New NGO to keep anti-abortion flame burning

Malta is the only European country, and one of the few countries in the world, that imposes a blanket ban on abortion and newly-registered NGO Life Network plans to keep it that way.

Describing abortion as “the greatest genocide ever in history, with twice the number of babies aborted annually than people lost in World War II”, Life Network is set to embark on an outreach awareness and educational campaign. A meeting with university students has already been scheduled for February.

“People need to understand that abortion is not a simple medical procedure, but one that creates victims out of both the mother and her unborn child,” said Life Network president Miriam Sciberras – a dentist with a degree in Bioethics who has previously spoken out against IVF and gay adoptions. “Embryos have as much life as you and I and should therefore be protected.”

All major Maltese political parties have zero-tolerance policies where abortion is concerned and no Maltese NGO has as yet taken anywhere near a strong pro-abortion stance.

It begs the question – will Life Network simply be preaching to the converted?

“I do not think the legalisation of abortion in Malta is an imminent threat,” Sciberras admitted. “However, we still need to keep ourselves on constant guard because international pressure on Malta to change its stance on abortion will keep on rising.

“If your society is at peace, that doesn’t mean that fighting for peace is worthless. The same argument applies with abortion in Malta. Our aim is not simply to maintain Malta’s anti-abortion stance but to promote the stance through pro-life awareness and educational programmes for all types of people. If someone doesn’t fight for these values, they run the risk of dying out.

“Despite political assurances, Malta is surrounded by countries that disrespect the sanctity of life,” fellow Life Network member Klaus Vella Bardon said. “Our mission is to defend life and the flourishing of life in all its dimensions. One cannot be vigilant enough.”