[Pply] [Fwd: [EuroTwitch] Fw: [Eurobirder] BLACK WEEK FOR MIGRATORY BIRDS]

[Aappo Luukkonen]

-------- Alkuperäinen viesti --------



28 April 2003

AN IMPORTANT WEEK FOR MALTA BUT A BLACK WEEK FOR MIGRATORY BIRDS

Last week was a very important one for the future of the small island of
Malta, situated in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea. Recently the
people of Malta elected a government with a clear vision towards Europe.
This result confirmed a referendum which took place a month before. On
Wednesday 16th April in Greece the Maltese Government signed the
accession treaty by means of which Malta will become a member of the EU
from 1st May 2003.

The migratory birds were not so lucky. It was a black week for them. Due
to the sudden changes in weather a large number of birds decided to make
the annual crossing through the central Mediterranean. All over Malta
the hunters were ready for them, to shoot and slaughter as many as
possible. It seems that those hunters who voted against the EU because
they wanted better conditions wanted to show their anger through
massacres. This disaster took place whilst the Prime Minister of Malta
and his team where in Greece to sign the accession agreement. During the
week and especially on 16th, 18th and 20th April a large number of birds
were killed. The Administrative Law Enforcement Police did their best to
control the situation, but the hunting was so intense that they could
not cope with the situation. A number of hunters were identified by the
Police and will be prosecuted in the coming days.

The police also confiscated a number of injured birds which were placed
in the care of International Animal Rescue (Malta) (a member of EFAH). A
number of birds also arrived from Nature Trust and Birdlife Malta and
the general public. IARM received more than 20 birds in all, including a
golden oriole, marsh harriers, kestrels, scops owl, mediterranean gull,
hoopoe, turtle dove, hobbies and swallows. At present the hunting season
is open only for turtle doves and quails, due to a special agreement
made by the Maltese government with the EU. The illegal hunters ignored
the law totally and went hunting also on Friday and on Sunday afternoon
when hunting is not allowed.

Environmentalists in Malta are very concerned about the present
situation. A Nature Trust member who brought over an injured bird said
that the hunters were apparently taking revenge for the pro-Europe vote,
wanting to show people that the gun is mightier than democracy.  He
expressed hope that in the coming weeks the Government, through the
Minister of Environment and the Minister of Justice, will bring the
situation under control. He also expressed disappointment with Birdlife
Malta, who in recent days did not utter a single word against the
massacre by the hunters.

Birdlife Malta at present forms part of a committee together with the
hunters and other members, set up to control the situation. It is worth
reminding our members that the government of Malta has stated officially
that Malta has been given a special concession and not a derogation.
This means that hunting in spring in the case of Malta is going to be
permanantly entrenched in the agreement. In the opinion of International
animal Rescue Malta, apart from the hunters who are massacring the
birds, the Maltese Government and the European Union are responsible for
this situation. The EU and its commissioner, Mr. Gunter Verheugen for
enlargement and Ms. Margot Wallström for the environment, have been
warned on several occasions about how the situation will develop in
Malta (Max Farrugia, International Animal Rescue Malta).




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Aappo