“The last couple of years BirdLife (Malta) campaigns, where half-truths, exaggerations and downright fabrications are the order of the day, have created an atmosphere of social hatred between members of the Maltese public and fellow citizen hunters and trappers. The morally superior attitude adopted by the anti-hunters has resulted in a clearly hostile stance against all hunters and trappers, and from which not even schoolchildren have remained immune. The campaigns have not resulted in a mere ‘looking down at’ way of thinking, but a much more venomous approach of clear cut hate.

The Maltese hunters and trappers have been blamed for any sort of mishap under the sun that may occur in the Maltese Islands.

Notwithstanding that the twenty-second edition of (the EU) Press Watch highlights “the continuing dangers of believing what you read in the newspapers”, BirdLife (Malta) and Co. have succeeded mostly by using a media biased in their favour.

The constant mudslinging has harmed Malta’s image, and the campaigns have been aided in no small manner by the Maltese press – the English-language papers in particular, and a few Maltese media personalities. Whereas the freedom of the Press is paramount, the stark reality is that the Press abuses its freedom.

During last Friday’s transmission of ‘Xarabank’ on the nation’s TV station, Peppi Azzopardi yet again demonstrated his hatred towards hunters when he could not resist from attempting to blame hunters for the terrible incident of a stray Maltese hunting dog that had been reported supposedly shot.

The Federation for Hunting & Conservation – Malta (FKNK), who had already been informed of the incident would like to state that in the first instance from the photos’ evidence supplied it is not yet clear whether the dog suffered the injuries through gun shots or as a result of having been run over by some vehicle or hit by a pointed instrument, and next that NO hunter would ever shoot any dog.

Finally the FKNK would like to draw the attention of the Maltese authorities, the Broadcasting and Press authorities and the Maltese general public at large, that they ALL have a moral duty to put a stop to these social hate campaigns.”

FKNK Council

Permalink: Put a stop to social hate campaigns – FKNK