Monday, 18th August 2008 - 11:10CET
Mintoff wins Libyan human rights prize
The International Committee for the Al-Qathafi Award for Human Rights has awarded its Prize for 2008 to Dom Mintoff, the Libyan press is reporting.
"In their appreciation of those honourable leaders of the North who have stood by justice and right and who defended the causes of oppressed peoples, especially in Palestine and Iraq, the International Committee of Al-Qathafi Award for Peace of 2008 is awarded to the European leader and former Prime Minister of Malta," the committee said.
The prize is awarded to"international personalities, bodies or organisations that have distinctively contributed to rendering an outstanding human service and have achieved great actions in defending human rights, protecting the causes of freedom and supporting peace everywhere in the world".
Former recipients of the award, which carries a prize of $250,000, include Hugo Chavez, Nelson Mandela and Fidel Castro.
Comments
Daphne calling others obsessives....
Pot calling the kettle black.....
There' s another saying in Maltese...but I won't say it....
Give us a break will you?! I think that the tone of this blog would be different if the Libyan leader would have given EFA (Tal-habba ziz tiftakar?!) the price for LIER of the year... or what else there are plentiful prices our president could be awarded with....... if this post will ever make it out there.
And the divide will be there as long as people your type will still be around...yes it will take years to overcome.
But the best for last......your quote........The quicker he and the generation of his admirers expire the better!.......EXPIRE!!!!!!!!!!!! are you for real, I mean.............the hate is unbelievable
As for winning the Pulitzer Prize, I would start on a smaller scale. Something like sentence writing at the Kindergarten of your village might be appropriate, but you would need to work very hard on your vocabulary and your syntax. Good luck!
Fi zmien li ghamel prim ministru Mintoff ghamel bosta benefficcji liiz-zghir ghollieh u ressqu fil-klassi tan-nofs.( ez wiehed il-benefficji socjali u l-housing) Ta dan il-poplu ried isallbu!!!!. (Hafna minnhom Min dakinhar ried isallbu qed jissallab hu jew uliedu biex jixtri post fejn joqghod.)
Issa qed jigri bil-maqlub tan-nofs qed jersqu l-isfel.
Mintoff ilu nieqes minn prim madwar 25 sena. Niskanta li f'dan iz-zmien kollu (kwazi kwart ta' seklu) il-gvern ma irnexxilux innehhi il-firdiet li ghidt int li gab Mintoff. L-ikbar firdiet fil-pajjiz gabuhom il pn flimkien mal-knisja( snin sittin) li ghadhom jinhassu sal-lum . Ahjar ma tiftahx halqek fuq l-passat my friend.
Ejjem inharsu fil-futur u nzommu slogan li ma jmut qatt :Malta l-ewwel u qabel kollox.
He is also responsible for the divide between different band clubs, patron saints, football clubs etc. Don't make us laugh!
As for all of you folks fighting it out as to Mintoff's political legacy, I think it would have been best for everyone to read the reasons behind the award....
and who defended the causes of oppressed peoples, especially in Palestine and Iraq, the International Committee of Al-Qathafi Award for Peace of 2008 is awarded to the European leader and former Prime Minister of Malta.
The award was for mostly his contributions in Palestine and Iraq, contributions none can deny. So give it all a break..
If your pine is that Mr Mintoff put his people in misery then I can but disagree with you. It was Mintoff that brought Malta out of the misery of hunger and poverty,a land that was always subject to whoever was the Colonial power of the time to a free,proud and independent Nation based on the nobel idea of work for the common good.
If on the other hand you mean Colonel Gaddafi, I am not suffiently qualified to make much comment save that before him it was ruled by an autocratic King whilst the wealth of the Nation was being systematiclly milked by foreign powers and that not for the good of the Libyan people. I hope you will agree that it is different today.
Bertu Cassar, I know dozens of PN supporters who where given bungalows (not slums like nowadays) to live in in those years, there where some minor cases of discrimination where MLP supporters were given the opportunity to choose better properties or areas OK but that's it, but, can you guarantee to us that such things aren't happening nowadays in Gonzi's perfect world?
However, I still insist, any state leader who takes a stance which puts his/ her people in misery is nothing less than a tyrant. So much for human rights.
The man did some incredible things for Malta. He made us believe that in our country, by his saying "Malta l'ewwel u qabel kollox".
I remember PN telling him to lower his international ambitions since Malta is just a small country..... What a shame.
Granted that the Colonel may have been involved in terrorism,others may deem it as fighting for freedom. It is a matter of opinion and which political stance you take.
What i do know is this.. Libya is a far more fairer society now then it has ever been ,with no small thanks to the Colonel. The Presidents of the United States,France,Italy Germany,Russia,China,all the Middle east and the Prime Minister of Great Britain, all doing business with Libya.The President of Malta is on first name terms . Would they do so if he is what you say he is,in which case, what you would be really saying is that all these people are hypocrites.
As for Mr Mintoff's award..congratulations. Here is one man who throughout his life fought for a just and peacefull World. When Mintoff spoke the World listened!
However, what I really find nauseating about all this is where the award is coming from. Is this the same Colonel to have admitting aiding international terrorism, to have played a role to some extent to the PanAm bombing over Lockerbie, to have put his people through years of international sanctions? The list is fathomless …
You know what the only problem is my friend, that any major oil company that would be financially viable for them to explore for oil in Malta have rigs in LIBYA. The Libya government is very clear, you go to Malta to search for oil (and maybe find some) and you will have to stop your business in LIBYA (where their is OIL 100%).
It takes millions of dollars to explore for oil and no private company is willing to sort of " bite the hand that feeds it".
With regards to EFA and Gonzi we do not know what the nature of there visit was, but definately it was not to bring second hand almost absolute military equipment.
Well then, I urge all those Nationalist sympathisers that where given housing under an MLP "government" to come forth and PROVE me wrong.
As regards to the Nationalist living in Ta' Xbiex taking insult to my comment, my comment was refered to when the estates where being granted to people as housing, back in the dark ages.
"Anybody knows a labourite cause I need a telephone for my mum" you might forgive but never forget.
the only maltese politician who preached the truth.
you either loved him or hated him but deep down everybody knows he was the BEST.
With regards to Housing refered to by Mr Taliana, I hope that you are not refering to the housing in Ta' Xbiex as it is a well known fact that ONLY known Labour supporters (together with officials) where given housing and strategically placed there to introduce Labour voters on the well known Nationalist District. Whilst known nationalist sympatisers where not given housing.
I cannot say that the "perit" did everything wrong mind you, he was an extremely inteligent Politician who knew how to play the game and manipulate as needed.
But before Mintoff there was no Malta; He created industry, boosted astronomically tourism, Air Malta, Free port, SGS (& many other manufacturing activities), did compulsary education to all, create health services, minimum wage, votes for women, children allowance and the list goes on and on....
And, he kept Malta Neutral. He balanced the foreign powers in suhc a way that no one had control. He did protocols with Italy and at the same time good oil bargians with Libya. He attracted loads of tourists from EUrope, mainly UK, and at the same time he gave access to the Libians and Russians. When it come to stand up to the Libyans, he did this.
No one so far in Maltese politics had his foresight. The only one which comes close is EFA.
May god give us more leaders like Mintoff and EFA.
Mintof would desperately accept the award coz he is a "qammiel" !!
His harsh socialism and insanity proves it
Every great satetesman is controversial with his positive and negative aspects. Take Thatcher, Reagan, Blair and so on.
Mintoff for me is the person who gave dignity to the lower class in Malta.
For this I will be forever grateful.
Under Mintoff not everything was perfect OK mainly due to poor infrastructure and systems inherited by previous administrations but all in all we lived decent lives especially young couples who afforded to buy their houses without incurring in huge blood-sucking loans unlike nowadays where we all are made to believe that we are living in a perfect world.
What kind of aircraft did Malta Airlines fly?
Malta Airlines had a logo on the stair gantry to embark/disembark - and that's it!
Which Maltese pilot was employed?
Iddahhakniex please, u tghidx hmerijiet!
Bank of Valletta was born out of Banks that were rubbish, hopeless and half bankrupt thanks to the magnificent golden years of the 60s. They hardly had no liquid assets and their business was at a hardcore! Djun fil-bini biss kellhom Amanda!
Pakkuttilja, u Banek tac-cekcik, kellna Amanda Mallia!
UNLIKE WHAT USED TO HAPPEN UNDER GBO in the sixties when there were only 220 employees in all the financial institutions in Malta, and most employed because someone's uncle or niece worked there - in other words, all in the family, Labour started to introduce competition to join a Bank!
Thanks to Labour’s overhaul in the Banking system, we now have some of the best Managers and Executives who joined the Banks in them days.
Nationalists and Labour voters – Amanda!
Iddahhakniex please Amanda Mallia.
CALLED MR DOM MINTOFF THE TADITUR OF MALTA 10 YEARS AGO ???
Dahqux Aktar ! Mintoff ma Jinsa Qatt !!!
He should be made President after EFA
I think that by accusing someone of toppling human rights is too much.... do we want to compare him to today's modern dictators?
According to Company Risk Assessment reference
(www.humanrightsbusiness.org/pdf_files/CRA%Libya%20Executive%20Summary.pdf)
for companies operating in Libya, 5 human rights are listed as high-risk areas, 11 as medium-risk areas and 4 as low-risk areas.
Gaddafi must have wanted to demonstrate his appreciation towards Dom for dismantling the NATO base in 1979 considered anathema for his political/military strategies. This acknowledgment shouldn't have involved human rights, rightly considered as a non-starter in a country under authoritarian rule.
Going by some of the previous recipients of the prize ( Castro & Chavez ), the International Committee is making a mockery of the universally-accepted meaning of the term "defence of human rights". It wouldn't be surprising were the Committee to award the next prize to Robert Mugabe - in recognition for his stand against British colonialism and his lifelong hold to political power.
For me this is a message from Libya that after a long period of cool relations they are once again starting to look favourably at us and may be more accomodating as regards oil exploration and the illegal immigrant issue.
That a foreign nation honours a Maltese should be something we are always proud of. Let us not forget the great fuss and vicarious pride we were made to feel in the past when se lackeys of our british colonial rulers used to be awarded medals
Ma ndahhqux l-ahwa... ghax hawn min ghandu l-istejjer tieghu ta' persekuzzjoni u li graw hafna inqas minn 10 snin ilu!
@ Amanda Mallia - You couldn't have put it any better, mine is typical Labour reasoning - Yes it sure is because Labour beliefs all round the world are based on helping the lower class & disadvantaged, making sure that those with money & power do not abuse others. Like employers using loopholes in the law to underpay and overwork employees, which Gonzi was aware of but it was only prior to the election that he said he would be doing something about it, though we still haven't heard anything.
:
I try to understand what exactly some of the people are writing, vis a vis Dom Mintoff.
All I read in this blog is only one contradicting the other.
For those people who do not remember Dom Mintoff in his best days, I will explain.
Mintoff was the guy that kicked out the British in March 1979
He is the person that gave everyone a pension. He created a finacial turn around when he implemented the minimum wage, children allowance, free health etc.
Do you all know that the only real Nationalist person is Dom Mintoff? Why? because whatever he did, he did Ghan Nazzjion . How can Nationalist supporters and especially Labourites voice their opinion when both parties voted Yes for the E.U. Mintoff's Era was eradicated on the 1st May 2004. Not to mention the whole of Malta, as we are back to the years prior 1979. Should any person disagree with what I've just thought you, then you are talking out of your hats.
He did some silly things but he did some good things too.
I agree with you that the US cannot be compared with those countries when it comes to human rights you know why , because neither of them has a facility like that in Guantánamo Bay .
Viva l kbir DUMINKU MINTOFF !!!
These criminals ensured that Mintoff's strong-arm tactics were enforced, bil-forza minn Maltin fuq il-Maltin.
Those who keep talking about human rights being trampled when Malta was under foreign rule know this has absolutely nothing to do with the argument at hand. Most of them kienu ghadhom jimxu bil-harqa during the time when Mintoff was in power and have absolutely no idea what life under totalitarian rule was like. Under Mintoff, il-Maltin sawwtu lill-Maltin! Shame on Mintoff and his regime. Fredu Sant was right when he called Mintoff TRADITUR TA' MALTA. Viva l-Partit Glorjuz Nazzjonalista!!!
"This great democratic leader, that solved the Constitutional error to give the Party who gets majority off vote, gets the majority of seats in Parliaments. "
I'm sorry, but if that was the case, wouldn't the Nationalists have been governing in 1981? He didn't solve the Constitutional error - it was introduced prior to the 1987 General Elections. In which case (and we know it's not the case), it would have been puppet KMB who 'solved' it - but we all know who really proposed it.
Minjaf Eddie x jejr :)
MARMALJA
I do not think you can really put Libya, Venezuela, Cuba and the US in the same group when it comes to Human Rights....and by that I do not mean that I want t to separate the US from the other countries you mentioned....
Mintoff era stopped the multiple voting by those owning land, pushed women's rights and made our country conscious of its proper wealth. The mentioned below "friends" were truly Mintoff partners although the latter always kept control of the rest. Neither the church nor the Nationalist party had explained better than Mintoff the risks of nuclear power and what democracy and human rights. And this was during the dark 60's when Dom Mintoff was still in opposition while the church and the pn fellowers frightened people with "il-babaw"!!!
Remember Tierinu stating false allegations in court against Strickland??? Surely that no Nationalist figurehead could be attributed for the level of success as that attributed to Mintoff.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r5iwGj9GjU0
Are you hired as a full time replier? It impressed me how much things you remember from the late past and how much you tend to forget from the recent past!
The current context and the one found when he was leafder are different. Mintoff had to build an infrastructure from scratch, so you expect some power cuts! I'm a Sliema resident too....did you complain these last 5 years when each year we had power cuts that lasted more than 15 hours....
I hate to admit it, but looking back and being a little bit rational, I must give credit to the leader. He contributed for Malta not being considered a 3rd world country. He brought benefits that after 30 years they became yo-yos, taken away and then re proposed when an election is on sight.
If somebody of his charisma would be leading Malta we'll surely not be facing the illegal immigration problem. We are now in balloons hoping that the next one to blow is not the one we are in...Sadly that's how Malta is, he wouldn't have left this to happen.
Anna if you are a on pension like I am, you'll understand what I'm saying
it was mintoff waho honoured ceausescu and his wife with an onoris causa or whatever. thesewere yhe kind of 'friends' malta had during mintoff's years in power. The tension in those years could be felt and tasted in the air.
Incidentally, can anyone of you come up with something solid that will stand an argument face to face with Mintoff.
Vote for Woman.
Building Malta after World War 2
In the fifties started fight for Independence
In the 74 Malta became Republic
In 79 Malta Freedom
Housing for low rent
Free plots
Children Allowance
Pension for all
Bonuses
Air Malta, Sea Malta,Telemalta Enemalta, Malta com.
This great democratic leader, that solved the Constitutional error to give the Party who gets majority off vote, gets the majority of seats in Parliaments.
One more thing Dom Mintoff is in his nineties and still kicking “u min ghandu l ghali ikompli izidu. Dr Joseph Muscat will be the likes of Dom Mintoff.
Watch and then judge and comment!! Most of you tend to forget certain other oppressions!
"You disserve all Perit Dom Mintoff ." - Coming from a Labourite, that is one hell of a comment!
I'm not going to enter into the debate over whether he deserves the prize or not - I was not even born when Mintoff was PM of Malta - but I will comment on one thing... how 'prestigious' can a Libyan Human Rights prize be?!?
Talk about a distorted idea of what human rights etc are all about!
His singular claim to fame is that no one Maltese has ever managed to ruin as many lives and create as much division.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r5iwGj9GjU0
Whereas Robert Mugabe vandalised a very prosperous rich country, Dom gave Malta the riches that we are able to enjoy today.
A blog like yours in Zimbabwe will cost you your head.
Each and every World leader has his ups and downs, look around you, and you will realise that the Man has had more ups than downs.
The man was years ahead of the dim-witted mentality of some of the bloggers displayed herewith.
The even bigger issue is why would even a despicable Mintoff accept a "humanitarian" award
from a country whose terrorists used Malta to murder thousands of innocent people including the PAN AM bombing?
For those who compare Libya to the USA.... Are you kidding????
The US never targets innocent people.
The US supported many governments that were appropriate at the time and sanctioned by the UN (including Iraq) even though some of them became the wrong governments. But then the US attacked them too without targeting any CIVILIAN AND INNOCENT people. Case in point Noriega.
I am not aware of any military that risks being murdered rather then bomb a site occupied by FIFTY TERRORISTS and ONE innocent person. The US spares the ONE.
There is a lot more. But please come live in the US for a few years. Then you will learn what a real democracy is.
Don't forget Mintoff's achievements among which, vote for youths and women, free and decent medical services & medicines for all, decent salaries, bonuses, equal salaries for men and women, cheap houses for our couples, being gay ceased being a crime, various pensions helping out elderly people, disabled persons and widows, this step eradicated all beggars for our streets. Compulsory education till the age of 16 and yes Mr. Nock, under Mintoff's governments it was enforced. I'm sure that if I'll do some research those mentioned above will just be the tip of the iceberg.
So much for human rights and lifestyle improvement eh my friends I will not mention the thousands of jobs Mintoff's governments gifted us Maltese, good jobs in banks, IT and also in the airline industry, jobs which were only a dream for us Maltese just a couple of years earlier. It's a shame that a section of us Maltese still tend to feed youngsters and foreigners all sorts of crap and lies about Mintoff. OK there were some dark times (eg lack of foreign chocolates) but all in all we started living decent lives under his guidance.
As for being judged? Who gives a flying cow, as long as one lives one's life correctly, even if one does believe in such things?
The same couldn't be said under Mintoff's regime, where hardly anyone could afford to do the above, even if such facilities were freely accessible to all.
Oh, and by your reasoning, maybe Mintoff would be so kind as to distribute his (ill-gotten?) "goods", to "distribute his wealth"?
Water and electricity were not cut off on a regular basis, and certainly not because there wasn't the right infrastructure.. Both were actually supplied sporadically, usually in Sliema of course - the place hated by most staunch Labourites, Sliema residents being the embodiment of all they despised. If there wasn't the right infrastructure to supply all Malta at the same time, then why was Sliema usually the main "target" for the lack of supply? I guess I've already answered that.
I remember one particular Christmas were we had to do without water, but that was mild, considering other things Mintoff put us through. I clearly remember my parents and grandparents usually commenting, as Christmas drew near, "Ha naraw x'ha jivvinta Mintoff dis-sena". It was taken for granted that he'd do something to upset those he disliked.
Brainwashing by the PN has nothing to do with it. We've all had a taste of Mintoff in some way or another.
LONG LIVE THE PALESTNIAN PEOPLE
http://user.orbit.net.mt/fournier/MNnational_bank_scandal.htm
Likewise, Airmalta, which was "born" out of Malta Airlines, which belonged to the private sector too.
There's a Maltese expression which goes "Ihobb ib*ss b's*rm haddiehor", which - though not exactly in these cases - is what many people think: that Mintoff "created" them out of nothing for "the good of the people", forgetting that they were "taken" from the public sector.
D. Aquilina - Very few people are rejoicing. Maybe lackeys like you would rejoice a little bit more were he to distribute his prize amongst you.
The only thing Mintoff could do to redeem himself would be to either refuse the prize, or - if he accepts the money - to distribute it amongst a few worthy causes. It is too paltry a sum to make up for the financial, emotional and material damage he caused to many in his heyday, so I won't even suggest that.,
To be amongst the likes of Nelson Mandela,Fidel Castro and Hugo Chavez is indeed an honour and just shows how great the man is. Time and history will judge and not those who complain because they had no water or where unable to buy a piece of chocolate.
How sad and how pathetic that the level of intelligence on this Island is such as to make for despair.Give them cake indeed,or should that be 'Gaxxin'.
You must have missed quite a number of years in our history. Or can it be that you have skimmed through some pages of your text book (a good 30 or 40 years!!)? Very convenient indeed! How could you miss all the events Enzo Cachia mentioned (to mention a few)?
You must have confused all the dates you studied because we were the divided nation you mention when we used to get beaten by our neighbours and were physically stopped from going to the polling booths! How's that for suppressed freedom?
No one can deny the corruption that took place and still is under the Nationalist administration, so at least, you got that much correct. But to tell us that Mintoff never had any connections with Maltese criminals is rich to say the least. Not only Maltese, but Libyans too!!
Get yourself a good Maltese dictionary and look this up - mur saqqi l-hass tal-Marsa! It pretty much sums up my comment.
We are "talking" here about somebody who was once Prime Minister, and under whose "leadership" human rights were trampled upon without restraint. To hell with any good he may have done (of which I am not aware there is/was any - except for his ridding us of Sant); nothing would make up for the years of hell and uncertainty he put us through, even if sometimes indirectly.
Therefore I have all the respect to the such victims and their relatives but I felt it was not correct that Ms Pauline Barbara described the killing of Karen Grech as an “atrocity done by PN supporters” when still today, no persons had been formally accused of such and then found guilty. For this clear reason I asked to Ms Barbara if she “really know who killed Karen Grech”. This because in her contribution on this blog it is as if Ms Barbara have some vital information upon the unsolved case of Kerin Grech’s murder.
If this is true, such info could be vital to the Police and perhaps can also lead to the approval of financial discharge from the Government for damages that if I’m not mistaken (subject to correction) Prof. Grech is still asking in connection with the case. But if Ms Barbara have no idea or some form of information at hand in connection with the case even something basic, regarding who is/are the murderers and where or how the letter bomb was fabricated, it was unfair to describe the act as an “atrocity done by PN supporters”.
Dear Mr or Ms A Daley please believe me that I am of the opinion that it is a real pity that the murderer of Karen Grech is still not brought to justice together with other murderers of still unsolved cases like for eg that of Raymond Caruana (also killed in the 1980’s, just because he was inside a PN club at Gudia)
I am morally convinced that ‘who ever’ said those quotes you quoted, had at least some basic information upon the case. If you are familiar with certain crime investigation you know that sometimes certain basic information is not enough to achieve a detention sentence for an accused and investigators (for obvious reasons) most probably prepare to declare the case still ‘open’ and hope that by time, new information will hopefully conclude the case. Also to mention ifs the fact that it was clearly indicated in court that at that time, frame ups had been fabricated by ‘investigators’ for eg in the case of Raymond Caruana and at that time it was quite clear that these ‘investigators’ were not doing the proper work expected by the general taxpayer.
MLP should have considered him instead of Alfred Sant. Certainly MLP would have won the elections. Such a great leader, with such charisma and fortitude.
church power
And above all making Malta free from foreign empires
VIVA MALTA HIELSA U VIVA MINTOFF!
My hope is that I will see you as Maltese President you ll deserve it!
Seeing what type of presidents we had lately you ll fill the post nicely!
Antoine.
you dont deserve an answer. Yes we have the right to discuss American policies in the third world. Look at the human rights history of the 50s and 60s when no Maltese was allowed to express their views in public without being condemned to life eternal in hell(il mizbla) when no labour politician was allowed to air his views on the radio without prior censorship, when buying a labour paper was a mortal sin...do you deny these infringements on human rights in Malta during the PN administration?;
- The Bulgarian nurses and doctor who were accused and convicted of infecting children with HIV ....their confessions were obtained under torture in human-rights loving Libya
- The families of victims of the Lockerbie case
Libya and Mintoff bound together by their concern for human rights. What a tasteless joke !!
@ Edgar Gatt. I really like your sense of humour. First joke ‘you freely went to court’ did I need somebody to send me? You probably meant to say that nobody stopped me from going to court. A syntax error.
Second joke, “There were thousands who were treated badly like you were. Nobody dared take their case to the courts as they would have been beaten and arrested just by thinking of taking the socialist government to court.” If you want to attract some credibility to your statement you mustn’t be so generic, give one or two examples where PN supporters were beaten up for initiating a court case against the government. Third joke- It’s ok for the PN to commit injustices as they will allow you to take them to court.
Now a clarification. The financial award was given to me by The Commission Against Injustices which was enacted during the tenure of office of Alfred Sant. Just in case you do not know, a big number of other individuals were not as fortunate as I, they won their case and the government is still refusing to honour the court’s decision.
It was actually with great pleasure that I showed this video to my children: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=myJvPE5LVBA
(It was the perfect opportunity to show them that not all vulnerable-looking people are necessarily what you think they are. They had been used to hearing stories about what life was like when I was their age, and this was the best opportunity to put a face to a name for them.)
Life under Mintoff meant meant:
Lack of basic necessities at the very least (water, electricity, decent toothpaste ... Decent chocolate we could live without, but toothpaste ...?)
Violence in the streets, especially in the Sliema neighbourhood I grew up in
Violence to be expected at every non-pro-Labour (I won't even say "anti-Labour") meeting or gathering
The closure of schools by Mintoff's puppet
The Law Courts being ransacked (I was a witness to the "heroes" parading down Sta Lucia Street immediately afterwards, and the sight and sounds of the men with their tools and chains will never leave me.) Ditto the Curia ...
Etc ...
Dumink distribute what you have been awarded to the poor and needy and you show us your humanitarian side again.
you are having a laugh! You cannot be serious! During his time in power, corruption was rife in Mintoff's government, everything was controlled by the clique: what you drink, wear, and eat, even the small pleasure of chocolate; and human rights? 'Friends of friends'? Rest assured, if it was bad under Nationalist administrations, it was a million times worse under Mintoff. And the violence? Has Diana forgotten the violence, brain-washing of Mintoff's years in power? The lack of freedoms of travel, speech, justice etc? Diana Reynolds has a very selective memory: remember when over 51% of the population voted against Mintoff yet he stayed a full 5 years in power against the expressed wish of the people of these islands? So much for democracy. Give us a break Diana Reynolds! But thanks for the laugh and the joke!
Those of the right and conservatives may say what they want, being jealous is something normal :)
its because it is not YOU eh ??
come cheer up!!! its a maltese recieving a nice prize for his friendship!!!
However, I do have some comments to make:
1. A humanitarin award fom a dictatorship (whether deserved or not) should be treated with some scepticism.
2. As for free education (metioned in various blogs as an achievement). Do not parents have to puchase text books, writing materials, stationery etc. (not to mention uniforms). Is this free education?
How many parents are arrainged each year for failing to take advantage of this 'free education'? Are they so poor that thaey cannot afford the text books etc.
Bob Nock
Whilst there are those who praise this radical politician for everything he did, carefully avoiding any mention of his errors and the bad times involving the church school saga, there are many who have reason to disagree with them as they did not share Mintoff's political views nor did they feel they were treated well by his administration.
Even Mintoff is big enough to admit that he is not perfect - and maybe he will give the money to a worthy cause such as the hospice movement.
The Times has every right to print both sides of a story, so those who moan about it will have to swallow hard and accept it.
During Mintoff's administration the BICAL scandal arose. Having read the press reports about this matter in various Maltese publications, it does make me wonder how people got put in prison and deprived of their family life for years and why the government of the day ever allowed that to happen given the complete exhoneration of those involved since. And still it has not been resolved yet! Why not?
We are being informed that the prize is awarded to"international personalities, that have distinctively contributed to rendering an outstanding human service and have achieved great actions in defending human rights".
I suggest to interested readers to go through the Report of Human Rights 1985 published by HIELSA, a human rights group where one could find an impressive list of human rights that were "violated" during the year in caption. These human rights included those concerning Respect for the integrity of the person; Respect for civil Rights; Respect for Policital Rights; Social and Cultural Rights. This Report was released on Sunday, 15th June 1986.
Another important document is A Report from the International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights titled Human Rights in Malta. This 38-page Report that was serialised by The Times, was made by a Fact Finding Mission. The long list of human rights violations and/or threats to being violated does not leave any doubt about the shameful record of the Socialist Party on this subject.
That is why I take this award as very cynical. I feel that the award represents an insult to all those Maltese (the undersigned included) and foreigners who iwere victims of such abuses.
Kif jghid il-Malti, kulhadd jara t-tibna f'ghajnejn haddiehor imma ma jarax it-travu f'ghajnejh.
Well done all of you.... I'm sure all of you would persuade Libya to stop sending immigrants....... haha!!
250 K , lol I heard he is gonna give them for Charity mmmm heqq hemm .
@ Dunstan Crockford - Unfortunately, the good work performed by Sr Cybil goes unrecognised by the greater majority of the Maltese people. I, who was so near to one of her collaborators at that time, know what kind of woman your sister was!!!!!!!! It was thanks to a handful of people like her that the Catholic schools are still in existence, today. 'Forgotten by many', true, but not by everyone!!!!!
So many pathetic commentators, here, unable to see the reality around them and probably still living in the past, or what it should be - JOSEPH ELLUL GRECH, CHARLES J BUTTIGIEG as usual, EHTELBERT SCHEMBRI are but few of those who believe in Mintoff's megalomania!!!!
No matter how much people try to erase all the great work you have done for this nation, many are those who appreciate your achievements.
L-anqas tisthu ma tafu... tridu l-libjani izommu l-emigranti milli jitilqu, tibghatu l-President imur ibus lil-Gaddafi, u imbghad gimghatejn wara toffendu l-Libja ghax deherila li trid taghti rigal lil Mintoff.
Issa jekk hux misthoqq jew le ir-rigal storja ohra imma ghallinqas kunu kostanti, jekk tafu kif!
People forget that before Mintoff, there was nothing; No serious school system, no serious banking system, no welfare, no social services, no minimum wage, women couldn't vote, Malta a military base, no SGS or Airmalta, no freeport, nothing. He man is a genious.
Imma bil-hdura tal-PN pruvaw ikisruh. Biex issa kollox qed jisparixxi.
Mintoff is laughing all the way to the bank!
Prosit Perit!
When it comes to Human rights and Mintoff, I am reminded of the following episodes.
The death of Nardu Debono
A Police force joining Labour hooligans during anti government protests
Torture at the Police HQ
Torching of the Times and other opposition Clubs
His famous speech in Parliament "Jien nitnejjek mill-Kostituzzjoni"
Teachers` Lock Out
Tear Gas
Closing of Church Schools
Closing of Private Hospitals
Attack on environmentalists... and many other untold stories.
And at the end of his career the PN made a hero out of Dom. That is what I call political opportunism. However I still consider myself as an EU citizen because of his intransigence.
I thank you from the bottom of my heart Dom.
If there`s someone within the Labour Party who deserves to be mentioned is Alfred Sant, who despite he never got my support I appreciate that he managed to clean the Labour Party from the violent elements. This is a big lesson the newly elected MLP leadership should remember from this gentleman.
Malta for you was always,and is 'First and Foremost' .
Malta in turn rejoices in you,the man who brought her out of hunger and poverty and for the first time in our history made us a free and sovereign people.
Those that came before you, and after you ,do not measure up to your toes.
Fenech adami goes to Gaddafi and he gets no results, and Dom Mintoff gets 250K.
Who is the great leader? Fejn huma il- laburisti?
Hawn huma il laburisti u ta xogholhom hadu 250K !!!
You just confirmed that when you felt that the administration committed an injustice, you freely went to court and were rewarded for this injustice. Not only that ,but you got your three promotions. Those were the days of a Nationalist government. Now go back to the 70'sand 80's . There were thousands who were treated badly like you were. You know what the difference was. Nobody dared take their case to the courts as they would have been beaten and arrested just by thinking of taking the socialist government to court. I am sure your remenber those times. I am not saying that our lot were saints but to award Mintoff a prize for defending human rights, must be the sickest joke of the century
We should be proud that a Maltese national has been honoured. I remember the fifties, sixties, seventies etc. very well.
I do not remember Mintoff making false and malicious accusations to cover up involvement in any political scandal.
I do not remember Mintoff or other Labour politicians lying on the eve of a general election to influence the electorate.
I do not remember Mintoff or other Labour politician building hospitals shrouded questions on corruption and wasting the nations’ financial resources.
I do not remember Mintoff make a solemn public promise to tell who murdered Karen Grech if his party was elected.
I DO remember the corruption that has existed since 1987. When Mintoff was Prime Minister there were accusations of corruption. This was never proven. Corruption and unaccountably has been the order of the day since 1987.
Today I remember very well being falsely and maliciously accused by a Nationalist Party Minister to cover up his involvement in the scandal of the millennium. I remember very well. Well done Dom Mintoff.
min ilu jghid li gaddafi dittatur(iktar minn tletin sena) il-president( f'isem il-poplu) mar jghannqu u jilghaqu.
mintoff bil-hazin tieghu b'kollox gholla liz-zghir u l-batut. verita ma tistax tgiddiba. kulhadd ghandu l-hazin.
I just wanted to be level headed!!! Couldn`t see the reason for this award...and still cannot!!! Our family sadly remembers the death of our dear sister,Sr.Sybil who was a protagonist in the Church School saga......many a time called to Police H.Q. in the middle of the night!!! She surely got a better reward than Mintoff did!!!!!! even though forgotten by many!!!
@ Bill Millan. Just one plain observation while ignoring your slipping away like a duck from defending the USA and the gross negative attributes to Malta’s greatest leader of the past, The man we love so much and you so much love to hate. Getting to my point.....Asking anybody which kind of life they prefer between the past and the present is a trick question because it attracts only one answer-the present- because the world in general is progressing not regressing. And since you seem to take a good interest in time comparisons, allow me to put a question to all the Maltese people living the real life in Malta........and my question is.. Which quality of life do you prefer that during the period 1960-70 or 1971-81?
And this other observation is directed to The Times. Your paper is by far my favourite read as I like your style however I have to confess that your choice of portrays leaves much to be desired. I would have chosen a better picture of Good old Dom and the naughty Sammy Meilaq, unless of course I had a subtle hidden agenda. Otherwise I find this paper bearable.
To all Nationalists ,
If it wasn’t for Mintoff and people like him that fought against people like you , the vast majority of the Maltese will be still in poverty because every social policy that he wanted to introduce had the opposition by the PN , and there are who still support them .
Well that is your choice , but don’t come and tell us that Mintoff was against human rights because as I said already his governments were the ones that introduced them on this island and always the PN were against sometimes violently .
Even the simple needs like water and electricity Mintoff found that there was an insistent infrastructure and had to build almost from the beginning , and it wasn’t a joke like someone is trying to say cause with no money and with a party like the PN in opposition , noting is simple . It was an impossible task . But he made it !!
Just a simple question , who urged the Maltese for public disobedience ?
These Libyans don't even know how to properly name their awards.
Taking political prisoners as well as beating supporters is against human rights and come on... Libya?
Its like Zimbabwe issuing a Economic Prosperity Prize , its ridiculously ironic.
I'm not that knowledgable about religion but didn't Jesus condemn the rich Jewish Rabbis, whilst alot of Jews were living in poverty - well some do say Jesus would have been a Socialist. Its a shame our beloved Church didn't have the same views in the 50s /60s but maybe PN influence had something to do with that???
just to show what a humanitarian he is.
Well done Dom.
Is this another famous misprint? did the libyans forget the word "Anti-"
This award had to be named - "The International Anti-Humam Rights Award"
A certain colleague of Mr Mintoff was Dr Alfred Sant who described this King as the Traditur. I think that all those who funnily enough still believe this myth should consult Dr Sant for the achievements of His Majesty. A traditur is a person who betrays a King, Leader etc. so that definition excludes Mr Mintoff from being the King. There is a difference between thinking that you are King and being the actual King.
Now he can donate his 250000 to the boat people and prove his humanitarianism
Qaddafi as protector of human rights? What a joke!
Mintoff as protector of human rights? Hah. Would this be the same Dominic Mintoff in whose term the Malta Police Force became an instrument of state torture, people were beaten for holding different political views, clubs of opposition parties were burnt, churches were ransacked, and the offices of newspapers were burnt because they dared to print the truth? .....
There is not enough space here to list all the human rights abuses and crimes committed at that time.
For those who are interested, I suggest an Internet search for “Al-Qathafi Award for Human Rights”. Not one mention. Gives you a general idea about the prestige that this “award” enjoys on the international stage.
Ghandek biex tiftahar Perit! Now you stand shoulder to shoulder with those "champions of “human rights “ – Fidel Castro, Hugo Chavez.
Qabel Mintoff aks ġuħ u qamel kien hawn, u erba sinjuri jistmaw il-ħaddiem ta' ilsier.
Ħalluħ fil-kwiet. Għandkhom ħdura kbira għalieh.
D Crockford – It wasn’t only Sant’s government whom he ‘toppled’ really.
G Farrugia & G Douglas – Excuse me, but I think you need to revise your history.
J Dimech – no comment.
A Saliba - Mintoff was MLP general secretary when women were granted the right to vote. It was Dr. Paul Boffa who had put forward this proposal way back in 1945.
On this blog, Amanda Mallia considers that her "6- and 8-year-old children are already aware of much of the hardship Mintoff put us through.", apparently having enough 'savvy' that "In fact, they heard (her) commenting about this award on the phone today, and - in tandem - said "How silly! Don't they know what a horrible man he is?""
Yet, on another blog, in this same paper, Daphne Caruana Galizia refers to 16-year olds as "those who can't yet think"!
Isn't it truly amazing? :-)
When MLP made education obligatory they were made to realise how important education was and though it was with great hardship my grandparents sent their children to school and they were aided by being given food at a cheaper price.
You said your grandfather had the foresight to send your mum to school, may I ask how poor were they? Did your mother have to wear 1 shoe cut in half & each half tied up to a bit of sack to make a pair of shoes? 'Cause my mum did.
Don't forget that when MLP wanted to introduce obligatory free education for all, PN were against it - I wonder why.
For example:
@Oscar Cassar, asking Pauline Barbara.
Do you really know who killed Karen Grech ???
Dear Oscar Cassar, let one remind you of the following and see if you can remember who uttered the words: "Warbu min hemm, halli nghidulkhom min qatel lill Karen Grech" and continued - -- -!
So, dear Oscar Cassar, tell us, who uttered those words in 1986/7?
One thing is for certain in that most dreadful incident, and that is Prof. Grech trying to help patients who others left for dead!
The leader of the opposition of the late 70s believed that as long as the end justified the mean, everything was acceptable. "Jekk inkunu kontra l-gvern, dejjem, u f'kollox, il-gvern jirrizenja jkollu"
Remember Prof. Oscar Cassar?
You should say a prayer when mentioning our beloved Karen!
Human rights and Libya in the same sentence, not enough also mentioning Dom Mintoff.
Do I have to say more?
But let's not forget that he brought around:-
1. A welfare system (children allowance and minimum wage amongst others) where at least everyone has a minimum standard of living;
2. Vote to the women;
3. Freedom from foreign military - Before Mintoff Malta's sole aim was as a military base;
He put in place the basis for a country to become from a military base into a proper country, built on work , freedom and democracy.
Regarding the early 80's Mintoff was against to continue to govern - but members of the MLP wanted to govern even though the party had no majority; This nowadays is well known fact;
I say well done Mintoff; You and Eddie Fenech Adami are the statesman which god gave to this country fo rit to develop and prosper.
Perhaps Dom Mintoff could now use his influence with the Libyan leader and ask him to stop sending boatload after boatload of poor Africans to your small country.
He would certainly deserve a Human Rights award from the Maltese people if he could do that.
Let me remind you that it was a labour government who created an immigration ministry. Complete with music band to see off the emigrants. It was mintoff who asked the British to create a little Malta with, according to his calculations 100,000 maltese settlers some where else.(see The Knight July 1953) "Once settled in a friendly country very few of them will opt to come back" He said. As for the kappillan's approval. during the mintoff years he was substituted with the minister's canvassers.and not just for jobs. To get a telephone installed you had to wait years, to buy a TV set you had to camp out in front of Xandir Malta. and when you got the set you had to thank the minster. Violence was the order of the day. Tap water was non existant with tankers bringing over the precious liquid from Sicily. I could go on for ever and perhaps I will!