Flimkien ghal Ambjent Ahjar has condemned the treatment meted out to archaeologist Dawn Adrienne Saliba, Ph.D. the president of NGO Malta Arch, who, the NGO said, “was threatened with legal action by the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage (SCH) when she exposed the presence of ancient man-made caves and megalodon fossils under the roadworks being carried out connected to the widening of Triq Marsalforn.”
FAA noted that some of the fossils were actually retrieved from beneath the bulldozer tracks, “in spite of the presence of an SCH archaeology monitor.”
In a statement, the NGO argued that, “this shocking discovery is made more outrageous by the fact that the SCH threatened Dr Saliba with legal action for having exposed these facts publicly, demanding an apology.This is outright intimidation, very serious harassment violating the EU Directive on Public Access to Environmental Matters, (Aarhus Convention) Section 3: 8. Each Party shall ensure that persons exercising their rights in conformity with the provisions of this Convention shall not be penalised, persecuted or harassed in any way for their involvement. This provision shall not affect the powers of national courts to award reasonable costs in judicial proceedings.”
“This destruction of archaeological remains in the course of works, and in the presence of SCH monitors is not a one-off as it has been reported several times over the years,” FAA said. “Just a few months ago at a site within the Brockdorf Circle in Xaghra Gozo ritualised human remains in ancient caves were reported by residents and immediately cleared by the developers, lost for posterity. Why did the SCH not take legal action, in line with the Heritage Act then?”
It is for this reason that FAA said it “cannot rest easy when development is approved in the heart of an archaeological zone, claiming that the site will be closely monitored, as monitors are often entirely absent or experience problems in carrying out their work.”
It added that “one shudders to think how much heritage has been lost over the years, not just archaeology but also architecture, from an Arab-period house in Safi, Medieval houses in Siggiewi and the magnificent 1537 Armoury of the Knights in Qormi to mention just a few.”
FAA argued that “the fact is that the very authorities responsible for protecting Malta’s cultural or natural heritage are betraying their remit. ERA justified the destruction of Malta’s most highly protected mature trees to be destroyed by the Marsalforn project on the grounds of supplementary plantings which will never replace the unique ecosystems being destroyed.”
FAA concluded by saying that “Dr Saliba commented that the road project during which she found the fossils is not only going to destroy vital ecological habitats but also two fossil-containing layers (C1 and C2). “If I found two megalodon teeth and one possible large rib bone in this tiny patch, how much more is there to be destroyed under Triq Marsalforn?”
Photo supplied by FAA – Marsalforn road works – Credit Times of Malta