Matthew Caruana Galizia, himself a Pulitzer prize-winning investigative journalist, gave a shocking description of his mother’s murder. When I read it I wept, as every parent would do. In a normal country, no mother would ever think that her sons or daughters would go through such a horrible experience.

It is in countries that are at war that such deaths would be expected. That is exactly how Matthew described it. He is right in saying that “we are a people at war against the State and criminals, which have become indistinguishable”.

Matthew’s mother was killed because she stood for what is right. That makes her murder even more disturbing. He told us how helpless he felt, knowing there was nothing he could do to save his mother.

Today, Matthew, his brothers Paul and Andrew, bury their mother. Daphne Caruana Galizia, the fearless crusader for justice, and rule of law is now gone. We, law-abiding citizens, have lost Malta’s foremost investigative journalist.

Two weeks have passed since her brutal murder. Shock turned into grief, and now into anger. I never met Daphne Caruana Galizia. Never spoke to her, but like thousands of others, I was an avid reader of her hugely popular blog Running Commentary. She’ll be missed – and that’s an understatement.

Daphne’s murder is a big deal. It’s huge. And there’s a reason why mothers owe Daphne not just their respects but their resolve to continue what she started. It’s related to the future that we want for our children.

As a mother, I want my daughter to grow up in a country where justice and rule of law prevail. Daphne’s murder proved that, currently, this is not the case. Far from it. Malta is no longer a normal country. Democracy is under threat, criminals are running the show, and the country’s institutions are in meltdown.

In recent years, I heard many say that she should take a step back, tone down her criticism. I never agreed. Journalists have a right to express themselves. They have a duty to unmask what others want to keep hidden. Politicians must be prepared for criticism, and to be held accountable for their actions. If they are not, they are not fit for office.

We all owe Daphne for the unending work and breathtaking determination and sheer stubbornness for justice to prevail. She stood, time and again, on the right side of history.

Daphne Caruana Galizia was fearless, and feared. She was threatened, too. In 1996, the front door of her Bidnija residence was set on fire. Around that time, her dog was killed - someone cut its throat and laid it across the doorstep.

There was a concerted attempt to ruin her financially. But she was not for turning. She took politicians to task and exposed their darkest secrets. She investigated the close links between Malta’s thriving criminal underworld and politicians.

It was her Running Commentary which told us, before the international press did, that Konrad Mizzi and Keith Schembri had a secret company in Panama. Then the straw which broke the camel’s back: Egrant, she told us, belonged to the Prime Minister’s spouse.  Accusations that the Prime Minister, and his wife flatly refused – but called a snap election a few weeks after they surfaced.

She was not for turning. She took politicians to task and exposed their darkest secrets

Labour, as expected, although admittedly not with that majority, went on to secure another, bigger, landslide at the polls. Many gave up their fight against corruption, shortly after the general election. People don’t care about corruption, they argued, and gave up on their fight, much to the Muscat administration’s delight. Losers, really.

Not so Daphne. She stood tall – probably the last woman standing. She never gave up. She was determined to continue fighting for justice, and for the rule of law to prevail. She was left alone in her relentless effort to expose shady politicians and their dealings.  And then it happened – they killed her in broad daylight. The fearless crusader for justice was gone.

Like so many others, to this day, I refresh her blog hoping, in vain, that Daphne is back. For the past two weeks, a group of brave activists got together and encouraged thousands of law-abiding citizens to take to the streets, demanding justice, and a clean sweep in Malta’s top institutions.

The Police Commissioner, and the Attorney General, must go, they said. As expected, they remain firmly in place – but they’ve lost their moral authority to lead their respective institutions, rendering themselves puppets on a string, dancing to the tune played from Castille and the offices of power.

Law-abiding citizens, regardless of their political affiliations, will not give up. Not this time. Daphne has been killed; her running commentary silenced, but her brutal execution shall prove to be a turning point – for the better. For shady politicians can now, more than ever run, but they can’t hide. We know who they are, Daphne shamed them in her life, and they stood out, like a sore thumb, after her death.

The silent minority, which demands justice, and rule of law, is silent no more. Malta is in the spotlight of the international press, and the European Parliament. They won’t let go. No matter the government spin, this time it won’t work. Daphne’s murder has sounded the alarm bells about the grave situation the country is in.

While the government speaks of a ‘surplus’, the international press and the EU Parliament speak about Malta being used as a hub for money-laundering, human trafficking, drug trafficking, and the smuggling of fuel from Libya to Italy, via Malta.

This week, EU President Antonio Tajani spoke at the Vatican. He told Pope Francis that the EU’s top three concerns were: Myanmar, Turkey, and Malta. So much for being ‘the best in Europe’.

This is the sorry state that Labour, with its ‘anything goes’ culture has rendered Malta into.  For when money rules over basic human rights and dignity, the result is chaos, and chaos enables criminals a free hand.

Today, we bid Daphne farewell, but it is our duty to strengthen our resolve to continue what she started. We must not surrender. As a mother, I am determined to make my voice heard, and through my actions strive for a better Malta.

I owe this to Daphne, but also to my daughter.

Alessia Psaila Zammit is a lawyer and mayor of Siġġiewi.

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