Who forgets or ignores the past is condemned to live it again. Years back ex-Labour Prime Minister Dom Mintoff addressed his party faithful and, with clinched fists and a violent tone, declared that “if this is not enough, we will arm all our supporters”. Those were the days when threats, violence and mob rule were out of control. Labour’s battle cry was “Those who are not with us are against us” (Min mhux magħna, kontra tagħna).
Amongst the thuggery, I vividly visualise the ransacking and burning of PN clubs, the fracas at the Archbishop’s Curia (opposite the Police HQ), the siege at Eddie Fenech Adami’s residence (in the vicinity of a police station) when his family was terrorised and the use of tear gas during PN demonstrations (remember tal-Barrani?).
I cannot forget the Labour mob, in a violent orgy, savagely but unsuccessfully intimidated the press, gutting the “Times of Malta” building (opposite the well-guarded Office of the Prime Minister). The destruction of the building, of office equipment and printing machinery and terrorising the employees strengthened the resolve of the press and the Maltese.
PN stands for democracy
Strongly determined and courageously, the Nationalist Party with Eddie Fenech Adami, Guido de Marco and Louis Galea in the forefront, led the Maltese to regain liberty and democracy which were in a free fall. PN’s 1987 electoral victory restored democracy and freedom of expression including that of the press. The PN, now led by Simon Busuttil, is always is there in defence of freedom and democracy.
I hoped that the seventies and eighties, a despicable period for Malta, would never return. I prayed that our children would never experience the terror years we passed through when Labour severely threatened our country’s freedom and democracy. I never imagined that 30 years later freedom and democracy would be threatened again and the PN would have to again lead the masses in protest.
Labour never changes
So far, physical violence, the order of the day during the seventies and the eighties, has been a thing of the past. However, vote Labour, get Labour! During the twenty-two month spell of Alfred Sant’s Labour administration between 1996 and 1998, Sant’s battle cry was “an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth”. When Joseph Muscat’s Labour won the 2013 elections, stormy clouds started looming. Muscat’s Labour is a wolf in sheep’s clothing. A kind of violence different from the physical one used in the seventies and the eighties is being resorted to.
Some within Muscat’s Labour are moving the clock back. Their words and actions show that the mentality of the seventies and the eighties runs in their veins. Labour does not change notwithstanding false claims by Muscat that Labour offers the hand of friendship.
Muscat promised those who do not agree with Labour can still work with Labour. Honeyed words will no longer deceive us. The previous battle cry, “who is not with us is against us”, is in Labour’s DNA. Freedom of expression, including journalists and the press, seems to be on Labour’s agenda. Muscat’s Labour does not accept criticism.
Muscat and Labour refer to the Nationalist Opposition as negative whenever it criticises Labour. In a free and democratic country, Labour is also attacking the right and duty of journalists and the press who expose Labour wrong-doings, scandals or unbecoming behaviour.
Shortly after the March 2013 elections Minister George Vella in Parliament requested that the media should somehow be controlled. However, when criticised, he gave a different interpretation to his words.
Glenn Bedingfield, a person of Muscat’s trust in the Office of the Prime Minister, paid from our taxes, regularly attacks vehemently whoever expresses an opinion against Labour (journalists and the press included) or who does not pay tribute to Labour. Joseph Muscat who claims to be “the champion of democracy”, does not bat an eyelid, signifying approval.
Chris Cardona’s “axe”
Minister Chris Cardona, now Labour’s Deputy Leader, addressing Labour’s general meeting on 10 April 2016 rekindled memories of the seventies and eighties. Meant for Labour’s political adversaries, Cardona declared “if you hit us with a dagger, we will hit you with an axe and I would not be bothered to be the first to use it”. Cardona’s inciting words, reminiscent of the violent threats of the years of darkness, received a tumultous applause and a standing ovation.
Such words uttered by a Minister deserved condemnation but were not even vaguely censored by Joseph Muscat, indicating that Muscat’s Labour tolerates provocation.
8 February 2017: Chris Cardona produced the axe mentioned by him and was the first one to use it. Cardona (together with his Policy Officer) threatened freedom of expression when requesting the Court to issue four precautionary warrants against Daphne Caruana Galizia totalling €47,460 representing damages which the Court could possibly grant Cardona and his Policy Officer in civil suits filed against her.
This is a serious and dangerous precedent which can be used to intimidate and gag the press. On the national TV station, Cardona confirmed that Joseph Muscat was aware of the warrants. Being aware of Cardona’s request to the Courts and not stopping it makes Muscat an accomplice.
No to press gagging
Cardona’s unprecedented attack aimed at Caruana Galizia is an intimidatory warning to all journalists. It has no place in a free and democratic society. It is an attack which alarms those who believe in freedom of expression. It is an attack on democracy. We shall not tolerate it and will stand up to be counted.
Apart from Chris Cardona, at least another two in Muscat’s administration, seem to favour gagging of the press notwithstanding Muscat’s claiming his government “guarantees freedom of expression”.
Konrad Mizzi, through his lawyer, last year requested the Court to order a journalist divulge her source of information which request was turned down.
Recently, Deborah Schembri wrote that “Laws should be enacted to safeguard politicians from uncalled for intrusions into their private and sexual lives”. Does Schembri consider exposing a government minister’s unbecoming behaviour as “uncalled for intrusion”?
Intimidation, instilling fear or intending to gag the press must be resisted. They are carried out by who is in the wrong or has something to hide. In a democratic society, the freedom of the press must always be guaranteed. Journalists, backed by those who cherish democracy, are united in combating the threats confronting them and the press.
We shall overcome
In 1950 ex-Labour leader and ex-Prime Minister Paul Boffa said “If the day comes when unscrupulous men occupy the seats of our Parliament, Malta will need valiant and honourable patriots to prevent the country from its certain ruin”. Very prophetic words!
In unity there is strength and the Maltese are united against threats to freedom of expression and of the press – the fourth pillar of democracy. They are threats to democracy. United behind the PN as in the seventies and the eighties, we shall defend freedom and democracy which are sliding rapidly downhill. We shall not allow anyone trample over or abuse our right to freedom of expression including freedom of the press. Unity is power.
We stand in defence of democracy. Our country is calling us again. No one knows where the axe will fall next. A nation united in the name of freedom of expression and democracy will never allow Chris Cardona’s axe to undermine, reduce or threaten to eliminate press freedom in Malta. Free speech and the pen are mightier than Cardona’s axe. Cardona’s abusive action will not frighten us. It will strengthen our resolve against repression as the determined thousands of Maltese showed when they flooded Valletta in respose to the PN’s call. We shall not be silenced. We shall overcome.
I shall keep exposing and criticising the obscenities, scandals and unbecoming behaviour taking place under Joseph Muscat’s administration. I will defend the democratic right of freedom of expression. I shall not be silenced. I stand for liberty and democracy. I stood up to be counted in the seventies and the eighties. I will stand up again.