As we move closer to Christmas eve, and people are busy preparing their homes for peaceful celebrations and family reunions, the atmosphere remains heavy. The whispers are everywhere. How can an amendment brought forward without any discussion with any stakeholder be imposed on our nation?
If the intention is protection and peace of mind to obstetricians and doctors caring for pregnant women, it fails. If the intention is to provide legal certainty, it fails. If the intention is to assure us that women will be given the treatment they need lest they lose their lives, we already have this covered by our current law. If we want to make sure every effort is made to save the unborn child, we have it now but not in this amendment.
It is said that “the road to hell is paved with good intentions”. Intention alone is not enough. The government amendment will bring in abortion, even if this is not the intended outcome.
The amendment uses vague wording open to interpretation at law and this is problematic, seriously problematic.
A litany of experts in law, medicine, ethics and other stakeholders are speaking out, yet being ignored. These include senior consultants like George Buttigieg and senior judges and law experts including Giovanni Bonello, Tonio Borg, Austin Bencini and Kevin Aquilina.
Four hundred and fifty doctors and more than 40 organisations have spoken out. Over 25,000 people have signed the petition salvani.eu. Prominent people like President Emeritus Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca and former Labour Party minister and deputy leader Joe Brincat join the chorus together with the archbishop and bishops. The opposition has also taken a strong stance against the amendment.
What more will it take?
The people are concerned and they should be. In a democratic country, the people are being ignored completely. Moreover, state television and a section of the media are blatantly presenting a biased picture of the ongoing debate. Prominent people speaking out are being sidelined or ignored. This alone is alarming.
Where is investigative journalism? A historic manifestation in Valletta is ignored and downplayed. The day after the manifestation, as I switched between stations to review local news, it felt surreal. On some stations it was like watching Russian-controlled television reporting on Ukraine.
The amendment in the law, as currently proposed by the government, opens the door to the destruction of our unborn children. Doctors and nurses are not comfortable with this clause. The Malta Medical Association never asked for this clause, was not consulted. They are quoted as saying that including the mother’s health in the discussion will only bring up more problems rather than solve them.
The Association of Psychiatrists went on record to state that “to date there is no evidence base supporting termination of pregnancy as a life-saving procedure in the context of perinatal mental illness” and that “mental illness in this day and age is largely treatable: safe treatment is indeed available to support a mother’s recovery in the perinatal period even if in situations of imminent risk to the mother”.
The time to speak is now. The mumbling in private and on phones needs to be made public- Miriam Sciberras
Who are the people happy with this government clause? Who is defending it? The answer is there and so evident that even the blind can see it.
The defenders of the government abortion amendment are the pro-abortion, pro-choice lobby. They are defending the clause on all media. They are going the extra mile in trying to stifle and discredit dissenting opinions. They ridicule our dedicated religious consecrated people as if only the unbelievers have brains. But we will not be silenced.
We wrote to the prime minister as a coalition. We appealed and still appeal to sit around a table and to seek an alternative solution. We want an amendment which protects those professionals who work hard to save the lives of pregnant women,but we want to see that every effort is made to save the babies’ unborn lives. Their lives matter too.
We are the life movement, we are in favour of life, all of life. Every life matters.
Of course, we are aware of the hard realities that women face today. We see the ongoing collapse of a society that fails to protect women and children. The burdens thrown at vulnerable people and young families. We are close to these everyday realities because we walk with these women, feel for these women and help them. But abortion is not the solution.
I would like to end this piece by reflecting on the president’s Republic Day speech.
“You know very well that the president does not comment on laws that are being discussed in parliament but I feel that these are particular circumstances,” he said. “I want to express my hope that we can find solutions that address all the points that are being raised during this debate.”
I echo the president’s call to reason to all our members of parliament, to be a shield for life. The time to speak is now. The mumbling in private and on phones needs to be made public.
In the words of Edmund Burke: “All that is needed for evil to triumph is for good men to remain silent.”
Abort the amendment.
Miriam Sciberras chairs the Life Network Foundation.