A new book researched by historian Mark Camilleri will reveal for the first time hitherto unknown documents related to events leading to Freedom Day. The book?Jum il-Helsien: Il-mixja lejn il-31 ta’ Marzu tal-1979 (Freedom Day: The road leading to 31 March 1979)?is packed with information backed by documents freshly unearthed from the British national archives in London and the Labour Party’s internal archives at Hamrun.
It reveals new facts about what made Mintoff’s undertakings during the sixties and seventies at all possible. It is the big picture which the author invites the readers to attend to.
Nonetheless, in so doing the book brings new historic material out in the light, advancing to the fore the significant role played by many an activist within the Labour Party and within the General Workers’ Union in the momentious events leading to the British departure from Malta on 31 March 1979. The book also discloses for the first time documents shedding new light on the legendary Labour meeting in Gozo of May 1961, on the extensive foreign connections forged by the Labour Party while in opposition during the sixties, Che Guevara’s 1964 reference to Malta’s anti-colonial struggle, Mintoff’s correspondence with Bertrand Russel, and more.
Perhaps, however, Mark Camilleri’s most weighty question asked throughout the book in relation to the road leading up to Freedom Day is this: Freedom from what? What, exactly, had been freed of, if anything, thoughout the whole toil and trouble taken during the sixties and seventies? Is Freedom Day, after all, really what it avows to be?
Amongst the many photographs included, the book will also contain photographs taken in London and Rome by international news agencies following the Labour Victory of 1971 between Prime Minister Mintoff, Lord Carrington, NATO General Secretary Joseph Luns, Italian Prime Minister Emilio Colombo and Foreign Minister Aldo Moro.
Other photographs relate to Freedom Day which have never been shared before. Kept away for thirty-five years, these unseen photographs record the real episodes that unfolded on the night of 31 March 1979 in Birgu showing unseen Prime Minister Mintoff and Colonel Muammar Gaddafi on Freedom Monument who came to Malta for the occasion. Other photographs relate to the last farewell given to HMS London on 01 April 1979 by thousands of Maltese gathered on the Grand Harbour’s fortifications. These photographs have been professionally restored to their original brilliances, and will now be part of this significant publication.
The book will be issued by SKS (Sensiela Kotba Socjalisti) and officially launched by the Prime Minister, Dr Joseph Muscat, on March 24 at Auberge de Castille, to mark the 35th anniversary of Freedom Day.
Jum il-Helsien: Il-mixja lejn il-31 ta’ Marzu tal-1979 will be on sale at all major bookstores.