Malta reiterates stand against abortion
Malta's stance against abortion was reiterated this morning during a manifestation for the rights of the unborn child at St John's CoCathedral.
Foreign Minister Tonio Borg said that in the context of an anti-life culture, Malta would not follow the rest of the world but retain its pro-life stance.
Dr Borg said he was confident the amendment to the Maltese constitution stating that human life began at conception, thus protecting the right to life of unborn children, would go through as something which members from both parties would work on, rather than just the party in Government.
Social Affairs Committee president Edwin Vassallo said that while abortion was the final straw when it came to the violation of the right to life of unborn children, other behaviour throughout pregnancy also harmed the child and this was something which needed to be addressed to ensure that, from conception, human life was protected.
Speaking on behalf of the Labour Party, Tony Agius Decelis said the party was fully in favour of protecting the miracle of life. The party was totally against abortion under any circumstance.
The PL was recently under fire for remarks made by deputy leader Toni Abela who had said there were cases in which abortion could be considered. He has since synchronised his position to the party’s agenda as now being fully against abortion under any circumstances.
Medical doctor Josie Muscat, who is also the leader of right wing party Alleanza Nazzjonali, said that even after having participated in over 6,000 childbirths he was still in awe of the miracle of life.
Dr Muscat said abortion was a consequence of an erosion of values where unmarried couples were having children and after splitting up, children were being used as “toys” and bargaining tools. He called for Malta to set the example to the world as being in favour of the family by addressing these problems, not just by throwing money at people.
In an homily during Mass which preceded the manifestation, Archbishop Emeritus Joseph Mercieca mentioned Mother Teresa of Calcutta as a staunch defender of human life who not only spoke in favour of life, but assisted those most in need.
The activities on the occasion of Life Day 2010 were organised by the Malta Unborn Child Movement, and were attended by representatives of the government, the Labour Party, Alternattiva Demokratika, Gift of Life, Girl Guides and members of the Catholic, Islamic, Jewish, Hindu and Baha’i confessions.
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A Hili
Feb 8th 2010, 15:01
Wars are as bad as abortion but most people seem to accept them as necessary.
Anthony Briffa
Feb 8th 2010, 07:59
"He has since synchronised his position to the party’s agenda as now being fully against abortion under any circumstances".
Was he forced to attend rehabilitation sessions over the last week to be able to tow the party line, discard his opinion of so long, and become pro-life. If one has an opinion about anything one doesn't change it overnight. I would rather think that instead of becoming fully against under any circumstances, he became against to go along with the circumstances. He is the deputy leader of the progressives and moderates, a movement which has become a 'karretta' as long as it collects votes, and then as the rehabilited Mintoff once said 'umbaghad wara' il-bahh'.
Matthew Azzopardi
Feb 8th 2010, 01:04
The question that encircle todays society is, what is man? There a big unresolved anthropological question, that we don't know who we are, where we come from and where are we heading to. We live in a society were we are scandalized by suffering, by all the circumstances that invite us to donate ourselves, and die for our ego, we are encircled by the fear of death. I mean Ontological death! The death of the being in which man finds him self every time he realizes that he has to give away that part of himself that he is so fond of, his own will. So in order to placate this fear that we feel we start eliminating all that recalls us to suffering, we start creating a perfect society based on ideologies, Marxism, Nazism, Capitalism, Communism... we try to create the super man by Nietzsche answer Hitler, Stalin Pol Pot, Marx, Castro .. didn't these persons wanted to create a perfect society where there is no evil...where there are no unwanted pregnancy, where there is no suffering, where there is freedom. Legalizing abortion wont resolve the problem. The problem is deep down in the hearth of every man.
Ian Grech
Feb 8th 2010, 00:43
This is political hypocrisy. Anyone wanting to have an abortion only has to take a quick trip up to Italy or the UK (cheap flights are not only used by holiday makers). This said, not everyone is capable of doing such a trip and therefore there is a social imbalance.
C.ZARB
Feb 8th 2010, 00:32
Malta is truly an amazing country. There is no one as good as us in preaching about morality and yet when we come to do the walking.....
Child care centers cost a bomb here, our schools work with nofs ta nhari and any party that promises income tax cuts (even if this means less money injected in the welfare state) is paraded like a hero. People who have handicapped children receive so little help in Malta and its becoming so hard even for married couples with normal children to make ends meet.
Its easy to critize when you are living in palaces stacked with gold or you have just increased your salary (that what politicians did 2 years ago). Stating that, the situation in Malta is difficult and much more different then the one portrayed by our priests/politicians. Imagine what you would say if Income tax had to rise at 50 - 60% so that we would be able to afford the 5 star welfare state that northern European countries have. The people would probably take Castille by force.
Maurice Saliba
May 14th 2010, 01:39
So correct me if I got you wrong? Your solution to all this is??? ------> assasinate the baby
martin saliba
Feb 7th 2010, 21:00
Mr. Zammit . Like i said , i have my own morals and im sure you have yours. All i can say is that if my daughter were raped and she wanted to terminate i would pay whatever is necassary , in fact i would even sugest it to her. Finaly to make myself clear , i am against any other cases of abortion except as i mentioned in rape cases and where the life of the mother is at great risk and even in these cases i object to abortions if the feutos is allready formed , but as i said in my earlier comment a few cells do not constitute life as far as i am concerned.
C.ZARB
Feb 7th 2010, 20:56
I suggest that any pregnant woman should be tagged and have her passport taken so that she won't be able to kill her foetus erm baby. Divorce (except annulment) and euthanasia should be kept banned, gay marriages shouldn't be accepted and any writings which is considered not morally correct should be censored and the person guilty of such act should be thrown to prison. I'm sure that the church (leader of human rights) will be more then willing to give us a hand about expecially considering her experience in such sector in regards of inquisition and crusades.
Stefan Cachia
Feb 7th 2010, 20:46
Free-choice??? Whose free choice? Does it include the choice to live? Or only the choice to kill? On what criteria should someone have the right to kill someone else?
I believe that no one should have the right to decide that someone else does not have the right to live! Too many crimes (and murders) were committed by people in the name of a 'holier than though' creed which preached the superiority of a subset of people over another subset! Abortion simply continues in this vein... Whatever the criterion (financial reasons, pride, perceived disability of the baby etc) an innocent living being, unable to defend him/herself is murdered by someone who decided that he/she does not have the right to live... all of us writing here could have ended that way if our parents decided for abortion... would that have been a murder? An abortion means the loss of a unique person... and his/her unique contributed to humanity
And please... forget about religion... this has nothing to do with Christianity or any other religion... its only about the right to live, the freedom to enjoy one's life and to express oneself!
Michael De Giovanni
Feb 7th 2010, 20:41
At Ms. Richards,
Religious stuff aside, it seems you have never met the "severly deformed" people you speak about with such disgust, for they're much happier with the gift of life than many of the people I know. yes that doesn't mean that they don't have suffering, but life is much greater than that. I know from people very close to me who suffer from serious illness and don't have a life expectancy of over 25 years.
As for women who risk loosing their lives. Well it seems you have never heard of women who are ready to give there own lives just so that the child is born, thats how important life is. No holy crap here, just plain and simple values. It doesn't mean that these women weren't scared, it doesn't mean that they don't die, but they simple see that the child or as someone here called it those few cell, which u have been one of those yourselves and wouldn't be around without being them, much greater than there own lives. Does anyone call these women heroes? well you wouldn't for sure, you would call them freaks and all the lot...
D Phillips
Feb 7th 2010, 20:02
@JF Grech
"Most woman abort out of societal or family pressure, fear at the moment, lack of support in the pregnancy, or inconvenience to their lives; not because they truly want to bottom line"
Exactly, at least they have the option, and its their option, not yours to decide for them.
(You never mentioned church interference in national law making, as one of the reasons.)
And whether you like it or not, it is in the main although not entirely , a subject which is divided along lines of religious belief. As can be ascertained by the fact that within the EU, the two countries who still hold out on these archaic measures, are Malta and Ireland, funnily enough both countries have strong ties to a specific religion. Most countries have now realised that constitutional articles based on religious teachings are no longer relevant in todays world. With the exception of, who?
D Phillips
Feb 7th 2010, 19:44
@DePasquale,
Thanks for the biology lesson.
Once again, abortion , according to law, is not murder. As can be attested to by the number of countries throughout the world where abortion is indeed legal. Quite why you think that your belief, whether religious based or not, should override the belief of one who has to make the decision in real time, for themselves is beyond comprehension.
Gail Debono
Apr 2nd 2010, 13:31
Well said Mr Philips... I myself do not think I would ever have an abortion, however, who am I to tell somebody else to refrain from doing so? These holier-than-thou catholics really need to be shut up once and for all, for they are the reason our country is left so far behind. I don't want to have abortions, but I have no right to tell others not to. Who do these people think they are?
A. Zahra
Feb 7th 2010, 19:29
@ Margaret Richards
It is you who are writing crap. I defend life, be it of a foetus, a man or a woman, no matter how abnormal, subnormal or deformed it may be. Science has just shown us that many in a "vegetative state" have an active brain which can understand and is capable of communicating. This is not a matter of religion or of votes. Should the party I support propose the introduction of abortion, I will not vote it in power.
Margaret Richards
Feb 7th 2010, 18:57
Had I been against abortion, I would definitely vote in favour because the holier than thou attitude adopted by most of the people writing in these blogs really makes the abortion issue backfire on them. Freedom of choice for the woman should be at the top of the agenda. Perhaps that woman has been raped, or got pregnant thru' incest, or she knows that the baby is severly deformed,or even worse the mother could die if she continues the pregnancy. May I ask all you holier than thou freaks - especially re the last option - if you had more kids and you know that if you won't terminate your pregnancy you're going to leave orphaned kids what would you do? And please don't play it holy because that's pure crap!!!
doreen depasquale
Feb 7th 2010, 18:21
perhaps Mr Philips does not realize that to function like a fully grown human being he has to start 'from a bundle of cells'. Abortion is murder, there is no other word for it. Malta should be proud to protect the unborn child!
C.ZARB
Feb 7th 2010, 18:00
While we are at it Mr Pullicino should we teach the only Western European state who does not work with democracy what democracy means?
JF Grech
Feb 7th 2010, 17:25
@D. Phillips You may feel comfortable with your off hand attitude - "good on you" - but sadly most abortion occurs not on the basis of some kind of detached decision. Most woman abort out of societal or family pressure, fear at the moment, lack of support in the pregnancy, or inconvenience to their lives; not because they truly want to bottom line. One need not look at too many studies to see the high percentage of women who felt they had no choice or who suffered post abortion stress. How we treat the unborn is ultimately a reflection of how a society will ultimately treat the living. As we devalue human life at its creation we also devalue it when it becomes old and a "burden". There are times when a society will choose to impose a moral value when it deems it to be the right one. Malta's stand should not be one that is ridiculed and reduced to a "religious" argument. People champion the rights of animal's for heavens sake - so how can we not see that we should do so for human beings. Stand against the tide Malta!
Patrick Pullicino
Feb 7th 2010, 17:17
Well done Malta for publicly taking a bipartisan stand against abortion! Malta is one of four nations in the world that bans abortion entirely and one of four countries in Europe where abortion is not freely available. Many in Europe would like to force abortion into all European countries and the new Swedish EU minister last year helped to launch a campaign "Make Noise for Free Choice" aimed at Ireland, Poland and Malta to allow abortion. The group "Human Rights Watch" has recently criticized Ireland's abortion laws. The challenge for Malta is to show Europe what a gross violation of human rights abortion is and to work to eliminate abortion from Europe.
Margaret Richards
Feb 7th 2010, 16:49
The oracle has spoken - case is closed - goodbye to freedom!!! I am not in favour of abortion except in 4 instances: Violent Rape, Incest, a severly deformed baby and when the mother's health is in real danger.Who laughs last laughs best - Goodbye to votes:)))
D Phillips
Feb 7th 2010, 16:20
Generally speaking those who oppose abortion do so, on the basis of religious belief, and will argue the point, rightly or wrongly, as to why the rights of a bundle of cells should override the rights of a fully grown and functioning human being. Those who place it on the same plane as murder are confusing themselves, lets face it if it was murder would it be so readily accepted in so many countries.
Those who don’t agree with abortion, good on you, no-one is forcing you to have one.
Those who agree with abortion, good one you, it’s your body do with it what you will.
Quite why anti abortionists insist on trying to impose their ideas on others is, quite frankly, bizarre.
Mr. Zammit
Feb 7th 2010, 15:30
@ Mr. Saliba
No doubt that when a pregnancy is a result of a rape, the child is not seen as the gift of life as in normal cases. Notwithstanding, did the child rape the woman? Why does the child have to pay?
There's no easy solution. Perhaps the government should do more to support these children. However life has thought me that usually, the easy way out is always the bad choice. We don't choose our life, terrible things happen to everyone - that's life, you're living it, so why shouldn't others?
Oh, and the note about the few cells - if they're nothing special, how come man hasn't yet managed to re-create them from scratch?
Stefan Cachia
Feb 7th 2010, 15:17
Freedom implies the ability to speak one's mind and to behave according to one's will without infringing the freedom of others! Killing others is obviously not a freedom!
Its interesting how self defined prophets of 'freedom' live their 'calling' by attacking the rights of others to speak their mind, to defend the values in which they believe.... For some individuals its not permissible to be 'pro-life', 'pro-family' and the like! It seem like we're moving into a new inquisitorial phase... this time at the hands of anti-Christian Torquemadas!
Thankfully, we still live in a free country where everyone is allowed to speak his mind and true freedom is upheld; I mean a freedom which respects the freedom of others... including the right to live and the right of free speech!
Maurice Saliba
Feb 7th 2010, 15:14
if one is given the 'right' to abort he is given the 'right' to kill. But pro-choice people would say a foetus is not a human being. Not even scientists are 100% about this because it is not even there field of knowledge because of the philosophical nature of the argument. We give benefit of the doubt to criminals ... might as well we do the same with the innocent ... everything must be put on a balance ... a hassle free life for the woman and man who conceived the child or letting the unborn child live....
martin saliba
Feb 7th 2010, 14:57
Noone has the right to to force a woman not to remove a few cells imposed on a her through rape. A forced offspring , on some women ,is nothing short of torture by being a constant reminder of the trauma she went through. All of those who dissagreed please keep your morals to yourseves and let me have my opinion. If or when anytime in the future you ar one of your daughters get raped and is pregnat by all means keep it i will not interfer in your decision but i demand that you do not interfer with mine. What i am sure that most of you holier that though will do is pray to God that the regnancy is terminated by means of a misscarrage , but just remember the thougt alone still makes you an oborsionist. Fire away.
Michael De Giovanni
Feb 7th 2010, 14:52
@Adrian Aquilina.
A yeah so next step to your ideal of having the
"right ...to live the life we choose" would be
1. Remove and set free all prisoners from Kordin
2. Put into the maltese constitution that vandals, rapists, murderers, thieves, pedophiles and all to lot are no longer prohibited for they can live "the life they choose". Of course than even abortion would be the least of all the horror shows. Welcome to reality and thank God we have a culture which defend life even from a state point of view.
Or tell me is there any difference from the fetus you where in your mother's room and the years later to who you are now? or do you think that if your mother aborted, you would still somehow be alive?
Mr. Zammit
Feb 7th 2010, 14:52
Dear Mr. Aquilina, with your line of thought, any murder should be allowed. A 100% free country is one ruled by anarchy. People have been fighting for their freedoms and their right since the dawn of time. Who will fight for the freedoms and rights of those who cannot do it for themselves?
Oh...and if you really don't like what Malta is, proud of it's values, even when they don't agree with the rest of the world, well, why are you still here? If you really prefer very progressive countries where killing an innocent person is accepted, why are you still here?
K. Pullicino
Feb 7th 2010, 14:41
@Mr. Aquilina: You said, "one important right should be to live the life we choose". Out in Europe, you'd be lucky to even be given the choice to have your first breath.
D.Galea
Feb 7th 2010, 14:37
@ adrian aquilina
Mhux i-religjon biss tghidlek biex tibza ghall-hajja. Imma anke r-raguni.
Ii tkun liberu ma jfissirx li twegga lill haddiehor inkella jkun libertinagg.
Carmel Serracino-Inglott
Feb 7th 2010, 14:36
Well done Pro-Life, PN and LP and Josie, Jews, Hindus and Muslim. We have to fight against murder of the young and the likes of aquilina. We pray for those who believe to have seen the light but are in reality thinking that dark is light by killing the unborn. The pro choice are in fact those who are selfish. They want sex even if they kill the unborn. Those who are raped we should support them 100% by money if needs be but above all to help them give birth to the child they carry and this is what the majority of the Maltese at least want and be it.
J. Debono
Feb 7th 2010, 14:35
@ Adrian Aquilina
A state where one has the freedom to do what he wishes, whenever he wishes, and there are no laws or police forces to impede these 'freedoms', is called an ANARCHY.
Living in a country where abortion is illegal does not remove YOUR freedoms, but actually protects the unborn child's rights. What freedom is it removing?
Killing a foetus is freedom????
In my opinion, abortion should become legal at the same time that homicide becomes legal.
Are you in favour of homicide becoming legal? so that you will claim that nobody is taking away your freedoms?
It is people who do not respect others, but only respect themselves that are doing harm to ALL countries.
laurence schembri
Feb 7th 2010, 14:32
Let me state that abortion is murder. But let me also state that this hereby manifestation is noithing but, a political stance about what was said some seven years ago.
adrian aquilina
Feb 7th 2010, 14:21
oh dear,freedom does not exist here..we have the right to be told how to think,act,live.
what a sad state...we are a religious state which includes all its false information,unrealistic rules all based on a man made lie called religion..the harm it does to this country is unbelievable...our one important right should be to live the life we choose,to make personal choices not be told what to think..