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Minority Groups March for Human Rights
By Cynthia Busuttil, The Sunday Times
Malta
December 14, 2004
Joe Camilleri, chairman of the National Commission Persons with Disability, presenting the declaration drawn up by minority groups to Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi, at the Palace at the end of the march (Pictures by Jason Borg)
Members of various minority groups walked together along Republic Street yesterday as part of the activities marking the International Day of Human Rights, which was celebrated on Friday.
The groups, led by young people playing drums, made its way to the Palace and presented Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi with a declaration insisting that no person should be discriminated.
"We call on Maltese society and the government so that every effort is made to ensure that all persons living in Malta do not become victims of discrimination and that their fundamental human rights are safeguarded," the declaration stated.
Minorities, including women, disabled people, ethnic and religious minorities, gay people, children and the elderly, are at most risk of having their rights denied, the declaration said.
The National Commission Persons with Disability (KNPD) and the Jesuit Refugee Service, which organised the activity, declared that they would continue with their commitment of ensuring that human rights are safeguarded by Maltese society. These rights include human dignity, the right to liberty and security, equality before the law, solidarity and justice.
A number of people representing different minorities voiced the views and concerns of their peers. Tesfamichael Beraci Mekonnen, an Eritrean immigrant with humanitarian protection, was outspoken about the conditions facing people in detention centres.
"Many people have fled their countries because their rights were being violated there. Christmas is coming and there are still people locked up in a very hard and rough environment. They are suffering. This is exclusion and not inclusion. Detention goes against diversity; it goes against human rights," he stressed.
Carol Gatt spoke in the name of religious minorities in Malta. She said loaded comments about minorities instigate more fear, and can lead to people becoming racist.
Gabriella Calleja, from the Malta Gay Rights Movement, said discrimination was usually based on fear and ignorance. She said when people heared the word "homosexual", they forgot that people of a different sexual orientation were also human beings.
Children's Commissioner Sonia Camilleri said the basic human rights of a number of children were being infringed. She stressed that children could not wait, because if they did they would no longer be children.
National Commission for the Promotion of Equality for Men and Women chief executive officer Sina Bugeja said discrimination on the basis of sex went back centuries, and added that women were still not represented enough in society.
After hearing what the minority representatives had to say, Dr Gonzi said diversity meant people with different realities living in society.
However, he said, one also had the right to maintain his values. He strongly commented about the right to life. Last month the United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights called on Malta to consider abortion in therapeutic cases and in cases where pregnancy was a result of rape.
Dr Gonzi stressed that he had the right to have a stand against abortion since this meant taking the side of the unborn baby who could not fight for himself.
The Prime Minister said he was also in favour of a strong family unit, which was always given high importance in Malta.
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