Human Dignity & Rights

Ongoing uncertainty at the prison

We the undersigned entities unequivocally condemn the ongoing uncertainty at the prison, aka Correctional Services Agency.

As more inmates and their families come forward to speak out, we commend them for their courage and openness.

As entities committed to social wellbeing, we recognise our responsibility to be advocates for justice and human dignity.

The number of deaths registered at this facility in these last years has tragically climbed to 13 individuals, including the recent deaths by suicide of a 30-year-old man and a 29-year-old woman… Read more »

The ecological transition has started. It must be fair and just.

21 European Justice & Peace Commissions came together for their Annual International Workshop and General Assembly which was held in Belgium from the 1st till the 4th of October. The theme chosen for this year’s meetings was “Integral Ecology: overcoming the social and environmental crises.” Daniel Darmanin, president of the Justice and Peace Commission (Malta) attended the four-day meeting.

In their final declaration, the delegates highlighted the need for structural change as a cornerstone of climate change policy… Read more »

A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho

Leaving him half dead: In the parable of the Good Samaritan, the robbers who beat up the man and left him half dead, remain unknown, unnamed. The person who allegedly dumped Lamin on the side of the road on Selmun road in Mellieħa like a bag of disposable waste has already been identified and will face justice.

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The wheel of injustice: Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the German Theologian who courageously stood up against Nazi oppression once said that “we are not to simply bandage the wounds of victims beneath the wheels of injustice, we are to drive a spoke into the wheel itself”… Read more »

To see or not to see

On Sunday 27th of September, the worldwide Church celebrates the World Day of Migrants and Refugees. The horizon towards which we are invited to journey is that of “an ever wider we” in which we are mutually enriched by diversity and by cultural exchanges and in which the Church widens her tent to embrace everyone. However, by explicitly linking this dream of a more inclusive society with the care for our common home, Pope Francis is also warning us that the minute we try separating what is intrinsically linked, this dream can very quickly turn into a nightmare… Read more »

Season of Creation: A Home for All

A home for all? Renewing the Oikos of God is the theme of this year’s Season of Creation, during which Christians of all denominations will join in prayer and action for our common home in a bid to renew the Oikos of God. 

But what does Oikos mean? Oikos is the Greek word for “family,” or “home.” Our family is made up of the whole of humanity and each of the species that inhabit this planet, our common home… Read more »

Let us Dare to Bother

Rising temperatures and sea-levels, stronger and more frequent storms and heat waves, combined with intense drought and desertification, are unavoidable in the coming years, according to a new report released on the 9th of August by the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel (IPCC) on Climate Change.

The report makes for sobering reading and should truly serve as a moral and spiritual wake-up call. The authors do not mince their words in describing the catastrophic consequences which we will all face if we fail to act now and decisively to at least avert the most serious predictions outlined in the report… Read more »

Authorities asked to drop terrorism charges against the El Hiblu teenagers

The Migrants Commission, JRS Malta and the Justice and Peace Commission urge the authorities to drop the charges brought against three youths who are being prosecuted for terrorism.

Then aged 15, 16, and 19, the three youths were part of a group of over 100 men, women and children who were rescued by cargo ship El Hiblu 1 on 26 March 2019. The rescue was coordinated by an EU naval operation that ordered the ship to take the rescued persons back to Libya… Read more »

Human Rights – key to a just recovery from the pandemic

At the end of this year nearly 70 million people will have been infected by Covid-19 worldwide and more than 1.5 million will have died in relation to the virus. In Europe 14 million people were infected and 350.000 people died because of or with the virus. Our health systems are tested to their limits, the economy is in the middle of a severe recession, poverty and unemployment are on the rise again, cultural life is severely limited, religious services are restricted in many countries, sometimes unduly… Read more »

Appreciating our elderly

Whilst the general consensus is such that living to an old age is a blessing, not a curse, the recent spike in Covid-19 deaths has given rise to a heated debate about our elderly and their role within society. Listening to the ever-increasing number of deaths of old people, one will most definitely come across remarks which show a lack of empathy as we blame the natural cycle of life for their death… Read more »

Water and integral human development; the cry of the poor and of the Earth

“I thirst” These words were uttered by Jesus on the cross.  “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink” (Jn. 7:37) Jesus’s words attest to the fact that water is essential for the survival and well-being of all human beings.  The very definition of life requires water.  Astronomers look for water when evaluating the possibility of life on other planets. Aqua fons vitae (the document recently published by the Vatican) identifies three main dimensions relevant to water and its management: water for human use, water for human activities and water as space. 

The World Health Organisation has recognized that safe access to drinking water and sanitization is a human right.   Yet, several poor areas have their access to safe drinking water threatened by high prices imposed by the market.  Periods of drought remove freely available freshwater sources.   Lack of sanitation facilities expose women to sexual abuse and keep girls away from schools.  Chemical substances released into the waters from agricultural and industrial practices lead to bioaccumulation inside humans, and can potentially lead to irreversible detrimental health effects.  This underlines the importance of investing in sustainable water infrastructure in these countries.  It is worth noting that for every dollar invested in water and sanitation, it is possible to save up to 12 dollars in health costs alone.  It is everyone’s duty not to waste water and moderate consumption.  Wastewater treatment is beneficial and has a role in implementing a circular economy.  With everyone’s efforts, resources can be directed to help the poor achieve integral development… Read more »