As the country recoiled in horror at the news disseminated a week ago that the perpetrators of the Hal Far murder of Lassana Cisse Souleymane were actually members of our own armed forces, as we sat aghast reading court transcripts of went on during the two young soldiers’ compilation of evidence this week, many of us searched for some kind of collective responsibility for the atrocity, the country’s first racially-motivated murder.
Much has been said about AFM recruitment processes, the collapse of the rule of law in the disciplined forces after they were depopulated and repopulated with ‘yes men’ of a certain political stripe. Much more, in fact, remains to be said of Malta’s first racist murder and its first attempted mass murder.
We do not use the words ‘mass murder’ lightly, nor for trivial effect. We use the phrase because that is exactly what has been attempted in Hal Far with the murder of Lassana Cisse Souleymane, the attempted murder by the same firearm of Ibrahim Bah and Mohammed Jallow, and the attempted hit-and-run murder of a Chadian migrant who was left grievously injured.
We use the term because people need to fully appreciate what, exactly, has been perpetrated on our soil. The textbook definition of ‘mass murder’ is the act of murdering a number of people, typically simultaneously or over a relatively short period of time and in close geographic proximity. The United States’ Federal Bureau of Investigation defines ‘mass murder’ as murdering four or more people during an event with no ‘cooling-off period’ between the murders.
The Hal Far rampages seem to fit the bill as far as attempted mass murder goes, save for, perhaps, the two-month ‘cooling off’ period between the hit-and-run and the triple shooting. But, then again, who knows what other deeds may have been committed in the interim.
It is important to establish that this was an attempted mass murder in order to establish that it was also an attempted racist mass murder and only then, once we have reached this point of departure, can we begin the collective national soul-searching exercise that needs to be undertaken.
And so far we appear to be failing at that. This is because while there is not much we can do now for Lassana, except to ensure that justice is fully served for his cold-blooded slaying, we sure could be doing more for Ibrahim and Mohammed and the sorry state that they have found themselves in after coming to Malta because they thought it was a safe country, only to have been shot by our own soldiers and practically left by the wayside.
It is understood that the police have been providing for them and that they have been given shelter at a place which will not be disclosed at the moment as the men have been traumatised and fear for their lives. Their health requirements are being seen to and the authorities are working on getting their papers back in order after being thrown in a lurch by their shooting.
But we need to do more. There are two other victims who are still alive and who are not necessarily getting all the help that we are able to offer.
It is now a week since we learned the truth of what happened in Hal Far on the night of 6 April, and it has now been a week since the Prime Minister took the callously stage-managed decision to parade a palpably black Maltese girl on stage during his Sunday political activity, a move that impressed few on the left, right or centre.
Not only that, but it has now been seven weeks since the Hal Far shooting and the two people who were shot in cold blood but survived are not exactly experiencing the best of the famed Maltese hospitality.
We are, frankly, surprised that people are not banging on their door to shower these two souls with assistance of any and every kind to help them get back on their feet – not only are we a generous people, but we are also a responsible and humane people.
We need to show our humanity, we need to stretch out our hands and our hearts to these people. Where are the GoFundMe accounts and why has no one, apart from certain NGOs, lifted a finger?
SOS Malta, for one, has set up an appeal for funds to assist the victims of the shooting and we strongly encourage readers to donate. Alternatively, if people are looking for ways in which to help but are at a loss, they may feel free to contact our offices and we will direct them accordingly.
What we want to see is the people themselves, individuals, pitching in to the cause. We know full well where the NGOs stand on such issues, but what we need is a show of force from the public that such actions will not be tolerated in our land.
And in so doing, we will also show that while we give no quarter to racism and racist sentiments, every quarter possible will be given to decency, respect and love for one another.
That is, after, all, who we really need to be as a nation.