Caruana Galizia’s assassination hasn’t changed anything

Two years since the heinous murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia, the conditions leading to her assassination have not changed.

We feel that, since that fateful day in October 2017, not only has there been a concerted effort to minimise the shock and importance of this murder, but as fresh stories in the media confirm, the authorities’ subservience to business interests, legitimate and otherwise, makes businessmen feel safe in taking the initiative to commission murders to silence the fourth pillar. Moviment Graffitti believes that the systematic lack of enforcement in everything from financial services to construction, via tourism and health and safety, is a direct result of porous authorities led by rubber jollies whose only mission is to facilitate business interests. This has allowed a number of individuals with criminal interests to obtain even more confidence, if not total control of, the island.

We believe that the black economy and corruption have been staples of the Maltese economy for decades if not centuries, aided and abetted by weak authorities who have never stepped up to take serious action on dirty money entering the country and ending up in real estate, gaming, financial services, energy and catering. Malta scores poorly when it comes to Anti-Money Laundering (AML) policies, and this is not a coincidence. Hardworking Maltese citizens and taxpayers deserve better than to live in a tax haven for criminals and magnates, both Maltese and foreign, while the authorities have no interest in plugging these leaks. It appears that only Deutsche Bank’s withdrawal from the island, and not the murder of a journalist, wife, and mother, could serve as a wakeup call of sorts.

Moviment Graffitti reiterates its belief that the system, including in no small part that of party financing, is rotten to the core, and built around a system of kickbacks and hidden monies entering the economy. One wonders how much of this money has been blessed by the Planning Authority, to be transformed into hideous “developments” which will blight this island forever. One wonders what action has been taken about the smuggling of fuel off our coast, and how much of this fuel has made it into the system. We feel that politicians who have looked the other way (if not outright participated in all this) as well as their appointees cannot be exonerated from these faults, and just like Caruana Galizia’s murder, this is a stain for which they are all responsible. 

In the meantime, we are observing law enforcement, with some notable exceptions, showing an incredible zeal at maintaining order only when it comes to the weak; justice is only served with its full brunt if it involves migrants or homeless people. No such effort is made when it comes to protecting rape victims, defending victims of domestic violence, investigating corruption or putting an end to money laundering. 

Never in Maltese history has it been so important for the media to operate freely. While we believe that, on paper, Malta has a decent framework to support freedom of expression, we are shocked at the intimidation of journalists not only by the authorities but also by members of the business establishment, lobbies, rival journalistic outlets and other interested parties. It seems that, even here, Caruana Galizia’s murder has taught us little, except for the fact that fear is the best agent of the status quo.

Finally, Caruana Galizia’s murder is a stark reminder of how bipartisan politics have stifled debate in this country, turning a deeply heinous crime into a political tit for tat. We are appalled at the authorities’ inability to rise above hatred by resorting to tactics such as vandalising a simple memorial, and at the dangerous narratives and underhanded tactics used by other parties in the issue. This tactic of dividing the Maltese from each other is a wonderful opportunity for dirty hands to do the devil’s work in silence.

Two years ago we attended a protest in Sliema under the banner saying “PLPN Dirty Money.” Not only has Caruana Galizia’s murder not sobered the country into much-needed soul searching, but that dirty money has only made the dark hands of the system safer and confident to the point of arrogance. The family, and the whole country, deserve closure, and a serious effort to tackle the ills that have brought us here.

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Għaddew Sentejn, u d-Diska Baqgħet ma Nbidlitx

L-assassinju ta’ Caruana Galizia ma bidel xejn

Sentejn wara l-qtil brutali ta’ Daphne Caruana Galizia, il-kundizzjonijiet li wasslu għall-assassinju tagħha għadhom ma nbidlux.

Sa minn dak il-jum ikrah f’Ottubru 2017, mhux biss sar sforz meqjus sabiex jitnaqqsu x-xokk u l-importanza ta’ dan l-omiċidju, iżda kif juru stejjer riċenti fil-midja, is-servilità tal-awtoritajiet lejn l-interessi kummerċjali, leġittimi u mhux, wasslu sabiex xi negozjant iħossu sikur biżżejjed li jordna l-assassinju ta’ ġurnalista.

Il-Moviment Graffitti jemmen li n-nuqqas sistematiku ta’ infurzar fl-oqsma kollha – mis-servizzi finanzjarji għall-kostruzzjoni, it-turiżmu u s-saħħa u s-sigurtà – huwa riżultat dirett ta’ awtoritajiet tat-tafal immexxija minn pupi tal-lasktu li għandhom biss il-funzjoni jiffaċilitaw l-interessi kummerċjali. Dan ippermetta numru ta’ interessi kriminali jieħdu aktar kunfidenza, jekk mhux il-kontroll tal-gżira.

Aħna nemmnu li l-ekonomija sewda u l-korruzzjoni kienu ewlenin għall-ekonomija Maltija għal deċennji, jekk mhux għal sekli, u ġiet iffaċilitata minn awtoritajiet dgħajfin li qatt ma kellhom ix-xewqa jieħdu azzjoni serja fuq il-flejjes maħmuġin li qed jidħlu f’pajjiżna u li qed jispiċċaw, fost oħrajn, fis-suq tal-immobbli, il-gaming, is-servizzi finanzjarji, l-enerġija, u l-catering. Malta għandha skor fqir ħafna fl-implimentazzjoni tal-politiki Kontra il-Ħasil tal-Flus (AML) u din ma tistax tkun koinċidenza. Il-poplu Malti li jaħdem, jistinka u jħallas it-taxxi ħaqqu aħjar milli jgħix f’tax haven għas-sinjuruni u l-kriminali, kemm Maltin kif ukoll barranin, filwaqt li l-awtoritajiet ma għandhom ebda interess jindirizzaw din is-sitwazzjoni. Jidher li huwa biss it-tluq tad-Deutsche Bank mill-gżejjer, u mhux l-assassinju ta’ ġurnalista, mara, u omm, li se jwassal sabiex l-awtoritajiet jiftħu għajnejhom.

Il-Moviment Graffitti jtenni t-twemmin tiegħu li s-sistema, b’mod speċjali dik tal-finanzjament tal-partiti, hija kompletament imnawra u mibnija madwar sistema ta’ korruzzjoni u flus moħbija li qegħdin jidħlu fl-ekonomija tagħna. Wieħed jistaqsi ruħu kemm minn dawn il-flejjes ingħataw il-barka tal-PA biex jiġu ttrasformati fi “żviluppi” orrendi li se jkerrhu din il-ġżira għal dejjem. Wieħed jistaqsi ruħu x’azzjoni ttieħdet dwar it-traffikar tal-fjuwil ftit barra mill-kosta ta’ pajjiżna, u kemm minn dak il-fjuwil spiċċa fis-sistema tagħna. Inħossu li dawk il-politiċi u n-nies maħtura minnhom li dawru wiċċhom in-naħa l-oħra (jekk mhux saħansitra pparteċipaw f’dan kollu) ma jistgħux jiġu eżonerati mir-responsabbiltà ta’ dawn l-għeltijiet. Bħall-qtil ta’ Caruana Galizia dawn huma tbajja’ koroh fuq pajjiżna, u huma lkoll responsabbli. 

Fil-frattemp, rajna kif il-forzi tal-liġi, b’xi eċċezzjonijiet notevoli, juru żelu li ma jitwemminx għaż-żamma tal-ordni; iżda biss fejn jidħlu d-dgħajfa. Il-ġustizzja tissentenzja bil-qawwa kollha tagħha biss meta hemm involuti l-immigranti u persuni bla saqaf fuq rashom. Ma naraw ebda sforz simili fejn jidħlu l-vittmi ta’ stupru, il-vittmi tal-vjolenza domestika, l-investigazzjoni tal-korruzzjoni jew it-tmiem tal-ħasil tal-flus. 

Qatt fl-istorja ta’ Malta ma kien daqshekk importanti li l-midja titħalla topera liberament. Filwaqt li nemmnu li, fuq il-karta, Malta għandha libertà tal-espressjoni diċenti, ninsabu xxukkjati bl-intimidazzjoni tal-ġurnalisti mhux biss mill-awtoritajiet iżda wkoll minn membri tal-komunità tan-negozjanti, lobbies, stabbilimenti ġurnalistiċi rivali u partijiet interessati oħrajn. Anke hawnhekk jidher li l-assassinju ta’ Caruana Galizia ma għallimna xejn, ħlief għall-fatt li l-biża’ hija l-aqwa aġent tal-istatus quo.

Fl-aħħar nett, il-qtil ta’ Caruana Galizia hija tifkira ta’ kemm għamlet ħsara s-sistema ta’ żewġ partiti lid-diskussjoni u d-dibattitu f’dan il-pajjiż, fejn saħansitra omiċidju tal-waħx bħal dan iddawwar f’ballun politiku. Il-Moviment Graffitti huwa xxukkjat bil-mod kif l-awtoritajiet ma kinux kapaċi jinsew il-mibegħda partiġġjana u kellhom jużaw tattiki bħall-vandaliżmu ta’ sempliċi memorjal, u min-narrattivi perikolużi u tattiki maħmuġin użati minn partijiet oħrajn. L-istrateġija ta’ firda fost il-Maltin hija opportunità brillanti sabiex l-idejn moħbija jagħmlu ħidmet ix-xitan fis-silenzju.

Bħal dan iż-żmien sentejn morna protesta f’tas-Sliema b’banner bil-kitba “PLPN Dirty Money.”  Mhux biss il-qtil ta’ Caruana Galizia ma wassalx dan il-pajjiż għal riflessjoni tant meħtieġa, iżda dak l-istess “dirty money” wassal biex l-idejn moħbija tas-sistema jħossuhom iktar sikuri u kunfidenti għall-punt li jkunu arroganti. Il-familja ta’ Caruana Galizia, u l-pajjiż kollu, jistħoqqilhom il-verità kollha, kif ukoll sforz sabiex jiġu indirizzati l-ħtjiet li ġabuna f’dan il-punt.