On January 27, the world marked the International Day of Commemoration in memory of the victims of the Holocaust. It is only by understanding the process that turned these normal persons into monsters in the eyes of society that hate may be confronted. It is important to understand the tactics that were used to isolate these victims before turning them into victims.
The roots of the Holocaust, before the victims were actually deported, were acts of hate: actions motivated by bias or prejudice towards a person or a group of people. But the important question here is: how was this bias created and nurtured? In the first place, these victims were isolated, stigmatised and blamed for anything that went wrong in the country. They were made out to be enemies of the state; consequently, their elimination was not seen and acknowledged for what it was: mass murder.
In Malta, thank God, we have never experienced anything similar. Yet, acts of hate have left their victims in this country, which made it much easier to have them murdered. Lassana Cisse was senselessly killed because our education has failed to drive deep into our heads that no person is inferior but that we are all equal, whatever our ideology, beliefs or skin colour.
Hate tactics nurtured the complex web of scheming and corruption that led to Daphne Caruana Galizia’s assassination; it was carefully cultivated during her lifetime in order to isolate and demonise her.
As a consequence, part of the population was not unduly shocked when her dogs were killed, when her house was almost set on fire. She was further demonised in the satirical sketches on Is-saħħara tal-Bidnija – and the hate speech which this encouraged, where she was called puttana and bidwija (as if bidwija is an insult, instead of a noble labour thanks to which we actually have much of the food we eat).
Acts of hate have left their victims in this country, which made it mucheasier to have them murdered
Even worse, the hate generated led Żurrieq Labour mayor and others to feel justified to insensitively and disgustingly organise a ħanżirata on the day and at the time of Caruana Galizia’s funeral. This hate was maintained by daily clearing the temporary memorial erected to remind the judiciary, and the people, that justice has not yet been served in her regard. Actually, any attempt at delivering justice has revealed layers of filth and corruption that truly justify her final desperate cry: “there are crooks everywhere you look”.
The red colour thrown at her memorial is yet another act of hate. Whoever has committed this abject action has not understood the depth and extent of the corruption in this country. S/he has not understood the truth behind Daphne’s revelations and the gravity of their implications. The cowardice of the person who spoiled her photo is reminiscent of other perpetrators of acts of hate. The consequences of this type of action, if unchecked, can go to very sombre extents.
How to stop this? First of all, by the highest authorities in our country publicly acknowledging that crimes of this sort are unacceptable. Secondly, by these authorities publicly apologising to Daphne’s family for demonising her and instigating people to hate her. Thirdly, by bringing people who are allegedly involved in her assassination, and in the crimes she was unveiling, to justice in order to be judged impartially and punished if they so deserve.
In light of all this, Repubblika will continue to publicly voice its protests for as long as Robert Abela does not recognise and act upon the fact that Joseph Muscat and his corrupt cronies, who did nothing to stop the spread of hate, but actually used it to their advantage, have not left power.
He and his cronies are still in Parliament, and Keith Schembri continues to come and go from the country as he pleases while manifestly continuing to withhold important information from the police.
Muscat is already showing us that he is not going to take a back seat. He already announced his intention to try to divide the country on controversial issues such as abortion in order to divert attention from the real problems that he has direct responsibility for and that deserve the country’s attention: his corruption and the shambles he has left the country in, which discourage international investment.
He has pleaded the unacceptable and corrupt sale of three public hospitals before the prime minister. By remaining in Parliament, and in the party, Muscat and his corrupt cronies are in a position to control power and, through that, corruption.
A good chunk of the Maltese electorate expects Abela to neutralise that power and to ensure that justice, which requires that those who are suspected of corruption be judged, to be allowed to freely take its course unhindered.
Vicki Ann Cremona is president of Repubblika.