First of all, I have been a birder for 20 odd years, Im not pro-hunting. Im saying the prohibitive approach has not changed attitudes.
Its not supposed to. It's supposed to prohibit
behaviour outlawed by the EU. There are many laws in the UK I don't like, but I obey them (mostly!)
The hunters are in Malta with birds flying over them every day, where we cannot physically protect them. Like it or not we have to comprimise or the slaughter will continue. Fact.
We wouldn't have to physically protect them if Malta implemented EU Law effectively.
By going down the current path we are not changing Maltese attitudes, birds will get shot. The directive has yielded some results, but has obviously hit a plateau.
Again, the LAW is not about 'changing attitudes' that's the job of priests, polititians, writers/artists, campaigners etc etc - the 'change' has already been made amongst the European Community, hence the Bird Directive which Malta agreed to when signing up to the EU
Maybe it's time for the carrot and stick approach, and get to the core issues, and what we could do to make them stop, and permanently change attitudes.
We have 'carrot and stick' already - the carrot is Malta's economic/social and political benefits as a Member State of the EU and the 'stick' is penalisation if they refuse to comply with its CONDITIONS.
I ve no doubt there are some who will carry on regardless, there always are
Yes, there will always be repeat offenders of any crime - what normally happens is that they are incarcerated so they don't inflict their damage on the wider community.
, but for so many to have this resentment is not good for anyone. They are humans like us, they do not see hunting as wrong, they must be treated with some respect. Some must think that the rights of birds are being made more important than their human rights to do what they 'enjoy'. Why should every country in the world be tipped into the same way of thinking, our way of thinking.
Some vague and idealistic notions of human rights/morality/inverted imperialism is irrelevant and armchair hyperbole.
Stay focused. We are talking about illegal hunting. Maltese hunters are breaking EU Law and Malta is failing to address it.
It is their home, not ours, the point Im constantly trying to make is that they are there with the birds, we are not,
Wrong. Malta is in the European Union. As far as the Law is concerned and who must abide by it, it's a shared home. Oh, presumably if you've been a birder for 20 years, you'd realise we are actually with the birds they are shooting illegally - just not at the same time of year.
we cant police the whole island all the time
No. We can't. That's the job of the Maltese authorities.
, as long as they are unhappy, birds will die.
If they are only happy when disobeying laws they've agreed to and/or shooting discriminately at everything that flies over them, they need THERAPY imo.
Maybe its time for people to stop being so idealistic and face up to the fact we may have to change tactics, for long term action.
Agreed. Either Malta complies by EU law by investing in the necessary infrastructure/policing/wildlife crime teams/shows political will to obey the Directive (ie. does far far more to control illegal hunting) - or they should suffer the political and legal consequences of failing to abide by EU Law.
What ever action has been taken over 30 years is simply not working
Not true. Word of mouth from the ground (Adin) and from BL agencies is that some inroads have been made in Malta. The Birds Directive is working in most countries, who've at least provided a lot more resources and infrastructure to implement the Directive (although still away to go with regard to habitat protection/natura 2000 etc but there is progress even there). Perhaps you missed my earlier point on the previous page where I mentioned the need for international regimes (and compliance!) to address global environmental issues, but implementation and obeyance of the Birds Directive is crucial for protecting both endemic and migrating birds. Derogation from key areas in the Directive, does not work for the protection of listed birds under the Directive and is counter to the ethos and objectives of the Legislation. (see my earlier link 2 posts previous). Malta's attempt to drive a coach and horses through one of the most critically important pieces of environmental legislation to come out of Europe in recent years and their failure to control better illegal hunting on their sovereign territory in direct contravention of EU Law is a blatant disregard for the EU itself as well as it's fellow MS who do comply with the laws.
The EU is being too soft. If it were human rights abuses, Malta would have been kicked out of the community by now.