Do we care?
Tunisia? Wasn't that a cheapie shopping destination so much in fashion with the Maltese in the pre-budget airline days?
Egypt? Pyramids, river Nile and to my peers, the Aswan High Dam, a topic that appeared in a geography textbook.
Two countries, both neighbours in a sea which was once our domain. Today, not only have we forgotten how to swim in it but we just manage to keep afloat with the lifesaving ring thrown to us by MV Europe.
So do we care that:
- people we share this water with are trying to free themselves from that anchor of dictatorship that has weighed them down for decades?
- too many innocent lives are being sacrificed so that the pharaohs of today keep on luxuriating in golden splendor?
- maybe, just maybe, what happens across the lake might have a ripple effect on us?
In our majority, not.
The only public manifestation was today's press conference given by Moviment Graffitti outside the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Valletta. A near deserted street, except for the odd worker scurrying home, showed the extent of our solidarity. At least the police did send two of its members as token support.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JsiDQ1ySjG0
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xgknvjWq7Hw
Here is the text of the press release:
Moviment Graffitti states that: “What is happening today, is a historical moment. Ruthless dictators who have for years been governing these countries are seeing their power being threatened, and this is not a result of a cue de’ etat or foreign military intervention; but the direct result of a civilian call of the people who have gone down by the millions to the streets collectively requesting for the resignation of those who have undemocratically ruled over them.
In Tunisia, Ben Ali escaped, however the Tunesian people are still struggling with those in government to resign from their powers. It was a well known fact that Ben Ali and those close to him benefited greatly from his position, while the large majority of the people lived in poverty. Furthermore, Ben Ali strongly restrained political liberty in the country. In his 25 years of governance, hundreds of people who used to oppose his regime, were tortured and unjustly imprisoned. The successful story of the Tunesian people, who along with those of Algeria, were ones of the first to rise up against the leaders of their country, was a strong inspiration to the other nations in the region. In fact, this confrontation inspired the people of Jordan, Yemen and Egypt to follow suit. At the moment, Egypt is characterised by huge protests, which have also resulted in a number of civilian mortalities, calling for the removal of Hosni Mubarak, who similarly to Ben Ali has retained power for a number of years, and has restrained political freedom and social justice.
Moviment Graffitti sustains that: “The courage of these people transpires from the fact that they did
not receive any support against these dictators, since most countries in the Western World aligned with the dictators rather than with the struggle for more democracy. This has been taking place for a long number of years, throughout which these dictators have recieved financial, political and even military assistance, thanks to their alliance with the United States and other European countries. In fact, the leaders of Egypt, Algiers, Yemen, and Jordan are all considered “close friends” of the Western world. In view of this, one cannot but help asking; “Why do we only hear against dictators who are not allied to the West, but hear nothing against these dictatos in North Africa and Middle East? One asks, how come the military tanks that are present in the streets of Egypt to disperse the crowds are all produced in the United States? And how come France, up to days prior to the departure of Ben Ali had offered him police assistance? It was only now, when it was clearly evident that the era of these dictators is finally coming to an end, that Western countries are voicing some arguments in favour of the need for more democratic change in North Africa and Middle East.”
Moviment Graffitti states that: “Another scandalous issue also concerns Malta’s reaction to these developments. As a nation, which is geographically close to these countries, it not only did not voice itself on these developments, but had to the last moment continued to support the dictators. In these last days, the Foreign Affairs Minsiter, Tonio Borg stated that he would not be commenting on what was taking place in this region, since he wanted to endorse the consolidated European position. However, in the initial days of the protests in Tunesia, which had already related a number of mortalities, Malta was one of the countries which bonded with the European Union to issue a mild position towards Ben Ali. One also needs to make reference to the fact that Malta is one of the main sponsor of financial assistance to another dictator in North Africa; Muammar Ghaddafi. Another shameful situation relates to the Labour Party’s reacion to the issue, where instead of expressing solidarity with those people who are risking their lives for liberty and social justice, declared that Malta should take advantage and profit from this situation, by marketing the tourist industry. Can it really be possible that Maltese politics has ended in such a pathetic state of affairs?”
In contrast and opposition to this cowardly and opportunistic behaviour, we would like to express our admiration towards these people who are going down to the streets, risking their lives to pave the way for the creation of a more politically and economically just system. We believe that the courage of these people should serve an inspiration to all of us!
and political support to the dictators in North Africa and Middle East.finanical and Jordan, who are presently fighting for democracy, liberty and social justice. On the other hand, the movement would like to denounce and criticise Malta’s and other European countries and the United States’ reaction to these development, which countries have for a long time been providing Jemen is today expressing its full support and solidarity with the people of Algiers, Egypt, Tunisia, Graffitti Moviment
