Horizons Publications has just published Il-Kmandament Numru Ħdax - ħobb lill-ħolqien (Commandment Number Eleven - love mother nature) by Paul P. Borg. The book is beautifully illustrated by Frank Schembri.
The novel deals with the environmental problems and malpractices that Malta has been plagued with, and the great neglect and frequently willful damage that natural sites have had to suffer. Mosè is a young man who is convinced that he has been ordered by the Almighty to defend the natural environment all around the island. He is sure that he has been divinely proclaimed to avenge himself of environmental transgressions, irrespective of who perpetrates them. He is also unmindful or unaware of the cruel consequences of his violent reactions.
Mosè is troubled by the fact that out of the Ten Commandments, not a single one is explicitly aimed at the defence of Mother Nature. He is certain God did not mean it to be that way, and stubbornly embarks on mostly quixotic adventures to make up for human environmental interventions. He endeavours to stop projects and actions harming the environment. To Mosè revenge as a violent action is not unlike the soldier who kills fearlessly in action fighting against the enemy who wants to take his land.
Mosè sets out to avenge himself of the death of Toni, an old peasant whom he loved and who was found dead in the cliffs. He is sure that Toni's death has to do with the presence of bull-dozers and construction machinery that destroyed the fields and uproothed many old trees.
Mosè comes face to face with countless situations during his adventures, like burnt carob trees and wild thyme destroyed in unexpected places, illegal buildings on the garigues, innocent babies trying to escape death by abortion, and many others. The author does not fail to expand his imagination to defend not only the countryside but indeed society itself as well as flora and fauna proclaiming their right to coexist on the same globe. The protagonist consequently embarks on adventures that face an indifferent and apathetic society in a crazy reaction, equivalent to society's own insensitiveness. Although his reactions to save the environment in whatever circumstances that he encounters are fearless and not impulsive, he is never satisfied and finds himself at odds with himself and the very methods which he uses.
Borg uses the publication as a celebration auguring well to the apparent new awareness in favour of the natural environment locally and all around the globe probably triggered not only by the State but by the Church authorities and the Pope's Laudato sii. The author insists that the value called "love of Mother Nature" must be a sine qua non in whatever project requiring even the slight change to Mother Nature.