‘We Say No To War’: Activists Urge Malta Not To Allow Transport Of Weapons Through Air & Sea Space
A coalition of local activists and groups sent out a letter to the Prime Minister, as well as the Cabinet, urging Malta to stop allowing the transportation of weapons being used against Gaza through its air and sea space.
The undersigned, made up of individuals like former president Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca and activist groups like Moviment Graffitti, admitted to being deeply concerned that international humanitarian law and UN peace resolutions are becoming ineffective, and that western states are supporting an “unprecedented Israeli military siege and carnage in Gaza and mass raids and arrests in the Occupied West Bank”.
“We are concerned that this war is spreading to other countries,” they wrote.
Moreover they went on to quote the constitution, stating that Malta’s “vital” position as a neutral state must actively pursue “peace, security, and social progress among all nations”.
“An aim that can only be accomplished by adhering to a policy of non-alignment and refusing to participate in any military alliance,” the letter reads, quoting the constitution.
“This means that no foreign military base will be permitted on Maltese territory and that no military facilities in Malta will be allowed to be used by any foreign forces”.
“However, for many months of horrific slaughter in Gaza, we have allowed foreign military forces to pass through our air and sea space transporting massive numbers of weapons of war.”
The letter went on to quote recent US intelligence assessments which state that between 40% and 45% of the munitions used by Israel have been unguided, meaning that they are bombing indiscriminately, not in a manner that avoids civilian casualties or essential infrastructure destruction.
This, it said, is resulting inevitably in disproportionate civilian harm.
“Whilst Israel has access to a US stockpile of weapons hidden in its territory since 1980, demand for the recent US-made heavy 2000lb version of unguided bombs that include guidance kits (JDAMs) has increased. Other US-made munitions used regularly by the Israeli military include the 155 mm artillery shells where each shell releases 2,000 lethal fragments.”
“Malta’s constitution is the bedrock of our progressive nation. We say No to War. And as a people we have said ‘NO!” to militarism, many times in recent history.”
“Disarmament is essential for peace.”
“We celebrate Malta’s disarmament on Freedom Day 1979 when the last foreign military forces left our islands for good. Later, it was the Maltese dockworkers, mothers, fathers, activists, and students who blocked the British naval aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal from entering the Grand Harbour in June 1988.”
“After the NATO invasion of Libya in 2011 the Malta government faced bitter criticism for allowing Maltese airspace to be used by foreign military forces taking part in the civil war.”
“In 2020, the people again united to object to the Cabinet considering US proposals for a Situation of Forces Agreement (SOFA) with Malta. Most recently, a survey commissioned by the Foreign Affairs Ministry in 2022 found that 63% of the Maltese are strongly in favour of Malta’s position of international neutrality.”
“As the death toll in Gaza rises to over 25,000 people including 10,500 children, as the number of injured people rises to over 62,000 people and the number of missing people to over 8,000, as the UN chief António Guterres denounces Israel for the ‘heartbreaking’ deaths of Palestinian civilians in Gaza, we the undersigned say: Enough is Enough! No more carriers of weapons of war will be given permission to pass through Malta’s air and sea space.”
The letter was signed by:
Moviment Graffitti, Għaqda għall-Ġustizzja, Ugwaljanza u Paċi, Laboratorju tal-Paċi, Blue Door Education, Great Oak, Associazione Mozart Italia Malta, National Foster Care Association, Young Progressive Beings, Dance Beyond Borders, YMCA, Her Excellency Marie Louise Coleiro Preca, Sammy Meilaq, Father Dionjsiu Mintoff, Father Hilary Taglioferro, Anne Mintoff, Yana Mintoff, Ċetta Mainwaring, Daniel X Mainwaring, Louise Chircop, Angela Deguara, Alex Vella Gera, Kurt Borg, Wayne Flask, Freddie Micallef, Bernard Cauchi, Erica Schembri, Tina Braxton, Robert Micallef, Dr Michelle Attard Tonna, Victor Martinelli, Joseph Gravina, Anna Caruana, Rebecca Cremona, Anna Spiteri, Dirk De Ketelarere, Andrew Camilleri, Marka Pisani, Reuben Grima, Tara Cassar, Irene Mangion, Rafel Grima, Mary Grace Vella, Yosanne Vella, Christine Cassar, Caroline Morales, Anthony Camilleri, Paul Gatt, Debra Comper, Jacqueline Chircop, Antonio Dato, Marcia Grima, Profs David E. Zammit, Dèsirèe Attard, Gabriel Apap, Roberta de Angelis, Dr Edward Zammit, Rita Cortis, Stephen Borg, Raphael Borg, Julienne Schembri, Deborah Falzon, and Profs Adrian Grima.
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