Moviment Graffitti condemns in the strongest possible terms the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) with the United States, which has been reportedly approved by Cabinet.
Malta’s Constitution clearly states that our country is neutral and explicitly prohibits foreign military forces on our territory. US military personnel should not even set foot in Malta, let alone be given impunity and ceding Maltese sovereignty over them.
If the reports are correct, the Labour Government would be betraying what Dom Mintoff and the Labour Party have fought for and achieved. A SOFA agreement would limit Malta’s jurisdiction over the US military in Malta, meaning that the US would be able to commit crimes on Maltese soil and act against Malta’s interest, with relative ease and impunity.
Moreover, the motivation for such an agreement allegedly stems from the fact that long years of high-level corruption and the underhanded promotion of Malta as a money laundering hub have necessitated this agreement so that our country avoids being blacklisted in the domain of financial services. This necessity confirms and attempts to conceal Malta’s lax enforcement, if not direct promotion of money laundering, and which will result in the erosion of our constitutional right to peace and neutrality.
Not only is this clearly unconstitutional, but it also makes Malta a promoter of war and military aggression. It is indeed sad to see that the Maltese Government is ready to use nationalist slogans against the most vulnerable – asylum-seekers – but then accedes to an agreement that is humiliating to our country and against our interests. It is also ironic that the Maltese Government enters into an agreement that promotes war while at the same complaining about the “burden” resulting from refugees feeling these wars.
The President of the Republic, Dr George Vella, is legally and morally bound to reject this agreement due to its evident unconstitutionality. We also call onto the Maltese people, especially Labour Party activists that have fought for Maltese neutrality, to make their opposition to SOFA heard and felt. In the coming days, Moviment Graffitti will announce further initiatives against the SOFA deal.
___________________________________________________________
Il-ftehim SOFA mal-Istati Uniti jfisser umiljazzjoni għal pajjiżna u ksur ċar tal-kostituzzjoni
Il-Moviment Graffitti jikkundanna bl-aktar mod qawwi l-Ftehim dwar l-Istatus tal-Forzi (SOFA) mal-Istati Uniti li, skont ir-rapporti fil-media, ġie approvat mill-Kabinett.
Il-Kostituzzjoni ta’ Malta tiddikjara b’mod ċar li pajjiżna huwa newtrali u tipprojbixxi b’mod espliċitu l-preżenza ta’ forzi militari fit-territorju tagħna. Il-persunal militari tal-Istati Uniti lanqas għandu jirfes fuq it-territorju Malti, aħseb u ara jingħata impunità u nċedu s-sovranità fil-konfront tiegħu.
Jekk ir-rapporti huma minnhom, il-Gvern Laburista se jkun qed jittradixxi dak li Dom Mintoff u l-Partit Laburista kienu ssieltu għalih u kisbu. Ftehim SOFA se jkun qed jillimita l-applikazzjoni tal-ġurisdizzjoni ta’ Malta fil-konfront tal-militar tal-Istati Uniti, li jfisser li l-Istati Uniti jkunu jistgħu jikkommettu atti kriminali fuq it-territorju Malti u azzjonijiet li jmorru kontra l-interess ta’ Malta, b’mod relattivament faċli u b’impunità.
Barra minn dan, il-motivazzjoni wara tali ftehim allegatament ġejja mill-fatt li snin twal ta’ korruzzjoni ta’ livell għoli fil-pajjiz, u l-promozzjoni minn taħt ta’ Malta bħala ċentru tal-ħasil tal-flus, ħolqu n-neċessità li jsir dan il-ftehim sabiex pajjiżna jevita li jispiċċa blacklisted fil-qasam tas-servizzi finanzjarji. Din in-neċessità tikkonferma u tipprova taħbi l-laxkezza fl-infurzar f’Malta, jekk mhux saħansitra l-promozzjoni diretta tal-ħasil tal-flus, u se tirriżulta fit-tnaqqir tad-dritt kostituzzjonali tagħna għall-paċi u n-newtralità.
Dan mhux biss imur kontra l-kostituzzjoni, iżda jagħmel lil Malta promotriċi tal-gwerra u l-aggressjoni militari. Hija tabilħaqq ħasra li l-Gvern Malti huwa lest li juża slogans patrijottiċi li jrawmu sentimenti nazzjonalisti kontra dawk li huma l-aktar vulnerabbli – il-persuni li jfittxu l-ażil – iżda mbagħad jaderixxi ma’ ftehim li se jara lill-pajjiżna jiġi umiljat u li jmur kontra l-interessi tagħna. Ikun wkoll ironiku jekk il-Gvern Malti jidħol fi ftehim li jippromwovi l-gwerra meta fl-istess waqt qed jilmenta dwar il-“piż” li pajjiżna qed ikollu jġorr minħabba r-refuġjati li jkollhom jaħarbu minn dawn l-istess gwerer.
Il-President tar-Repubblika, Dr George Vella, huwa legalment u moralment marbut li jirrifjuta dan il-ftehim peress li jmur kontra l-kostituzzjoni tagħna b’mod ċar għall-aħħar. Nappellaw ukoll lill-poplu Malti, b’mod partikolari lill-attivisti tal-Partit Laburista li ssieltu biex Malta tikseb in-newtralità, sabiex isemmgħu leħinhom u jesprimu l-oppożizzjoni tagħhom kontra s-SOFA. Fil-jiem li ġejjin, il-Moviment Graffitti se jkun qed iħabbar aktar inizjattivi kontra l-ftehim SOFA.
