Skip to main content

Aktar pompi, inqas arja





Il-Ħamis li għadda assistejna għal xeni li konna ilna ma naraw bħalhom. Grupp ta’ żgħażagħ, mużiċisti, u attivisti ta’ diversi NGOs, marru l-bini tal-Awtorità tal-Ippjanar fejn kien qed jiltaqa’ l-Bord biex jiddeċiedi dwar l-applikazzjoni tal-bini ta’ fuel station oħra b’art barra z-zona tal-iżvilupp, din id-darba fiż-Żejtun qrib Bulebel. Zona fejn diġa’ hemm mal-ħames fuel stations qrib xulxin, u fejn l-art li saret l-applikazzjoni fuqha hija art agrikola (ara hawn).

L-argument tal-attivisti kien wieħed sempliċi. Għaddew disa’ xhur mindu l-Gvern wiegħed li ser jirrevedi l-policy tal-Fuel Stations. Policy li wasslet għal bini eżaġerat ta’ numru ta’ pompi tal-petrol ta’ daqs enormi, kważi kumplessi sħaħ, ħafna drabi qrib ħafna ta’ xulxin. Policy li qed teqred art agrikola, art barra z-zoni tal-iżvilupp, għal xi ħaġa li huwa ċar li m’hawnx dan il-bżonn kbir għaliha. Speċjalment meta l-Prim Ministru kien ħabbar li sa ftit għexieren ta’ snin oħra jrid li f’pajjiżna jispiċċa l-użu ta’ karozzi jaħdmu b’dawn il-fuels. Viżjoni li tmur għal kollox kontra din il-policy, u li tkompli tikkonferma n-nuqqas ta’ pjanar fil-mod li qed jitmexxa pajjiżna.



Il-Pulizija iddeċidew li jkaxkru l-barra b’użu ta’ vjolenza eċċessiva lil dawn id-dimostranti, bil-konsegwenza li uħud minnhom sfaw feruti. Kien hemm bżonn ta’ dan l-użu eċċessiv ta’ forza fuq nies li ma kienu tal-ebda theddida fiżika, imma biss ta’ theddida fil-messaġġ li kienu qed iwasslu? Ma’ dawn iż-żgħażagħ il-Pulizija kienu pronti jużaw il-forza u jieħdu azzjoni, meta għandna Ministru ewlieni u c-Chief-of-Staff tal-Prim Ministru jiġru barra filwaqt li mad-dinja kollha ġew pubblikati provi tat-tixħim tal-ħasil tal-flus li kienu qed jorkestraw? Ma’ dawn, il-Pulizija għadhom ma ħassewx il-bżonn li jieħdu azzjoni u jarrestawhom?



L-agħar ħaġa f’dan il-każ kollu pero’ mihix l-użu tal-forza tal-Pulizija, imma r-reazzjoni ta’ wħud minn ħutna Maltin. Ċertu Maltin iddeċidew li jikkundannaw lil dawn l-attivisti li kienu qed jiddefendu lil pajjiżhom, u jiġġustifikaw dak li għamlu l-Pulizija. Wħud tismagħhom jgħidu “Ħeqq ħaqqhom, għax m’obdewx l-ordnijiet”. Imma x’mentalità servili tlajna fiha? Min qallek li int obbligat tobdi dejjem? Min qallek li int għandek tbaxxi rasek għall-Awtorità u taċċetta dak kollu li ġej minn fuq? Lanqas lil Pulizija m’għandek tobdi dejjem meta dak li qed jitolbok imur oltre’ minn dak li ttih dritt li jordnalek il-liġi! U f’dan il-każ, l-attivisti għandhom mitt elf raġun. L-ebda diskussjoni u l-ebda dimostrazzjoni ma waslet lil Gvern jirranġa din il-policy għal kollox żbaljata. U mhux billi l-Prim Ministru jipprova jilgħabha tal-eroj u jikkundanna l-azzjoni tal-Pulizija, il-Prim Ministru għandu l-poter kollu li jirranġa din il-policy li qed teqred il-pajjiżna, imma għadu m’għamel xejn fuq. Ħajr lil dawn l-attivisti li tkellmu f’isimna u kienu lesti jiddefendu lil pajjiżhom. M’hemmx patrijott akbar minn dak li lest jiddefendi lil pajjiżu anke’ mill-Gvern tiegħu stess.

Dwar din il-policy il-Partit Nazzjonalista diġa’ kien ċar, u ilu minn Jannar li għadda li sejjaħ għal reviżjoni ta’ din il-liġi li qed twassal għal abbuż u għal qerda ta’ art agrikola verġni għal faċilitajiet li l-bżonn tagħhom mhuwiex daqshekk importanti (ara hawn). Huwa quddiem abbużi bħal dawn li l-poplu Malti għandu jkun magħqud bħala poplu, u mhux jeħodha kontra ħutu stess biex jiddefendi l-“arma” tal-Partit tiegħu.



Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Who's the real monster?

I usually hate comparisons, but some very different reactions from the 'great unthinking' rabble do merit some analysis. In May this year, the notorious dog Star was found buried alive . A prima facie , this looked liked the most horrific case of animal cruelty, and is still considered so by some. The perpetrator was described by the sensitive and caring animal-lovers as a villain, a heartless monster, deserving of death, stoning, or even to be 'buried alive in the same manner'. But what did Mr. Vella actually do, according to the testimony heard in Court? Star was sick. It was shedding fur, and quite old already, and its owner did not afford the treatment. In trying to save some money from paying for the dog to be put to sleep and killed properly by vets, she gave it to Mr. Vella to have it killed himself. Nothing much to make people angry till now. Mercy-killing of very sick and suffering animals is widely done and usually acceptable. You may

Shema Yisrael, the cries of the Palestinian people

You live a peaceful life in a modest home. You've never bothered anyone and you've never caused trouble. Out of the blues, a group of people claim that they should live in your house. Why? Because they have been persecuted in a war, and they claim that some 5,000 years ago, their God had told them your home was their promised land. Somehow, the whole community agrees with their wishes, and asks you to grant them your spare-bedroom. You oblige. After a few months, they take the whole top-floor. In a few year's time, they take over your kitchen. After a few more years, they own your house and keep you and your family locked in the bathroom. They don't even allow you to get out, while they strip-search you the few times they do. Even if it's a medical emergency. Sometimes not even medical personnel and ambulances are allowed to see to your needs while your children die in your hands. Desperation starts hitting you. Life seems to offer no hopes. In moments

Why I am dropping out of the Anti-ACTA protest

Like many avid internet users, I have followed with interest the debate about ACTA (Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement). After reading numerous articles, watched sensational videos, and discussed ad nauseam with friends, I have realized that what I have come across is a campaign hi-jacked by lies, myths and misconceptions as to rival Malta's misinformed divorce referendum campaign. I have to say that the videos on Youtube   got me worried. I quickly signed the petition, joined the Anti-ACTA groups, and prepared myself for a full-blown fight against the big-governments who want to intrude on our privacy and freedom of expression. Like our MEP Edward Scicluna invited us to do in the University debate last Wednesday, I did not try to understand the details of ACTA but rather saw who the players behind it were. But as usual, my logical instincts took over, and his call to not try to understand ACTA actually pushed me to read the text. And here's what I now know: ACTA is