It has been reported that a UK-based charity providing financial assistance, practical information and accommodation to those living in countries with restrictive abortion laws said that it was also offering its services to residents in Malta and Gibraltar.
It said it would give advice on the least expensive way to arrange abortions and travel, on clinics the Abortion Support Network worked with in several EU countries and, where necessary, on financial help towards the cost of travelling from one’s home country and paying privately to access a safe, legal abortion.
Article 241 (1) of the Criminal Code stipulates that: “Whosoever, by any food, drink, medicine, or by violence, or by any other means whatsoever, shall cause the miscarriage of any woman with child, whether the woman be consenting or not, shall, on conviction, be liable to imprisonment for a term from 18 months to three years.”
When the UK Abortion Support Network extends its services to women in Malta to facilitate the abortion of any unborn child, it is clearly inciting to kill, not one, but many unborn children from Malta.
In the not very distant past, the Times of Malta reported that a Maltese citizen had been given a two-year jail term, suspended for four years, after he was charged by the police, and found guilty by a court, of inciting racial hatred in different places in Malta between 2003 and 2006.
This newspaper had also reported that the police had charged four men with incitement to commit a crime in connection with the sending of text messages for the holding of a violent protest on bird hunting. In these two cases of incitement, the police were very conspicuous by their presence.
The Police and Aġenzija Appoġġ, which are tasked by law to protect all children “before as well as after birth” who are living in Malta, should take immediate action to inform the Abortion Support Network and the Malta Women’s Rights Foundation, which is supporting it, that, effectively, they are inciting to kill unborn children from Malta and should stop their illegal activities forthwith.
The Family Ministry should tell the Abortion Support Network to stop inciting women in Malta to kill their unborn children by abortion
The Women’s Rights Foundation which, unlike the Abortion Support Network, is located in Malta, has exposed itself to court action, as an accomplice, for incitement to kill unborn children from Malta.
Ironically, at the same time the Abortion Support Network came out advertising its services for abortion to women from Malta, Parliament is discussing a new law on the protection of minors.
On Pro-Life Day last month, the Minister for the Family, Children’s Rights and Social Solidarity was invited for a manifestation in favour of life at the Oratory of St John’s Cathedral, Valletta, when he made a pro-life speech. The shadow minister was also invited and did the same.
On the same day, when the manifestation was over, the movement and the Malta Life Network requested to meet both the minister and the shadow minister on the law on the protection of minors.
The pro-life movement is making representations to have the unborn included in the definition of a minor. This, in consonance with the law quoted above.
Notwithstanding this, the Abortion Support Network, from abroad, started shouting very loudly that it wanted to extend abortion services to women living in Malta.
The Family Ministry should tell the Abortion Support Network to stop inciting women in Malta to kill their unborn children by abortion.
The Women’s Rights Foundation should also inform the Abortion Support Network that the pro-life movement in Malta has been helping women with difficult or unwanted pregnancies for many, many years and there are plans, supported also by the government and the Opposition, to expand these services even further.
This political support was expressed very clearly by both the minister and the shadow minister during the manifestation in favour of life.
Maltese society does not want that, one day, it will also be harvesting pre-born baby body parts, like Planned Parenthood is doing in the USA and elsewhere, to be used in universities or industrial laboratories for experimental purposes. That is the commodification of the unborn.
Nor that abortion will be allowed until the very last minute before a child, still in his mother’s womb, is born, as happened lately in New York and Virginia in the United States. That is barbaric.
A few months ago, a MaltaToday survey found that 97 per cent of the Maltese declared they are against abortion.
Tony Mifsud is coordinator, Malta Unborn Child Movement.
This is a Times of Malta print opinion piece