Malta Crisis: Are You Angry About What’s Happening? Here’s What You Can Do
It’s a crazy time to be living in Malta right now.
The Prime Minister’s best friend and freshly-resigned Chief of Staff has been implicated in the assassination of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia. Meanwhile, Joseph Muscat is holding onto his seat as Prime Minister, which allows him to decide who of the witnesses should get a Presidential Pardon.
After three Ministers stepping down and an intense week of news and protests, most people are outraged by what’s happening and the irreparable damage it is having on the country. The main call is for Muscat, who has a clear conflict of interest, to step down as Prime Minister and steer clear of this investigation.
If you agree with this demand and you want to be useful, here are a few things you can do.
1. Stay informed
There’s a lot happening every minute so it’s easy to lose track and switch off. But knowing the details is crucial at this stage if you want to have an informed point of view. Read reliable news sources and double-check them against others.
2. Inform others
The first thing you can do after informing yourself and finding reliable information is sharing it with everyone you know. Take a break from memes and funny voice recordings on WhatsApp and start sending some links worth reading. Discuss these stories objectively and encourage people you know to do the same. If you have a creative flair, maybe write something yourself or create a useful piece of content and share it.
3. Steer clear of spreading fake news
Fake news is often weaponised in moments of political crisis. It can be used to confuse people, distract them, or diminish the credibility of news sources. That’s why you should be extra careful not to fall into the trap of spreading easily debunked news, even if you mean well. Remember there are a lot of journalists working hard to verify facts so your best bet is to confirm such information with journalists instead of spreading it through other channels where it can go viral.
Photo: Mike Bonello Ghio
4. Volunteer in a newsroom
It’s no secret that newsrooms are notoriously understaffed nowadays. So imagine what it’s like today when there’s so much happening. If you have some experience in journalism or videography, most newsrooms would probably gladly recruit you on a temporary basis to help them out over the next few days and weeks. I know we’d love an extra hand so feel free to email [email protected]. Take a few days off and join us. You’re probably not able to get much work done right now anyway.
5. Volunteer with an activist group
Activists also need all the help they can get. So if you have some spare time, why not head there early and offer to help hand out flags, print posters and collect donations? Repubblika and Occupy Justice are doing some great work right now.
Photo: Mike Bonello Ghio
6. Attend protests with your friends
And if you don’t have time to help organise the protests, perhaps you can still get a group of friends together and make your presence felt. Keep in mind that you won’t agree with everything that is said at the protests or with all of the people who attend or speak, but your presence is crucial for Malta’s international reputation right now. The Maltese people cannot be thought to be accepting this state of affairs in the country. So far there’s one planned on Saturday and another on Sunday.
7. Lobby your politician friends
Most of us know somebody connected to the government or the political parties in Malta. You know how they get in touch with you every five years asking you to vote? This is your time to call in that favour and ask them to speak up for what is right. Send an email, or a text message, or just inbox them on Facebook and share your concerns in an honest and dignified manner.
Here’s a template you can use: Hi, I just want to let you know that I’m horrified the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia cuts so close to Joseph Muscat’s best friend. The least that can be done is for the Prime Minister to step away so that the investigations can be concluded without any real or perceived conflict of interest. Malta needs to return to a form of stability.
If you have any other ideas of how you can be useful, share them in the comments below and inspire others.
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