara b'għajnejja persuni aboriġini fis-sakra ma' jarawx art, żdingar fit-toroq, u tlajjar bla skop.  Madankollu, rrid ngħid li dawn l-affarijiet rajthom ukoll f'nies mhux aboriġini, ħalli nkun ċar li dawn mhumiex biss karatteristika ta' nies indiġeni.

Huwa ta' dispjaċir li ninnota f'dak ir-rapport tal-Gvern, li għalkemm xi miri ta' rapporti ta' qabel intlaħqu (bħat-tnaqqis fil-mortalità tat-tfal), oħrajn ma ntlaħqux (bħar-rati ta' vjolenza domestika u fil-komunità) jew saħansitra marru għall-agħar (bħaż-żieda qawwija fir-rata ta' inkarċerazzjoni, l-aktar taż-żgħażagħ).  L-istampa fil-qiegħ turi din iż-żieda qawwija fl-inkarċerazzjoni tal-indiġeni.4

Naħseb li ħafna nies ma jifhmux l-impatt dejjiemi ta' dak li għaddew minnu l-indiġeni f'dan il-pajjiż.  Jaħsbu li l-politika ta' firda, it-teħid sfurzat tat-tfal eċċ sar ħafna għexieren ta' snin ilu, u issa m'għadhomx isiru u għalhekk kollox sewwa issa.  Għalhekk meta jisimgħu b'dawn il-problemi, ħafna nies aktarx iwaħħlu fl-indiġeni stess, qishom dawn qed jagħżlu l-problemi li jinsabu fihom.

Kemm hu aħjar kieku lkoll nuru ftit iktar rispett lejn din il-kultura antika tagħhom, li għandha s-sbuħija u karatteristiċi uniċi tagħha, bħal ma għandna aħna l-Maltin.  Min qiegħed mixħut fl-art u qed jipprova jqum, għajnuna għandu bżonn u mhux stmerrija.

1http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/mf/4517.0, retrieved 3/11/2015

2http://www.australianstogether.org.au/stories/detail/the-gap-indigenous-disadvantage-in-australia, retrieved 4/11/2015

3Overcoming Indigenous Disadvantage: Key Indicators 2014; Commonwealth of Australia; Chapter 1.5 - The Historical Context

4Adult Imprisonment Rate (source Overcoming Indigenous Disadvantage - Key Indicators 2014, Fig 4.12.2)

1http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/mf/4517.0, retrieved 3/11/2015

2http://www.australianstogether.org.au/stories/detail/the-gap-indigenous-disadvantage-in-australia, retrieved 4/11/2015

3Overcoming Indigenous Disadvantage: Key Indicators 2014; Commonwealth of Australia; Chapter 1.5 - The Historical Context

4Adult Imprisonment Rate (source Overcoming Indigenous Disadvantage - Key Indicators 2014, Fig 4.12.2)