Secession - Is-Seċessjoni

Secession

From time to time we hear this word - secession, bandied about in the media. From the perspective today of Maltese nationals or emigrants in the diaspora, the word is included in foreign news reports. Perhaps some might ask what all the fuss is about. Should we even care? Indeed the issues may be quite serious and fundamental, and Malta is no stranger to these.

Secession occurs when part of a military or political body such as a state, a country or a military alliance, leaves the body or gains independence from the body and achieves the right to take decisions on its own future, i.e. achieve sovereignty. The reasons for desiring such a significant act may be varied, such as relief by a minority from oppression or threats by a majority, preservation of cultural attributes such as language from assimilation, prevention of perceived unjust distribution of resources etc.

The process of secession can range from being entirely peaceful to civil war. The people seeking it may variously be defined as freedom fighters or terrorists, depending on whose side one is on!

Whether the reasons offered by the secession seekers are deemed real or justified by impartial observers, deemed acceptable by the laws of the land or international law, and finally, formally accepted by other countries and/or institutions, are other, very important, and controversial questions altogether, and are beyond scope of this article.

The contemporary examples that spring to mind are the Russian-speaking Eastern part of Ukraine, and the Sunni Muslim uprising in Iraq and Syria.

Maltese people living in Malta will also be familiar with similar situations in surrounding countries, which may or may not include a fair amount violence involved. Within the UK, there is the planned independence referendum in Scotland, and for a long time there was a violent attempt to extricate Northern Ireland. Italy has its Lega Nord which at one stage openly advocated for an independent Padania though more recently pushes for a federal model, while Spain has its Basque and Catalan communities.

The Maltese in the North Americas will know about the deep divisions between the Francophile Quebecoise and the Anglophiles in the rest of Canada, with the US having a chequered history of its own.

Here in Australia, we are seemingly far from such considerations. However this masks past attempts by settler movements for further subdivisions of the well known states, such as in central¹ and north parts of Queensland in the 19th century, with the latter idea still current², and Western Australia in the 20th. To the north of Perth, there is also the existing self-proclaimed Principality of Hutt River³, unrecognised by Australia⁴ or other nations.

I am sure that all Maltese are very familiar with our country's own independence from the UK which was achieved in 1964 while still retaining the British monarch, until a republic was proclaimed in 1974. This came about after limited forms of self government granted at different times.

It may not be generally well known that Gozo had a short period of two years in the 18th century in which it was a state independent from Malta. This was a result of the rebellion by the Maltese against the French occupiers taking two years, with the French in Gozo capitulating immediately in 1798, and only surrendering in Malta in 1800. During these two years, although Gozo was formally claimed by King Ferdinand of Naples, it was in fact administered by Archpriest Francesco Saverio Cassar. The rebel-held parts of Malta were administered initially by an elected National Assembly and later by a Maltese Congress. When the French in Malta surrendered, this brief period of de facto Gozo independence ended and the British took both islands under its protection^{5 6}.

In our own times, sporadic calls for Gozo independence are raised at various times, however without any real widespread support.

Since 2004, Malta forms an integral part of the EU, an economic and political union which behaves in some respects like a federation of states. Malta's sovereignty is thus limited, as is the case of the other member states, with some powers handed over entirely to the EU (e.g. monetary policy for the Eurozone, competition policy), some powers are shared with other states (e.g. agriculture, environment) and others maintained (e.g. tourism, education).

I believe it is worth taking the time to understand the issues of sovereignty as raised in the various regions around the world. As was the case for our countrymen half a century ago, other peoples around the world may feel strongly about having the final say in their own affairs.

Is-Seċessjoni

Kull tant żmien, nisimgħu din il-kelma - seċessjoni - tissemma fil-midja. Mill-perspettiva illum ta' Maltin fil-pajjiż jew emigranti fid-dijaspora, il-kelma tinstab fl-aħbarijiet barranin. Forsi wieħed jistaqsi għalfejn dan l-għaġeb kollu. Suppost jimpurtana? Tabilħaqq, jista' jkun hemm kwistjonijiet serji u fundamentali, u Malta taf xi ħaġa fuq hekk.

Is-seċessjoni sseħħ meta parti minn entità militari jew politika, bħal stat, pajjiż jew alleanza militari, tħalli lil dik l-entità jew iġġib l-indipendenza mill-entità, u tiggwadanja d-dritt li tieħu deċiżjonijiet fuq il-futur tagħha, i.e. iġġib is-sovranità. Jista' jkun hemm raġunijiet varji li jwassal għal att hekk sinifikanti, bħas-serħan ta' minoranza minn oppressjoni jew theddid minn maġġoranza, il-preservazzjoni ta' karatteristiċi kulturali bħall-lingwa mill-assimilazzjonim, il-prevenzjoni ta' dak li jidher li jkun distribuzzjoni inġusta ta' riżorsi eċċ.

Il-proċess ta' seċessjoni jvarja minn wieħed paċifiku sa gwerra ċivili. In-nies li jkunu qed ifittxuh jiġu msejħa ġellieda għall-paċi jew terroristi, skont ma' min iżżomm!

Jekk ir-raġunijiet imsemmija minn dawk li jfittxu s-seċessjoni jitqisux veri jew ġustifikati minn osservaturi imparzjali, meqjusa skont il-liġijiet tal-art jew il-liġi internazzjonali, u fl-aħħar, aċċettati formalment minn pajjiżi u/jew istituzzjonijiet oħra, huma kwistjonijiet oħra, importanti ħafna u kontroversjali, u mhumiex l-iskop ta' dan l-artiklu.

Eżempji ta' daż-żminijiet li jiġuni f'rasi huma l-parti tal-Lvant tal-Ukraina li l-iktar li jitkellmu bir-Russu, u r-rewwixta tal-Misilmin Sunni fl-Iraq u s-Sirja.

Il-poplu Malti aktarx ikun familjari ma' sitwazzjonijiet simili wkoll fil-pajjiżi tal-madwar, li jista' jinvolvi ammont ta' vjolenza. Fir-Renju Unit, hemm ir-referendum ippjanat fuq l-indipendenza Skoċċiża, u għal perjodu twil kien hemm l-attentat vjolenti biex titqaċċat l-Irlanda ta' Fuq. L-Italja għandha l-Lega Nord li għal xi żmien kienet tinsisti bil-miftuħ għal Padanja indipendenti għalkemm illum titkellem fuq mudell federali, waqt li Spanja għandha l-komunitajiet Bask u Katalan.

Il-Maltin fl-Amerika ta' Fuq aktarx jafu fuq il-firda bejn il-Franċiżi ta' Quebec u l-Anglofili tal-bqija tal-Kanada, bl-Istati Uniti li għandha storja b'diversi kapitli.

Hawn fl-Awstralja, aħna nidhru l-bogħod minn dawn il-kunsiderazzjonijiet. Però kien hemm attentati fil-passat minn kolonizzaturi sabiex jinqasmu l-istati magħrufa, bħal fiċ-ċentru¹ u t-tramuntana ta' Queensland fis-seklu dsatax, fejn l-ideja tal-aħħar għadha ddur², u f'Western Australia fis-seklu għoxrin. Fit-tramuntana ta' Perth, illum hemm ukoll dak li sejjaħ lilu nnifsu il-Prinċipat ta' Hutt River³, li mhux irrikonoxxut mill-Awstralja⁴ jew pajjiżi oħra.

Ċert li l-Maltin kollha huma familjari mal-indipendenza ta' pajjiżna mir-Rejnu Unit li waslet fl-1964 bir-Reġina miżmuma bħala l-kap ta' stat, sakemm Malta ġiet iddikjarata Repubblika fl-1974. Dan ġara wara l-Maltin fi żminijiet differenti tħallew b'mod limitat biex jiggvernaw lilhom infushom.

Li forsi mhux daqstant magħruf hu li Għawdex ukoll kellu perjodu qasir ta' sentejn fis-seklu tmintax li matulu kien stat indipendenti minn Malta. Dan kien ir-riżultat tar-ribelljoni tal-Maltin kontra l-Franċiżi li damet sentejn, bil-Franċiżi f'Għawdex iċedu mallewwel fl-1798 u jċedu f'Malta fl-1800. Matul dawn is-sentejn, għalkemm ir-Re Ferdinandu ta' Napli afferma d-dritt fuq Għawdex, fil-fatt din kienet amministrata mill-Arċipriet Francesco Saverio Cassar. Il-parti ta' Malta miżmuma mir-ribelli kienet amministrata minn Assemblea Nazzjonali eletta u wara minn Kungress Nazzjonali. Meta l-Franċiżi f'Malta ċedew, dan il-perjodu qasir ta' indipendenza fil-fatt ta' Għawdex spiċċa u l-Brittanniċi ħadu ż-żewġ gżejjer taħt il-protezzjoni tagħhom^{5 6}.

Fi żminijietna, kull tant żmien tinstema l-għajta għall-indipendenza ta' Għawdex, imma ma jidhirx li hemm appoġġ mifrux għal dan.

Mill-2004, Malta saret tagħmel parti integrali mill-UE, unjoni politika w ekonomika li taġixxi f'xi aspetti bħala federazzjoni ta' stati. Is-sovranità ta' Malta għalhekk hija limitata, bħalma hi dik tal-istati membri l-oħra, b'xi poteri mogħtija kompletament lill-UE (p.e. il-politika monetarja għaż-żona tal-Ewro, il-politika tal-kompetizzjoni), poteri oħra huma maqsuma ma' stati oħra (p.e. l-agrikultura, l-ambjent) u oħrajn miżmuma (p.e. it-turiżmu, l-edukazzjoni).

Naħseb li ta' min wieħed jieħu ż-żmien biex jipprova jifhem il-kwistjonijiet involuti ta' sovranità li jitqajmu f'reġjuni ta' madwar id-dinja. Bħal ma' kien il-każ ta' ħutna Maltin ta' nofs seklu ilu, popli oħra madwar id-dinja jistgħu jkollhom fehma qawwija dwar li jkollhom rajhom f'idejhom.

1The Brisbane Courier, 25/6/1892, p. 5. Available at http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/3543991#pstart103942, retrieved 17/6/2014

2http://www.news.com.au/national/bob-katter-wants-nth-queensland-to-be-its-own-state/story-fncynjr2-1226417426809, retrieved 17/6/2014

3http://www.hutt-river-province.com/, retrieved on 17/6/2014

4http://australia.gov.au/faq/hutt-river-province, retrieved on 17/6/2014

5http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gozo_%281798%E2%80%931800%29, retrieved 17/6/2014

6The Maltese Cross - A Strategic History of Malta, Dennis Castillo, 2006, p. 120

The State of Palestine - L-Istat tal-Palestina

An interesting development has come about in an old hoary chestnut of international politics. The Roman Catholic Pope Francis has just visited the Holy Land, on the 50th anniversary of a historic meeting between Catholic and Orthodox leaders, which aimed to repair the great schism in Christianity almost one thousand years ago.

Beyond the religious nature of this visit, the Pope managed to spring us a few surprises worthy of note. For one, he has invited the Presidents of the Palestinian and Israeli peoples, Mahmoud Abbas and Shimon Peres, to visit the Vatican to pray with him for peace, which they have reportedly accepted. Given the current impasse in peace negotiations between the two sides, this is a welcome development.

Also interesting was the Pope's unscheduled stop to pray at a concrete barrier being built by Israel in the West Bank, ostensibly as a security measure, mainly along the so-called Green Line in the 1949 Armistice Agreement separating Israel and the West Bank land earmarked for the Palestinian state, but with significant incursions into Palestinian land, in Israel's favour, decided upon unilaterally by Israel.

The Pope's made other gestures, entering the West Bank directly rather than through Israel, and speaking about the State of Palestine. These have been welcomed in Palestinian circles as support for the State of Palestine, whose status as a non-member observer state was affirmed by the General Assembly of the United Nations 2012¹. This status is the same as that of the Vatican. The resolution was approved by a large majority of countries, including Malta and most E.U. nations. The United States and Israel voted against, on the basis that this resolution undermines the peace process. Interestingly, Australia abstained, amongst the alleged influence of a strong pro-Israeli lobby reported recently by then foreign minister Bob Carr².

Another application to become a full member of the UN had been submitted previously in 2011 but no consensus was reached at the UN Security Council. No formal vote has been held.

There is no comparison in the state of development between Palestine and Israel though. The latter is a developed country with an advanced economy. It's GDP-per-capita is close to that of Italy and the UK³. It is backed by the richest country on the planet, the US. It is able to unilaterally demarcate its de-facto borders, set-up or bring down settlements in land earmarked for Palestine and make military incursions in Palestinian territories and surrounding countries, seemingly oblivious to widespread, though not universal, condemnation by its Arab neighbours, world nations and public opinion and UN Resolutions. Israel is very much the Goliath to the Palestinian David.

It must be said that Jews have been unjustly persecuted for centuries, sadly even by my Christian brethren, in many countries around the world, culminating in the unspeakable atrocities of the Holocaust. However in this 5-decade saga in the Middle East, it is clear that the tables have turned, and the victim has turned aggressor and occupier, with the Palestinians in their territories or in refugee camps in Syria, Jordan or Lebanon being very much the underdogs.

It is true that extremist Palestinian groups organise suicide bombings in Israeli cities, fire mortars into Israeli settlements in Palestinian territories, and more, causing terror and death and provoking retaliation. These are activites to be condemned, but can also be seen as acts of defiance by people who have given up all hope. No amount of mortars or suicide bombings will overturn the vast superiority of the Israeli Defense Force, who have repeatedly demonstrated an ability to easily inflict ten times the casualties received.

Malta for long periods of its history was occupied by powerful foreign powers, and struggled greatly to be able to take its destiny in its own hands. It is my hope that most readers with a Maltese background and many others are able to feel solidarity with the Palestinian cause.

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Kien hemm żvilupp interessanti f'storja mill-iktar antika tal-politika internazzjonali. Il-Papa Franġisk tal-Knisja Kattolika Rumana għadu kif kellu żjara fl-Art Imqaddsa, fil-ħamsin anniversarju ta' laqgħa storika bejn il-mexxejja Kattoliċi u dawk Ortodossi, bl-għan li tissewwa x-xiżma l-kbira tal-Kristjaneżmu ta' kważi elf sena ilu.

Minbarra n-natura reliġjuża ta' din iż-żjara, il-Papa rnexxielu jagħtina ftit sorpriżi li ta' min jinnutahom. L-ewwel waħda hi l-istedina li għamel lill-Presidenti tal-popli Palestinjan u Iżraeljan, Mahmoud Abbas u Shimon Peres, biex iżuru l-Vatikan sabiex jitolbu miegħu għall-paċi, li ġew irrapurtati li aċċettaw. Meta wieħed iqis l-impass preżenti fin-negozjati ta' paċi bejn iż-żewġ naħat, dan l-iżvilupp kien milqugħ tajjeb.

Interessanti wkoll kienet il-waqfa mhux mistennija tal-Papa ma' barriera tal-konkrit li qed tinbena minn Iżrael fil-West Bank, apparentement għal raġunijiet ta' sigurta', fil-maġġur parti matul l-hekk imsejħa Linja Ħadra li fil-ftehim tal-Armistizju tal-1949 tissepara lill-Iżrael mill-art tal-West Bank identifikat għall-istat Palestinjan, imma bi dħul sinjifikanti f'art il-Palestinjani, għall-favur tal-Iżrael, deċiż unilateralment mill-Iżrael.

Il-Papa għamel ġesti oħra, meta daħal fil-West Bank dritt mingħajr m'għadda mill-Iżrael, u wkoll tkellem fuq l-Istat Palestinjan. Dawn ġew milqugħa mill-Palestinjani bħala appoġġ għall-Istat Palestinjan, li għadu kif ġie aċċettat bħala stat osservatur mhux membru mill-Assembleja Ġenerali tal-Ġnus Magħquda fl-2012¹. Il-Vatikan għandu l-istess status. Ir-riżoluzzjoni ġiet approvata mill-maġġoranza l-kbira tal-pajjiżi, inkluża Malta u l-parti l-kbira tal-pajjiżi tal-U.E. L-Istati Uniti u l-Iżrael ivvutaw kontra, abbażi li din ir-riżoluzzjoni tnaqqar il-proċess ta' paċi. Kien interessanti li l-Awstralja astjeniet, fost l-influwenza allegata ta' lobbi b'saħħtu pro-Iżraeljan kif irrapurtata riċentement mill-ministru tal-affarijiet barranin ta' dakinhar, Bob Carr².

Applikazzjoni oħra biex issir membru sħiħ tal-Ġnus Magħquda kienet saret qabel fl-2011 imma ma ntlaħaqx kunsens fuqha fil-Kunsill tas-Sigurtà tal-Ġnus Magħquda. Ma sar l-ebda vot formali.

Madankollu, mhemm l-ebda paragun bejn l-istat tal-iżvilupp tal-Palestina minn dik tal-Iżrael. Tal-aħħar hu pajjiż żviluppat b'ekonomija avvanzata. Il-Prodott Gross Domestiku għal kull ras huwa qrib ta' dak tal-Italja u r-Renju Unit³. Huwa appoġġjat mill-iktar pajjiż għani fuq il-pjaneta, l-Istati Uniti. Jista' unilateralment jiddemarka l-fruntiera tiegħu fil-fatt, itella' jew iwaqqa' villaġġi f'art intenzjonata għall-Palestina, u jintervjeni militarjament fit-territorju Palestinjan u l-pajjiżi ta' madwaru, mingħajr każ tal-kundanni mferrxa, imma mhux universali, tal-ġirien Għarab, pajjiżi oħra u l-opinjoni pubblika madwar id-dinja, u riżoluzzjonijiet tal-Ġnus Magħquda. L-Iżrael hu l-Gulija ħdejn id-David Palestinjan.

Irid jingħad li l-Lhud kienu ippersegwitati inġustament għal sekli sħaħ, jiddispjaċini ngħid anke minn ħuti l-Insara, f'ħafna pajjiżi madwar id-dinja, li laħqet il-quċċata fl-atroċitajiet terribbli tal-Olokawstu. Però f'din is-saga ta' ħamsin sena fil-Lvant Nofsani, huwa ċar l-affarijiet inbidlu ta' taħt fuq, u l-vittma sar aggressur u okkupant, bil-Palestinjani fit-territorji tagħhom jew fil-kampijiet tar-rifuġjati fis-Sirja, il-Ġordan jew il-Libanu ikunu f'sitwazzjoni telliefa.

Huwa veru li gruppi Palestinjani estremisti jorganizzaw attakki suwiċida fil-bliet Iżraeljani, u jisparaw il-balal fil-villaġġi Iżraeljani fit-territorju Palestinjan, u iktar, li jwasslu t-terrur u l-mewt u jipprovokaw ritaljazzjoni. Dawn l-attivitajiet huma ta' min jikkundannahom, imma tista' tarahom bħala sfida minn-nies li qatgħu qalbhom għal kollox. L-ebda ammont ta' balal jew attakki suwiċida mhu se jgħelbu s-superjorità tal-Armata Iżraeljana, li wriet ripetutament l-abbiltà li tferu jew toqtlol nies tal-għadu għaxar darbiet daqskemm nies minn tagħha.

Malta għal perjodu twil mill-istorja tagħha kienet okkupata minn forzi b'saħħithom barranin, u tħabtet mhux ftit biex tieħu r-riedni tagħha f'idejha. Nispera li l-biċċa l-kbira tal-qarrejja b'nisel Malti u oħrajn ikunu jistgħu jħossu solidarjetà mal-kawża Palestinjana.

1http://unispal.un.org/UNISPAL.NSF/0/19862D03C564FA2C85257ACB004EE69B, retrieved 28/5/2014

2http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-04-09/bob-carr-lashes-out-at-melbourne-pro-israel-lobby/5379074, retrieved 28/5/2014

3http://www.oecd.org/statistics/, retrieved 30/5/2014