Il-Każ ta' Hashem Sarir

Why Hashem Sarir could not come to Malta (by Karl Schembri in TMID)
 

Reazzjonijiet għall-Każ ta’ Hashem Sarir

F'Malta u pajjiżi oħra tal-Punent, bħalissa hemm epedimija ta' paniku kbir li qed twassal għall-persekuzzjoni ta’ l-immigranti li saru l-“individwi perikolużi” tal-bidu tas-seklu.

Fl-istorja nsibu diversi epidemiji ta' paniku bħal persekuzzjonijiet tas-sħaħar u l- Lhud. Minħabba dan il-paniku fis-soċjetà qed noħolqu saff ta' nies bla drittijiet li huma soġġetti għal poter arbitrarju. Qed nużaw pieni ħorox għal nies li kulma għamlu kien li kisru r-regolamenti ta’ l-immigrazzjoni, reat ferm anqas serju minn reati oħra li ħafna drabi ma jwasslux għal piena ta' ħabs. Dan hu perikoluż ħafna.

Fortunatament ġurnalisti indipendenti Maltin bħal Karl Schembri qamu għall-okkażjoni u fil-gazzetti u anki fuq it-televiżjoni rajna l-istat li fih jgħixu l-immigranti. Is-soċjetà Maltija rat u saret taf bil-ħruxijiet istituzzjonali fi ħdanha u għalhekk l-injoranza m'għadhiex skuża. Għaqdiet bħall-Jesuit Refugee Service, Dar l-Immigrant, il-Laboratorju tal-Paċi, Inizjamed u l-Moviment Graffiti wrew li
f'Malta mhux kulħadd ittieħed mill-epidemija. Iżda bla dubju baqa’ ħafna xi jsir.

James Debono
Kelliem ta’ Alternattiva Demokratika dwar id-drittijiet ċivili
 



Dan hu inċident ieħor f'lista tal-mistħija li qed tiżdied b'rata li tħasseb ferm.

Li bniedem jinżamm milli jidħol f'pajjiżna għax kellu wisq flus u ħwejjeġ u l-Uffiċjal ta' l-Immigrazzjoni ma tgħaddilux minn rasu li jsejjaħ lil xi ħadd sabiex jagħmel traduzzjoni jwaqqa' għar-redikolaġni l-uniformi li hu libes u l-korp kollu tal-Pulizija. Kieku kien xi ħadd ta' ġilda ċara x'kien isir?

Il-Grupp għat-Tielet Dinja jixtieq jistieden lil kulħadd sabiex inneħħu l-għanqbut minn moħħna u nirrealizzaw li d-dinja qed tiċkien u pajjiżna mhux xi ġenna ta' l-art. Wara kollox l-għajta ta' Malta biex tidħol fl-UE kienet li nservu ta' pont bejn l-Ewropej u l-Għarab u mhux nilgħabuha tal-bravi ma' min ħlief rispett m'għandux lejna.

Roderick Agius
President, Grupp għat-Tielet Dinja
 



The case of Syrian tourist Hashem is the sad reality that the post-11th September world is facing. Throughout the world Arabs are being looked down on with suspicion and paranoia that s/he may be a terrorist.

The repatriation of Hashem is yet another example of this racial prejudice which is being triggered by some states. Infact I would seriously doubt that this same treatment would have been applied to a white American tourist who had “too much luggage and money”.

Another serious problem is Magistrate Hayman’s statement that “the police officer had every right to refuse entry to Hashem without providing any justification whatsoever, because such a right was granted to him by the law.” We have to stop thinking with the “this is the law and that’s it” attitude, and start revising our legal system in order to ensure a more transparent and democratic way. Unluckily, the sad reality is that miscarriages of justice happen, and maybe more often than we think of.

The police should have contacted his relatives in Malta and the hotel he said he was going to, in order verify what little they could understand of his language. Another tricky aspect is that Hashem only spoke Arab, and therefore we seriously doubt the extent to which the police actually understood his statements.

Yes this is Malta! The country which states it promotes peace and solidarity, and whose institutions promote racial prejudice. We believe legal measures have to be taken against the immigration officer in order to ensure that a miscarriage of justice is declared and that necessary steps are taken against whoever was involved in this decision which violates the basic human right of not being discriminated for one’s nationality.

Victor Fiorini for Move! Organisation.
 

 
 
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