Daphne

How sad to receive a phone call informing me of the barbaric murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia, a Maltese journalist specialising in alleged cases of corruption.  It seems she had some real enemies, as the bomb placed with the rented car she was driving after leaving her house threw it around 50 metres from where it exploded.

 

This story reverberated around the world, being mentioned on the ABC in Australia and The Guardian, not unexpected as she had been named by the Politico publication as among the top 28 persons ‘shaping, shaking and stirring’ Europe.1  No less a personality involved controversially in uncovering corruption, Julian Assange, still held up at the Ecuadorian embassy in London, has offered €20,000 for information leading to uncovering who committed this crime.

 

We have also just heard the Maltese Government offering €1 million for the same aim.

 

I had written about her investigations in issue 154 of The Voice.  That time, she was using documents from the Panama Papers as well as her own investigations to allege corruption at the highest echelons of the Labour government, an allegation reaching up to the family of the Labour leader Joseph Muscat.  That story is ongoing.

 

Since then, Caruana Galizia has penned harshly against the new Nationalist leader, Adrian Delia, about his and his wife’s close friendship with the partner of a personality convicted of drug offences,2 of benefiting financially from prostitution3 and having a large personal debt.

 

It is clear that Caruana Galizia had enemies within both major political parties in Malta, but not only.

 

From his part, Prime Minister Muscat seems to have taken steps to insulate himself from being accused of not doing enough for the investigation to have a positive outcome, by authorising police to seek the assistance of the FBI in the US,4 and forensic experts from the Netherlands.

 

On the other side, the Leader of the Opposition didn’t hold back from already partly blaming the Prime Minister and Labour government, where he described the murder as political.5  I think that such a declaration is premature.  Time will tell whether the investigation will highlight the shady role of people associated with Delia’s party.

 

I have never spoken to Caruana Galizia, with the only time I remember being close to her was when she sat down next to me during some conference in Malta.  I naturally recognised her, and remember being marvelled at her petite physique.  Truly wise is the Maltese saying roughly equivalent to ‘quality, not quantity’ - ‘l-essenza tinsab fil-fliexken iż-żgħar’.

 

This atrocious incident took me back to another time, in the eighties when political violence was part and parcel of life in the country.  This violence included beatings, buildings being burnt and killings, including notoriously at the general headquarters of the police.

 

Without a doubt this act has thrown Malta in a very bad light, and it would be good at this time for the Maltese people to get behind and support, in a non-partisan way, the investigation that has to occur.

 

I have can write nothing other than my profound condolences to the Caruana Galizia family.

 

I hope and pray, for Malta’s sake, that the fight against corruption is unwavering.

 

--------------------------

 

X’dieqa llum nirċievi telefonata li nfurmatni bil-qtil barbaru ta’ Daphne Caruana Galizia, ġurnalista Maltija li kienet tispeċjalizza fil-kxif ta’ korruzzjoni allegata.  Jidher li għamlet għedewwa sew, għax il-bomba li tpoġġiet mal-karozza tal-kiri li kienet qed issuq wara li telqet mid-dar tefgħet lill-karozza xi 350 metru ‘l bogħod minn fejn ħadet.

 

Din l-istorja irriverberat madwar id-dinja, fejn issemmiet fuq l-ABC tal-Awstralja, u The Guardian.  Mhux ta’ b’xejn, wara li kienet issemmiet mill-pubblikazzjoni Politico fost it-28 persuni li l-iktar li jiffurmaw, jheżżu u jħarrku lill-Ewropa.1  Xejn inqas minn persunaġġ ieħor involut kontroversjalment fil-kxif tal-korruzzjoni, Julian Assange, li għadu miżmum fl-Ambaxxata tal-Ekwador f’Londra, li joffri €20,000 għal informazzjoni li twassal għall-kxif ta’ min wettaq dan l-att.

 

G]adna kif smajna wkoll bil-gvern Malti joffri €1 miljun għall-istess għan.

 

Kont ktibt fuq l-investigazzjoni tagħha fil-ħarġa numru 154 ta’ The Voice.  Dakinhar, kienet qed tuża dokumenti mill-imsejħa Panama Papers kif ukoll investigazzjonijiet tagħha biex tallega korruzzjoni fl-ogħla livelli tal-gvern Laburista, allegazzjoni li waslet sal-familja tal-kap Laburista Joseph Muscat.  Dik l-istorja għadha għaddejja.

 

Min dakinhar, Caruana Galizia kitbet bl-aħrax kontra l-kap il-ġdid Nazzjonalista, Adrian Delia, fuq il-ħbiberija kbira tiegħu u ta’ martu mat-tfajla ta’ persunaġġ misjub ħati ta’ offiżi ta’ droga,2 u li bbenefika finanzjarjament mill-prostituzzjoni.3 u li għandu dejn personali kbir.

 

Huwa ċar li Caruana Galizia kellha għedewwa fiż-żewġ partiti kbar f’Malta, imma mhux biss.

 

Min-naħa tiegħu, il-Prim Ministru Muscat jidher li jrid jieħu passi biex ma jkunx akkużat li m’għamilx kull ma seta’ biex l-investigazzjoni jkollha eżitu pożittiv, billi awtorizza lill-pulizija jfittxu l-għajnuna tal-aġenzija FBI tal-Istati Uniti4 u esperti tal-forensika mill-Olanda.

 

Min-naħa l-oħra, il-Kap tal-Oppożizzjoni, ma qagħadx lura milli diġà jitfa’ parti mit-tort fuq il-prim ministru u l-gvern Laburista, fejn iddeskriva l-qtil bħala wieħed politiku.5  Jien jidhirli li stqarrija bħal din hija prematura.  Naraw ‘il quddiem jekk l-investigazzjoni titfax xi dell ikrah fuq persuni assoċjati mal-partit ta’ Delia.

 

Jien qatt ma tkellimt ma’ Caruana Galizia, l-uniku darba li niftakar li kont qrib tagħha kien meta poġġiet ħdejja waqt xi konferenza f’Malta.  Naturalment għaraftha, u bqajt sorpriż bl-istatura fiżika żgħira tagħha.  Tassew, bil-ħsieb jgħid il-Malti li l-essenza tinsab fil-fliexken iż-żgħar.

 

Dan l-inċident tal-għajb jeħodni lura fi żmien ieħor, fit-tmeninijiet fejn il-vjolenza politika kienet parti mill-istorja tal-pajjiż.  Din il-vjolenza kien jinkludi swat, ħruq ta’ bini u anke qtil, inkluż notorjament fil-kwartieri ġenerali tal-pulizija.

 

Bla dubju li dan l-att jirrifletti ikrah fuq il-pajjiż, u jkun tajjeb li l-poplu Malti jkun solidali u jappoġġja, b’mod mhux partiġġjan, lill-investigazzjoni li trid issir.

 

Ma baqagħli x’nikteb xejn milli nagħti l-kondoljanzi profondi tiegħi lill-familja Caruana Galizia.

 

Nitlob, għall-ġieħ ta’ Malta, li l-ġlieda kontra l-korruzzjoni ma tkun mittiefsa qatt.

1http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2017-10-16/local-news/Person-dies-as-vehicle-goes-up-in-flames-in-Bidnija-6736180314, retrieved 17/10/2017

2https://daphnecaruanagalizia.com/2017/10/opposition-leaders-wife-says-convicted-drug-dealers-girlfriend-one-closest-trusted-friends-drug-dealers-girlfriend-says-opposition-leaders-wife-close-friends-like/, retrieved 17/10/2017

3https://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20170824/local/adrian-delia-to-sue-caruana-galizia-over-overseas-funds-claim.656364, retrieved 17/10/2017

4http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2017-10-16/local-news/FBI-experts-have-been-contacted-for-assistance-Muscat-6736180317, retrieved 17/10/2017

5http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2017-10-16/local-news/Daphne-Caruana-Galizia-murder-Barbaric-attack-Muscat-political-murder-Delia-6736180316, retrieved 17/10/2017

1http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2017-10-16/local-news/Person-dies-as-vehicle-goes-up-in-flames-in-Bidnija-6736180314, retrieved 17/10/2017

2https://daphnecaruanagalizia.com/2017/10/opposition-leaders-wife-says-convicted-drug-dealers-girlfriend-one-closest-trusted-friends-drug-dealers-girlfriend-says-opposition-leaders-wife-close-friends-like/, retrieved 17/10/2017

3https://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20170824/local/adrian-delia-to-sue-caruana-galizia-over-overseas-funds-claim.656364, retrieved 17/10/2017

4http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2017-10-16/local-news/FBI-experts-have-been-contacted-for-assistance-Muscat-6736180317, retrieved 17/10/2017

5http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2017-10-16/local-news/Daphne-Caruana-Galizia-murder-Barbaric-attack-Muscat-political-murder-Delia-6736180316, retrieved 17/10/2017

Euthanasia - L-ewtanasja

Those in Australia living in Victoria or New South Wales might be aware of proposals by the state governments there to introduce and regulate euthanasia.

 

The word is derived is derived from the Greek euthanatos which means 'easy death', and generally is used to describe the process of intentionally terminating the life of a human or animal to reduce pain and suffering.1  Euthanisia is also called assisted suicide and mercy killing.

 

From when I was a kid, I'd hear about cases of some animal being killed, and this considered an act of mercy, when it was in much pain and/or was not going to recover.  A common example was racehorses that break their legs during races (those organised for the pleasure of humans), a state from which they wouldn't recover, and then proceed to be killed, as an act of mercy.  I always remember asking myself, for people who end up in similar situations, is there no mercy?

 

In Victoria, euthanasia is being proposed to be allowed for adults in pain who are estimated to have less than 12 months to live, with the condition that they are still of sound mind, have repeatedly expressed their wish to do so, and who administer the lethal dose themselves unless they are incapable of doing so, amongst other restrictions.2

 

Similar legislation is being proposed in NSW3, and in the two states a vote is expected to be taken by the end of this year 2017.

 

The proposals are about active euthanasia, where a substance is administered to cause death.  In fact, passive euthanasia, where for instance a patient refuses medical care that can save his life, or where physicians choose not to offer treatment which does not offer reasonable benefit or would be too onerous on the patient, is already permitted (although not called euthanasia) in all Australian states.4

 

Around the world, active euthanasia is legal in Holland, Belgium, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Canada and some states in the US.

 

The arguments against active euthanasia include that it changes the role of doctors from that of saving lives to that of terminating it; that this step is unnecessary due to the use of palliative care (where terminally ill people have their pain reduced as much as possible); that this step is the first of a slippery slope and eventually would lead to practicing active euthanasia on those who would not have given consent.

 

I do find this is one of most difficult subject to think about its morality.  The fifth commandment brought down by Moses from the mountain 'thou shalt not kill' is so simple and clear, though if you think about it, you'd realise it's simplistic rather than simple.  For example, exceptions considered a 'just war' are permitted by the Catholic Church under strict conditions, and this naturally includes killing.5  So are there other exceptions, under strict conditions, that can be made in cases of serious, terminal and debilitating illnesses of humans?

 

The Church says that morally, active (termed 'direct') euthanasia cannot be accepted,6 although passive euthanasia (not called so, but described as stopping medical procedures for reasons similar to the ones described previously) is permitted.7

 

What is missing is the voice of the gravely ill and the death-bound.  What do they want?  Does their view not count at all?  Some would have lost their mental faculties, but others are as sharp as ever, notwithstanding their condition.  Out of these, not all, but a substantial part want the option of active euthanasia.

 

Here is my difficulty:  if such a person were to come in front of you, knowing he is dying inexorably, is suffering, has no quality of life and no further aim in life, and tells you he wants to leave this valley of tears today, not tomorrow, what would you tell him?  Naturally, you can tell him to take heart, God is with him, that you will think of and pray for him, provide a distraction from his sad condition and be there for him.  For some, this would be of great comfort.  Others might be clear they want assistance of a different kind.

 

I ask, does'nt a person at the end of his life even have control over his own life?  Why should I, or the state, have the power to interfere and tell him what he can or can not do?  If he wants to terminate his life (and this has to be established as having been done voluntarily beyond doubt), why should we hold those that have pity on him, providing assistance for his wishes to be carried out, and throw them in jail?

 

My faith tells me that killing is wrong.  The gaze of a moribund, pleading that I help him stop his suffering, convinces me otherwise.

 

 

 

Min fl-Awstralja jgħix f'Victoria jew New South Wales forsi jaf bi proposti tal-gvern statali biex tiġi introdotta u rregolata l-ewtanasja għan-nies.

 

Il-kelma hija mnissla mill-Grieg euthanatos li tfisser 'mewt faċli', u ġeneralment tintuża biex tiddeskrivi l-proċess ta' terminu intenzjonali tal-ħajja ta' bniedem jew ta' annimal biex jitnaqqaslu l-uġigħ u s-sofferenza.1  L-ewtanasja tissejjaħ ukoll suwiċidju assistit (assisted suicide) u qtil tal-ħniena (mercy killing).

 

Minn meta kont żgħir, ġieli kont nisma' b'każijiet fejn xi annimal jiġi maqtul, u dan ikkunsidrat bħala att ta' ħniena, meta l-annimal ikun f'uġigħ kbir u/jew ma jkunx se jfiq.  Eżempju komuni kien żwiemel tat-tiġrija li jiksru saqajhom waqt xi tellieqa (minn dawk li jsiru biex jitpaxxew il-bnedmin), stat li ma jkunx hemm fejqan għalih, u mbagħad jinqatlu, bħala att ta' ħniena.  Dejjem niftakar li kont nistaqsi lili nnifsi, allura għall-bnedmin li jispiċċaw f'sitwazzjonijiet simili, m'hemmx ħniena?

 

F'Victoria, l-ewtanasja qed tiġi proposta li tkun imħollija ssir għal adulti miġugħin li jkun stmat li baqagħlom inqas minn tnax-il xahar ħajja, bil-kundizzjonijiet li dawn ikunu għadhom b'moħħhom f'sikktu, ikunu urew ir-rieda għal dan il-pass ripetutament, u jamministraw id-doża letali huma stess sakemm ma jkunux inkapaċi li jagħmlu dan, fost restrizzjonijiet oħra.2

 

Leġislazzjoni simili qed tiġi proposta f'NSW3, u fiż-żewġ stati huwa mistenni li vot jittieħed sal-aħħar ta' din is-sena 2017.

 

Il-proposti jirrigwardaw l-ewtanasja attiva, fejn tiġi amministrata sustanza li tikkawża l-mewt.  Fil-fatt, l-ewtanasja passiva, fejn per eżempju pazjent jirrifjuta kura medika li jista' jsalvalu ħajtu, jew fejn tobba jagħżlu li ma joffrux din il-kura medika li ma tkunx ta' benefiċċju raġjonevoli jew li tkun iebsa wisq għall-pazjent, hija diġa permessa (għalkemm mhux imsejħa ewtanasja) fl-istati kollha Awstraljani.4

 

Madwar id-dinja, l-ewtanasja attiva hija legali fl-Olanda, il-Belġju, il-Lussemburgu, l-Isvizzera, il-Kanada u ċerti stati fl-Istati Uniti.

 

L-argumenti kontra l-ewtanasja attiva jinkludu li jinbidel ir-rwol tat-tabib minn dak li jsalva l-ħajja għal dak li jtemmha; li dan il-pass mhux bżonnjuż minħabba l-użu tal-kura palljativa (fejn persuni fi tmiem ta' ħajjithom ikollhom l-uġigħ tagħhom imnaqqas kemm jista' jkun); illi pass bħal dan ikun qisu żurżieqa u eventwalment nispiċċaw inwettqu l-ewtanasja attiva fuq persuni li ma jkunux taw il-kunsens tagħhom.

 

Ngħid għalija, dan hu wieħed mill-iktar suġġetti diffiċli biex naħseb fuq il-moralità tiegħu.  Il-ħames kmandament li niżżel Mosè mill-muntanja 'la toqtolx' huwa tant sempliċi u ċar, imma jekk toqgħod taħseb ftit, tinduna li huwa iktar sempliċist milli sempliċi.  Per eżempju, eċċezzjonijiet li jitqiesu 'gwerra ġusta' huma permessi mill-Knisja Kattolika taħt kundizzjonijiet stretti, u dan naturalment jinkludi l-qtil.5  Allura hemm eċċezzjonijiet oħra, taħt kundizzjonijiet stretti, li jistgħu jingħataw f'każijiet ta' mard kiefer, terminali u debilitanti tal-bniedem?  

 

Il-Knisja tgħid li moralment, l-ewtanasja attiva (imsejħa 'diretta') ma tistax tiġi aċċettata,6 għalkemm l-ewtanasja passiva (li ma ssejħilhiex hekk, imma tiddeskriviha bħala waqfien ta' proċeduri mediċi għal raġunijiet simli għal dawk li ddeskrivejt qabel) hija permessa.7

 

Li huwa nieqes hija l-vuċi tal-morda gravi u tal-moribondi.  Dawn x'iridu?  L-opinjoni tagħhom ma tgħodd għal xejn?  Uħud ikunu tilfu l-faċilità mentali, imma oħrajn ikollhom moħħhom ċar daqs il-kristall, minkejja l-kundizzjoni tagħhom.  Minn dawn, mhux kollha, imma parti sostanzjali minnhom jitolbu l-faċilità tal-ewtanasja attiva.

 

Hija hawn id-diffikultà tiegħi: jekk jiġi bniedem bħal dan quddiemek, jaf li qed imut bla tama ta' fejqan, qiegħed ibati, għandu kwalità tal-ħajja taħt iż-żero, ma baqagħlux skop fil-ħajja, u jgħidlek li jrid jitlaq illum qabel għada, int x'se tgħidlu?  Naturalment, tista' tgħidlu biex iqawwi qalbu, li Alla miegħu, li se taħseb u titlob għalih, anke tgħinu jderri u forsi tassistih fis-siegħa tal-prova tiegħu, u dan kollu tajjeb.  Lil uħud, dan huwa ta' serħan kbir.  Oħrajn, ikunu ċari li jridu assistenza ferm differenti.

 

Jien nistaqsi, bniedem fi tmiem ħajtu, lanqas kontroll fuq ħajtu tiegħu nnifsu m'għandu?  Jien, jew l-istat, x'jedd għandna biex nindaħlulu, u ngħidulu x'jista' jagħmel u x'ma jistax?  Jekk irid itemm ħajtu (u dan irid ikun stabbilit li jkun sar volontarjament 'il fuq minn kwalunkwe suspett), għalfejn għandna nixħtu lil min ħenn għalih, u assistih fix-xewqa tiegħu, il-ħabs?

 

Il-fidi tiegħi tgħidli li l-qtil ħażin.  Il-ħarsa ta' moribond bla saħħa, jitlobni bil-ħrara li ngħinu jtemm it-tbatija tiegħu, tikkonvinċini mod ieħor.

1Euthanasia, human rights and the law; Australian Human Rights Commission; May 2016; p3

2http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/victorian-euthanasia-laws-plan-to-give-terminally-ill-adult-patients-access-to-lethal-medication/news-story/a67e6fabc2e5d4b6d3d5a766013acc23, retrieved 3/10/2017

3http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-05-16/draft-legislation-in-nsw-a-step-closer-to-assisted-dying/8529082, retrieved 3/10/2017

4Euthanasia, human rights and the law; Australian Human Rights Commission; May 2016; p5-6

5Catechism of the Catholic Church; para 2308-2310.

6Ibid., para 2277

7Ibid., para 2278

1Euthanasia, human rights and the law; Australian Human Rights Commission; May 2016; p3

2http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/victorian-euthanasia-laws-plan-to-give-terminally-ill-adult-patients-access-to-lethal-medication/news-story/a67e6fabc2e5d4b6d3d5a766013acc23, retrieved 3/10/2017

3http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-05-16/draft-legislation-in-nsw-a-step-closer-to-assisted-dying/8529082, retrieved 3/10/2017

4Euthanasia, human rights and the law; Australian Human Rights Commission; May 2016; p5-6

5Catechism of the Catholic Church; para 2308-2310.

6Ibid., para 2277

7Ibid., para 2278