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Child Marriages Happening In Ħamrun, Maltese-Arab Author Warns After Latest Syrian Street Brawl

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A Maltese author with Jordanian-Palestinian origins has issued a warning to Maltese authorities over what’s happening in Ħamrun – claiming child marriages and underage births are happening under authorities’ very noses.

Recounting that he was heading home earlier today before being told by police that he needed to turn around and go back due to an ongoing fight between 25 Syrian men in the main street of Ħamrun, Walid Nabham broke down what he saw – before revealing other incidents that many may not have been aware of.

“I saw a man attack another using a frying pan, and another guy with an entire table, others with strange objects,” he said. “I don’t know why it’s always the Syrians, but I imagine they mostly fight over money, or women.”

He turned to child marriages happening in his very street.

“In my street, girls aged 14 and 15 have been married! I thought of contacting the media to ask them, who is marrying these children? It can’t be in the Mosque as the legal age in Islam is 18.”

He explained that not only are the girls married off young, but go on to produce multiple children within a short timeframe.

“The girl in my street today has three children, even though she herself is still a child. I think the state needs to open its eyes well to see what’s happening.”

Using his background and experience, Nabham went on to say that Malta was getting a raw deal when it came to which refugees it was taking on.

 

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“And to be clear, a lot of the Syrians that settled in Malta are nomads who have little education, which is why so many work in construction. The cream of the Syrian crop all went to the northern countries, be it Canada or America.”

The legal age of marriage in Malta is 16.

Syrian refugee girls have been found to be at an increased risk of child marriage due to poverty, legal loopholes and long-term displacement.

Last year, UNICEF, the United Nation’s children’s agency, estimated that up to 10 million more girls may become child brides over the next decade, solely due to the ongoing impact from the COVID-19 pandemic. Across North Africa and the Middle East, nearly 40 million girls found themselves being married as children.

It wasn’t only Nabham speaking out following today’s public brawl. Anti-racist activist Omar Rabahbah said that anyone guilty of breaking the law must be punished, and issued a message from within the Syrian community after “sticking his neck out” for them multiple times.

“These actions reflect so poorly on the majority, who are good people.”

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Johnathan is an award-winning Maltese journalist interested in social justice, politics, minority issues, music and food. Follow him at @supreofficialmt on Instagram, and send him news, food and music stories at [email protected]

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