Wednesday, 6 April, 2022 is the 3rd anniversary of Lassana Cisse’s brutal murder. Such acts of violence have to be remembered, not forgotten or silenced. Several organisations are standing in front of the Law Courts today in solidarity with our sisters and brothers who continue to face violence just because they are black. The Maltese community is standing together with the black community against any form of racism and acts of violence.

This was a terrorist attack meant to instil terror in our own community. The two AFM soldiers who allegedly shot Lassana probably did so because they thought they could get away with it. Their self-confidence was fuelled by years of political rhetoric which suggests that foreigners may be treated as inferior people.

It is of the utmost importance that we recognise Lassana’s brutal murder as the climax of the systemic and institutionalised racism which affects our society at every level, including: the courts, the military, health care services, employment, housing, and education. We are also concerned at reports of racial profiling conducted by the police. Foreigners are routinely face discrimination in most of their dealings with Maltese society.

All this does not happen in a vacuum. For far too many years, political discourse has fanned the flames of racial prejudice, while others have condoned discrimination by their silence. It is important for the Government to stress that racism and prejudice will not be tolerated. Only then will we start seeing real change in the public and private sectors. The urgency of the problem requires Prime Minister Robert Abela to be aware of the messages his Government is disseminating. It is his responsibility to use his authority to exert positive influence and lead by example. We urge him to foster a nation where Maltese people and foreigners may live peacefully side by side, irrespective of religion, nationality and/or skin colour.

We are also appalled that, three years after his death, Lassana’s body has not yet been returned to his family in Ivory Coast. It is truly shocking that the authorities aggravate the trauma his family are experiencing by denying them the possiblity of laying Lassana’s body to rest and bidding him farewell. We strongly urge the authorities to return his body immediately and let the family get closure.

Organisations endorsing this commemoration:

1. aditus foundation
2. African Media Association Malta
3. Alleanza Kontra l-Faqar
4. Allied Rainbow Communities
5. Anti-Poverty Forum Malta
6. Association for Justice, Equality and Peace
7. Blue Door English
8. Caritas Malta
9. Dar Hosea
10. Department for Inclusion and Access to Education, UOM
11. Drachma LGBTI and Drachma Parents
12. Maltese Association of Social Workers
13. Men Against Violence
14. Fondazzjoni Sebħ
15. Humanists Malta
16. Integra Foundation
17. JRS
18. Kopin
19. LGBTI+ Gozo
20. Malta House of Prayer
21. Malta LGBTIQ Rights Movement (MGRM)
22. Marie Louise Coleiro Preca
23. Migrant Women Association Malta
24. Moviment Graffitti
25. Repubblika
26. Richmond Foundation
27. SOS Malta
28. St Jeanne Antide Foundation
29. Sudanese Community Malta
30. The Critical Institute
31. The Daphne Caruana Galizia Foundation
32. The ElHiblu3 campaign
33. The Good shepherd Sisters – Dar Merhba Bik Foundation
34. The Justice and Peace Commission
35. The Paulo Freire Institute Foundation

Il-qtil brutali ta’ Lassana Cisse kien ir-riżultat ta’ snin ta’ razziżmu sistemiku u istituzzjonalizzat

L-Erbgħa, 6 t’April, 2022 huwa t-tielet anniversarju tal-qtil brutali ta’ Lassana Cisse. Atti ta’ vjolenza bħal dan iridu jiġu mfakkra, mhux minsijin jew imsikktin. Ħafna organizzazjonijiet qegħdin quddiem il-qrati tal-ġustizzja llum b’solidarjetà ma ħutna li għadhom jaffaċċjaw il-vjolenza sempliċiment għax huma suwed. Il-komunità Maltija qegħda hawn flimkien mal-komunità tal-immigranti biex tikkundanna kull forma ta’ razziżmu u att ta’ vjolenza.

Dan kien attakk terrorista li kellu l-għan li jġib it-terrur fostna. Iż-żewġ suldati tal-Forzi Armati ta’ Malta li allegatament sparaw fuq Lassana, x’aktarx għamlu hekk għax ħasbu li se jeħilsuha ħafif, mingħajr ma jkun hemm konsegwenzi. Dan l-aġir kien aġevolat mir-retorika politika li tagħti l-impressjoni li l-barranin jistgħu jiġu trattati bħala nies inferjuri.

Huwa importanti ħafna li nagħrfu il-qtil brutali ta’ Lassana bħala l-quċċata tar-razziżmu sistematiku u istituzzjonalizzat li qed jaffettwa lis-soċjetà tagħna fuq kull livell, inkluż fil-qrati tagħna, fil-militar, sistema tas-saħħa, fl-impjieg, fl-edukazzjoni, jew biex issibu post diċenti fejn joqogħdu. Ninsabu mħassba wkoll dwar rapporti ta’ profili razzjali li saru mill-pulizija. Il-barranin qed jiffaċċjaw diskriminazzjoni ta’ rutina fil-biċċa l-kbira tat-trattamenti tagħhom mas-soċjetà Maltija.

Dan kollu jseħħ f’kuntest. Id-diskors politiku ilu jifrex il-fjammi tal-preġudizzji razzisti għal żmien twil, filwaqt li oħrajn aċċettaw id-diskriminazzjoni għax baqgħu siekta. Jeħtieġ li l-Gvern jagħti messaġġ ċar li r-razziżmu u l-preġudizzju mhumiex se jkunu tollerati. B’hekk biss nistgħu nibdew naraw bidla veru kemm fis-servizzi pubbliċi u f’dawk privati. Il-Prim Ministru Robert Abela nimmaġinaw li jaf x’tip ta’ messaġġi qed jintbagħtu lill-pubbliku. Hija r-responsabbiltà tiegħu li juża l-pożizzjoni ta’ poter li għandu biex jinfluenza lill-poplu b’mod pożittiv u li jmexxi bl-eżempju billi juri li l-Maltin u l-barranin jistgħu jgħixu fil-paċi flimkien, fejn xulxin, hi x’inhi r-reliġjon, in-nazzjonalità u/jew il-kulur tal-ġilda tagħhom.

Aħna ninstabu wkoll verament diżgustati li tliet snin wara mewtu, il-ġisem ta’ Lassana Cisse għadu ma tħalliex jintbagħat lura għand il-familja tiegħu il-Kosta tal-Ivorju. Hija xokkanti kif l-awtoritajiet ikomplu jġibu s-sitwazzjoni ta’ familtu mill-ħażin għall-agħar minħabba li baqgħu ma jistgħux jidfnu lil Lassana u jsellmulu għall-aħħar darba. Għalhekk qegħdin insejħu lill-awtoritajiet biex jirritornaw il-ġisem ta’ Lassana bla dewmien biex b’hekk il-familja tiegħu tkun tista’ b’xi mod tagħlaq dan l-episodju ikraħ.

Organizzazjonijiet li qed jappoġjaw:

1. aditus foundation
2. African Media Association Malta
3. Alleanza Kontra l-Faqar
4. Allied Rainbow Communities
5. Anti-Poverty Forum Malta
6. Association for Justice, Equality and Peace
7. Blue Door English
8. Caritas Malta
9. Dar Hosea
10. Department for Inclusion and Access to Education, UOM
11. Drachma LGBTI and Drachma Parents
12. Maltese Association of Social Workers
13. Men Against Violence
14. Fondazzjoni Sebħ
15. Humanists Malta
16. Integra Foundation
17. JRS
18. Kopin
19. LGBTI+ Gozo
20. Malta House of Prayer
21. Malta LGBTIQ Rights Movement (MGRM)
22. Marie Louise Coleiro Preca
23. Migrant Women Association Malta
24. Moviment Graffitti
25. Repubblika
26. Richmond Foundation
27. SOS Malta
28. St Jeanne Antide Foundation
29. Sudanese Community Malta
30. The Critical Institute
31. The Daphne Caruana Galizia Foundation
32. The ElHiblu3 campaign
33. The Good shepherd Sisters – Dar Merhba Bik Foundation
34. The Justice and Peace Commission
35. The Paulo Freire Institute Foundation