The Government has committed itself to building a ‘cosmopolitan Malta’. Workers from around the world have been invited to come to Malta – but many are not truly welcomed. Every single day migrants, black, and brown people contribute to our growth and wellbeing and in return they face precarity, abuse, exploitation and violence. Where is the respect?

Making up 26.5% of the total Maltese labour force, migrant workers, including refugees and asylum-seekers, contribute hundreds of millions in Euros towards income tax and national insurance contributions every year. Our older people, our sick, our tourists, indeed, each and every one of us relies on the hard work and contributions of migrants, who have made Malta their home. They are a vital, vibrant and important part of ‘our’ community. Where is the respect?

Every week we learn of yet another incident of violence, often at the hands of those entrusted with a responsibility and duty to protect. Thanks to two decades of racialised discourse, abusive policies, and human rights violations, racism has become institutionalised, bullying and violence have become normalised, and a sense of impunity festers and prevails. As a result, black and brown people in Malta do not feel safe. Enough is enough!

More than a year ago the Government acknowledged the extent of Malta’s problem in regards to institutional racism. In launching the Anti-racism Strategy it committed – on paper at least – to doing better. But it has clearly and repeatedly failed to do so. What we continue to see is half-baked political statements, insulting platitudes, ongoing dehumanisation of black and brown people in discourse, policy, and practice, and an apparent total disregard for their wellbeing.

All persons, irrespectively of skin colour or nationality, form part of our community. They are our colleagues, they are our neighbours, they are our family members, they are our friends. The Government is responsible to respect and protect all members of Maltese society, regardless of background or origin. Every single person should feel safe in their community. They should feel protected in their home.

There’s no ‘us’ without ‘them’. We are the people, and we deserve better.
#BLMMalta #WheresTheRespect? #ThereIsNoUsWithoutThem

Fejn hu r-rispett? – M’hemmx aħna mingħajr huma

Il-gvern ikkommetta ruħu li jibni ‘Malta kożmopolitana’. Stieden ħaddiema minn madwar id-dinja biex jiġu f’Malta – imma ħafna minnhom mhumiex verament milqugħa. Kull ġurnata li tgħaddi, immigranti suwed jew kannella jikkontribwixxu għat-tkabbir u l-benessri tagħna, u ta’ dan jitħallsu bi prekarjetà, abbuż, esplojtazzjoni u vjolenza. Fejn hu r-rispett?

L-immigranti ħaddiema, li jinkludu refuġjati u persuni li qed ifittxu ażil jirrappreżentaw 26.5% tal-forza tax-xogħol Maltija, u jikkontribwixxu annwalment mijiet ta’ miljuni ta’ ewro permezz tat-taxxi fuq id-dħul u s-sigurtà soċjali. L-anzjani tagħna, il-morda tagħna, it-turisti tagħna, u fil-verità kull wieħed u waħda minna jiddependu fuq ix-xogħol iebes u l-kontribuzzjoni tal-immigranti, li għamlu Malta darhom. Huma parti importanti, vitali u vibranti tal-komunità ‘tagħna’.

Kull ġimgħa nisimgħu b’inċident ieħor ta’ vjolenza, ħafna drabi minn dawk afdati b’responsabbiltà u dmir li jipproteġu. Grazzi għal żewġ diċenji ta’ diskors razzjali, politiki abbużivi, u ksur ta’ drittijiet umani, ir-razziżmu ġie instituzzjonalizzat, il-bullying u l-vjolenza ġew normalizzati, u sens ta’ impunità jirrenja u jinfetta. Riżultat ta’ dan, persuni suwed u kannella ma jħossuhomx siguri. Issa ż-żejjed

Aktar minn sena ilu, il-gvern irrikonoxxa il-firxa tal-problema tar-razziżmu istituzzjonalizzat f’Malta. Permezz tat-tnedija tal-istrateġija ta’ antirazziżmu, ikkommetta ruħu, għall-inqas fuq il-karta, li jitjieb. Imma ċarament u darba wara l-oħra, qed ifalli. Li qed inkomplu naraw huma stqarrijiet politiċi nofs qalb, klixejiet insolenti, u diumanizzazzjoni kontinwa ta’ persuni suwed u kannella fid-diskors, fil-politika, u fil-prattika, bil-benessri tagħhom sfaċċatament injorati.

Kull persuna, irrispettivament mill-kulur tal-ġilda jew in-nazzjonalità tagħha, tifforma parti mill-komunità tagħna. Dawn huma l-kollegi tagħna, il-ġirien tagħna, qrabatna, ħbiebna. Il-gvern huwa responsabbli li jirrispetta u jipproteġi lill-membri kollha tas-soċjetà Maltija, irrelevanti mill-isfond jew oriġni tagħhom. Kull persuna għandha tħossha sigura fil-komunità tagħha. Kull persuna għandha tħossha protetta f’darha.

M’hemmx ‘aħna’ mingħajr ‘huma’. Aħna l-poplu, u jixirqilna aħjar.
#BLMMalta #WheresTheRespect? #ThereIsNoUsWithoutThem