21 comments so far.Spring hunting marked by intimidation & denial of illegal hunting – BLM
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In a press conference held at Is-Simar Nature Reserve BirdLife Malta addressed the issues of enforcement, police cooperation and illegal hunting during the recent spring hunting derogation.
Steve Micklewright, BirdLife Malta Executive Director, said this year’s spring hunting season had attracted international attention due to Malta’s abuse of the EU Birds Directive. “Unfortunately this opportunity for the authorities to show their determination to prevent abuses seems to have been missed.”
The authorities have sought to portray increased enforcement and cooperation with BirdLife Malta, and the government has claimed there has been a reduction in illegal hunting as a result, but BirdLife Malta has not found this to be the case.
“This spring hunting season has been marked by growing tensions between BirdLife Malta and the police, culminating in the arrest of our Communications Officer and the detention for questioning of a visiting journalist documenting the spring hunting season,” said Mr Micklewright. “The end result was a huge waste of police time on the intimidation and harassment of those they should be working with to stop illegal hunting.”
BirdLife Malta were denied their request for a police liaison officer to accompany its volunteers in their monitoring of illegal hunting this year, in contrast with previous years, despite the European Commission expressing their expectation that government authorities should do everything in their power to cooperate and assist NGOs working to prevent illegal hunting. The police, in their response explaining why BirdLife Malta’s request was being denied, wrote:
“Following your request to the Commissioner of Police dated 3rd March 2014, please be informed that police assistance against payment is not being considered. Instead this year we are committed to intensify our efforts by increasing more police personnel to support all the stakeholders to fight illegal bird poaching. We are also committed to make our co-operation better, thus as your good self is already aware, in order to have better and quicker action any reports or information shall be forwarded through our control room to be dealt accordingly.”
It has since emerged that hunting association the FKNK (Association of Hunters, Trappers and Conservationists) were granted the very thing BirdLife Malta was denied- having an officer stationed on duty at Mizieb woodland during the hunting season.
This revelation explains why, when visiting journalist Chris Packham and his team went to film in the public woodland of Mizieb they were met within five minutes of arriving by a police sergeant who then proceeded to phone FKNK officials to ask them what he should do.
During the season and before it, BirdLife Malta and people who care about bird conservation have experienced unusual levels of police interest. At least six people are being prosecuted by the police for criminal defamation because of statements they made in the Times of Malta online comments section which were critical of the FKNK, and BirdLife Malta staff and volunteers have been questioned about their handling of injured birds.
“The Data Protection Commission have sought to fine us for showing footage of FKNK council member David Briffa after he was convicted of attempted assault in a public hearing; while Moira Delia, the presenter of animal welfare discussion programme Animal Diaries, has had her programme shortened in order to air an FKNK documentary promoting ‘the tradition of spring hunting’.”
And finally, BirdLife Malta received a letter from the Data Protection Commission dated 23rd April, which seeks to hold the conservation organisation jointly responsible for any breaches of data protection made by Chris Packham, an independent journalist, in the course of his reporting on spring hunting in Malta.
“This would be remarkable in its own right, but more remarkable is the name of the lawyer acting on behalf of the FKNK to whom the letter was copied,” said Mr Micklewright. “Doctor Kathleen Grima works for Emmanuel Mallia & Associates Advocates. Emmanuel Mallia is of course the Minister for Home Affairs and National Security and his portfolio includes the police and the public broadcasting service. The headed paper of Emmannuel Mallia & Associates Advocates is emblazoned with the Minister’s name.”
“Notwithstanding the obvious attempts by the FKNK to use any methods they can to silence anyone critical of spring hunting, it clearly should be a matter of public concern that legal procedures initiated by the FKNK that involve the police and other entities are coming from the office of the law firm of the Minister responsible. We are calling for this apparent conflict of interest to be investigated by the government,” Mr Micklewright concluded.
Please let the Maltese police question me. I am in the UK and my door is open, I spent many years in Malta and witnessed the atrocities comitted annually by so called hunters. It is a disgrace and should be banned completely. I ask all potential tourists to think again before considering a visit to these barbaric Islands until the laws of the EU are fully enforced.
You can add our names too Justin, and the we are Germans, loved the islands but now this has gone beyond a joke, thus we have made arrangements to move out lock stock & barrel to a much more civilized country. Maybe one day we will return when the killing stops< Yes i agree on boycotting the islands absolutely.
Justin and Karl
Malta is a Free Democratic country with a CLEAN and glorious history. You and your likes are free to come and go as you please. But please check your own backyards before pointing fingers. We all know about deer stalking, chased by killer dogs and mind you by your so called royalties. Need say no more.
Gozoroo
Even alot of rabbits are killed on the island and eaten. Its sad
You are so funny.
Cows, sheep, goats, fish, pigs also get slaughtered for FOOD. So to let you know my generation grew up on turtle dove soup and rabbit stew. You expect the rest of world to follow your vegeterian diet!
Gozoroo
The Government would do well to heed the comments left by Justin and Karl above. Investment is being lost because of this Government and previous Governments support for hunting and trapping.
A lot of people voice their concerns against hunting and while I’m against hunting, its strange how abortion doesn’t bother a lot of these people who are so passionately against hunting.
Another irrelevant comment. Birds are not shot through medical or other personal necessity.
Eliza what exactly has abortion got to do with hunting? People who are opposed to abortion in all cases simply don’t have a clue what they are talking about.
Elisa
You happened to be barking up the wrong tree. This page as you are fully aware is about GAME HUNTING not abortion, as Mr. Tyrell pointed out ,may I add your argument is repulsive. There are many reasons for abortion other then wanting a designer baby, a flat belly or a choice of gender. So please take your petition to Castille.
Gozoroo
Interestingly Chris Packham has stirred the waters to such a degree that UK Parliament is to debate the matter. Before anybody (Sammy et al) starts on about ‘what have they got to do with our private atrocities’ please remember that Malta, like UK, is, like it or not, now in the EU. so does have a say in the matter.
Just think James, if everyone had your opinion about abortion you would never have been born if your mother chose abortion. Why not just give the person a chance and put him or her up for adoption??? His or her life has already started.
Justin although you have a point, a good point at that, just because we are in the EU this does not mean we have to bow down to Brussels, or to the British for that matter as we USED to during the 1944 era. we a a free country a republic of malta and democratic with freedom of speech.
I am against hunting but this is a Maltese matter of Law to resolve. The European Court conceded the right to Malta’s government to apply derogation. Exactly what the House of Commons debate of “UK policy on protection of migratory birds in Malta” will achieve is speculative and let’s face it, what can they do? This is for Malta to resolve.
I am anti EU and look forward to the day when we in the UK are no longer members. However until such a time we are virtually governed by laws concocted by unelected people in Brussels. I am sure you have heard all this before. In the meantime the UK can use their limited powers to request a change in the derogation Malta currently enjoys covering hunting. However the worst thing that is happening here in the UK is that the amount of publicity that all this has generated can have nothing but an adverse effect on tourism, a mainstay of the Island’s economy. If Malta considers pandering to to demands of the so called hunters warrants the effect on the many employed in tourism, then so be it.
I find it ironic that people do want want to be in the EU, yet want to use the EU to stop something in another country. Yet they also do not want their country to be affected by other member States. As for affecting tourism, realistically? No, it will not make much difference at all (imo).
since when did the UK join the EU. Did i miss something?
OK, I’ll bite and to digress……… To be pedantic the UK was part of the original ‘Inner Six’ countries responsible for the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) and the European Economic Community (EEC). They became the EU via the Maastricht Treaty which established the European Union under its current name in 1993. In 1975, the question of whether Britain should stay a member was decided by a two-to-one majority in a national referendum.
Mr browne UK is not only a member of the EU but one of the founders of the European Union. I think at this point you missed everything.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Founding_fathers_of_the_European_Union
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Member_state_of_the_European_Union
you did indeed, but better not to know and live in blissful ignorance
These birds are everybodies to enjoy throughout europe. We cherish their arrival every spring. Sadly in my lifetime I have seen a huge decline through climate change, change of farming practices and habitat loss the illegal shooting of our birds is the last nail in the coffin. Imagine no Swallows in the spring, the killing has to stop before its to late, its barbaric.