Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1115758
13 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 12 MAY 2019 Speaking last year on the 70th anniversary of the Na- kba, Vella dubbed the contin- ued occupation of Palestine by Israel as a case of "ethnic suppression… if not ethnic cleansing." It is hard to expect anybody raising an eyebrow on Malta's participation in the Eurovi- sion in Israel, as the musical spectacular is an annual event of note for Maltese audiences. An exception comes from Iceland, where the techno/ punk and anti-capitalist band Hatari – which will be partici- pating in the ESC – has used this opportunity to condemn Israeli policies. After visiting the Palestinian city of Hebron, frontman Mattias Haraldsson denounced the Israeli regime. "Apartheid was so clear in Hebron," he said, challenging Israeli Prime Minister Benja- min Netanyahu to a "friendly match of traditional Icelandic trouser grip wrestling". "We still believe that we can bring this critical conversa- tion or make awareness of the situation here with our mes- sage and with our agenda- setting powers and hopefully we will make awareness to the world through Eurovision," Haraldsson said. "The group is very conflicted about being here, in this con- test. But I feel as participants we have the power to address the absurdity really of hav- ing a contest like this, which is a beautiful thing – and it's founded in the spirit of unity and peace – but hosting it in a country that's scarred by con- flict and disunity." Still, since any explicit politi- cal statements on stage are for- bidden by the European Broad- casting Union, it is doubtful whether Hatari will be able to take their protest to the stage. Roger Waters, the former Pink Floyd frontman, was one of the most vocal advocates for a cultural boycott of Israel, call- ing on the artists participating in 2019 Eurovision in Tel Aviv to boycott the event over Is- rael's treatment of Palestinians. In an open letter addressed to the 41 finalists of the pres- tigious song competition, pub- lished on his Instagram ac- count, the 75-year-old Roger Waters wrote that Israel was an Apartheid regime, responsible for ethnic cleansing of Palestin- ian communities. Palestinian artists also called on ESC contestants to boycott the international music com- petition. The Gaza Strip-based Palestinian Artists Association said on Wednesday that Israel is using the event to "perpetu- ate oppression, promote in- justice or whitewash a brutal apartheid regime", holding a sit-in outside the EU's Gaza of- fice. jdebono@mediatoday.com.mt NEWS It is hard to expect anybody raising an eyebrow on Malta's participation in the Eurovision in Israel, as the musical spectacular is an annual event of note for Maltese audiences Top of the pops: Malta's Eurovision hopeful Michela Pace Righting wrongs: One man sets out to fight parental alienation LAURA CALLEJA AT 45, Anthony Cauchi (pictured, right) can speak candidly of the damaging effect of parental alienation, a relatively unacknowledged phenom- enon affecting parents separated from their chil- dren. His 21-year-old son, from his first marriage, lives in Australia. Now dedicating himself full-time to the organ- isation Happy Parenting for Happier Children, which he founded, Cauchi knows all too well that this type of abuse not only affects the mind, but also the heart. "Parental alienation is a practice where one or both parents going through or recently having experienced a bitter separation freely express negative emotions and opinions about the other parent with their child. "On occasions it leads the alienating parent to coach the child as a witness to false accusations and criminal reports. Alienating parents try to do their best through such tactics, to reduce the time the child spends with the targeted parent to a minimum both in terms of quality and quantity, in hopes of weakening the other parental bond," Cauchi says. The majority of victims who suffer parental al- ienation are men, he says. "Around 80% of victims are men, however around 20% of women, are also affected. It isn't gender specific, it could happen to anyone. The reason why the majority are men is because the local system is still constructed to favour giving custody to the mother," he says, referring to the legal system governing marital separations. "The 'alienating parent' is more likely to have full custody of the child, which gives them power and control," he says. Cauchi says certain foreign courts have recog- nised parental alienation as a form of child abuse with long-term effects and severe outcomes for the child. Countries such as Brazil and Mexico, have enacted parental alienation as a criminal of- fence. Others have looked into suspending child support in cases where parental alienation occurs. In the United States, courts have tried to address the situation through mandated re-unification therapy. "It involves the child and the targeted par- ent as they attend a four-day therapy session with an expert in parental alienation. The child also needs to be removed from the alienating parent for a minimum of 90 days so that the bond that has been broken between the targeted parent and child can begin to heal," he says. "We need more experts, not just general clinical psychologists, but psychologists trained in paren- tal alienation to not just identify the situation, but work with the targeted parent and child to restore the bond that was broken." The time spent away from the alienated parent often leads the child to think the targeted parent no longer wants them. "The alienating parent of- ten makes the child feel as though the targeted parent is dangerous, that they don't love them or aren't available for them to spend time with." Cauchi's NGO, Happy Parenting Malta, wants to change a prevailing mentality and give men the right to be just as pro-active in their children's life as mothers. "Men need to take a more pro-active role in their children's lives. Children need both parents in order to thrive, and studies have shown that children who grow up with an absent parent are more likely to underperform academically, ex- perience teen pregnancy, and suffer from mental health issues further down the line." The group is pushing for the courts to favour co- parenting custody agreements over single custody agreements whenever this is possible. "Parents who co-parent are less likely to experience conflict, and that translates into a happier child," Cauchi said. "It allows for both parents to be in control and take responsibility and minimise the risk of parental alienation developing. Parents should create a schedule that puts their child's emotional and psychological development first." EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND LOCAL COUNCIL ELECTIONS – 25TH MAY, 2019 Persons who have not yet received their voting document/s The Electoral Commission notifies voters that they may call personally at their Local Police Station to collect their voting document/s by showing their Identity or Residence Card as follows: Saturday 11th until Friday 17th May: 8.00 a.m. until 1.00 p.m. and 3.00 p.m. until 9.00 p.m. Saturday 18th May: 8.00 a.m. until 10.00 p.m. Sunday 19th May: 8.00 a.m. until 1.00 p.m. In the locality of St. Paul's Bay voting documents shall be collected from the Qawra Police Station. In the locality of Marsaskala voting documents shall be collected from St Joachim's Primary School. In the localities of Bormla, Fontana, Għasri, Iklin, Lija, Marsaxlokk, Pembroke and Ta' Xbiex, voting documents shall be collected from the Local Council Office during the same days and hours. NOTICE BY THE ELECTORAL COMMISSION www.electoral.gov.mt