‘The time for compromise on the environment is over’, activists say as Dingli action continues

Not many people would have thought much about the countryside at the end of Triq is-Sienja, a quaint alley off Dingli’s main road.

However, a couple of fields at the end of this street have, in the last week, become Malta’s latest environmental battleground.

Moviment Graffitti have, for a week now, picketed the site in open defiance and protests against bulldozers commissioned by Infrastructure Malta who want to build a new road through agricultural land – something which the group has claimed is being done illegally.

Quite the contrary to previous environmental wars – this road is not a major project. It is barely 100 metres long in fact, and it is envisioned to connect the aforementioned alleyway with another road which runs parallel to it.

Between these two roads are, however, agricultural fields and carob trees – some of which date back 300 years. It was only when the bulldozers bore down on the site that residents learnt of the project. Works were stopped, but the machinery descended on the quiet rural area again last week – prompting Moviment Graffitti – who have been backed by over 200 residents from the area – to take direct action and create a human blockade to stop the works themselves.

“The biggest question mark which remains for us is: why? We have not understood the reason for what this road is – and this worries us, because we are now starting to think that there are other, hidden reasons, at play as well”, Moviment Graffitti activist Andre Callus tells The Malta Independent on Sunday.

But the continuous fight for the preservation of Malta’s environment goes far beyond a couple of fields at the edge of the village of Dingli – if anything, the action taking place over the past week is something symbolistic of an environmental consciousness which is seemingly growing across the country.

“There is a strong sense of symbolism, yes”, Callus states: “It is strong because what is happening here is a clear symbolization of an attitude which we are seeing across the country, especially in Infrastructure Malta, where roads are not being built for the good of the people – but only to satisfy certain interests.”

Indeed, this is not the only project where Infrastructure Malta has not covered itself in any form of glory – especially because of its willingness to pour tarmac over agricultural land, the supply of which is getting every shorter.

Recent cases in Mrieħel – where a new flyover could take up 15 acres of agricultural land – and Burmarrad – where the widening of a road into fields has come under heavy scrutiny – have only served to increase civil society activism in favour of the environment and against such projects.

“There are farmers and residents who are being hit badly by these projects. When we talk about activism, we shouldn’t just be talking about people who are part of a movement or an organization: the people who are truly the activists are those who are living through this situation in their everyday lives”, Callus says.

Groups such as Moviment Graffitti, he adds, are only there so that people can have a strong platform and organisation to resist these damaging projects.

Moviment Graffitti is a self-proclaimed leftist organisation which has existed for 27 years.

“I won’t say that we are guided by a certain ideology because I would be using archaic terms in doing so, but we believe that a certain social justice needs to be achieved – and that includes the environment, because it is a key part of our quality of life”, Wayne Flask, another Graffitti activist, explains to this newsroom.

“We fight this fight because of the greed involved in it. Be it a commercial development, a road, the take-up of coastal land – there is an element of it which is not genuine. We always mention economic growth: that has to be there, but it should not be at the cost of our quality of life”, Flask says.

When talking in terms of the environment, we have heard a lot about achieving a balance – or a compromise – between the economy and the environment. However, Flask feels that this ship has long sailed.

“Many times, we hear of the need for compromise between developers and the environment. I personally think that the time for compromise passed long ago. We have lost a lot in many years, and it is the citizen and the resident who is always on the losing side”, Flask says.

“This is not the time for compromise. It is time for residents and farmers to join together in the fight against the wave of greed that is now affecting people’s everyday lives. It’s not right that people can be living their lives one day, and the next someone comes to pass a road through their back garden with no warning or dialogue. The citizen deserves better”, he continues.

Much has been said as of late about the environment. In particular, President of Malta George Vella has used his position of prominence to decry overdevelopment, and speak in favour of the protection of Malta’s environment.

However, the proof of the pudding is in the eating – and to eat that pudding, action – not words – must be the dominating aspect.

“The first thing we have to understand is that environmental destruction doesn’t normally come from carelessness: it is usually tied to a societal model where a few people with big commercial interests and, as a result, lots of power can dictate what they want to politicians”, Callus explains when asked where authorities can start to improve the environmental situation in the country.

“These are people who have gotten too strong through the years, and we believe that the destruction of our environment is based on this: on the fact the politics, including environmental politics, is not being done to serve the majority, but to serve the minority”, he adds.

A better distribution of wealth, and a politics which keeps the common good at its centre and which does not allow backroom manoeuvres or hidden hands to dictate what happens and what doesn’t is what is needed, Callus continues.

“To save our environment, we need a different type of politics and a different economy: one which is not reliant on a small class of people who can do what they want just because they have accumulated some money”, he concludes.

Till then though – what is the activists’ appeals to the public. “Be active”, is the short reply from Callus.

“If those in power do not find strong resistance who tell them to stop as they are threatening their and their children’s futures – they will keep bulldozing – both literally and metaphorically – over our environment”, Callus says.

“The people, from all political colours, are realising this: they are coming together and saying that – even if they have voted for the party in government all their lives – they cannot accept this destruction”, he adds.

“I think this is a sentiment which is growing, and I truly do encourage everyone to have this sentiment – otherwise we are going to lose things; and we have a lot to lose in this battle.”