Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1237083
I have to ask myself why Maltese and Gozitans can be full of hate, loathing and fear when the issue of migration goes to the top of the national agenda. I cannot understand why they continue to believe asylum seek- ers are a threat, when there is nothing to confirm their jobs or livelihood is theatened by their presence. Muscat's economic boom would not have taken off where it not for foreign workers filling the growing demand for labour, at both ends of the work- force, skilled and unskilled. Now this week, the NGO Re- pubblika launched three judicial actions: the first protest called on justice minister Edward Zammit Lewis to allow them to review proposed legislative changes to judicial reforms before he des- patches them to the Council of Europe's Venice Commission. The second, criminal complaint called on the police to investigate the Army and Prime Minister in- to an incident in which the AFM is alleged to have sabotaged a mi- grant boat; and which later the survivors returned to Libya with five dead and seven missing. And finally a request to the European Court of Human Rights in Stras- bourg to force Malta and Italy to rescue migrants who find them- selves in difficulty at sea. Arguably there is nothing wrong with all these demands. But there is one problem. And that lies in the make-up of Re- pubblika, what it represents, and what it means for Labour when this civil society grouping at- tempts an opportunistic grab at dictating terms. Repubblika is made up by ren- egades of the Nationalist Party who resent Adrian Delia's lead- ership, but whose agenda is driv- en by an instinctive dislike of all things Labour. Their actions this week certainly coincide with the sizeable view that Malta's hard- line stand on migrants (surely not unique in the European sphere of things) is wrong. But with the likes of Austin Gatt's former right-hand man Manuel Delia or one-time PN-appointed ambas- sador Vicki Ann Cremona, it is no surprise that their intentions come into question straight away (especially given that they are actively aided by shadow justice minister Jason Azzopardi). For what the pundits will ask is where their voice was made heard between 2002 and 2008 when at the height of the mi- grant crisis then, these two fig- ures were conspicously silent; when critics, in the pages of this newspaper itself, were taking on the far-right. Nobody back then seemed inclined to challenge the illegal detention of migrants embraced by the Gonzi admin- istration. The racism at the time was such that it catalysed arson attacks on journalists' property – the undersigned being one of them – and those who worked with migrants. So now that Repubblbika has refused to take on both the gov- ernment or the PN on the elec- toral front, their presumed le- gitimacy to counter the present administration under the guise of a civil society group will al- ways put them on the defensive. The Labour government instru- mentalised what it perceived to be a self-serving attempt at dead-legging the administration in the time of a pandemic, on an issue which Repubblika lacks both history or legitimacy to up- hold. That's a pity of course, because the justified human rights issues a lot of us are deeply concern about seemed to have been hi- jacked by the fanatical self-right- eousness of politicians like Jason Azzopardi, and of the Repubbli- ka activists who believe that they can dictate the game-plan (the fact that in the same week they demanded to vet government ju- dicial reforms before the Venice Commission sees them, was a case in point). Having said this, the Cabinet press conference on Friday night to coincide with the 8 o'clock news was a dangerous overreac- tion from Robert Abela. As the whole Cabinet stood be- hind the PM, with ministers not respecting the required social distancing, and, I believe, finance minister Edward Scicluna look- ing particularly uneasy, Abela was gaining political points while losing his moral high ground. Politically it was a walkover, be- cause Abela spoke to the vast majority of Maltese people who given a choice would scuttle the migrant rescue boats to send back all refugees to the cruel and criminal militias in war-torn Lib- ya. Abela made mincemeat of Ja- son Azzopardi, a favourite bête- noire of Labour, who spearheaed the judicial protests while PN leader Adrian Delia attempted to score points with the Maltese Army and the Brigadier with an unprecedented visit to army HQ. Ironically, he was accompanied by Beppe Fenech Adami, hands tucked in his pocket and un- comfortable in the presence of Brigadier Jeffrey Curmi: Fenech Adami's first press conference in his newly-minted Opposition role in 2013 was to protest the promotion of Curmi and others to higher ranks. But… and a big but… in gaining visible political mileage Abela renounced on a very important moral responsibility. In 2006, the level of hatred spouted against those who stood up for migrants was unprecedented, with politi- cans from both sides doing noth- ing to quell the loathing and xen- ophobic comments. In 2006, the homes of journalists including mine and that of Daphne Carua- na Galizia, were attacked. Those arson attacks were carried out by people who had links to the dis- ciplined forces. The weak response from Tonio Borg and Lawrence Gonzi did nothing to subdue the racist at- tacks. Prime Minister Robert Abela can decide to impose a govern- ment policy that blocks Maltese ports for migrants and reactivate an illegal pushback policy. That is his prerogative and finally gov- ernment policy, but the voice of the media and many others, which is also the voice of reason and decency, has to be safeguard- ed. The thousands of ordinary citi- zens, workers and professionals, academics and NGOs, left-wing- ers, social-Christian activists and liberal minds who might not represent the masses but the voice of reason, compassion and solidarity cannot be the target of extemists and violence. On this Abela needs to take re- sponsibility. He needs to hit out at the ex- tremes. He cannot look the oth- er way when people like Alfred Grixti, a political dinosaur dating back to the days of Dennis Sam- mut, and runs the government's social welfare agency talk from their ass about scuttling migrant rescue boats; or when Glenn Bedingfield equates all critics of government on migration as trai- tors and comparing them to the Maltese fascists in WWII. As Europe abandons its social conscience and breaks apart, los- ing its soul and looking inwards, we are all alone. We have nothing to look up to. We have to set our own standards. And by the looks of it, our non-existent standards are there for all to see. Surely Repubblika cannot fill the void of those who point a fin- ger to Robert Abela. We need to come together – people of good will, conscientious journalists and activists, academics and even politicians, who have the guts to stand up to the bipartisan con- sensus in the name of the moral question. In the middle of a pandemic, the true colour and character of people surface: it's the idea of survival, nationhood and self-preservation. But in times like these we need words of wis- dom, guidance and direction. Robert Abela has an obligation to be a mentor to his followers. He cannot simply whet the appetite of this ugly subconscience in the Maltese psyche. 5 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 19 APRIL 2020 OPINION Saviour Balzan @saviourbalzan We must set the standard, not give oxygen to this xenophobia