In the 1950s and 1960s, difficult as it may seem to us parents now, hundreds of Maltese children (not orphans as I had previously thought) were sent to Australia to be educated by the so called Christian Brothers. Instead, these children were exploited, made to work for 14 hours a day, suffered terrible emotional and sometimes sexual abuse, and generally received no education at all. But more about their ordeal later.

This group of children, now adults, who suffered so abominably, are asking that Malta commemorates their plight with the following proposed wording inscribed on a plaque:

“This plaque commemorates the 310 child migrants who travelled to Australia in search of a better life between 1950 and 1965

We respect their achievements. We rejoice in their success. We regret any unintended consequences of child migration.”

They're not asking for much are they? It’s hardly asking us to go down on bended knee in shame for the crimes of our predecessors. Why do we find it so easy to praise ourselves but never to say sorry? This county is littered with plaques of various politicians opening up this, that and the other with our taxes. This country is littered with plaques, statuettes and God knows what else celebrating the achievements of our political classes and their sycophants. As a country we delight in composing self-congratulatory prose and text. Why is it so difficult to commemorate real suffering and sacrifice? Why is it so difficult for both the Church and the State to make an apology on behalf of their predecessors? None of the people involved are in power now so there should be no reluctance at all in this matter! But then this is a country where the freezing of two fused cells in a test tube creates more, or as much, moral outrage as children allegedly being abused by priests in Church homes, by millions of children starving to death in Africa, or any of the real problems children face here and elsewhere.

In fact, the terrible experiences of these Maltese child slaves deserve a little more than a plaque. In Australia last December, they unveiled a life size bronze statue of a little boy and girl to serve as a reminder of their experiences. The Australian government was reluctant to recognise their plight too. In fact these child migrants got together in 1996 and took the Australian government to court. The Church fought back arguing it had nothing to do with these Christian Brothers who committed this abuse.

Amazing when you know who these Christian Brothers are! They are actually an international religious congregation of the Catholic Church. They are still around, number around 2000 and have their headquarters in Rome. There is no way the Church should have washed its hands, but then we know from very bitter experience of the last years that the Church's first concern when dealing with cases of child abuse (in the US for example) has been more about putting on a brave face and sweeping problems under the carpet by moving abusers from one diocese to another, than actually defrocking these monsters and simply handing them over to the civil authorities for trial as should happen in this day and age. Why a child abuser who is a priest should be treated any differently than any other, is something beyond my and any normal person’s understanding.

But then this is a country where one person is prepared to state publicly that those who have an abortion, for whatever reason, are worse than paedophiles, because the paedophile could be sick and can be treated (!) and the woman who has the abortion is just the worst sort of monster – unlike the paedophile of course! Are Norman Lowell's ideas really the most offensive things being said in a growing fundamentalist Malta?

But back to these former child slaves. Having lost the first court case, these people fought back and approached the Australian Senate, who of course did find the Christian Brothers guilty of failing in their duty of care. The British and Irish governments then took into on themselves to help these adults who had suffered such terrible childhoods. But so far no help has been forthcoming here, not even getting going with this miserable plaque!

Joseph Azzopardi was one of these children who also bravely, I think, publicised his battle by taking it to the Australian Senate, and who is waiting and pushing for something to happen here. I find it incredible that the Church and even the government should try to ignore or deny history by not recognising this suffering. After all the Church has now come out and apologised, in a way, for its interference in political affairs hasn’t it? Even our former PM apologised if he had ever hurt anyone before the EU elections? Why oh why can’t they apologise to these former children whose lives they made a living hell?

Mr Azzopardi said in an interview with The Times: “The Church should accept facts and should also be present for the unveiling of the plaque with a public apology and some recognition.” I mean it’s so dignified and isn’t it so little to ask for?

The only bit of this whole sorry story that gave me hope was Mr Azzopardi's courage. He endured so much emotional abuse and physical hardship but when they tried to sexually abuse him he broke a chair on one of these brothers. He was only 14 at the time and the beating he got nearly killed him.

Mr Azzopardi is alive to tell the tale. He is alive to tell us that blind acceptance of anything, be it what politicians say, or what the Church does, is wrong and just plain stupid.

If the Church, as an institution of course (not the amazing number of wonderful individuals who give up so much to really help others), can't find it in its heart to do it, let us all as a nation apologise to Mr Azzopardi and so many others for their childhood, lost to slavery and abuse.

It’s the least a civilised democracy can do...