Your Excellency,
We have welcomed your invitation to this conference on national unity warmly. We’ve welcomed it without stubbornness and obstinacy, because as a group that has been working for social justice in many areas over the last 27 years, the experiences we have had in recent years have shown us the need this country has to find this national unity.
We will not define what national unity means for us, but neither have we come here to call for unity between the two great tribes of our country, because we believe, as recent parliamentary debates have shown, that there is far more unity between these two rivals than we think.
The unity between these two colours is an amalgamation of extra-political interests with large sums of money; interests that work tirelessly and speedily against our stated goal, namely social justice.
We have appreciated, in recent months, your interventions where you refer to the natural resources of our country, and the need to preserve these for us and for future generations.
And in fact, when we take into account the pressure on these natural resources, such as the land and coast, air and greenery, sources of light, and food, pressure that comes largely from the entanglement of politics and money, we cannot but call for national unity against greed, theft, corruption and bullying that go hand in hand against the interests of citizens and their peace of mind, in the form of property speculation, relentless construction of farm roads, strange land concessions, and a sick planning process for which there is no hope of a vaccine.
It is national unity, Your Excellency, that needs to come from the citizens, and not from politicians, guilty of betraying those who trusted them with their votes and their hopes over and over again.
And in fact, in addition to a national union against the exploitation of our natural resources, we would also like to see the beginning of a national union against a natural resource that is all too often forgotten: the workers.
The numbers show that Malta is doing little to help the wage situation of its workers, and is consistently at the bottom of the rankings when it comes to the minimum wage and health and safety at work.
This, against a background of ongoing deaths at construction sites, the abuse of food consignors through shameful conditions, and the importation of foreign workers to be exploited in a race to the bottom.
The lawyers of the national unity between the two parties will boast about how they both agreed not to introduce a European threshold for the minimum wage, because the thousands of workers in our country who would benefit from this threshold are not as important as the interests we referred to earlier.
We are pleased that three broadcasters have been selected to sit at the big table of this conference; because while a debate is underway on the closure of propaganda stations guilty of the division between the masses but not between the classes, we believe that the Public Broadcasting Station should really represent its citizens, especially those who have long shed their loyalty to politics.
Society is much wider than politics, but broadcasting does not make space for civil society, as it consistently relegates it to a few minutes a week, when these organisations, which are for the most part free from political interference, have a lot to say about the challenges facing our country.
It is also true that opposition to the party duopoly, to a system that exploits the downtrodden, to sacrificing our quality of life on the altar of growth, must come from civil society, given that the parties decided to collude against the people.
We also cannot help but criticise the sensationalist and worse, malicious broadcasting. Too often we read headlines on the state news site written in a racist and accusatory tone towards foreigners; a very ugly sign from an institution, that of broadcasting, which is supposed to bring national unity through its information and education services.
However, it seems that now broadcasting is perpetuating a narrative based on discrimination, thus beginning to shape a national unity against a non-existent enemy.
For many years, political parties have shown little interest in reforming obsolete laws or laws which should never have been written in the first place, especially those that penalize women for crimes which they have not committed. In this regard, the Council of Europe also spoke very clearly last year, and had hard words for the Maltese justice system with regard to domestic violence and the abuse of women.
It is a great pity that even here, the parties do not find time for a little unity to introduce not cosmetic reforms before elections, but to begin the process to change outdated mentalities and destroy the institutionalised sexism that exists in the country.
And having said that, we have to express our dismay at the alliances, or alignments, between your Presidency and right-wing conservative groups that say they are pro-life, but have a clear interest in oppressing that of others, especially of those who are not like them.
While we remain, as we have always been during these 27 years, in favour of the choice of woman on her own body, we will not succumb to the attempts of disgust, personal attacks and pressures from this lobby, another group of brokers of hatred and discrimination.
Our group understands that it is sometimes guilty of an aggressive tone when it comes to some of the issues we deal with. We do this because we have reached a stage where this is the only way to make your voice heard through the cacophony of propaganda, advertisements, and low-brow entertainment.
It would have been more convenient for us as people if we had remained silent in the face of all that is going on around us, if we had done nothing and waited for the axe to fall on the fields in Burmarrad, Dingli and Mrieħel, and on thousands of acres of agricultural land in our country.
It would have been more comfortable for us not to say anything about the system that killed Miriam Pace and Sarjo Konteh, and to let those who donate to charity to come out as saints. It would have been more convenient for us not to talk about building projects that are just a manifestation of the greed and narcissism of fat cats, or against the repeated abuse of laws by those who gained power without an election.
We do what we do because we believe in a just society where everyone works for the good of others, and where everyone is truly equal before the law. A society where there really is unity.
There are people in this room who hate the word ‘equal’ for many reasons. And it is precisely these individuals, dominant in many areas of our society, who will continue to hold our country back from national unity; as long as they continue to buy power to be stronger than the will of the people, these are the enemies who will continue to divide or unite us according to their needs, using politics as a tool of comfort.
While we thank you once again for this conference, we are leaving here in the hope that a debate will begin on a different national unity, free from politics, coming from the people to the people, and ready to unite against the erosion of our quality of life.
Yours respectfully,
Moviment Graffitti
Ilqajna l-istedina tiegħek għal din il-konferenza dwar l-għaqda nazzjonali b’entużjażmu. Ilqajnieha mingħajr ċiniżmu u tisbit tas-saqajn, għax bħala grupp li ilu jaħdem għall-ġustizzja soċjali f’bosta oqsma tul dawn l-aħħar 27 sena, l-esperjenzi li ġarrabna f’dawn is-snin urewna l-ħtieġa li għandu dan il-pajjiż li jsib din l-għaqda nazzjonali.
Mhux se noqogħdu niddefinixxu x’inhi l-għaqda nazzjonali għalina, iżda ma ġejniex hawnhekk biex nitolbu għaqda bejn iż-żewġ tribujiet il-kbar ta’ pajjiżna; għax nemmnu, kif juru dibattiti parlamentari riċenti, li hemm ferm iżjed għaqda bejn dawn iż-żewġ rivali milli nistgħu naħsbu.
L-għaqda bejn dawn iż-żewġ kuluri hija riżultat tal-amalgamazzjoni ta’ interessi extra-politiċi ma’ flejjes kbar: interessi li jaħdmu bla heda u b’veloċità qawwija kontra l-għan dikjarat tagħna, appuntu l-ġustizzja soċjali.
Apprezzajna, fix-xhur li għaddew, l-interventi tiegħek fejn tirreferi għar-riżorsi naturali ta’ pajjiżna, u l-bżonn li jiġu ppreżervati għalina u għall-ġenerazzjonijiet ta’ warajna.
Hija l-għaqda nazzjonali, Eċċellenza, li jeħtieġ tiġi miċ-ċittadini u mhux mill-politiċi, ħatja għal wisq u wisq drabi ta’ tradiment lejn dawk li fdawhom bil-vot u bit-tamiet tagħhom.
U filfatt nixtiequ wkoll li minbarra għaqda nazzjonali kontra l-isfruttament tar-riżorsi naturali, naraw il-bidu ta’ għaqda nazzjonali kontra l-isfruttament ta’ riżorsa spiss minsija ta’ pajjiżna: il-ħaddiema.
In-numri juru li Malta ftit li xejn qed tgħin is-sitwazzjoni salarjali tal-ħaddiema tagħha, u konsistentament tinsab fil-qiegħ tal-klassifika fejn jidħlu l-paga minima u s-saħħa u s-sigurtà fuq il-post tax-xogħol.
Dan, fi sfond fejn ikomplu għaddejjin l-imwiet fis-siti ta’ kostruzzjoni, l-abbuż tal-konsenjaturi tal-ikel permezz ta’ kundizzjonijiet tal-mistħija, u l-importazzjoni ta’ ħaddiema barranin sabiex jiġu sfruttati f’tellieqa lejn il-qiegħ.
L-avukati tal-għaqda nazzjonali bejn iż-żewġ partiti ser jiftaħru kif it-tnejn li huma ftiehmu sabiex ma jintroduċux soll Ewropew għall-paga minima, għaliex l-eluf ta’ ħaddiema f’pajjiżna li setgħu jibbenefikaw minn dan is-soll mhuwiex importanti daqs l-interessi li rreferejna għalihom iżjed kmieni.
Nieħdu gost li ntagħżlu tliet xandara fuq il-mejda l-kbira ta’ din il-konferenza; għaliex, filwaqt li għaddej dibattitu dwar l-għeluq tal-istazzjonijiet propagandistiċi ħatja tal-firda bejn il-mases iżda mhux bejn il-klassijiet, aħna nemmnu li x-Xandir Nazzjonali għandu tassew jirrappreżenta liċ-ċittadini tiegħu, speċjalment dawk li ilhom li neżgħu l-lealtà tagħhom lejn il-politika.
Is-soċjetà hija iżjed wiesgħa mill-politika, iżda x-xandir ma jagħmilx wisgħa lis-soċjetà ċivili, billi jibqa’ konsistentement jirrelegaha għal ftit minuti fil-ġimgħa meta dawn l-għaqdiet, fil-partijiet maġġuri tagħhom ħielsa minn kull indħil politiku, għandhom ħafna xi jgħidu dwar l-isfidi ta’ pajjiżna.
Huwa minnu wkoll li l-oppożizzjoni għad-duopolju tal-partiti, għal sistema li tisfrutta lil min qiegħed isfel nett, għas-sagrifiċċju tal-kwalità tal-ħajja tagħna fuq l-artal tat-tkabbir, trid tiġi mis-soċjetà ċivili ġaladarba l-partiti ddeċidew li jiftiehmu kontra l-poplu.
Ma nistgħux ma nikkritikawx ukoll ix-xandir sensazzjonalist u agħar minn hekk, dak malizzjuż. Wisq spiss naqraw titli tas-sit tal-aħbarijiet tal-Istat miktuba b’ton razzist u akkużatorju fil-konfront ta’ barranin; sinjal ikrah ħafna minn istituzzjoni, dik tax-xandir, li suppost iġġib l-għaqda nazzjonali permezz tas-servizzi tagħha ta’ informazzjoni u edukazzjoni.
Madankollu, jidher li x-xandir issa qed jipperpetwa narrativa bbażata fuq id-diskriminazzjoni, biex b’hekk jibda jsawwar għaqda nazzjonali kontra għadu li ma jeżistix.
Għal ħafna snin, il-partiti politiċi wrew ftit li xejn interess li jirriformaw liġijiet skaduti jew li qatt ma kellhom jinkitbu, speċjalment dawk li jippenalizzaw lin-nisa ta’ reati li ma wettqux. F’dan ir-rigward, tkellem biċ-ċar anke l-Kunsill tal-Ewropa s-sena l-oħra, li kellu kliem tqil għas-sistema tal-ġustizzja Maltija fir-rigward tal-vjolenza domestika u l-abbuż fuq in-nisa.
Hija ħasra kbira li mqar hawnhekk il-partiti ma jsibux ħin għal ftit għaqda sabiex idaħħlu mhux riformi kożmetiċi qabel elezzjoni, iżda jibdew il-proċess sabiex jitbiddlu l-mentalitajiet antikwati u jinqered is-sessiżmu istituzzjonalizzat li hawn fil-pajjiż.
U wara li għedna dan, ikollna nuru d-dispjaċir tagħna għall-alleanzi, jew sintoniji, bejn il-Presidenza tiegħek u gruppi konservattivi tal-lemin li jgħidu li huma favur il-ħajja, iżda għandhom l-interess ċar li jgħakksu dik ta’ ħaddieħor, speċjalment ta’ dawk li mhumiex bħalhom.
Filwaqt li nibqgħu, kif dejjem konna tul dawn is-27 sena, favur l-għażla tal-mara fuq ġisimha stess, m’aħniex se nċedu għall-attentati ta’ stmerrija, l-attakki personali, u l-pressjonijiet minn taħt ta’ din il-lobby, sensara oħra tal-mibegħda u d-diskriminazzjoni.
Il-grupp tagħna jifhem li huwa ħati ta’ ton aggressiv fejn jidħlu wħud mill-kwistjonijiet li nittrattaw. Nagħmlu dan għax wasalna fi stadju fejn dan huwa l-uniku mod biex issemma leħnek minn ġo kakofonija ta’ propaganda, riklamar u intratteniment ta’ kalibru baxx.
Kien ikun iżjed konvenjenti għalina bħala persuni kieku qgħadna siekta quddiem dan kollu li naraw għaddej quddiemna u madwarna, kieku ma għamilna xejn u stennejna l-mażżra taqa’ fuq l-għelieqi f’Burmarrad, Ħad Dingli u l-Imrieħel, u fuq eluf ta’ tmiem ta’ raba’ agrikolu f’pajjiżna.
Kien ikun iżjed komdu għalina ma ngħidu xejn dwar is-sistema li qatlet lil Miriam Pace u lil Sarjo Konteh, u nħallu lil min jagħti d-donazzjonijiet lill-karità joħroġ ta’ qaddis. Kien ikun iżjed komdu għalina ma nitkellmux dwar proġetti ta’ bini li huma biss frott ir-regħba u n-narċiżiżmu tal-kbar, jew kontra l-abbuż ripetut tal-liġijiet minn dawk li kisbu poter bla elezzjoni.
Nagħmlu li nagħmlu għax nemmnu f’soċjetà ġusta fejn kulħadd jaħdem għat-tajjeb ta’ ħaddieħor, u fejn kulħadd huwa tassew indaqs quddiem il-liġi. Soċjetà fejn tassew hemm l-għaqda.
Hawn min f’din il-kamra jistkerrah il-kelma “indaqs”, għal bosta raġunijiet. U huma eżattament dawn l-individwi, dominanti f’ħafna oqsma tas-soċjetà tagħna, li se jibqgħu jżommu lil pajjiżna lura mill-għaqda nazzjonali; sakemm jibqgħu jixtru l-poter biex ikunu b’saħħithom iżjed mir-rieda tal-poplu, dawn huma l-għedewwa li se jibqgħu jifirduna jew jgħaqqduna skont il-bżonnijiet tagħhom, bl-użu tal-politika bħala għodda ta’ kumdità.
Filwaqt li nirringrazzjawk darb’oħra għal din il-konferenza, se nitilqu minn hawn bit-tama li jibda mqar dibattitu dwar għaqda nazzjonali differenti, ħielsa mill-politika, li ġejja mill-poplu għall-poplu, u li lesta tingħaqad kontra t-tnaqqir tal-kwalità tal-ħajja tagħna.
Dejjem Tiegħek,
