Activists issue open letter urging Prime Minister to keep Malta free from militarisation

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Source: Malta Independent

A group of activists have published an open letter to Prime Minister Robert Abela titled “Malta Free from Militarization”, endorsed by a number of Maltese citizens and civil society organisations who are “deeply concerned about the accelerating militarisation taking place within the European Union and NATO structures.”

In the letter, they write that the European Union “is turning off the lights of peace and collective security and building instead an armoury of war. With a rampant increase in military spending, military conscription, and now even the creation of a ‘Schengen Military Zone’, the fate they are shaping for us is only one: eternal wars and irreparable damage. The words of the Chief of Staff of the French Armed Forces, Fabien Mandon, are testimony to this: the French people ‘must accept that they will start losing their children to wars’.”

“This letter reflects a growing public unease regarding increased military spending, expanding military integration, and emerging security frameworks that risk undermining Malta’s constitutionally enshrined neutrality and long-standing commitment to peace. As a neutral state with a unique historical responsibility, Malta must not be drawn-directly or indirectly-into military alliances, doctrines, or infrastructures that compromise its sovereignty, security, or moral standing.”

“This is not the future we want for our children.” As Maltese, with a constitution and a history that speak of neutrality and peace, “we cannot allow the door to be opened for these warring forces to enter our land and our minds,” they write.

The asked the Maltese Government to declare in Parliament, in clear and specific terms, that Malta will never become part of an army from the forces of any military alliance (such as NATO), or from any form of military collaboration. “That Malta will therefore never accept the imposition of military conscription on its citizens by a foreign entity.”

they also want Malta to “Withdraw immediately from the NATO Parliamentary and Consultative Assembly (the “War Council”) and from the deceptive “Partnership for Peace” program and from the military agreement between Malta and the UK. Instead of siding with warlords, Malta should join the Hague Group – the group of countries dedicated to cooperative and disarmed security.”

They also want the government to declares in Parliament that Malta will never allow its land, sea or air to be used militarily by the EU, NATO, or any other country or power of any form. “Our land is not for bases, our ports are not for warships, and our skies are not for fighter jets.”

The letter was signed by the Neutrality and Peace Group, and by a range or organisations including Moviment Graffitti, Ġustizzja għall-Palestina, ReLeaf and Zminjietna Voice of the Left, as well as a number of educators and academics.