Updated - Adds reaction by Divorce Movement - The anti-divorce movement Zwieg bla-divorzju launched its campaign against the introduction of divorce today with the slogan Flimkien Ghal Uliedna.
Andre' Camilleri, chairman of the movement, said the slogan was chosen because children had the least voice in the divorce debate and yet they would be the most affected if divorce was introduced.
The movement, he said, wanted to promote the concept of a lasting and indissoluble marriage.
For Maltese society there was no better formula than this kind of marriage.
Dr Camilleri told a press conference that despite problems that families were facing and would continue to face, Maltese families by and large were still strong and would be weakened by the introduction of divorce.
He insisted that the movement is against all forms of divorce.
He also complained that no one had carried out a social assessment of the impact on society of the possible introduction of divorce.
Divorce, he argued, would undermine the people's commitment to marriage and to making marriage last.
He said the movement was appealing for a mature and civil campaign and debate without personal attacks. It was convinced, he said, that the Maltese would at the end of the day make the right choice and say 'no thank you' to divorce.
Asked about funding for the campaign and whether any funds had been received from the Church, Dr Camilleri said the movement would conduct a fund-raising campaign and would welcome donations from anyone, not only from the Curia.
He said a parish had made available unused premises which the movement was using as a base.
DIVORCE MOVEMENT REACTION
The Divorce Movement in a reaction said that children and religion should not be used in the run-up to the divorce referendum.
It said that the 'no' camp was completely ignoring the plight of children born outside marriage because their parents could not marry.
With the introduction of divorce, many such parents would be able to marry, and children, would therefore benefit. .
It pointed out that a third of babies were now born out of wedlock, including many to cohabiting couples who could not marry because there was no divorce. Their number would increase if divorce was not introduced.
Furthermore, studies where divorce had been introduced still showed that newly-weds fully intended their marriage to last.
The movement also accused the 'no' camp of using the Church and creating a climate which was very different from what the Bishops wanted when they said they did not want a crusade against divorce.
The Anti-Divorce Movement replied that the statement by the Divorce Movement was insensitive since it was ignoring the plight of children and the hardship which irresponsible divorce brought about. It appeared that the Divorce Movement was only interested in quickly introducing divorce without proper study.