Few things have marked Malta and our society more profoundly in the past decade than the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia.
This was not any murder. This was the assassination of a prominent and controversial journalist who was singularly known for her crusade against government corruption, under the then disgraced prime minister, Joseph Muscat.
The question whether Daphne was right is settled beyond reasonable doubt. Muscat is facing unprecedented criminal prosecution on one of the corruption scandals that she exposed. No doubt, other charges are likely to flow from others.
But meanwhile, Daphne lies in a grave, and that horrific reality is as unbearable and unforgiveable today as it was seven years ago.
In 2021, a public inquiry concluded that the Maltese state was responsible for her assassination.
It is the extraordinary gravity of this conclusion of state responsibility that best explains why Daphne’s assassination has so deeply wounded our society and, with it, our democracy. If our own state, no less, was responsible for the murder of one of us, where does that leave us in our relationship with our own state?
No wonder, therefore, that the wound is still open, bleeding the very soul of our society out of life. Which is why, no matter how many years go by, Daphne’s murder will never be laid to rest until our society finds a path towards healing.
That is the question that faces us today: how can our society ever heal and recover from the mortal wound inflicted on us collectively by Daphne’s assassination?
No matter what each of us may think about Daphne or about what happened and why, no matter our political shades, we all have a responsibility to contribute to this healing process.
Firstly, that responsibility is incumbent on the government, starting with our prime minister, Robert Abela, on whose watch the public inquiry delivered its findings already three years ago.
As primus inter pares, the prime minister needs to find it in himself to lead by example to start the process of healing our broken society. Has he ever considered his responsibility in this regard?
Has the prime minister ever considered a small gesture of atonement, such as by visiting the site of Daphne’s assassination or by placing flowers at her memorial, where even royalty knelt in respect just days ago?
Has the prime minister considered making a heartfelt public statement that clearly expresses, on behalf of his government and of his political party, an expression of regret, apology and forgiveness to the family and to the nation?
The prime minister needs to find it in himself to lead by example to start the process of healing our broken society- Simon Busuttil
Has he considered using today’s anniversary as an opportunity to embark, once and for all, on the full implementation of the recommendations of the public inquiry, starting with those on media freedom and with releasing his iron grip on public institutions that prevents them from functioning independently, especially the police and the attorney general?
Secondly, our justice system and all those working in it must deliver justice for Daphne without further delay. Why are the trials of those accused with her murder or with having contributed to it, still stuck in the wheels of justice? Is it not obvious that until justice is done and is seen to be done, the healing process can never start?
Thirdly, if the state was found responsible for Daphne’s assassination, why is it that no one has stood up to carry political responsibility on behalf of the state? Who is politically responsible for the state, if not the party in government, the Labour Party? What internal process of discernment has the Labour Party undertaken to come to terms with its political responsibility for this dark chapter in our country’s history? What has it done to contribute towards the healing process? Is it not about time that it starts coming to terms with its responsibility?
Finally, the process also needs the support of all of us, including those of us who have militated against corruption and against this government.
We are all part of our society and we all have a role to play, no matter how big or small, and we must be open to welcome and support, even the smallest gestures towards this healing process.
Seven years ago today Daphne wrote her last words: “the situation is desperate…”
Her words bestow on us all a huge responsibility to address the root causes of that desperate situation and the festering consequences of Daphne’s assassination. Only then can we heal our wounded nation.
Simon Busuttil was leader of the opposition until October 9, 2017, one week before Daphne’s assassination.