Indymedia Malta

A new EUMC report finds police forces in many EU Member States to be ill-equipped to respond to racist violence. The European Monitoring Centre on Racism and Xenophobia (EUMC), a Vienna-based agency of the EU, today released a comparative analysis of police responses to racist crime and violence in the European Union. The EUMC finds that only a few Member States have procedures and mechanisms in place that allow for the police forces to deal with racist crime effectively.

In a joint statement issued today, the Emigrants Commission and the Jesuit Refugee Service called upon the government to make sure that there are sufficient guarantees in place to ensure that all in need of protection are recognised and granted refuge.

The two NGOs welcomed the authorities'' commitment to find more efficient ways of dealing with the increase in the number of applications for refugee status; yet they added that any true solution will be one that retains all the present safeguards on basic standards and principles of protection.

The Jesuit Refugee Service Malta (JRS) and the National Commission Persons with Disability (KNPD) invite you to attend an Art Exhibition with the theme of Saħħa fid-diversita (Strength in Diversity). This exhibition is another of the events in the year-long National Awareness Raising Campaign of the same name, funded by the EU "Community Action Programme to Combat Discrimination". The Honourable Clyde Puli, Chairperson of the Permanent Standing Committee on Social Affairs of the House of Representatives, will inaugurate the exhibition on Thursday 27th October at 1830 hours.

Many questions asked by CETFREE over the past months regarding the local dolphinarium have been left unanswered ââ‚“ dolphins captured form the wild continue to perform unnatural circus acts in what seems to be a poorly regulated environment full of noise pollution, development infringements and lack of safety.

Dr. Vassallo today walked out of the General Conference of the General Workers Union in protest at a speech made by the union President at the start of the conference. In a press release Dr. Vassallo said: "It was impossible to remain and appear to approve in the slightest manner any report that may be made of a speech inflaming racial tension in the country."

On the 3rd October individuals from different organizations, predominantly Moviment Graffitti, held an anti-racist action during a demonstration by the far Right. As the Right entered the capital they where greeted by a banner “il-vera theddida huwa r-razzimu" (the real treat is racism) which somehow upset many of the Rightists to the extent that some thugs assaulted those at the anti-racist activity.

10th September, was the second national day for wearing the white band, in solidarity so that the UN Millenium Development Goals (MDGs) promised in the year 2000 will be kept. These 8 MDGs are
1. To eradicate extreme poverty and hunger.
2. Achieving universal primary education
3. Promotion of gender equality and empowerment of women
4. Reducing child mortality
5. Improving maternal health
6. Combating HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases

'Stopoverty/Neqirdu l-faqar - a coalition of more than 30 organizations has launched an online petition (http://www.stopovertymalta.org/letter.html) asking the Maltese Foreign Affairs to assure that Malta does it''s part so that the Millenium Development Goals are reached in time. Click the link to sign the petition. For more info re.