3 years on | Our failure in compassion

On 6 April 2019, 42-year-old father of three, Lassana Cisse was gunned down as he was making his way home in Hal Far. Officially, this was the first racially motived murder in Malta. Two AFM soldiers charged with this murder, are free, out on bail.

Lassana was murdered for being African, different. But he was not the first to experience violence on our streets. As it has been evident with NGOs who frequent the area, migrants walking in Hal Far are often the target of some sort of violence and abuse.

On the same night when Lassana was assassinated, two other migrants were shot and injured. Months earlier, the same individuals who shot Lassana, were linked to a hit-and-run incident in the same area.

The case is still being heard in court and, three years on, Lassana’s family is still awaiting justice.

Lassana was the victim of shots fired by the two AFM soldiers. But many others in our society are victims of lack of compassion and indifference.

This culture where everything goes has grown ripe in all strata of our society, from the authorities that lead us, to us, as individuals. 

Government’s decisions in the last years have indeed amplified the narrative that asylum seekers are not welcome. In some cases, this message is passed on through systematic and institutional violence – essentially making it impossible for asylum seekers to integrate and adapt to living in a different country. In other cases, the ‘you’re not welcome’ message is handed over in a more direct approach – by not letting migrants in distress into our shores.

But this does not exonerate us, as individuals from the responsibility we share in creating a more livable, human and compassionate community.

If there’s any doubt whether racist sentiments are still present till this very day, some hideous comments by members of the general public regarding Pope Francis’ visit to the Peace Lab in Hal Far make it amply clear, as highlighted in a recent Times of Malta article.

During this same visit, Pope Francis made it very clear that we, as a community, must be the change on the premise of dignity:

From there, from the dignity of persons, we can and must start anew. Let us not be deceived by all those who tell us that “nothing can be done”; “these problems are too big for us”; “let others fend for themselves while I go about my own business”. No. Let us never fall into this trap. Let us respond to the challenge of migrants and refugees with kindness and humanity. 

“Let us light fires of fraternity around which people can warm themselves, rise again and rediscover hope. Let us strengthen the fabric of social friendship and the culture of encounter, starting from places such as this.”

To eliminate any kind of abuse towards asylum seekers in Malta, we need to have a change in the way we see and approach people. Lassana experienced the epitome of violence and acts of hostility towards people like him, that are perceived as different.

Physical violence towards asylum seekers is the worst manifestation of a culture that is harsh and unwelcoming. But we observe other forms of violence every day, often unnoticed or disregarded; on our streets, at work, in construction sites and a dozen other occasions.

Photo: Painting by Manuel Farrugia of the murdered migrant Lassana Cisse unveiled at the St George’s basilica

The Pope invites us not to be indifferent, to heal this fractured culture and reflect on our own attitude, and what we, as individuals can do to make things better.

To heal, we first need to acknowledge that there is a problem, and it’s much broader than we think. We need to look at the cracks of our society and reflect on how our attitudes can foster healing. Dignity, as the Pope clearly remarked, must be the basis of each of our own individual actions and decisions towards one another.

We also have to acknowledge that besides the micro actions we take, we also have civic responsibility to hold the authorities to account, as they act in our name. If these government decisions are not taken based on the respect for the dignity of persons seeking refuge, we are obliged to speak out.

Today, Wednesday 6th , members of JRS Malta will join Graffitti, African Media Association and other activists that are commemorating the brutal murder of Lassana CIsse in a gathering just outside the law courts in Valletta. Presence means we stand against any kind of manifested violence. A murder like Lassana’s is bound to be repeated, unless we make our voices heard, and treat one another with dignity and humanity.

Words by Gabriel Schembri, Communications Officer for JRS Malta.