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Aħna poplu beżżiegħ. Ibda minni. Aħna poplu li sakemm nilbsu flokk b’wiċċ ta’ vittma fuqu, nixgħelu xemgħa u nċapċpu lil xi qarrej ta’ poeżija, ser issibna hemm, qalb il-folla. Apparti ċapċipa wara oħra lil omm li tippriedka “il-kulur tal-imħabba”, ma ssib fina l-ebda inizjattiva sabiex nesprimu l-weġgħat u r-rabja. Għajb għalina jekk nippruvaw nesternalizzaw l-għadab tagħna quddiem il-ħażen intrinsiku.
Ilbieraħ inġbarna quddiem Kastilja f’ammonti sostanzjali tant li tar-ristoranti qed jittamaw għal aktar velji fil-Kapitali. B’sens qawwi ta’ sottomissjoni, stennejna li jitfaċċa xi forma ta’ mexxej li m’għandniex. Mexxej li permezz ta’ mikrofnu inkunu nistgħu nisimgħuh u nċapċpulu. Min ser ikun? Tgħid Jon, tgħid Conrad, tgħid Isabelle, xi influencer? Le. Peppi. Ċapċapnilu u kif lil Peppi; sakemm ma bediex jirringrazzja lill-Prim Ministru u l-kabinett talli “semgħu l-għajta tal-poplu”.
X’poplu dan! F’ġieh il-biżgħa li ngħidu l-verità aħna kapaċi nirringrazzjaw anki lil min qed jirredikola lill-Maltin u s-sistemi governattivi tagħna. Għedna grazzi lill-Prim Ministru li b’xi don divin, illejla għoġbu jbiddel deċiżjoni ta’ dik li fil-Kulleġġ dejjem tarfuhielna bħala “l-għola istituzzjoni ta’ Malta”, mingħajr ma ttieħed vot ieħor. Dak li ftit tal-jiem ilu ġie jaqa’ u jqum mill-karba tal-omm, l-appelli tal-oppożizzjoni u l-għajta tiktokjata tal-poplu, illum ġie preżentat lill-istess poplu bħala eroj; dak li reġġa’ il-vapur lura; jew dak li ġabilna rebħa.
Kif kont irreferejt tajjeb lura fl-2013 fit-teżi tiegħi dwar l-attiviżmu, il-midja soċjali u l-arti, din tal-llum ma hix rebħa tal-poplu imma parti minn pjan tal-Gvern marid:
Il-punt tiegħi huwa biss li rridu noqogħdu attenti ħafna biex ma naċċettawx rebħiet foloz. Jekk il-Prim Ministru tiegħek jitlaq għada ma jfissirx li mmorru d-dar u hija t-tmiem tal-ġlieda, li għal ħafna attivisti Eġizzjani jew nies preżenti fil-protesti, kienet tfisser dan, għal ħafna minnhom.
Eleftheriou, M. (Producer) (2013a). Solidarity Message to Turkish Activists: Experience and Warnings from the Egyptian Revolution [Web]. Retrieved April 24, 2014, from http://youtu.be/IEUape6QcU4
Kwalunkwe bidla li toħroġ issa minn din il-protesta, bħalma jwarrab il-Prim Ministru, hija ppjanata. Se jkollhom pjan. Mhux biss se jwarrab u se jkun hemm rebħa. Ikun hemm pjan biex jittieħed il-poter lura jew se jkun hemm pjan biex xi ħadd ieħor jieħu l-poter. … taġixxi bħas-salvatur tal-poplu u mbagħad ladarba kulħadd imur id-dar u ma jkollokx din il-forza ta’ miljuni fit-toroq tat-Turkija u kulhadd imur id-dar allura l-armata tibda ddur għan-nies wieħed wieħed u waħda waħda.
Naqbel mal-idea tal-guru Indjan Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj li tispjega kif ġaladarba inti tkun irrabjat jew bl-uġigħ, ikun xieraq tissepara ruħek mir-rabja u l-uġigħ u tarahom minn barra. L-esternalizzazzjoni hija l-ewwel pass għal-liberazzjoni. Nemmen li anki r-rabja bħall-ubbidjenza hija emozzjoni li għandha skop u li mhux neċessarjament hija ħażina jekk użata f’għarfien wiesgħa ta’ esternalizzazzjoni. Għaldaqstant ma naċċettax li quddiem sitwazzjoni tant traġika f’pajjiżna l-poplu jibqa’ ma jesternalizzax l-għadab kollettiv. U wisq nibża li l-attitudni kajmana hija appuntu dik li ser tibqa’ twitti t-triq sabiex il-mexxejja ta’ pajjiżna jibqgħu jiffangaw u jkissru dak li missirijietna tant stinkaw għalih filwaqt li b’dgħajsa lussuża jerħulha lejn xi villa fi Sqallija. L-għadab mhux vjolenza. L-għadab ma jeskludix l-imħabba. L-għadab huwa emozzjoni frott l-imħabba.
Għaldaqstant tal-bieraħ inħossha okkazjoni mitlufa. Okkazjoni fejn seta’ ingħata messaġġ qawwi sabiex jintwera l-għadab tal-poplu. Dan speċjalment wara li f’tebqa t’għajn, ftit minuti qabel ma il-poplu nġabar fuq Kastilja, il-Prim Ministru ħa deċiżjoni waħdu u waqqa’ għaż-żufjett lill-kollegi tiegħu. Dawn, siekta aktar minn muti, aċċettaw mhux biss li ġimgħa ilu jivvutaw kif kien iddettat lilhom, iżda saħansitra li llum dak il-vot jiġi mxejjen. Għaddew iktar minn 10 snin mid-diskors storiku ta’ Franco Debono li vvota kontra l-Gvern li tiegħu kien jagħmel parti – imma ma tgħallimna xejn. Illum li Debono m’għadux voċiferu dwar kif il-poplu għadu jiżżeffen fin-nofs, dwar il-fjaski u dwar l-iskandli, jekk dan mhux ċirklu, għiduli ċirklu x’ikun.
Le, m’inix kburi b’dan il-poplu beżżiegħ li jaċċetta kull żeblieh tiegħu, ta’ uliedu u tal-identità tiegħu. Sa mn’alla l-velja ntemmet bl-Innu Malti li fih tlabna lill-Alla jagħti d-dehen lill-ħakkiem u s-saħħa lill-ħaddiem. Ħasra biss li Jean Paul Sofia laħaq ħalliena u l-ħakkiem għadu jferfer denbu b’lista ta’ inkjesti pendenti taħt l-imħadda. Wara kollox, kif qalli perit fil-pjazza: “Nassigurak li ħadd mhu ser ilaqqat 30 minuta ħabs”.
A Missed Opportunity. A false victory.
In our society, fear has become deeply ingrained within us, stifling our ability to express our grievances and anger. We find solace in passive actions like wearing shirts adorned with victims’ faces, lighting candles, and applauding poem readings, but lack the initiative to confront our hurts and voice our discontent. This fear of externalizing our anger in the face of innate evil holds us back, paving the way for our leaders to continue their destructive ways.
Yesterday, we gathered in numbers in front of Castile, a significant show of solidarity that Valletta businesses hoped to see replicated in the future. With submissive looks we waited for a leader who could articulate our concerns. Would it be Jon, Conrad, Isabelle, or even an influencer, to take charge? It was Peppi who emerged, commanding our applause until he thanked the Prime Minister and the cabinet for supposedly “listening to the cry of the people.”
What a peculiar people we are! Driven by fear, we find ourselves thanking even those who mock the Maltese and our governmental systems. We express gratitude to the Prime Minister who, as if by some divine intervention, changed the decision of the “highest institution in Malta,” without requiring another vote. This is the same Prime Minister who, just a few days ago, belittled the wrath of the mother, the appeals of the opposition, and the persistent outcry of the people. Yet, last evening, we were almost expected to think of him as a hero, as if he single-handedly steered the ship back on course and brought us a victory.
Drawing from my 2013 thesis on activism, social media, and art, I firmly believe that today’s events do not constitute a victory for the people. Instead, they appear to be intricately woven into a sick Government plan.
My point is only that we have to be very careful to not accept false victories. If your Prime Minister steps down tomorrow it doesn’t mean that we go home and it’s the end of the fight, which for many Egyptian activists or people present in the protests, it meant this, for many of them. Any change that comes now out of this protest, like the Prime Minister stepping down, is planned. They will have a plan. He’s not just going to step down and there’s going to be victory. There’s going to be a plan to take the power back or there going to be a plan for somebody else to take the power. … acting like the saviour of the people and then once everybody goes home and you don’t have this force of being millions in the street and everybody goes home then the army will start picking at people one by one.
Eleftheriou, M. (Producer) (2013a). Solidarity Message to Turkish Activists: Experience and Warnings from the Egyptian Revolution [Web]. Retrieved April 24, 2014, from http://youtu.be/IEUape6QcU4
In such tragic circumstances, we cannot overlook the fact that last night’s flow of events were not a genuine victory for the people but rather a part of a calculated plan by the government.
I echo the sentiments of Indian guru Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj, who advocates for separating oneself from anger and pain to achieve liberation. However, we must recognize that anger, like obedience, serves a purpose and can be channeled constructively when externalized. Yet, our collective anger remains unexpressed, allowing our leaders to continue their destructive path, undermining the ideals our forefathers fought for, while they find their refuge and tan in Sicily or whereabouts. Anger, when rooted in love, is not synonymous with violence; it does not contradict love but arises from it.
Last night’s gathering was intended as a platform to express the people’s anger, but I think that it unfortunately turned into a missed opportunity. Just before the event, the Prime Minister made an independent decision, causing embarrassment among his parliamentary colleagues. They chose to remain silent, not only accepting the dictates of their votes from a week ago but also the sudden shift in voting direction today. It seems we haven’t learned from past experiences, exemplified by Franco Debono’s now historic 2013 budget speech, where he opposed the government despite being a part of it. Unlike then, Debono remains silent about the ongoing circus where the people continue to dance amidst fiascos and scandals. If this isn’t a true depiction of a circus, then I wonder what else could fit the bill?
Our fearful society’s acceptance of mediocrity and disregard for the well-being of future generations has left me devoid of any pride. The vigil concluded with a seemingly sarcastic Maltese Hymn, where we appealed to God for wisdom for our leaders and strength for the workers. Despite the unfortunate passing of worker Jean Paul Sofia, our leaders continue to evade accountability and inquiries, with an ever-expanding list of pending investigations tucked under their pillow. In the crowd, an architect captured the prevailing disillusionment with his words, “I assure you that no one will spend 30 minutes in prison.”
