Thursday, 17th April 2008
Council of Europe votes to decriminalise abortion
Maltese delegation disgusted
Tough lobbying by a four-member Maltese parliamentary delegation failed to stop a pro-abortion resolution from being approved in the Council of Europe in Strasbourg yesterday.
The endorsement, which has no legal bearing on Malta or any other member state of the CoE, calls on member countries which, like Malta, still ban abortion to decriminalise it and make it available to all women who choose to terminate a pregnancy.
A total of 185 of the 318-member assembly cast their vote at the end of yesterday's three-and-a-half-hour-long debate, considered to be one of the longest in the assembly's history.
The resolution was adopted with 102 votes in favour, 69 against and 14 abstentions.
The three Maltese members with voting rights, Nationalist MPs Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando and Robert Arrigo and Labour MP Leo Brincat, voted against the resolution. The Maltese delegation also included Labour representative Joe Debono Grech.
Malta has three votes in the CoE parliamentary assembly, two for government MPs and one for an opposition MP.
Visibly disappointed, the members of the Maltese delegation told The Times immediately after the vote that the resolution does not do any good to the image of the assembly.
"I am totally disgusted, not only by the way the vote went but also by the poor level of the debate," the leader of the Maltese delegation, Dr Pullicino Orlando, said.
"Over the past days we all lobbied hard with members of our different political groups to try to convince everyone that abortion is also about the rights of the unborn child and not only those of women.
"We tried our best but, evidently, this was not enough as we are a small delegation. The vote shows that the pro-choice lobby was more organised than the pro-life one," he said.
The majority of member states of the CoE already allow some form of abortion, and this was evidently reflected in the debate and the final vote.
From the 47 member states of the CoE, only Malta, Andorra, Poland and Ireland still completely ban abortion. A number of other member states have restrictive rules but still allow some form of abortion.
"The prevailing situation in Europe was reflected in the vote," Mr Brincat said.
"Personally, I thought that the vote in favour of abortion would be even larger when you consider the number of pro-abortion speeches made during the debate. However, we still managed to make our point clear that Malta will not in any way legalise abortion. We are in favour of the family and the rights of the unborn child," he insisted. If this resolution was to be taken seriously, we would not have been here today were it not for our parents' pro-life choice," Mr Arrigo pointed out.
"Today, the CoE tried to play God. We obviously can't do this as we are so small next to God. Who are we to decide to terminate a life?" he asked.
"We are pro-women, men and the unborn child. All three are in the equation, not only the mother," he said.
The resolution was moved by the assembly's Committee for Equal Opportunities for Women and Men following its preliminary adoption last month when Malta was in full electoral mode.
According to the resolution drafter, Austrian Socialist MP Gisela Wurm, the resolution aims to give women their rights.
In the opening of the debate, the Socialist rapporteur said that a ban on abortions does not result in fewer abortions but leads to clandestine abortions that are more traumatic and more dangerous. She called for all CoE member states to give this right to women.
The majority of the 28 speakers who took part in the debate spoke in favour of the resolution.
Swedish MP Carina Hagg described the situation where abortion is illegal as disrespect to women. She invited Maltese and Polish women to go to Sweden and have "a safe abortion" there.
The only MPs who spoke against the resolution were the Maltese, the Italian, the Irish and the Polish representatives.
In his address, Dr Pullicino Orlando called the resolution misleading and criticised the rapporteur for suggesting that abortion is a right.
"There is no European or international document speaking on the right of abortion," he stressed.
He also criticised the way in which the draft resolution was pushed through the CoE committee thanks to speakers and experts who had "a clear pro-choice approach".
"A society that destroys its young is condemning itself to oblivion," Dr Pullicino Orlando concluded.
Mr Brincat said Malta is unanimously against abortion. "The issue never featured and will never feature on our agenda.
"Our position is unequivocal and this is solely the result of our deep commitment in favour of the rights of the unborn child rather than the outcome of sheer political opportunism," he said.
This is the first time that the CoE called for the decriminalisation of abortion since Malta became a member of the assembly in the mid-1960s.
Malta has always vehemently opposed any imposition of abortion on its territory in all international fora including the CoE, the United Nations and the European Union, as it believes that this is something for an individual country to decide.
During its negotiations for EU accession, Malta also insisted on a special protocol inserted in the Treaty of Accession to make sure abortion in Malta remains illegal.
Gift of Life yesterday called on the government and the opposition to react to the vote taken to decriminalise abortion.
"In a shameful attack on our island as well as other European pro-life countries, the Council of Europe has voted to uphold this appalling resolution against human life.
"This is an attempt at imposing values that are incompatible with higher Maltese family values," Gift of Life said.
The NGO said it was deeply concerned at the long-term repercussions as the pressure now placed upon Malta in favour of abortion is now greater than it has ever been.
It expected Malta to respond with the same determination and absolute resolve in favour of human life as the movements in favour of abortion have done against life at the Council of Europe.
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Comments
It's what Europe is doing to us. Europe can do it, but the Maltese Constitution can't?
"Should gays be arrested because you don't agree with their lifestyle for example?"
No. (Clutching at straws again with a subject which has nothing to do)
"Other people might not consider it a mistake. So do not think you have the right to to take away the right for others to make the same 'mistake'."
Is it me or are we considering mistakes as being good for society these days, too? Of course people shouldn't make mistakes and anyone who does should be helped and supported.
"Ask them whether they think abortion might be an option in certain exceptional cases, and they'll say no before you finish the sentence."
And then some pathetic woman barges in with a boat yelling "liberalise, liberalise abortions"... make sure you hand over the money though. Not only I'm not being allowed to voice my concern about the consequences of such "life-changing argument" but it's the foreigners that are deciding "for the rest of the population what they should and shouldn't do".
"I've also seen the comment in another thread that parents should check their health before trying for a child. If they don't do this and complications arise then, I quote: 'that's what is called destiny'. Apart from the fact that from a medical point of view, you can't predict what will happen during 9 months of pregnancy before inception, how callous could you be???!!! Go tell that to someone who's just lost his child or wife because of complications."
I didn't make this comment and my condolences go to those that have lost their loved ones. But, whereas pro-choice people choose the life of the woman, anyone who disagrees with abortions chooses both the life of the unborn AND the woman. Now we have to get this message across to anyone who is considering an abortion.
I am all for liberty otherwise life would be boring without it. For me people can have any sort of sexual orientation, skin colour, religion or culture, etc. just as long as they respect life. Whenever someone tried meddling with life, the consequences were nasty. The last time it happened, I've been told, a World War broke out.
"Since when are we feeling now that we shouldn't impose our opinions on others? It looks to me like it's simply grasping at straws."
Not imposing your opinions on others is clutching at straws? Can decide for the rest of the population what they should and shouldn't do?? Should gays be arrested because you don't agree with their lifestyle for example?
"Whenever I make a mistake, I try my best to first fix it myself. After that, I try to make sure that no one else makes the same mistake and go through the suffering I went through already."
If you do something that you call a mistake, don't make it again yourself. Other people might not consider it a mistake. So do not think you have the right to to take away the right for others to make the same 'mistake'.
Ask many people something like whether horses should be allowed to use maltese roads for example and they'll stop and think. Ask them whether they think abortion might be an option in certain exceptional cases, and they'll say no before you finish the sentence.
Somehow, such a life-changing argument with so many different cases involved is decided upon in a second.
I've also seen the comment in another thread that parents should check their health before trying for a child. If they don't do this and complications arise then, I quote: 'that's what is called destiny'. Apart from the fact that from a medical point of view, you can't predict what will happen during 9 months of pregnancy before inception, how callous could you be???!!! Go tell that to someone who's just lost his child or wife because of complications.
I asked a simple question: "Would entrenchment stop the people who want to have an abortion from seeking it elsewhere?"
That question still remains unanswered by the pro-life lobby.
As for persuading others "who are considering abortion to seek help in Malta and will also encourage support services to improve", or that entrenchment would be "an adequate answer to the whole of Europe about the shame and injustice of abortion", I think that position is quite over the top and well within the realms of fantasy and self-delusion!
By all means let us "encourage support services to improve" and advise / educate about the physical / emotional / psychological / sociological implications of abortion - including the risk of clandestine operations. Nobody is against that; however, none of that requires entrenchment. It just requires goodwill and calm persuasion. Projecting an image that reeks of fundamentalism does not help; it even backfired when Ireland tried it, some years ago.
I have followed all arguments raised against this entrenchment but no one is convincing. All these arguments are flawed because they can easily be hurled against all our entrenched provisions.
Entrenching the provisions on the right to life of the unborn will be an adequate answer to the whole of Europe about the shame and injustice of abortion.
"I do find it hypocrital though if your abortive friends today are pro-life. So they had an abortion when it suited them, but now they want to stop every other woman from having that choice, irrespective of the case?"
Whenever I make a mistake, I try my best to first fix it myself. After that, I try to make sure that no one else makes the same mistake and go through the suffering I went through already.
"My 2c: most religious people I know are against abortion, and most non-religious people I know are pro-choice. I think that sums up the subtext of this debate."
I hope that you don't judge people on whether they are religious or not. We're already judging people by whether they've been born or not. Best to keep it at one "choice" for now.
"What I fail to understand is this: How will the much talked-about entrenchment in the Constitution put an end to this annual exodus? Will it prevent determined people with means (sometimes even borrowed means) from seeking a solution abroad?"
It will be an invitation for those who are considering abortion to seek help in Malta and will also encourage support services to improve. Also with adequate education the amount of unexpected pregnancies can actually be eliminated (the CoE mentioned this).
"Brussels imposing on Malta and others, to legalise abortion.......Don't say...they cant!!!! or they wouldn'!!!!....the writing is on the wall....CoE is the first step....EU is the second."
Please give human beings the right to live back before someone decides they can kill me.
Love life... and it will love you back. ;)
Those who are applauding abortion would not have a voice had their mothers resorted to abortion! They are saying to their mothers in a loud voice: "You could have killed me; NEVER MIND, because I don't mind it at all!! Every word in favour of abortion is in the direction of death.
Maltese, remain strong in your firm position in favour of life!
It is a well known fact that many women leave Malta in their search for an abortion of their unwanted pregnancy; favourite destinations are Sicily and England. They are making a choice that they will live with, as best they can, regardless of what others may think and regardless of what Maltese Law has to say about the matter.
What I fail to understand is this: How will the much talked-about entrenchment in the Constitution put an end to this annual exodus? Will it prevent determined people with means (sometimes even borrowed means) from seeking a solution abroad?
I don't think so.
So why go through the motions?
from rights of one kind to what should be true of such a unique right is fallacious. Therefore it is simply deceitful to use terms such as embryo and fetoeus in an attempt and implying that these are not human lives. They are. Period
I have no experience at all in the matter which is why I prefer to have the people involved deciding what is best for them. I am happy that your friends had their babies successfully - maybe you and they would have a different opinion if things had gone differently. I'm also happy that your other friends had a safe abortion.
I do find it hypocrital though if your abortive friends today are pro-life. So they had an abortion when it suited them, but now they want to stop every other woman from having that choice, irrespective of the case?
My 2c: most religious people I know are against abortion, and most non-religious people I know are pro-choice. I think that sums up the subtext of this debate.
and can anyone tell me why are humans are so 'special' over animals?? as far as i know we are an evolved ape. and who can tell when a fetus becomes human?? at which stage of the evolutionary process does it become human?
I'd rather have a "poor-level" debate than no debate at all.
This is the typical example of having rules imposed on people on issues in life that have not been exprienced at all by the people doing the decisions.
I am not pro-abortion but I don't think I have any right to impose my unfounded opinion on the subject on someone who might be going through a tragedy when I myself have no related troubles at all. The only people whose opinion on the subject carries any weight with me are the people who have come in contact with the subject matter themselves.
I am sure the vast majority of Maltese will declare themselves to be anti-abortion but I'm also sure most of them don't even know a single case where abortion was put in question.
We, in Malta, should hold our heads high and be proud of doing nothing other than protect human life. I believe that following this hellish resolution, we should continue and forge ahead with entrenching the rights of the unborn child in our Constitution.
I would suggest, you be better versed before lecturing on Maltese law.
"Swedish MP Carina Hagg described the situation where abortion is illegal as disrespect to women. She invited Maltese and Polish women to go to Sweden and have "a safe abortion" there."
I ask Ms Hagg who asks Maltese women to go there to murder their children how safe is this abortion for the child?
We all justly condemn the terrible holocaust by the nazis, but the world has legalized an even larger holocaust of children, and this in supposedly the most civilized nations in the world!
Educating all the Maltese on how to favour life since conception is basic and essential. We will continue to hold fast to our correct view against abortion.
Another positive step in the right direction will be the entrenchment of the criminal provisions securing the life of the unborn since conception. All our Catholic MPs are in favour of entrenchment. The entrenchment will surely be a feather in their cap.