Equality commission should tackle more forms of discrimination - minister

Times of Malta, 04 June 2010

A total of 83 discriminatory adverts were received by the National Commission for the Promotion of Equality last year, the commission said in its annual report presented to Family Minister Dolores Cristina this morning.

The report points out that in 60, the discrimination was in the text and in the other 23 it was in the visuals.

The commission also received 35 complaints, including 22 from the public administration.

The majority of complaints received – 26, were gender discrimination related, one claimed racial discrimination.

The report pointed out that when it came to tele-working, employers found it difficult to evaluate the output of employees so there was a need for training to teach them about tele-working policies.

It also said that the commission was working towards promoting the legal duty of employees to have zero tolerance towards sexual harassment.

Ms Cristina said that the commission had already expanded its role to also cover racial discrimination. In future, she would also like it to tackle discrimination in terms of age, religion and sexual orientation.

She said that the six-year term of the commission was up. The new commission has been approved by Cabinet and will be appointed in the next few days.

http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20100604/local/equality-commission-should-tackle-more-forms-of-discrimination-minister

TV chat show 'violated' racial equality rules

The Times of Malta

Monday, 10th May 2010


The Broadcasting Authority claims thhttps://mail.google.com/mail/?source=navclient-ff&shva=1#composeat the TVM chat show Bondiplus violated the Broadcasting Act and subsidiary legislation aimed at ensuring the promotion of racial equality.

The charges referred to last Monday's edition, which featured extreme right Imperium Europa leader Norman Lowell who aired his controversial opinions on various religious and racial groups.

Presenter Lou Bondì insisted yesterday he chose to interview Mr Lowell in order to delve beyond his thoughts on illegal immigration and help the Maltese understand the full force of the horrors of racism.

"I am convinced that the best way of dealing with objectionable ideas is to discuss them, investigate them and expose them...," he said.

Part of the legislation quoted by the Broadcasting Authority (subsidiary legislation 350.26) states that broadcasters must "exert a judicious decision when selecting presenters and participants during a programme dealing with racism" and "must not invite persons with racist ideas and opinions".

Questions sent last Tuesday to the National Commission for the Promotion of Equality and to the police about the programme remain unanswered.

http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20100510/local/tv-chat-show-violated-racial-equality-rules

Arabs close ranks on Jerusalem at Libya summit

TIMES OF MALTA
28 March 2010
AFP

Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas yesterday ruled out US-brokered indirect peace talks with Israel unless it backs down on settlements, as Arab leaders closed ranks over Jerusalem at a summit in Libya.

Abbas, at the opening of the two-day summit in the Mediterranean city of Sirte, echoed widespread concern that the Middle East peace process was in peril and urged his Arab peers to "rescue" Jerusalem.

"We cannot resume indirect negotiations as long as Israel maintains its settlement policy and the status quo," he said in a speech after UN chief Ban Ki-moon had addressed the summit seeking Arab support for the talks.

Abbas accused Israel of seeking to wipe out the Arab identity of Jerusalem through "ethnic cleansing" and insisted that Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem must be the capital of any future Palestinian state.

"We have always said that Jerusalem is the jewel in the crown and the gate to peace," he said.

The UN chief urged Arab leaders to facilitate the "proximity" talks between Israel and the Palestinians, saying "our common goal should be to resolve all final-status issues within 24 months".

Ban also reiterated that Israel's settlement activity in mainly Arab east Jerusalem was "illegal" and stressed that Jerusalem must emerge "as the capital of two states".

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, another guest speaker, blasted Israel's policy of dealing with the whole of Jerusalem as its united capital as "madness".

"Jerusalem is the apple of the eye of each and every Muslim ... and we cannot at all accept any Israeli violation in Jerusalem or in Muslim sites," Erdogan said.

Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, who was likewise invited by Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi to address the summit, said "now is the time to give peace a chance".

"We have the possibility, we have the responsibility and we feel the urgency," he said.

Berlusconi hoped Israel's hardline Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would "respond to the call made by the international community to improve the living conditions of Palestinians", especially in the Gaza Strip.

http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20100328/world-news/arabs-close-ranks-on-jerusalem-at-libya-summit

Low racist crime figures 'shocking'

TIMES OF MALTA
28 March 2010

Caroline Muscat

Just four people were charged in court for racist crimes in the last 10 years, a figure described as "shocking" by Nationalist MEP Simon Busuttil.

Two people were arraigned in 2006, and another two were charged in 2008 and 2009, according to figures released in Parliament by Home Affairs Minister Carmelo Mifsud Bonnici.

The figures pale in comparison to claims made by NGOs and humanitarian organisations over what they describe as the worrying xenophobic and racist trends in Malta.

The most recent Eurobarometer surveys show 77 per cent of Maltese respondents perceive discrimination based on ethnic origin to be widespread, while five per cent of those interviewed in Malta the previous year said they had personally experienced racial discrimination.

Asked whether the figures or race-related crimes were low because racism was not an issue in Malta or whether it was due to a lack of enforcement, Dr Mifsud Bonnici replied: "The authorities have taken the necessary steps whenever reports related to racist crimes were made. The robust law that came into effect last year laid down clear definitions for such crimes, introduced new ones, and raised the penalties."

Yet, nobody has been charged with racist crimes since the regulations came into force last July, and according to the ministry, this is because the new law was acting as a deterrent.

But Dr Busuttil expressed shock at the low figures, saying he was concerned about the rising tide of xenophobia and racism.

"One only needs to visit timesofmalta.com for regular contributions which are overtly xenophobic and others which verge dangerously on racism... I regularly receive hate mail in relation to my work on immigration. In the beginning, I found them quite traumatic but I have learned to live with them," Dr Busuttil said.

He was not the only one targeted, as international human rights organisations have regularly documented the rise of racism in Malta.

Amnesty International last year expressed concern about a pattern of arson attacks in 2005 and 2006 that occurred against those who had spoken out against racism, demanding the authorities bring those responsible to justice.

It is still not possible to confirm the arson attacks as racist crimes because the perpetrators were never brought to justice. The Sunday Times last week asked the police to provide an update on investigations, but no replies were given.

When contacted, the National Council for the Promotion of Equality said it received a number of requests for assistance and complaints for investigation referring to allegations of racial discrimination.

The council said although the number of prosecutions indicated in Parliament did not seem to reflect the state of affairs, the council was often faced with alleged victims who did not wish to make their case public.

For this reason, the council said it would be carrying out an EU co-funded project this year to study the reasons related to underreporting of discriminatory cases.

"The enforcement of the illegality of racism has to be a relentless and comprehensive commitment by all stakeholders who have a role in combating racial discrimination and racial hatred, hence safeguarding equal treatment to everyone, irrespective of their race," council manager Therese Spiteri said.

But the council also emphasised education as essential to increasing tolerance.

This was also stressed by the representative of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees in Malta Jon Hoisaeter who said "often, intolerance stems from a lack of information or wrong assumptions" and that interaction between communities was essential to address this.

Mr Hoisaeter said he was not surprised at the low figures, because "it takes a lot before someone is criminally charged for making statements". While underlining that the UNHCR understood the pressures Malta faced, the agency pointed out that immigration was a relatively new experience for the country.

"The public debate on online fora is very discouraging in terms of the language used, which tends to be rather aggressive towards immigrants.

"But I have seen these kinds of statements in other countries that have had to come to terms with this reality. It takes time," Mr Hoisaeter said.

"What is seen as an extreme situation gradually becomes something that is manageable, and ultimately can be recognised as enriching," he added.

But it was not all bad news, he insisted, as there were other, less visible voices promoting tolerance.

"People come to UNHCR asking how they can play a part. That is encouraging."

cmuscat@timesofmalta.com

http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20100328/local/low-racist-crime-figures-shocking

Major discrimination against gay and lesbian

The Malta independent online
26 March 2010


by Annaliza Borg


There are major cases of discrimination against gay and lesbian people everywhere, including in employment and the social rights sphere, said a Malta Gay Rights Movement representative last Wednesday during a debate entitled ‘Move Opens the Closet’.

The debate was organised by the progressive students organisation Move and led by Alistair Bugeja. Psychologist and university lecturer Mary Borg Cunen, Cyrus Engerer from the Malta Gay Rights Movement, Anthony Galea, a psychologist from LGBT Labour and Xarabank presenter Peppi Azzopardi were on the panel. A number of students (although much fewer than the number of those who confirmed attendance on facebook) participated.

Mr Engerer, who is also a Nationalist Party councillor, said the road ahead was very long but we must start with defining family and adoption regulations in state legislation. Cohabitation, adoption and marriage rights were MGRM’s priority, he noted. Pointing out that single people and heterosexual couples who lived together could adopt children but gay or lesbian couples could not, Mr Engerer said this was unfair. Moreover, several LGBT people were having children from heterosexual encounters just for the sake of having children. Even children’s rights were not being protected because of lack of legislation, he said.

Addressing LGBT in education was very important, Mr Engerer said, as teachers did not know how to tackle bullying cases against students of particular sexual orientations. Gay people were still being sent away from home and deprived of shelter when they came out to their families explaining their sexual orientation. Cases of 14 to 20 year olds who sought refuge away from home were common, Mr Galea agreed.

Ms Borg Cunen said studies showed no problems in the upbringing of children by gay couples however discrimination in schools against children brought up by gay couples existed. She explained that homosexuality was not an orientation people chose, but which they realised when growing up. Some research points out it is genetically inherited. Slight differences in chromosomes, the brain and biology of heterosexual and homosexual people were noted.

Asked whether there was a need for a specific LGBT group within the Labour Party and whether this emphasised differences rather than ironing out difficulties, Mr Galea said the PL had taken the first initiative to give LGBT people a direct voice. The group was to help the PL in its work and work to abolish discrimination against gays.

However he did point out this group was made up of five to 10 members and “still very fluid”. It was working on a set of guidelines for its members and proposals for the party. “The PL may not agree with our ideas but we will push for them,” he said.

Peppi Azzopardi accused the PL of trying to make everyone happy but taking no particular stand in favour of LGBT. Being a left-wing party, it should act otherwise, he said.

“Imagine the case of a man and a woman who decide they want to get married and have children but the state does not allow them. This is the situation with gay couples and it is totally unfair,” he said.

Although before the last general elections, the Nationalist Party had called for a stop against gay discrimination, promised that cohabitation would be recognised and the promotion of equality would be taken care of by the National Commission for the Promotion of Equality, nothing was done.

Alternattiva Demokratika was the party speaking in accordance with full LGBT rights.

Meanwhile, the state was still providing books with illustrations of the stereotype cereal box family – a man and a woman with two children, a boy and a girl.

“I have to show and explain to my son that other family structures are normal,” Mr Azzopardi said.

He also noted that homophobia was linked with false impressions that LGBT people abused others.

Participating students had harsh words about MEP Simon Busuttil who attended the last gay pride parade but then took a particular vote against gays recently.

“What did he come for,” they wondered.

Similarly, students complained against a recent statement which President George Abela made in favour of traditional families while excluding other family structures, during a conference on the family. Gozo Bishop Mario Grech also seemed to pick on gays, discriminating against them time and time again.

The panel believed the Church had its own ideals and should only act as a lobby group. State legislation should be completely independent.

http://www.independent.com.mt/news.asp?newsitemid=103642

Church accused of promoting homophobia

The Times of Malta

Wednesday, 24th March 2010 - 17:25CET

The church in Malta still promoted homophobia, where it had become a “regular” thing for the Gozo bishop to speak against gays, according to a gay rights activist speaking on campus this afternoon.

“It should be a crime to speak against a minority” Cyrus Engerer, a member of the Malta Gay Rights Movment and a PN councillor said, adding that unfortunately, gays were still fighting discrimination.

Mr Engerer was speaking at Move debate on homosexual people’s rights in Malta.

Giving an example, he said that while a gay person could adopt a child individually, a gay couple could not.

He spoke about the recently launched book by Maltese Australian Joseph C. Chetcuti, in which the writer said that St Gorg Preca and St Paul had homosexual tendencies.

Mr Engerer defended this claim by saying these people might not have been able to come out during their lifetime.

Television presenter Peppi Azzopardi, however, disagreed, saying the Gozo bishop was right in his recent criticism of the book because he did not agree that Dr Chetcuti should have mentioned people who were dead and who never spoke about their sexuality.

He said he was hurt most by people who were scandalised at the claims made in the book, “as if gay people could not become saints”.

Mary Ann Borg Cunen, a counsellor at university, said there was still ambiguity on what made people gay.

However, it was clear that people did not wake up at 14 and decide they were gay. Research suggested being gay might be genetic and it also seemed to run in families.

She said that there was new research which showed that women’s sexuality was quite fluid and a woman who earlier in life identified with being gay, could later on train her mind to be straight, and then change back. Men, on the other hand, seem to be more fixed in their sexual orientation.

Speaking on adoption by gay couples, Ms Borg Cunen said every research she read showed that children brought up by gay couples exhibited no disorders. However, they might be subject to discrimination at school.

Mr Azzopardi blamed this on schools for continuously presenting the stereotypical family with a man, a woman, a boy and a girl.
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20100324/local/church-accused-of-promoting-homophobia

Authors condemn China snub of HIV-positive writer

The Times of Malta

Monday, 15th March 2010
Literature

AFP

More than 90 authors, including Nobel winner J. M. Coetzee, have condemned China for refusing an HIV-positive Australian writer entry to the country for a government-sponsored tour.

Robert Dessaix revealed his health status in his application for a visa which was refused without explanation.

The Australian Society of Authors condemned the decision, penning an open letter signed by more than 90 writers including Schindler's Ark author Thomas Keneally and 2004 Commonwealth Prize regional winner Michelle de Kretser.

"This was an act of discrimination that appears to be founded in fear or ignorance and is behaviour unworthy of any nation that desires to be seen as enlightened and civilised," the letter says.

"We ask the Chinese government to explain its decision as a matter of urgency and to offer Mr Dessaix the public apology to which he is entitled."

Mr Dessaix, 65, had been due to speak at Shanghai's International Literary Festival which featured writers such as Su Tong, Scott Turow and Junot Diaz.

"It's mediaeval," the writer told The Sydney Morning Herald this month, adding that Australian officials had been given no reason for his rejection but believed his health status was the stumbling block.

"I feel snubbed and insulted, of course, and also humiliated. There had been interventions at the highest level on my behalf, but they were refused, so I see it as a snub to Australia, not just to me."

The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs said the government did not comment on individual cases but was aware that Mr Dessaix had been unable to secure a visa for China. "The Australian government has, through diplomatic channels, spoken with Chinese authorities on a number of occasions over recent weeks in support of Mr Dessaix's visa application," a spokeswoman said.

"The Australian government is disappointed that Mr Dessaix was not able to take up his invitation to attend the event."

Mr Dessaix is a novelist, essayist and travel writer whose books include A Mother's Disgrace, Night Letters and Corfu.

http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20100315/world-news/authors-condemn-china-snub-of-hiv-positive-writer