Correspondence has been going on in the Times of Malta lately regarding the historic events during the patriotic Maltese uprising against the French on September 2, 1798, and the blockade which lasted till 1800.

The least we could do to honour our forefathers who made the ultimate sacrifice for the love of this fair land, is that at least every September 2 the National Festivities Committee will places wreath on the national monument marking this glorious event in our history.

May I remind whoever tries to belittle the Maltese patriotic uprising against the might of the French Republic, by calling this ‘the peasants revolt’, that those people are our own forefathers and that every Maltese worthy of his name must honour and respect at all times and in all circumstances.

To think of erecting a memorial to both sides involved in this conflict is like suggesting putting up a monument to Hitler or Mussolini who were also involved in warfare against our people.

Perhaps while we are at it, we might as well erect a monument to Dragut and Mustafa Pasha, who like the great Napoleon set foot on this rock with the sole intention to suppress and conquer the Maltese people, but eventually they were all humiliated and driven out. In the case of Bonaparte, he certainly did not leave empty-handed!

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