Speech by Pastor Dr Martin Simpa, Chairman of the National Taskforce against Homosexuality in Uganda. A Bill in Uganda is being proposed which punishes homosexuals by the death penalty.
With wearisome inevi tability we are assisting to the ump teenth local council drama. Sliema’s Cyrus Engerer (love the name) is claiming that the Labour councillors and others on his side of the political divide have no confidence in him because he is gay... “they are targeting me because I’m gay,” he reportedly declared. Mr Engerer went on to say he is proud to belong to a party “that accepts diversity and does not discriminate, when it comes to its membership and candidacy in elections, on the basis of sexual orientation”.
Why, pray, would Mr Engerer be “targeted” because he’s gay? And by Labour councillors? I don’t think so.
Mr Engerer must know which is the progressive party and that it was a Labour government that decriminalised sodomy. This was in the 1970s, when being gay was considered a matter of shame by many and the word pufta was used liberally and meant as an insult to homosexuals and others. But, then, they wouldn’t teach these things in the one-year Masters degree course in political science at the College of Europe in Bruges, would they? Although they do teach students the necessary skills to research a “fact” before making claims, as opposed to relying on gut feeling.
It seems that Mr Engerer wants blood, Labour blood. Or so was the order from his political masters. This, when a motion against him was initiated by a PN councillor, Edward Cuschieri. So, having nothing in his political wardrobe that passes for principle it seems, he has turned to this playing the victim on account of his sexual orientation.
Gay MPs and councillors – like the rest of us – have come and gone over the years. I don’t know that they encountered difficulties because of their sexuality. They had no problem getting elected – which means the electorate has no qualms about being represented by a gay person - and no trouble with carrying out their parliamentary and council duties.
It is in this light that I see Mr Engerer’s public declarations as another symptom of the confusion reigning within the Nationalist Party. First, it was reported that the PN secretary-general ordered councillor Sandra Camilleri to sign a vote of no confidence in the mayor, against her will – isn’t that illegal? And now, Mr Engerer impudently states that he is a victim of his sexuality. Give us a break.
Furthermore, Mr Engerer keeps reminding us, selectively, that he got more votes than his PN colleague Mr Cuschieri. No word though about another fact: That Labour’s Martin de Bono got around double Mr Engerer’s amount of first-count votes and many more of the same than new mayor Joanna Gonzi.
Sliema’s is not the only council in turmoil, of course.
Those in charge – the government spokesman and his counterpart – talk of how they spend most of their days listening to endless lists of councils’ problems, among them petty squabbles, not least those stemming from party politics.
It’s pointless at this stage and nothing will be gained by saying “you were told so” with regard to the party politicisation of local councils. But one cannot deny that the day-to-day political altercations between councillors are definitely a throwback to their work, to the detriment of residents.
The national party political polarisation has trickled down to the local level in a big way. It is true that a person is good or bad, competent or incompetent, regardless of whether he or she is an independent councillor or representing a political party. But when push comes to party shove, a councillor is obliged to act in the interest of the party above everything else or resign and stay on as an independent councillor. So why not be independent in the first place? It doesn’t make sense to play party politics in councils of towns and villages populated by a few thousand people. One has to keep in perspective the fact that ours is a minuscule country, where we breathe politics and many things, from our cell phone contract to the radio station we tune in to, points towards our political sympathies. Then, as if division along party political lines is not ubiquitous enough, we must also bear its consequences, through the operation of some councils, when it comes to the cleaning of our localities, the minor roadworks and other stuff that local councils are responsible for.
On the other hand, the predicaments of local councils come in handy for the PN. They provide a good cover-up. They help to instil the perception that the government takes action and demands the resignation of wrongdoers. Pity that kind of action is uniquely reserved for the realm of local councils.
If only the government had the same attitude at the national level where millions of taxpayers’ euros are shelled out for obscure contracts.
No minister was ever asked to resign and it’s not because we were short of cases of transgression, such as that of the recent power station extension contract, for instance. But, to crib the title of Julie Walters’ funny autobiography, that’s another story.
Dr Dalli is shadow minister for the public service and government investment.
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Thursday, 16th September 2010 by Christian Peregin
Sliema Nationalist councillor Edward Cuschieri said yesterday he told fellow councillors he would withdraw his support to a motion that could have placed him as deputy mayor instead of Cyrus Engerer.
The Labour Party’s online platform Maltastar.com, which reported this latest development in the ongoing Sliema council saga, said Mr Cuschieri, 82, was “forced” to remove his name from the motion after being “threatened” he would be kicked out.
Party sources from both the PL and the PN confirmed that Mr Cuschieri promised to back down and apologised to some councillors who were ready to support him.
The retraction is not yet official and Mr Cuschieri is still refusing to comment to the press.
The PN asked Mr Cuschieri on Tuesday to withdraw his support for the motion, stressing that Mr Engerer had the party’s full backing.
The PN would not confirm yesterday that Mr Cuschieri withdrew his name but party sources said he had been in touch with the party and had given “reasons to believe” he would back down.
The motion, which claimed Mr Engerer was not mature or experienced enough for the role, would likely not have been accepted by the Director of Local Government because it was tabled before Mr Engerer became deputy mayor. The director, Martin Bugelli, is tomorrow expected to decide on whether the motion should be discussed or not.
Mr Engerer, 29, was, by law, next in line to become deputy mayor after the post was vacated by Joanna Gonzi who recently took over as mayor from Nikki Dimech when he was ousted by his own party.
While Mr Engerer garnered the third highest number of votes from the elected PN councillors in last year’s election, Mr Cuschieri had the least. However, Mr Cuschieri was supported by the three Labour councillors, Mr Dimech and councillor Sandra Camilleri, who resigned from the PN saying she felt bullied into signing a motion of no confidence against Mr Dimech.
Mr Dimech has been charged with soliciting a bribe and reviling a police officer. He is pleading not guilty.
Contacted yesterday, Mr Engerer said that while the council had gone through “a bad patch” he was confident that work could now continue for the benefit of Sliema residents.
“The PN still has the majority within the council and we will be working together with all other councillors for the benefit of our residents. I still believe we all have the benefit of the residents at heart,” he said.
The next council meeting is scheduled for Wednesday.
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Don't ask, don't tell: Federal judge in California rules ban on gay soldiers to be unconstitutional.
California Federal Judge declares ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ policy banning gays from serving in the US military to be unconstitutional.
In a huge and important legal decision, a California judge yesterday ruled the ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ policy that bars gay and lesbian soldiers from serving in the US military to be unconstitutional.
The Judge described the ban as “violating the first and fifth amendment rights of homosexuals and harmed the effectiveness of the armed forces.”
US District Court Judge Virginia Phillips granted a request for an injunction halting ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ from operating, saying evidence showed that it had a “direct and deleterious effect” on the military.
In her ruling, Judge Phillips mentioned a decline in morale of troops who saw qualified gay and lesbian colleagues forced out of the military because of their sexual orientation.
The decision puts the White House in state of perplexity as it comes at a time when the Obama administration is in the middle of a cautious attempt to lift the ban on homosexuals serving openly in the US military.
Internal feuds have persisted within the Sliema local council, with a majority of councillors signing a motion against appointing Cyrus Engerer as deputy mayor and proposing, instead, elderly Nationalist councillor Edward Cuschieri.
Mr Cuschieri signed the motion along with the three Labour councillors, deposed former mayor Nikki Dimech and councillor Sandra Camilleri, who both resigned from the PN in recent weeks.
Due to his high vote count, Mr Engerer, 29, was next in line to take the position of deputy mayor after it was made vacant by the appointment of former deputy Joanna Gonzi as mayor.
She replaced Mr Dimech after he lost a vote of no confidence backed by all six PN councillors, including Mr Cuschieri who was reported to have been uneasy about the motion, even though he denied such claims.
The motion represents a fresh blow to the PN's traditional majority on the Sliema council and means that Mr Engerer and the PN colleagues who support him will likely lose the vote that would take place.
Mr Cuschieri could not be contacted for comment yesterday but in a statement, the PN deplored the attitude of the Labour councillors and called on party leader Joseph Muscat to state the real reasons why the Labour councillors were opposing Mr Engerer's appointment.
The PN did not mention Mr Cuschieri's signature on the motion but insisted that the PN councillors will vote for Mr Engerer to take his position of deputy mayor as stipulated in the law.
The motion which is due to be presented says that Mr Engerer does not have enough "experience and maturity" for the role, while Mr Cuschieri has long been active in the council.
But sources said there may also be an ideological conflict behind the motion. Mr Engerer does not have the backing of more conservative members of the PN because of his open views on gay rights. Mr Cuschieri is a fervent Catholic who was a member of the Legion of Mary and Azzjoni Kattolika.
When contacted, Mr Engerer said he was surprised by the motion and believed he was being targeted for reasons "very different" to the ones being mentioned in the motion, without wanting to specify these ulterior motives.
He said he could not understand how he could be called immature and inexperienced when he was the only one in the council to have studied politics and was only two years younger than Mr Dimech, whom the same six people had accepted as mayor.
Mr Engerer also pointed out that in local councils, experience did not make a difference in who became mayor or deputy mayor since the roles were given according to the number of votes garnered.
He added that there were several mayors and deputy mayors who were younger and less experienced than himself and who were backed by, among others, the Labour Party, which still somehow "has issues with trusting youths in certain positions".
"I think they are doing this because they want a weak council," he said, pointing out that the various councillors who were against him had different motivations.
With only 222 first count votes, Mr Cuschieri was the least popular successful Nationalist candidate, while Mr Engerer earned 590 votes – putting him third in line after Mr Dimech and Dr Gonzi.
The council is scheduled to meet on September 22. The last time it met, Mr Engerer presented a motion of no confidence against Mr Dimech after the former mayor pleaded not guilty in court to charges of bribery and reviling a police officer.
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Mark Dean Brown and Bjorn Czepan at the annual Soen in die Laan (Kiss in the Avenue) Stellenbosch University event Photograph: Vanessa Smeets/Die Matie
Theirs was a kiss that stunned a conservative town. When a moment of passion for two men was published on a newspaper front page it provoked fierce debate in one of South Africa's oldest communities.
In a single photograph Bjorn Czepan and Mark Dean Brown became unwitting symbols for tolerance and gay rights at the predominantly Afrikaner, rugby-playing Stellenbosch University.
Just a month later, there is a tragic postscript. Czepan is dead and Brown is critically ill in hospital.
The students were involved in a car crash in the suburb of Woodstock, last week, the Cape Times reported. Czepan, from Germany, was killed, and Brown was put on a ventilator at the Netcare Christiaan Barnard Memorial Hospital.
The hospital said a third student, Brian Kline, was admitted late last Thursday night after the crash. Brown and Kline were critical but stable.
Thefleeting moment of fame for the Cape Town University couple came at last month's annual Soen in die Laan (Kiss in the Avenue) event at the nearby university, when lesbian and gay students joined the traditionally heterosexual occasion .
The photograph was published on the front page of the student newspaper Die Matie, triggering furious debate on social networking sites. Copies were torn up or defaced in protest but there were supportive comments from gay students.
Vanessa Smeets, the paper's picture editor, told the Christian Science Monitor: "We knew it would be controversial, but not this level of reaction … Most women seem OK [about it], but a lot of Afrikaans men and African men were very unhappy. Some have been using the paper as dart boards, tearing them up."
The image caught the attention of South Africa's lesbian and gay community. Marlow Valentine, community engagement manager at the Triangle Project, Cape Town, said today: "It was one of those articles that challenge hetero-normative ideas. Stellenbosch is a very conservative town and doesn't like anything out of the ordinary."
Matthew Gardiner, a friend of Czepan, told the Cape Times: "Bjorn couldn't understand [why] the Soen in die Laan situation could make so much of an impact, but he was also very proud that he had been able to help people come to terms with their sexuality through that kiss."
Edward Cuschieri, 82, is being pushed for Sliema deputy mayor by Labour and independent councillors.
Sliema councillor told to back down or expect expulsion from the party should he not toe the party line.
The Nationalist Party administration has reportedly warned Sliema councillor Edward Cuschieri to back down on his ambition to be appointed deputy mayor, and to expect expulsion from the party should he not toe the party line and support Cyrus Engerer for the post.
MaltaToday is informed that an infuriated secretary-general Paul Borg Olivier made it clear with all PN Sliema councillors that "enough is enough" and that the PN will not tolerate any more nonsense.
"Cyrus Engerer has the full support of the PN's administration," a senior PN spokesman told MaltaToday last night, adding that it is unacceptable that Cyrus Engerer is apparently being sidelined because of his sexual orientation.
Edward Cuschieri was not available for comment yesterday.
MaltaToday is informed that Paul Borg Olivier expressed his full support towards Cyrus Engerer, who is expected to be appointed deputy mayor when the council resumes business on September 22.
The warning comes as a calculated risk for the PN, which risks losing its majority in its most important stronghold, with Cuschieri signing a motion of no confidence in Engerer along with three Labour councillors and two independent councillors.
In the case of stalemate, the Sliema council could risk being dissolved by government, and new elections called in a scenario where disillusionment is high among a very demanding electorate.
Three weeks after the ousting of Nikki Dimech as mayor and his expulsion from the PN following his arrest and arraignment over alleged bribery, the PN was stunned by the no-confidence motion against Cyrus Engerer.
Engerer is an outspoken gay activist. His frontline appearance at this year's gay pride, where he was filmed kissing his companion, brought the councillor new attention.
In an interview with MaltaToday, he said he would consider voting for Labour if the party would put full marriage equality in its manifesto, saying gay marriage "makes a big difference to me."
The motion – presented on Monday – piloted by PL minority leader Martin Debono, states that "Cyrus Engerer is still young and doesn't have the experience to be a Deputy Mayor."
All three PL councillors are signatories to the motion, including Nicolai Gauci who is in the employ of former mayor Nikki Dimech.
Other signatories are Nikki Dimech and Sandra Camilleri, who are now independents, and Edward Cuschieri, who is also a member of the PN sectional committee in Sliema.
His signature upsets the PN's plans on Sliema, just a day after Prime Minister and PN leader Lawrence Gonzi spoke at length over the importance of "loyalty" by all councillors and party members.
Contacted yesterday, Martin Debono downplayed his role in the whole affair, stressing that the matter is a "feud between PN councillors."
But Debono declined to comment on why he was supporting the appointment of a PN councillor for the post of deputy mayor, and abstained from voting out Nikki Dimech and appointing Joanna Gonzi as Mayor.
"It is all a storm in a tea cup, as the whole Sliema issue has been blown out of proportion," Debono insisted.
Also contacted, Nikki Dimech stressed that he supports Edward Cuschieri and not Cyrus Engerer as deputy mayor on a "matter of principle."
Dimech accused Engerer of being the prime promoter behind his removal and "manoeuvring" behind his back.
But Dimech strongly denied the homophobic interpretation that is being given to the motive behind the motion. Dimech claimed he did not know the authors of a Facebook group called 'friends of Nikki Gelanz', but that he "appreciated their support."
The group posted pictures of Engerer with his arm on the shoulder of a male friend, lifted from his own Facebook profile, and peppered it with messages of a homophobic nature. "We have nothing against gays but for sure its (sic) dangerous to have you freely do what you want/ you should have respect to the other part of the human civilisation."
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Iż-żwieġ bejn persuni tal-istess sess huwa realtà f'ħames pajjiżi Ewropej (il-Belġju, l-Olanda, il-Portugall, Spanja u l-Iżvezja). F'xi pajjiżi oħra, koppji omosesswali jistgħu jirrikoru għal sħubija ċivili (partnership). Iżda x'jiġri jekk dawn imorru jgħixu fi stat membru fejn dan id-dritt jiġi miċħud? Nhar it-Tlieta bil-lejl il-MPE saqsew 3 mistoqsiji orali lill-Kummissjoni dwar id-diskriminazzjoni ta' koppji tal-istess sess (miżżewġa jew f'unjoni ċivili), li "jistgħu jesperjenzaw sitwazzjonijiet ta' diskriminazzjoni diretta jew indiretta meta jaħdmu, jistudjaw jew jivvjaġġaw fl-UE".
Barra s-sitwazzjoni ta' diskriminazzjoni kontra koppji tal-istess sess saqsew fuq ir-rikonoxximent reċiproku ta' żwiġijiet u sħubiji ċivili, kif ukoll dwar qafas li fih jiġu rrispettati l-libertà tal-moviment u d-drittijiet LGBT.
Cornelis de Jong (GUE, NL), li ilu 21 sena f'relazzjoni rikonoxxotu fl-Olanda semma l-każ tiegħu: jekk hu hu l-partner imorru l-Polonja m'humiex legalment rikonoxxuti. Kompla jgħid li "meta nużaw il-libertà ta' moviment fl-UE nitilfu serje ta' drittijiet". Michael Cashman (S & D, UK), li ilu 27 sena fi sħubija ċivili qal li "jekk ikollna inċident waqt btala fl-Italja, il-partner tiegħi lanqas biss jingħata d-dritt bażiku li jiddeċiedi jekk, f'każ bħal dan, għandi nitħalla fuq il-makna tal-life support jew le". Hu sostna li "d-drittijiet miksuba f'pajjiż għandhom jiġu rispettati fl-ieħor".
Sophia in 't Veld (ALDE, NL) żiedet tgħid li "kull ċittadin Ewropew għandu jkollu l-istess drittijiet. Mhuwiex xogħol l-UE jew il-gvernijiet tal-istati membri biex jiġġudikaw relazzjonijiet personali" u jekk dan il-principju tal-liberta' jintuża għall-merkanzija aħseb u ara kemm għandu aktar jintuża għall-bnedmin.
Għall-Kummissarju Reding "huwa ċar li jekk inti għandekk id-dritt tiċċaqlaq liberament u tgħix liberament, għandu jkollok ukoll l-istess id-drittijiet ta' fejn tgħix fil-post fejn sejjer tgħix", għalkemm widdbet li hemm bżonn "navvanzaw b'kawtela" biex naslu f'punt fejn l-istati membri kollha "jaċċettaw ir-regoli ġenerali". Hi żiedet tgħid li din mhux kwistjoni ta' prinċipju biss imma wkoll kwistjoni li tolqot bosta nies fil-laħam il-ħajj.
Ir-reazzjonijiet tal-gruppi politiċi: qbil, imma qbil b'kawtela...
Skont Salvatore Iacolino (PPE, IT) "xi pożizzjonijiet fundamentali għandhom ikunu garantiti, għaliex jappartjenu għall-isfera intima u personali tal-persuna u b'hekk għandhom jiġu rrispettati", biss "irridu inqisu l-kunċett ta' familja li għalina hu mudell ta' familja naturali: b'missier, omm u l-prokreazzjoni, imqabbel ma' mudell li aħna ovvjament nirrispettaw, iżda li mhuwiex il-mudell prevalenti illum fl-Unjoni Ewropea".
Monika Beňová Flašíková (għal PSE, SK) qalet li hawnhekk mhux qed nitkellmu fuq xi "imposizzjoni fuq l-istati membri, iżda dwar tolleranza".
Sarah Ludford (ALDE, UK) qalet li hemm "prinċipji mill-isbaħ fit-trattati u l-istrumenti legali ta' l-UE għan-non-diskriminazzjoni, ugwaljanza, drittijiet tal-minoranzi, id-dinjità tal-bniedem, id-dritt għall-ħajja tal-familja, u naturalment id-dritt tal-moviment ħieles" iżda sostniet li r-regoli "għandhom jiġu emendati sabiex titneħħa is-semi-diskrezzjoni li l-istati membri għandhom biex jiddiskriminaw kontra koppji tal-istess sess u meta l-konjuġi jġorru minn Stat Membru għal ieħor". Skont Ulrike Lunacek (Greens, AT) "għandna l-inkwiet meta nisimgħu li r-rikonoxximent irid ikun gradwali... f'kull pajjiż iċ-ċittadini huma aktar avvanzati li l-gvernijiet tagħhom".
Konrad Szymansky (CRE, PL) ma qabilx, u qal li "xi pajjiżi ma jirrikonoxxux koppji omosesswali, u għandhom id-dritt li jagħmlu dan".
Viviane Reding ikkonkludiet billi qalet li "il-liġi hi ċara ħafna - jekk inti fi żwieġ legalment rikonoxxut ġo pajjiż, għandek id-dritt - u dan huwa dritt fundamentali - li tieħu dan l-istatus u l-status tal-partner tiegħek għat-tieni pajjiż".
Currently, same-sex couples in a marriage* or civil partnership** often lose custody, fiscal and consular rights when moving from one EU Member State to another—despite EU law guaranteeing freedom of movement. MEPs expressed dismay at the patchy application of a 2004 Directive on Freedom of Movement for citizens in same‑sex unions, and called on Commissioner Viviane Reding to ensure all married or in-civil partnership couples could exercise their fundamental rights.
Commissioner Reding agreed; she responded that "the law is very clear: it's about non-discrimination, right to free movement and mutual recognition. [...] If you live in a legally-recognised same-sex partnership or marriage in a country A, you have the right—and that is a fundamental right—to take this status, and the one of your partner, to country B. If not, it is a violation of EU law." The Commissioner affirmed she was currently working on the issue through bilateral meetings, and bringing national governments to apply EU law. She added: "When is this going to happen? Now! Not in 5 or 10 years. [...] If there is no understanding [from governments], then more harsh measures have to be applied."
Ulrike Lunacek MEP, Co-president of the Intergroup on LGBT Rights, commented: "The fundamental rights laid down in EU law are for every citizen, regardless of their sexual orientation. We need the Commission to push forward, not to wait for Member States to 'slowly' or 'maybe' do what they must, by law, do for each and every EU citizen."
Michael Cashman MEP, Co-president of the Intergroup on LGBT Rights, further added: "This is about relationships, possibly the most personal and private aspect of one's life. Basic EU rights must be guaranteed to everyone. This has nothing to do with changing Member States' marriage laws: it has to do with enabling free movement across the EU."
During the debate, Ms Lunacek addressed Ms Reding: "Please push; many in this Parliament want to push with you."
Members of the European Parliament will now ask the Commissioner to clarify her commitments, and await the Fundamental Rights Agency's January 2011 updated report on homophobia in the EU.
*: In the EU Belgium, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain and Sweden (5) allow same-sex couples to marry. So do 12 more jurisdictions worldwide.
**: In the EU Austria, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Slovenia and Great Britain (14) allow same-sex couples to enter a civil partnership. So do 24 more jurisdictions worldwide.
