Hunger striker remains steadfast

Egyptian national Ashraf El Bakri was yesterday preparing to spend another cold night outside the law courts in Valletta, where he has been living for the past four days when he has also been refusing food.

Surrounded by a crowd, Mr El Bakri yesterday told The Times he does not intend to move before the authorities give him back his two sons and safeguard his human rights.

His message is conveyed to shoppers walking past the court building via a notice that reads: "I am doing a strike and suffer hunger to get back my children and my rights from the insurance and government".

Through the same notice Mr El Bakri, who is married to a Maltese woman, says that his children were taken from him in June last year.

And in a constitutional application filed in court earlier this month he explained how on June 2 last year, the authorities seized one of his two sons from school and from his custody.

Then, a few days later, he and his other son were prevented from leaving Malta for Egypt and, some time later, that son was also seized from his care. The two boys, who are not the children of the Maltese wife, are aged 10 and 14 and have been placed under a care order, he said.

In the application Mr El Bakri explained how he has been in Malta for 10 years and had come here as a businessman.

During his stay he was involved in a traffic accident that left him with a permanent disability and the authorities, he claimed, have prevented him from vindicating his rights to compensation against third parties.

Mr El Bakri has now opted to make his cause public and has been on a hunger strike since Saturday.

He highlights the contrast between his situation and the families that pass in front of him during this festive season and emphasised that he wants his two boys back. His message to the public reads:

"Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to everyone. My children are kept in Malta against their own will from 02/06/04 without any reason and their parents are Egyptians.

"Who can resist not to see his children for 20 months?... Protect childhood and fatherhood rights. We have to stop any action leading to separate and destroy family...

"I just want my right as a human being and be compensated for the disability."

When contacted, social work agency Agenzija Appogg said it cannot give any information on specific cases due to the Data Protection Act and also not to breach confidentiality.