4th Of July

Nineteen beneficiaries of international protection recently left Malta to start a new life in the United States under the US Refugee Resettlement Programme (USRRP)

During the course of their stay on the island, these people have experienced our traditions, hospitality and the right to freedom and fundamental rights that we enjoy. All these asylum seekers had fled war and danger in their native countries. Somalia is a classic example of one of the worst cases of state collapse and state failure in post-Colonial Africa. There is civil war, famine, and all the crime that goes along with such mayhem. For these migrants, our country served as a springboard from which they could begin their new life in another country.

They will arrive in time to celebrate a major event, not only for the US but also in world history. The 4th of July 1776 is the day when the Continental Congress proclaimed the independence of the USA from Great Britain and its monarch. From that day, 236 years ago, a new chapter commenced for the benefit of humanity. The representatives who were tasked to govern the 13 independent states were politicians possessing high-quality leadership skills. Through the close reading of their description of how they created the structure of the first modern democratic state, one can understand better that the text was greatly influenced by the roots of Greek and Roman literature, philosophy and law.

Those brave people’s achievements were extraordinary, given the circumstances that prevailed in those days when citizens’ rights were not protected. Democracy, as opposed to absolute monarchy, was born. America has since been the beacon of freedom. It has inspired so many nations to become democracies. They were people who came from other states. Immigrants who wished to create a new world that upholds Christian values. Legislation aimed at protecting human dignity and fundamental rights and its enforcement by the Supreme Court were a solid foundation that only they were able to establish. It is still widely acknowledged that the immigrants came from various European countries.

Many were those who were persecuted in their homeland, the majority due to their Protestant beliefs that were either not tolerated by other Protestant movements or by their various governments in European countries. And precisely these internal “conflicts” were not ignored by this great and generous country. The US remains a country that provides a future for all basic human values that we, as democrats, should embrace and apply in practice. Unfortunately, there are still dictators today. Furthermore, there are currently politicians who believe that a politician should be double-faced, demonstrating democratic principles and values in public while embracing, deep down, combined elements of despotism and ruthless cruelty. Fortunately, the policies that were introduced, made operational and implemented many years ago serve to guarantee precisely the opposite of these bad examples.

The actions carried out by extreme-rightist parties in the context of immigration have caused nothing but havoc. Democracy presupposes equality before the law. No one can make another person feel inferior. On the contrary, democracy protects society’s most vulnerable members. Throughout these years our country has adopted these examples of good practice. It was precisely for this reason that we have embarked on an important joint effort aimed at providing opportunities to beneficiaries of international protection to resettle and start a new life in the United States. The number of people who are leaving the island almost on a monthly basis has already exceeded 1,000.

Statistics that were recently published by this friendly country of ours reveal that each year around 55,000 people are integrated from various countries around the world. This programme demonstrates the strong commitment and determination to help such people. The collaboration with the American people dates back to a number of centuries and, with the exception of a few years, has always been very healthy. I have personally witnessed a number of signed agreements that provide Malta with greater facilities and advantages. On this American Independence Day we have good reason to join them in this celebration. Joint democracies ensure more wealth and create a solid ground for enhanced cooperation.

We are therefore on the right track when we reiterate that without dictators and their ideologies more peace and justice would prevail worldwide.

This article was published in the Malta Independent on 4 July 2012.