THE VOICE OF MALTA

ONE VOICE OF EUROPE

MALTA !

At "VOICES OF EUROPE" we are catchers of voices and not choir directors who bring voices into harmony or unison. We rather invite our leaders, political and spiritual, to speak out, but so far we have failed to hear clear, prudent pronostics and measures from our leaders…..
be they
…….Political The progress in the European Union under the present leadership of our governments is shamefully slow on matters of migration policy, also in relation with the question of European Demography. The extravagant claims of the United Nations Bureau for populations of a few years ago did not receive any reply from state leaders on how to formulate valid ALTERNATIVES . or
Spiritual

Even our spiritual leaders, for whom the Catholic Church should be a permanent and paramount source, have not yet come to a unified and encompassing information, appraisal and vision. (on the present state of the Church's organizational setup see note below ) The Biblical inspiration which the Church does offer us eloquently is highly welcome, and with gratitude received but in our complex world it has to be translated into concrete action in difficult and varied circumstances. Our lay leaders have to make the necessarily prudential decisions.

In the Catholic Church so far there is not one single place where questions of migration are followed and considered in detail and their totality all their aspects and all their complexity and connexions : humanitarian, geopoliticial, financial and economic, military, legal, …even though it is clear that all those above mentioned aspects must be part of a complete coherent consideration if solutions day to day are to be found. The Church as such may not wish to enter in such mundane affairs as geopolitical, financial and military aspects, but it could profit of added analysis being done in its close surroundings without the Curia being implied.

Where unity of vision and voice, politically and spiritually is not assured , we prefer this time not to speak out on this topic but to leave preference of place to the smallest thinkable voice in Europe: Malta, where its leaders are now rightly blaming the entire European Union.
Those who over the years have seen how southern European countries : Spain, Italy, Greece, have been unable to mobilize the opinion and cooperation of larger Europe , even though our populations everywhere in Europe are getting more and more restless, will recognize the validity and the urgency in the voice of

MALTA

The Times of Malta, February 23, 2009
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20090223/local/migrants-should-be-forced-to-work-an/
By Cynthia Busuttil
……….. The AN's (Azzjoni Nazzjonali) Dr Muscat yesterday went as far as to suggest that Malta should declare a state of emergency and renounce obligations established by the Dublin II and Geneva conventions, which establish humanitarian standards.
Referring to the Geneva Convention, Dr Muscat said this was never intended to 'facilitate new colonialism'.
'This is a case of national security for Malta and the government is obliged to protect the country and the people,' he said.

Anyone caught employing illegal immigrants without permission, he said, should automatically lose their business licence while those convicted of human trafficking should receive a life sentence.
Painting a bleak picture of illegal immigration, he said Malta was being invaded, adding that the island was too small to have 'two peoples' coexisting

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May the voice of MALTA be heard and shame us all into action !

Note : The Roman Curia has a Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People but though it is the only office of the Curia which has "migration" in its name, it is the pastoral care which is its focus, and it cares in that task for sectors like Migrants, Refugees & Internally Displaced Persons, International Students, Tourism, Pilgrimages, Shrines, People of the Sea , Civil Aviation , Nomads: Shinti, Rom. Circus, Carnival People and Apostleship of the Road.
The Council also publishes a much appraised review called "People on the Move".

The Curia has also a Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace , which has a much broader charge in the wide field of social and economic questions and statements incklding a recent "Compendium" of the Church's social doctrine which is available in many translations even in Chinese.

Given its wide spectrum this Council might be the natural locus of questions related to migration in its complexity as current problems evolve. But that is so far not the case. The two Pontifical councils have shared since march 2006 one common President, namely Cardinal Renato Martino.
This "personal union" of one president for two councils however has recently come to an end since on March 1st 2009 Archbishop Antonio Maria Veglio has been appointed President of the Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People.
The new situation might open a possibility for the Migration Council to broaden its task, but just as well opne might expect the Council for Justice and Peace to do so, and bring its attention more closely ton matters where aspects of Migration are important outside pastoral care.
If either of these development does not happen, the consideration of important and urgent Migration questions will continue probably on an adhoc basis to gravitate to the Secretariat of State (presently under H.Em Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone) that means in the immediate vicinity of the Pope himself.
If the basic setup of the Curia does not see any change one may ask the question whether a loose network of people somewhat on the model of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences but without implying directy the authority of the Holy See could be a helpful instrument for the Church.
Such an informal unit could make an effort to keep up with the vast amount of news, analyze the burning questions of the day even under such "laymens perspectives" as geopolitical, legal, financial, economic, and even military implications, and confidentially inform the Curia, without directly implying to be speaking for the Church.
The problem of continued large scale migration legal (but poorly organized) as well as illegal, will still increase in importance as populations in Europe become more restless and as poor countries and countries in conflict send their refugees northward.

Anton Smitsendonk march 2nd, 2009 Paris- Beijing

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