We must not let the 16th of October come and go without commemorating and marking the far-reaching significance of the day. It will be the sixth anniversary of Daphne Caruana Galizia’s brutal assassination. While there should be no doubt that hers was a political assassination, my commentary here is intended to be an apolitical one.
She paid the highest possible price for exposing the all-pervasive tentacles of corruption in her native country. After years of being known for her blog and running commentary series, she suddenly shot to international fame and became synonymous with the Panama Papers revelations. She played her part, too, in revealing the political corruption and connivance by the government in keeping Pilatus Bank protected in Malta. She was the one to bring to light the dirty diesel fuel smuggling that had been going on for a number of years.
Suffice it to point out that on the day she died, no fewer than 47 individuals had opened libel suits against her. From a legal and juridical point of view, libel suits are intended to serve as a judicial remedy for anyone feeling that his or her reputation has been tarnished by allegations written by third parties, especially bloggers and journalists. Yet, undoubtedly again, much of the content that was at the basis of those libel suits eventually turned out to be quite close to the whole truth.
She became the nemesis of all those living in corruption, sleaze, conflict of interest situations, abuse and misuse of office, criminality, and other circumstances that could never pay homage to the tenets of the rule of law. She became associated with the phrase that she herself coined: "Crooks are everywhere'.
On the day she was murdered, her amazing journalistic potential was snuffed out by that single barbaric act. An act that left so many friends without their confidante. Malta was left without a tireless advocate and activist, while her husband and her offspring were left without the love of their lives, the woman they were planning to grow old with.
Although months after her assassination and the ensuing public inquiry that found the State much responsible for her murder, the noose started tightening around most of those she worked so hard to bring to justice, undoubtedly, again, there are still a few, perhaps even more responsible and guilty of criminal wrongdoing than those already convicted, who are still on the loose.
This cannot stand; Daphne's death must not be in vain because her life was a shining light in everyone else's life, and her legacy will live on in the life that she has left behind. This murder demonstrates all too starkly that when corrupt politicians and officials, their criminal lackeys, and all those thriving on impunity bring violence and hatred into the community, members of the public are placed in severe danger. It is abundantly clear that they do not care who they harm.
It was a horrendous act; it was unnecessary, it was uncalled for, and it was totally unjustified. But not only was it the murder of a young woman, it was also an attack on the people of this country. Her martyrdom served as an eye-opener for anyone wanting to understand that we cannot allow those who want to propagate violence, fear, and hate to drag us back to the past.
We must never forget how Daphne had become the target of increasing threats and harassment, how strangers and sinister individuals had been spying on her whereabouts and commuting to and from the peaceful surroundings of her Bidnija residence, and the arson committed on her property before she was finally murdered.
That tragedy in October of six years ago marked a new level of violence for Malta. It was the first time a journalist had been murdered in the country. As ordinary, law-abiding citizens, we cannot continue to turn a blind eye to the aftermath of that tragedy simply because we are on the other side of a fence. We cannot leave it up to questionable institutions to do full justice to all those directly and indirectly responsible. Malta today is an uncertain state where no one can tell where the conniving and criminal activities end and the government begins. Pressure from the international community continues to feel necessary.
In recalling the horror of the machinations to wipe out Daphne’s journalistic weaponry, there is a small consolation in knowing that the work of journalists still matters. She would not have gotten killed for it if it had not. On that fatal afternoon six years ago, Daphne sacrificed herself on the altar of truth and justice.
Lastly, to all investigative journalists in Malta, your work is more important now than ever. It instills fear in the corrupt politicians, officials, and individuals you expose. You may be afraid, but they are afraid of you too.
Dr Mark Said is a lawyer