Taking Freedom Day for granted

The other day I partook in a televised debate regarding the relevance of Freedom Day. My colleague on the panel, who happened to be a Nationalist Party parliamentarian, argued in the sense that perhaps this date should no longer be commemorated as one of our national feasts. The significance of this occasion, however, made me reflect in some depth on when the Maltese first sought to assert their liberty by proposing for the very first time a bill of rights for the Maltese. Having just celebrated this national feast it could be interesting to go down memory lane and make some reflections on when our forefathers proved to be audacious enough and tried to perpetuate their autonomy and civil liberties.

The year was 1802 and these were very turbulent times indeed. Merely two years earlier our forefathers had successfully overrun the French occupation practically single-handedly without foreign military assistance. They paid a terrible price for their endeavours since no fewer than 20,000 Maltese died. The Napoleonic wars, however, were far from over and the threat of foreign invasion was still quite imminent and real. To safeguard themselves from such an eventuality, the local authorities, referring to themselves as the Maltese Congress, which was composed of a body of elected representatives, sought British protection. It must be remembered that at the time the British had assisted the Maltese indirectly in their insurrection by imposing a naval embargo.

The document in question was meant to be an assertion of a free people of what their fundamental rights should be as a nation under the British crown. When we examine the implications of this constitutional instrument we realise that already then the aspirations of the Maltese consisted of self-determination albeit under the protection of the crown. These aspirations were high indeed, avant garde even, and our forefathers strongly expected to be compensated for having expelled the French forces, until then undefeated. It must be remembered that, after all, the British were here by invitation and not by conquest.

Many years had to elapse and a new epoch had arrived by the year 1919. The document the Maltese had so encouragingly drafted throughout all those years had been buried under a mountain of dust, never to resurface again. Those dreams seemed to have been shattered forever. Malta had fallen under the colonial yoke after all and there seemed little hope for the Maltese to ever achieve self-determination. Their struggle was, however, far from over.

At this time political parties began to emerge. In fact, there were a plurality of them and they all seemed to hold a different agenda for Malta's future. Some politicians were aiming for a federation with Italy. These based their claims on the historical fact that after all the King of Naples, the precursor of the King of Italy, had never legally relinquished sovereignty over these islands. Others seemingly pressed for more autonomy but under British rule. A few others, like Manuel Dimech, even started to speak of independence. Unfortunately, however, the political spectrum was made up of small splinter groups and the Maltese could not put up a united front.

By 1919, however, matters were moving ahead and nearing boiling point. When the British authorities here had decided to raise the price of bread all hell broke lose and the trouble that arose led to the now infamous events referred to as Sette Gugnio, which events we commemorate as one of our national feast days.

At the time a new personality was emerging who today is perhaps all but forgotten, and this due to the fact of him being totally apolitical. There is no niche for him in today's dominant political parties. That personality is Filippo Sciberras.

In the midst of all this political tug of war, Sciberras had the right frame of mind, the political foresight and personal esteem to mediate. Where all others before him failed, he succeeded in bringing together representatives of all political parties, of all the constituted bodies and even of the church. The united Maltese were then in an optimum position to make their representations to the British government. They demanded self-government.

Finally, a new dawn arrived and by 1921 the British all but acceded to our forefathers' requests. Malta became the first colony under the British crown to be awarded self-government or a dominion status. This signified a gigantic step towards eventual independence and complete freedom from foreign military interference.

The question arises: But what about Sciberras who has faded from memory? His mission completed, he gracefully bowed out and made his exit. His is a curious story since at the height of this success he could have easily jumped on the bandwagon, which would have surely led him to a glorious political career. Instead we see him electing to refrain from the political limelight altogether. He alone was perhaps the most significant element that led to Malta's constitutional gains and yet his role would soon be totally overshadowed by subsequent great political leaders.

In the aftermath of the Freedom Day celebrations one could say that perhaps the time is now right to pay the man homage.

Dr Herrera is a Labour member of Parliament.