Saturday, 11 September 2010

Times: Personal explanation [Sandra Camilleri on Cyrus Engerer]

http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20100907/letters/personal-explanation
Tuesday, 7th September 2010 by Sandra Camilleri, Sliema

With reference to the article entitled Engerer Slated For Sliema Deputy Mayor (September 6), I would like to clarify that my objection to Cyrus Engerer as deputy mayor is primarily because of what he said in an interview against GonziPN. Although I do not form part of the Nationalist Party anymore, I still felt hurt at the comments he made against the principles of the party.

I would like to clarify that I have many gay friends whom I fully respect but I do not believe that being gay is something that should be boasted about.

Also, I withdraw my comments regarding the rest of the councillors being a “nasty lot”. What I meant to say was that the way things were handled in the case of Nikki Dimech seemed to me to be a nasty way of doing things.

I understand that I may have spoken too openly to the journalist who asked me for my opinions on the matter and I may have said certain things in the heat of the moment which I do not really believe and which may have been misunderstood.

[Click on the hyperlink above to view the comments on the Times' website. See more comments here.]

Independent: Love is in the air: gay couple from Malta bid for first in-flight gay wedding

http://www.independent.com.mt/news.asp?newsitemid=111684
5.9.10?

In December, Scandinavian airline SAS will host the first-ever in-flight gay marriage ceremony.

The question over who will tie the knot is still up in the air, as SAS looks for the perfect couple to participate in the mile-high ceremony from Stockholm to New York.

The ceremony will take place in Swedish territory, where gay marriage is legal.

“It will be a very traditional wedding,” said SAS spokesman Anders Lindstroem. “There will be wedding cake and dancing in the aisles.”

As well as getting a free flight, the couple will receive three nights at the W Hotel in New York and a honeymoon in Los Angeles. And they will forgo packets of peanuts for a special wedding buffet during the flight.

Contestants are asked by SAS to upload photographs and video, and to answer questions such as what they love most about their partner. The winners will be selected by online voters.

Among the 35 or so couples that have so far signed up from all over the world – including Norway, Denmark, the UK and China – is an as yet unidentified couple from Malta.

Russians Andrey and Konstantin said they wanted to get married mid-flight because gay marriage is currently illegal in Russia.

The couple said they wanted to express their love for each other “where no borders can stop our feelings.”

L-Orizzont: Ngħix jew neżisti

http://www.l-orizzont.com/news.asp?newsitemid=65844
4.9.10 minn Matthew Vella, Pulse, Ghaqda ta' studenti Socjal-Demokratici

InĦarsu lejn il-ħajja tagħna u nindunaw li m'għandna ċans ta' xejn, inħarsu lejn il-ħajja tat-tfal tagħna u nindunaw li dawn kibru u aħna ma ndunajniex, inħarsu lejn il-kwalità tal-ħajja tagħna u nin dunaw li qegħdin neżistu u mhux ngħixu. Riflessjoni personali iżda meta tkabbarha fuq livell nazzjonali nindunaw kemm l-aspett u l-mentalità ekonomika rikbu fuq l-aspett soċjali tal-individwi.

Dan ġab miegħu riperkussjonijiet kbar fuq il-ħajja tal-familji tagħna, l-istess familji li fuq il-karta huma meqjusin bħala "l-qalb tas-soċjetà Maltija". Żgur li kulħadd jaqbel fuq rwol tal-familja fis-soċjetà tagħna, iżda jien nistaqsi kemm din qed ikollha opportunitajiet, għaqda u l-mekkaniżmu meħtieġ biex tiffunzjoni skont il-bżonnijiet essenzjali tal-istess membri tal-familja. Kemm hija sitwazzjoni ġusta li nibqgħu niddefinixxu l-familja b'veduti tradizzjonali, filwaqt li ninjoraw il-familji diversi li nsibu fis-soċjetà tagħna llum? Ma naħsbux li meta nkunu qegħdin nużaw din id-definizjoni tal-familja, inkunu qegħdin noħolqu esklużjoni soċjali ma' dawk individwi li qegħdin jgħixu f'familji diversi?

Aħna bħala Pulse nemmnu li wasal iż-żmien li bħala soċjetà li temmen daqshekk fl-importanza tal-familja, ikollna l-politika nazzjonali tal-familja. Din m'għandhiex tkun ibbażata fuq valuri reliġjużi, mhux għax dawn mhumiex importanti fis-soċjetà, iżda għax mhux l-individwi kollha jħaddnu l-istess valuri reluġjużi għaldaqstant irridu noqogħdu attenti li ma jkunx hemm forom differenti ta' diskriminazzjoni li jwasslu għal esklużjoni soċjali.

Meta nitkellmu fuq id-definizjoni tal-familja aħna nemmnu li din m'għandhiex tkun waħda limitata biss għall-familja tradizzjonali, iżda għandha tkun waħda miftuħa u li tirrifletti soċjetà inklussiva.

B'dan il-mod kemm id-definizzjoni kif ukoll il-politika nazzjonali m'għandhomx imorru kontra drittijiet fundamentali tal-bniedem, kemm dawk imsemmijin fil-Kostituzzjoni ta' Malta, il-Konvenzjoni għad-Drittijiet tal-Bniedem u għal-libertajiet fundamentali tal-Kunsill tal-Ewropa, kif ukoll dawk imsemmijin fiċ-'charter' tad-drittijiet fundamentali tal-Unjoni Ewropea, għax inkella jkunu qegħdin imorru kontra l-ġid komuni.
Nemmnu li hemm bżonn introduzzjoni ta' mekkaniżmu ġdid li jkun provdut min profesjonisti li jgħin lil dawk il-kopji li jkun se jiżżewġu fil-preparazzjoni tagħhom għal ħajja miżżewġa, dan għandu jkun provdut kemm għal dawk li jkunu se jiżżewġu bis-sagrament taż-żwieġ kif ukoll dawk li jkunu se jiżżewġu biċ-ċivil. Dawn il-proposti kollha żgur li jgħinu biex bħala soċjetà verament ikollna familji b'saħħithom, mhux biss bil-kliem iżda wkoll bil-fatti.

Aħna konxji li mhux il-familja kollha huma stejjer ta' suċċess u nifhmu li sitwazzjonijiet bħal dawn iġibu tbatijiet kbar fuq il-membri tal-famlja kollha, b'mod speċjali fuq it-tfal. Meta nitkellmu fuq problemi matrimonjali rridu inżommu f'moħħna żewġ affarijiet importanti ħafna li m'hemmx soluzzjoni wahda għal kull probelma kif ukoll li din is-sitwazzjoni hija verament sensitiva ħafna għal min ikun għaddej minnha.

Dan il-punt iwassalni biex ngħid li meta nitkellmu fuq id-divorzju irridu noqogħdu attenti li dan ma jkunx diskuss mill-aspett ta' istituzzjonijiet iżda hemm bżonn li jkun diskuss mil-aspett uman, għaldaqstant inħarsu lejh mil-lenti ta' dawn il-persuni li qegħdin għaddej jin minn dawn is-sitwazzjonijiet diffiċili, filwaqt li dejjem inżommu f'moħħna x'inhuma l-interessi fundamentali għall-ġid tat-tfal li huma l-futur tas-soċjetà tagħna.

Bħala għaqda Pulse nemmnu li hemm bżonn isir studju serju fuq x'impatt, x'benfiċċju jġib l-introduzzjoni tad-divorzju f'paj jiżna kif ukoll kif dan id-dritt ċivili għandu jkun imdaħħal fil-liġijiet ta' pajjiżna. Dawn għandhom ikunu jirriflettu l-aspetti soċjali, psikoloġiċi u ekonomiċi tal-individwu li jgħaddi minn seperazzjoni llum, filwaqt li jkun ikkomparat mal-istess esperjenza, imma li kieku kellu jgħaddi minn divorzju.

Pulse temmen li l-prinċipju tal-ħarsien soċjali għandu jkun preżenti fis-soċjetà, biex kull persuna tkun tista' tiġi kkunsidrata bħala persuna unika, b'karatteristiċi, talenti, opinjonijiet u bżonnijiet differenti.

Aħna nisħqu li kull persuna fis-soċjetà għandha xi tipi jew forom differenti ta' potenzjal, għaldaqstant ninsistu li soċjetà għandha tkun kapaċi toff ri opportunitajiet indaqs għal kulħadd, mingħajr l-ebda forma ta' diskriminazzjoni.

Dan kollu żgur ikun jista' jiġi maħluq biss permezz ta' edu kazzjoni kontinwa u kampanji serji li joħolqu kuxjenza fuq aspetti differenti. B'dan il-mod inkunu qegħdin nibnu soċjetà inklussiva, fejn kull persuna tħossha li hija integrata kif ukoll attiva. Din il-mentalità fis-soċjetà żgur li ġġib magħha sens kbir ta' armonija u stabbiltà soċjali, fejn l-ekonomija u l-industrija ikunu jistgħu jiġu użati bl-aħjar mod għall-ġid ta' l-istess membri tas-soċjetà.

L-Orizzont: Ġesù favur id-divorzju?!

31.8.10 minn Kevin Mercieca, Move Studenti Progressivi

Ftit tal-ġimgħat ilu għa­milt riċerka fuq diversi ġurnali lokali kif ukoll permezz ta' siti elettroniċi dwar persuna intelligenti ħaf­na, din il-persuna mhi ħadd ħlief Patri Mark Montebello. Nistqarr magħkom li jħaw­wadni ħafna b'dak li jgħid u ma naqbilx miegħu f'kollox, għaldaqstant ħassejtni tgħallimt ħafna minn dak li hu qal u nammira wkoll il-ku­raġġ li għandu dan il-bniedem. F'di­versi artikli u inter­visti hu jis­tqarr li l-Knisja f'Mal­ta mhux dej­jem tkun koerenti f'dak li tgħid u b'hekk jien nifhem li jara lill-Knisja wisq konservattiva. Dan kollu qed iwassal biex iż-żgħażagħ jitilfu totalment il-fiduċja fiha u fir-re­liġjon Nis­ra­nija għax iż-żgħa­żagħ jix­tiequ li l-Knisja tkun progressiva.

Personalment inħoss li ż-żgħa­żagħ qegħdin jitilfu l-fiduċja fil-Knisja u ma jmorrux quddies minħabba diversi fatturi mhux biss għax il-Knsija hija konservattiva. Naħseb ma jkunx sew li naq­bdu u niġġudikaw il-Knisja bl-addoċċ u nsejħula diżonesta però huwa fatt li l-Knisja kie­net u baqgħet konservattiva u tipp­rova tindaħal fi kwistjonijiet politiċi li tant qegħdin iħallu impatt negattiv fuqha u fuq dawk kollha li jif­formaw parti minnha. Il-Knisja qatt m'għand­ha tħalli l-politi­ka partiġġjana tkun parti mill-aġenda tagħha, aktar u aktar f'pajjiżna fejn il-partiġġ­janiżmu hu do­mi­nanti. Xi kultant tiġik il-kur­żità u tgħid – x'evidenza hemm li l-ġenna u l-infern verament jeżistu? Skont Patri Mark il-ġenna hija post fejn fiha ssib il-paċi f'qalbek filwaqt li l-infern huwa post ta' dwejjaq u jġiegħlek tħoss sens ta' apatija. Allura wie­ħed għan­du mnejn jistaqsi x'diffe­renza hemm eżatt bejn il-pur­ga­torju u l-infern? Din hi do­man­da riflessiva u taj­jeb nisimgħu l-opinjoni ta' min studja t-teo­loġija dwar dan.

Is-suġġett tal-LGBT f'Malta, huwa vitali li nagħtuh l-prijorità li tistħoqqlu u l-kwistjoni attwali tal-omosesswali u jekk jiġux aċċettati mill-Knisja. Jien naqbel per­fet­tament ma' Patri Mark meta kien tkellem waqt intervis­ta fuq it-televiżjoni, huwa veru li l-Knisja, l-omosesswali ma taċ­ċettahomx – daqs kemm hu min­nu li ma tridx tagħtihom dritt għaż-żwieġ u li jrabbu t-tfal. Patri Mark jemmen li Ġesù, l-omo­sess­wali jaċċetta­hom però ma jaċċettax li jkollhom x'jaq­smu sesswalment bejniethom, min jaf jekk Ġesù jaċċettax li jrabbu t-tfal jew le?

L-istatistika turi li l-aktar każi ta' pedofelija jsiru fi ħdan il-fa­milja, f'dan il-kuntest tajjeb li wieħed isemmi l-estremiżmu. L-estremiżmu jfisser li ma nib­qgħux nirraġunaw anzi nibdew nase­ġeraw l-affarijiet. Il-problema f'Malta hi li hawn wisq estremiżmu fost il-Maltin u l-vera abbuż li qed isir mhux qegħdin ngħarfuh. Il-kwistjoni taħraq tad-divor­zju, Patri Mark ukoll kien kiteb diversi artikli dwar­ha. Hu sa­ħaq li kulħadd għan­du jkun liberu li jagħżel dak li jrid u l-Knisja m'għand­hiex timponi fuqna dak li nagħż­lu jew ma nagħżlux. Kompla billi qal li hu favur iż-żwieġ ċivili u jaqbel ukoll mad-divorzju – huwa jgħid li Ġesù kien favur id-divorzju f'każ ta' adulterju. Allura ngħid jien jekk Ġesù huwa favur id-divor­zju, għaliex il-Knisja u d-Djo­ċesi huma kontra d-divorzju? Il-Knisja f'paj­jiż­na qiegħ­da tkun eżemplari fid-deċiżjo­ni­jiet li tagħmel u li timponi fuqna ż-żgħażagħ?

Xi kultant bħala żagħżugħ inħoss­ni ngħix ħajja ta' pa­ga­niżmu fejn qed niġi 'brainwashed' b'dak li qiegħda tgħid il-Knisja filwaqt li bejn dak li tgħid il-Knisja u dak li hemm miktub fil-Bibbja hemm ba­ħar jaqsam! Mhux ta' b'xejn li eluf ta' żgħażagħ ma jidħlux il-Knisja u jinsabu fi kriżi soċjo-reliġjuża.

Allura dak li jikteb Dun Anġ Seychell fuq il-ġurnal l-orizzont dwar id-divorzju huwa kollu gi­deb u manipulazzjoni? Uħud iħossu li l-Knisja tara so­luzzjoni fl-an­nullament taż-żwieġ iżda xorta fl-istess ilma se nibqgħu jekk nagħmlu hekk. L-argument prinċipali ta' Dun Anġ kien u għadu, li d-divorzju jwassal għal "mentalità divorzista".

F'każ li tidħol il-liġi tad-divorzju f'Malta jkun hawn żieda fiż-żwiġijiet li jitfarrku. Jista' jkun wara li taraw dan l-artiklu tgħidu – min qed jgħid il-verità Patri Mark jew il-Knis­ja (Dun Anġ)? Dik hi l-falza li huma suppost ħaġa waħda, iżda meta nid­ħlu fid-dettall naraw li hemm qasma totali… nħalli lilkom tirriflettu u tiġġudikaw dwar dan!

Ma xtaqtx nikteb dan l-artiklu fuq suġġett wieħed iżda kif rajtu ftaħt kwistjonijiet differenti.

Monday, 6 September 2010

Times: Engerer slated for Sliema deputy mayor

Monday, 6th September 2010 by Christian Peregin

Cyrus Engerer was instrumental in deposing mayor Nikki Dimech.

Sliema councillor Cyrus Engerer is next in line to become deputy mayor of Sliema unless the other councillors object.

The post of deputy mayor was vacated by Joanna Gonzi, who succeeded Nikki Dimech as mayor following a vote of no confidence in him last week.

Mr Engerer, 28, was the one who presented the motion of no confidence during the last council meeting and was instrumental in deposing Mr Dimech.

Mr Dimech was dismissed from the Nationalist Party after admitting in a police statement that he solicited a bribe on a council tender, an admission he later said was made under duress.

Mr Engerer will require the approval of the majority of the councillors at the next council meeting, which should be held on September 22. At the last election, he garnered the third largest number of votes among PN candidates, after Mr Dimech and Dr Gonzi, meaning he would be automatically considered for the post.

The backing of the five other remaining PN councillors who voted for the motion he presented to oust Mr Dimech would suffice for Mr Engerer to become deputy mayor.
His position will only be insecure if a more popular PN councillor is nominated with the backing of Labour councillors as well as Mr Dimech and former PN councillor Sandra Camilleri. Ms Camilleri resigned from the party to back Mr Dimech and said yesterday she would not support Mr Engerer.

In fact, he is not a favourite among the more conservative elements of the PN, particularly because of his firm stand on gay rights. Openly gay, Mr Engerer was very active in this year’s gay pride march where he was filmed kissing another man.

Labour councillor Martin Debono said he did not consider the position of deputy mayor to be very important and would leave the Nationalist councillors to fight it out among themselves.


“We haven’t yet discussed it. (The PN) has six votes so they can choose whoever they like... They can fight for it themselves,” he said, refusing to comment about Mr Engerer.

Ms Camilleri, 63, said Mr Engerer should have been the one who was kicked out of the party and not Mr Dimech because his unchristian stand meant he did not fit into a Christian Democrat party.

Referring to an interview where he was open about his views on gay rights, she said:

“... I don’t think he keeps to the ethics of the party... especially the way he took part in the gay pride parade: a front-liner kissing his partner. I mean, come on, there are gays and gays. There are nice gays but they keep a low profile, they don’t boast about it. In certain positions, I think they have to be careful.”


She added that Mr Engerer was intent on becoming deputy mayor and she did not like his attitude during the whole affair. “It was played well, you see. If Nikki gets out, Joanna gets in and so does he (Mr Engerer). I’m sure of it... They’re a nasty lot in there.”

When contacted, Mr Engerer dismissed the comments about his sexuality as “irrelevant” and denied his appointment was the result of a power struggle.

“Joanna was next in line and I was the third one. That’s how the system works. When we were elected we all worked together until we realised what was going on behind our backs,” he said, alleging that direct orders were being given to people without the council’s consent.

Asked what his priorities would be as deputy mayor he said: “We have three priorities: pavements, roads and cleanliness. That is what we should be working on as a council, not fairy-lights. Spending €300,000 on fairy-lights is a waste of money when the basic things aren’t yet done.”

[Click on the hyperlink above to view the comments on the Times' website.]

It-Torċa: Il-Pulizija tal-morali, mhux fl-Iran biss!

http://www.it-torca.com/news.asp?newsitemid=10209
5.9.10 minn Maria Borg Vella

Il-maġġoranza tagħna rridu nammettu li xi darba għedna jew dħakna ma’ xi ċajta dwar il-omosesswali. Forsi għax konna naħsbu li l-omosesswali mhumiex normali (nispera li m’għadkomx) jew għax niddejqu nsikktu lil min jiċċajta goff dwar din il-komunità. Inzertajt preżenti fejn ċajt fuq l-omosesswali ntqal quddiem it-tfal. Hija ironika kif il-familji Maltin jgħallmu lit-tfal iħobbu l-proxxmu imma fl-istess ħin jitkellmu b’dan il-mod quddiemhom.

Meta jien u r-raġel ngħaddu mit-toroq tar-raħal inżommu idejn xulxin, spiss niltaqgħu ma’ qraba u ħbieb li jidħkulna u jgħidulna li qisna għadna miżżewġin friski. Jiggustawna nsomma.

X’nagħmlu aħna meta naraw koppja omosesswali jżommu idejn xulxin? Jew jitbewsu? Nitfixklu? Niġbdu lit-tfal biex ma jħarsux? Niddarsu? Ngħidu jaqq? Ma niddejqu xejn u nkomplu għaddejjin?

Il-koppji omosesswali fil-pubbliku

Fi stħarriġ ikkummissjonat mill-MGRM (Malta Gay Rights Movement), jirriżulta li l-Maltin ikollhom reazzjoni negattiva ħafna, saħansitra vjolenti. Ħafna persuni lesbjani u omosesswali kellhom esperjenzi xejn sbieħ meta ħarġu flimkien mas-sieħeb jew sieħba tagħhom bħala koppja. Persuna lesbjana rrakkuntat kif “f’Paceville gruppi ta’ rġiel kienu jiġu ħdejja u s-sieħba tiegħi jinkuna u jippruvaw jikkonvinċuna biex nippruvaw noħorġu ma’ raġel. Dan ġara aktar minn darba. L-istess jiġri fejn il-baħar.”

Raġel omosesswali rrakkonta kif “raġel kien għaddej bil-kelb. Rana u beda jgħajjarna u jgħid li jmisshom jaħarquna kollha. Meta weġibtu, resaq lejn il-karozza u ta daqqa fuq il-bonnet. Bdejt nibża’ noħroġ, speċjalment fl-istess post. Kelli mmur għall-counselling għax kelli ħolm ikrah wara din l-esperjenza, u dejjem naħseb li kieku ma konniex f’post pubbliku kien jagħmel agħar.”

Mara bisesswali ta’ bejn it-18 u l-25 sena qalet li “…jien u s-sieħba tiegħi nippruvaw ma nżommux idejn xulxin aktar fil-pubbliku – u jekk nagħmlu hekk nitilquhom jekk naraw lil xi ħadd qed iħares lejna… inkunu nervużi ħafna f’postijiet pubbliċi. Nibżgħu li jiġi xi ħadd warajna bħalma ġralna l-Imdina... raġel baqa’ jiġri warajna, u tant ippruvajna neħilsu minnu li spiċċajna ntlifna fit-toroq dojoq, u peress li laħaq dalam ma kienet esperjenza xejn sabiħa.”

... ir-risposta tal-komunità omosesswali

Tkellmet Paola Concia dwar din il-problema, deputata Taljana mal-Partit Demokratiku, li qiegħda tippjana ġurnata fejn koppji omosesswali joħorġu jitbewsu fil-pubbliku. Concia diġà organizzat attività bħal din, ‘Many Kisses Against Intolerance’, fejn madwar mitt koppja tbewsu fuq xtajta fl-Italja. Concia tgħid li din hija r-risposta tal-komunità omosesswali għall-fatt li f’ħafna bliet u rħula l-awtoritajiet lokali u anke l-pulizija qalu lil persuni omosesswali u lesbjani li ma jistgħux jitbewsu fit-triq.

Il-liġi u l-omosesswalità fil-pubbliku

F’Malta s-sitwazzjoni tidher li hija konfuża, b’mod partikolari bil-mod kif jaġixxu l-pulizija. It-TORĊA kellha rapporti minn persuni omosesswali u lesbjani li kienu avviċinati mill-pulizija biex jieqfu jitbewsu jew imorru f’postijiet fejn ma jagħtux fil-għajn. It-Torċa investigat ma’ diversi għases dwar dan il-fatt billi staqsiet x’pożizzjoni jieħdu f’każ ta’ rapport ta’ persuni omosesswali li jkunu qegħdin jitbewsu fil-pubbliku.

Fl-għassa ta’ Ħal Qormi l-uffiċjal li wieġeb it-telefonata qalilna li meta jkun hemm rapport bħal dan, huma jmorru fuq il-post minnufih. Emfasizza li r-rapport għandu jsir mill-ewwel biex il-koppja jinqabdu fuq il-post.

Mill-għassa tal-Belt Valletta, qalulna li normalment ma jidħlux f’każi bħal dawn. Biss f’każ ta’ rapport ta’ omosesswali jitbewsu f’post fejn ikun hemm it-tfal il-pulizija qalulna li jmorru fuq il-post u jippruvaw ikellmuhom biex jieqfu jew imorru x’imkien ieħor. Komplew li din mhix ħaġa faċli minħabba kwistonijiet ta’ drittijiet umani.

Mill-għassa taż-Żejtun, l-uffiċjal qalilna li f’każ ta’ mara u raġel jitbewsu l-pulizija ma tidħolx u għalhekk jaħseb li lanqas f’każ ta’ koppja omosesswali m’għandhom jidħlu. Biss qalilna li fejn jidħlu l-koppji omosesswali qiegħed f’diffikultà għax jifhem li l-bews kemm għall-omosesswali kif ukoll għall-koppji eterosesswali huwa parti mill-ħajja. Emfasizza li f’każ ta’ rapport fuq omosesswali ma jafx x’jaqbad jagħmel. Qalilna li l-aħjar isir rapport uffiċjali lill-pulizija biex jaraw x’jiġri f’sitwazzjonijiet bħal dawn.

Mill-għassa ta’ San Pawl il-Baħar qalulna li jippruvaw ikel-lmuhom bil-kelma t-tajba biex iwarrbu minn postijiet pubbliċi.

Jidher għalhekk li l-pulizija m’għandhiex regoli speċifiċi dwar kif timxi meta jidħol rapport fuq koppji omosesswali. Jidher li l-pulizija m’għandhom l-ebda dubju x’jagħmlu f’każ ta’ koppja eterosesswali, għax fi kliem l-istess pulizija, ħadd ma jċempel jirraporta lil dawn jitbewsu. Fil-każ ta’ koppji omosesswali jidher li hija differenti għax diversi għases ikunu lesti li joħorġu jkellmu lil dawn il-koppji u jintervjenu biex iċaqilquhom minn fuq il-post. Għaldaqstant, jidher li l-pulizija għandhom bżonn taħriġ u linji gwida dwar din il-materja biex tonqos il-konfużjoni u d-diskriminazzjoni fil-konfront tal-persuni ‘gay’.

L-għoti tad-demm

Sa ftit ilu l-Bank tad-Demm ma kienx jaċċetta donazzjoni ta’ demm mingħand persuni lesbjani, omosesswali u bisesswali. Inġibdet l-attenzjoni dwar dan il-fatt u minn dakinhar donaturi lesbjani bdew ikunu aċċettati. Madankollu rġiel omosesswali u bisesswali għadhom ma jistgħux jagħtu demm. Din hija deċiżjoni diskriminatorja għall-fatt li qegħdin jassumu li rġiel omosesswali u bisesswali jkollhom relazzjonijiet sesswali frekwenti u mingħajr prekawzjoni.

Il-Bank tad-Demm donnu qed jinsa li ħafna persuni eterosesswali wkoll jista’ jkollhom ħajja sesswali li tpoġġi fil-periklu s-saħħa sesswali tagħhom. Għalhekk għandha ssir kampanja biex id-donaturi tad-demm ikunu responsabbli, huma ta’ liema orjentazzjoni huma. Issir ukoll kampanja biex min iwieġeb kwestjonarju f’dan ir-rigward qabel jagħti d-demm ikun sinċier kemm jista’ jkun u b’hekk jevita li jpoġġi l-ħajja ta’ ħaddieħor fil-periklu.

Raġel omosesswali li kien ikkwotat fl-istħarriġ tal-MGRM saħaq li kien jagħmel donazzjoni ta’ demm fl-imgħoddi. “Meta sibt il-kuraġġ li ngħid min jien, il-Bank tad-Demm għalaqli l-bibien għax jien omosesswali. Sal-lum il-ġurnata ismi għadu ‘blacklisted’ mal-Bank tad-Demm u nkun ferħan ħafna jekk dan jinbidel.”

Poloz tas-sigurtà fuq il-ħajja

Sorprendenti l-fatt kif irġiel omosesswali ntalbu aktar flus fuq polza tas-sigurtà tal-ħajja minkejja li l-eżami mediku wera li kienu b’saħħithom. Raġel omosesswali jirrakkonta:

“Ħadt polza tas-sigurtà fuq il-ħajja minħabba dejn fuq id-dar. Intlabt €200 u ħallast mill-ewwel. Qabel ħadt il-polza kont mibgħut għand it-tabib għat-testijiet mediċi u dan staqsieni għal aktar minn darba jekk iniex omosesswali. Jien weġibt fin-negattiv għax ħassejt li ma kienx hemm raġuni għaliex għandu jistaqsi. It-testijiet kienu kollha tajbin.

“Madwar sitt ġimgħat wara, meta kelli niffirma l-kuntratt biex nixtri d-dar, irċevejt telefonata biex tinfurmani li kont għadni ma ħallastx il-polza. Sibt l-irċevuta ta’ €200 li ħallast u wrejthielhom. Meta talbuni €350 oħra, staqsejt ir-raġuni u ħadd ma weġibni. Ma kienx hemm triq oħra ħlief li nħallas din is-somma minħabba li kelli niffirma l-kuntratt dakinhar stess. Meta staqsejt lil xi persuni li kont naf, qaluli li dawk li huma omosesswali jew ikunu susspettati tali, jintalbu jħallsu aktar.”

L-istituzzjonijiet reliġjużi u persuni LGBT

Fl-istħarriġ tal-MGRM, 20% ta’ dawk li qalu li huma jew xi darba kienu Kattoliċi komplew li issa ma tantx għadhom prat-tikanti minħabba l-attitudni tal-Knisja lejn persuni LGB.

Ftit aktar minn nofs qalu li ilhom sentejn ma jkollhom kuntatt dirett ma’ rappreżentant tal-istituzzjonijiet reliġjużi li jattendu u dejjem ħbew l-orjentazzjoni sesswali. Minn dawk li qalu li fetħu qalbhom, 45.5% ħassewhom diskriminati.

Persuna lesbjana u oħra bisesswali qalu li l-qassis irrifjuta li jagħtihom l-assuluzzjoni. Raġel omosesswali ta’ bejn it-18 u l-25 sena ma tħalliex jitqarben quddiem knisja sħiħa fejn wara sar jaf li dan ġara għax hu omosesswali. Raġel ieħor omosesswali jistqarr li l-arċipriet qallu li sejjer l-infern għax hu omosesswali.

Interessanti kien kumment ta’ persuna lesbjana fl-istess stħarriġ li qalet: “Matul laqgħa uffiċjali mal-Arċisqof, persuna qrib tiegħu ħafna baqa’ jinsisti li r-relazzjoni mas-sieħba tiegħi mhix ġejja minn affettività ġenwina u jekk l-Istat jagħtina d-dritt li ngħixu bħala koppja bid-drittijiet u l-obbligi kollha, il-Knisja toġġezzjona għax dan ikun ifisser li l-Istat jafna bħala koppja u wieħed mid-drittijiet ikun żwieġ.”

Fuq il-post tax-xogħol

Minkejja li d-diskrimi-nazzjoni fuq il-post tax-xogħol minħabba orjentazzjoni ses-swali ma tistax issir skont il-liġi Maltija, 13.4% kienu diskriminati fuq il-post tax-xogħol.

Persuna lesbjana li kie-net taħdem f’restorant irrakkuntat kif klijenti kienu jirrufjutaw li jidħlu minħabba li hi kienet taħdem hemm.

Waqt li l-kuntratt ta’ mara lesbjana oħra ma kienx imġedded biex ikun “evitat l-inkwiet”. Bħalha kien hemm erba’ impjegati oħra li kollha nzertaw omosesswali jew lesbjani! Mara transesswali ngħatat xogħol fil-kostruz-zjoni għax għall-ETC baqgħet raġel!

… u aktar fatti

Skont dan ir-rapport 53.3% ta’ dawk li rrispondew għall-istħarriġ ta’ MGRM u li huma taħt it-18-il sena sofrew abbuż psikoloġiku minn sħabhom tal-iskola minn tal-anqas tliet darbiet.

8% qalu li kienu vittmi ta’ vjolenza fiżika, 34% sofrew abbuż psikoloġiku, 11.3% ingħataw fastidju f’istituzzjoni edukattiva, 5.6% kienu rifjutati impjieg, 1.8% kienu rifjutati promozzjoni, 10% sabu problemi biex jikru jew jixtru proprjetà meta ma ħbewx l-orjentazzjoni sesswali, 45.5% ħassew li kienu diskriminati minn organizzazzjoni ta’ fidi, u 74% qalu li jekk jistgħu jemigraw. Tagħtihom tort?

Friday, 3 September 2010

Latin America Times: Fidel Castro takes 'responsibility' for persecution of Cuban gays


September 2, 2010 | 3:04 pm

Fidel castro homosexual responsibility

Former Cuban President Fidel Castro called years of official persecution of homosexuals under his Communist regime an "injustice." In an interview published this week in a Mexican newspaper, he said he takes responsibility for the repression.

"If someone is responsible, it is me," Castro told Carmen Lira, editor of the left-leaning daily La Jornada. Here's the second part of the Castro's interview in Spanish. La Plaza reported on the first part here.

After the Cuban Revolution in 1959, the Communist government arrested gays and sent many to labor or "re-education" camps. Homosexuality is no longer criminalized on the island nation and Castro's niece, Mariela Castro (daughter of current President Raul Castro), is a prominent activistfor expanding gay rights in Cuba.

Numerous books and films have depicted the period of persecution, including the novel Before Night Falls by Reinaldo Arenas, later adapted into a film. Here's a video by the Guardian newspaper on the contemporary gay and transgender culture in Cuba.

In the interview, Castro said the repression against gays occurred in a tumultuous period while the Communist government was defending itself against "traitors" and the CIA. "But in the end, after all, if someone must assume responsibility, I offer my own," Castro told Lira. "I cannot blame anyone else."

— Daniel Hernandez in Mexico City

Photo: Former Cuban President Fidel Castro. Credit: Associated Press

Wednesday, 1 September 2010

Times: Flawed ruling on same-sex marriage

http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20100831/letters/flawed-ruling-on-same-sex-marriage
Tuesday, 31st August 2010 by Guz Bonett, Marsalforn

I just wonder what is the age of California's Chief Justice Vaughn Walker, a US judge who in the name of equality ruled that California's constitutional amendment defining marriage as the union of a man and a woman was unconstitutional and had "no rational basis" because it excluded same-sex unions.

In making the decision, the Chief Justice has taken upon himself the task of defining marriage based on the faulty logic that marriage is defined by any committed relationship.

Marriage is not a mere form of relationship such as a friendship or a business partnership. Nor is it the legalisation of a passion. It is a mutual self-giving between a man and a woman for the purpose of raising a family. Even if, for a number of reasons, this union may not result in children, it still is the only institution that allows children to grow naturally and be raised in normal conditions for their psychological and moral development.

According to Mr Justice Walker, traditional marriage is "nothing more than an artefact of a foregone notion that men and women fulfil different roles in civic life". In dismissing any other criteria than equality, the judge denies the notion of this august union in its present form through natural law, for the perpetuation of the species that has been around since the beginning.

The ruling unmasks how the homosexual movement's promotion of same-sex "marriage" deprives marriage of its rational end, belittles a higher moral law and disregards the majority of California who hold marriage to be sacred. This definition, which will now be appealed to the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, should be rejected.

Council of Europe - Human Rights: Forced divorce and sterilisation – a reality for many transgender persons

Posted on 2010-08-31 10:02


The rights of transgender persons are still ignored or violated, but some signs of understanding now begin to appear. One example is the outcome, at long last, of Lydia Foy's struggle in Ireland. She was registered as male at birth but has lived as a woman since 1992. This summer she finally succeeded in her battle for legal recognition by the Irish state as a woman and for a birth certificate that reflects this reality.

Most people legally defined as man or woman will experience a corresponding gender identity. Transgender persons, however, do not have such a corresponding identity and may wish to change their legal, social, and sometimes also physical status.

The case initiated by Lydia Foy in 1997 led to a High Court ruling ten years later that Ireland was in breach of the European Convention on Human Rights by not providing recognition of Dr. Foy in her preferred gender. It took the Irish government another 2.5 years to accept that Irish law is incompatible with the European Convention. In June 2010 the Irish government withdrew its appeal to the Supreme Court and will now recognise Lydia Foy as a woman.

The Irish government will introduce legislation to recognise transgender persons in their preferred gender including the possibility for them to obtain new birth certificates. An inter-departmental working group has been set up by the Irish government to develop a legal framework which respects the human rights of transgender individuals. It is crucial that representatives of the transgender community as well as other experts be represented in this working group. This could become a good model for other states which are currently considering improving their legal framework for transgender persons, including Portugal, Hungary, the Netherlands.

Still viewed as a mental disorder
Ireland is not the only country where transgender persons have faced obstacles in obtaining legal recognition of their preferred gender. Some Council of Europe member states still have no provision at all for official recognition, leaving transgender people in a legal limbo. Most member states still use medical classifications which impose the diagnosis of mental disorder on transgender persons.

Even more common are provisions which demand impossible choices, such as the "forced divorce" and the "forced sterilisation" requirements. This means that only unmarried or divorced transgender persons who have undergone surgery and become irreversibly infertile have the right to change their entry in the birth register. In reality, this means that the state prescribes medical treatment for legal purposes, a requirement which clearly runs against the principles of human rights and human dignity.

Some positive legal developments can however be found. The Austrian Administrative High Court ruled in 2009 that mandatory surgery could not be a prerequisite for gender change, and in Germany the Federal Supreme Court indicated in 2005 that operative interventions as a precondition for the change of gender are no longer tenable.

Full right to physical and moral security
All countries need to develop expeditious and transparent procedures for changing the name and gender of a transgender person on official documents, in accordance with the case-law of the European Court of Human Rights.

In 2002, in Goodwin v UK, the Strasbourg Court's Grand Chamber stressed that in the twenty first century the rights of transgender persons should be effectively protected by states. They should have the same right to personal development and to physical and moral security enjoyed by others in society. One cannot but agree.

There is a strong need for an informed dialogue about the widespread discrimination against transgender persons in Europe today. One contribution will hopefully be a comparative study, the result of which my office will present early next year, on continued discrimination in all parts of Europe on grounds of sexual orientation and gender identity.

Thomas Hammarberg

Human Rights Commissioner

Council of Europe

EU Observer: Mass gay kiss-off to highlight gap in EU law

http://euobserver.com/9/30689/?rk=1
27.08.2010 by ANDREW RETTMAN

EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - An Italian MP is planning to ask gay couples to hold a day of mass-scale public kissing in September in a fight against petty homophobia. But a draft EU law combatting the same problem is likely to stay off the agenda for years.

Paola Concia, an MP from the Partito Democratico, which sits with the centre-left S&D group in the EU parliament, is rolling out the project after organising an earlier protest in the town of Torre del Lago on 11 August, when around 100 people locked lips on the beach in an event called "Many Kisses Against Intolerance."

Ms Concia: "The problem with homophobia in Italy is alarming" (Photo: Paolo Concia)

"This is our answer to a sort of strange campaign against gay and lesbian people in Italy this summer. In many cities and villages, local authorities or even the police told gay and lesbian people that they are not allowed to kiss in the street," she told EUobserver.

"The problem with homophobia in Italy is alarming. In September, I want to organise this in all the cities in Italy, from north to south."

Ms Concia's partner, Ricarda Trautmann, added: "The situation here is worse than in Poland or in Greece. I don't know why this isn't generally known. The Italian government couldn't care less about European law. If the rest of Europe doesn't force Italy to change, then nothing will ever change here."

No EU country has a law against public displays of affection by gay people.

But some local authorities, as in Italy, use "homophobic interpretations" of laws on public order and morality to target gay couples, according to Juris Lavrikovs, from the Brussels-based International Lesbian and Gay Association-Europe.

"This is yet another example why the EU needs to adopt its proposed anti-discrimination directive which would ban discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation in such areas as access to goods and services, housing, education, health and so on," he said.

The directive in question is currently being discussed by EU diplomats in a working group in the EU Council, but the Belgian EU presidency has signaled to the European Commission that there is not enough support for legislative action.

Opposition to the bill, which also covers discrimination against disabled people, is linked to the economy rather than Christian Democrat values.

Germany, for one, is worried that its small businesses will be forced to install disabled access or that family-run hotels will have to hire lawyers to fight off complaints by pro-minority-rights pressure groups.

The two governing parties have in their coalition agreement said the EU law is "not fit for purpose," despite the fact that Germany's finance minister is in a wheelchair and its foreign minister is openly gay.

"We are waiting for the commission to explain the economic repercussions of the directive. We understand the commission is doing some research. We fear there would be strong repercussions for small and medium-sized enterprises," a foreign ministry spokesman told this website.

A senior EU commission official explained that if Berlin requests a fresh impact assessment study, Brussels would be willing to do one.

But if Germany is waiting for the results of an ongoing commission study into the economic effect of three previous directives - on race, gender and anti-discrimination in the workplace - it will have to wait until late 2011 or early 2012. If it is waiting for a sustained economic upturn, Berlin could block the bill even longer.

"With the way the economy is today, people are frightened that voters will say 'Why are we putting another burden on our companies in these difficult times?'" the commission source said.

The contact noted that member states who oppose the bill could in theory be violating their commitment under the UN's 2008 Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

"There are millions of disabled people in the EU waiting for their rights. And there are increasing numbers of people over 70 who don't want to sit at home and watch TV. They want to move around. But if you want to do this in a town like Brussels [which has a prevalence for vertiginous stairwells to basement toilets in bars and cafes], then ... good luck!"