|
On Tuesday the 8 November after having seen on television that Xarabank’s next edition on the 18 November was going to be about “suicide”, I decided to phone in and express my desire to be on the programme. Having a beloved member of my family commit suicide years ago, I felt it was high time I talked about it.
An appointment was made for the following day with Peppi Azzopardi where I revealed all. After hearing me, Peppi Azzopardi promised that I would be part of the panel though he had to have Appogg’s approval first. The next day a telephone call came from a crew member of Xarabank who alleged that I had to have special permission from other members of my family before I could go on air. Since my children and I were the victims of a suicide aftermath, I phoned “Appogg” and here I heard from the horse’s mouth so to speak, that I had every right to speak my mind as long as I would not hurt anybody.
On Peppi’s popular show had I been given the chance I wanted to say three relevant things. First and foremost a suicide victim is always one to be pitied.
Secondly there are two kinds of “suicide”. There is the threat of suicide when one suffers from severe depression and life is so black that the only way out for them seems to be to terminate their own life and the other “egoistic” form of suicide where one has dug himself into such a deep pit that one’s form of escapism is to resort to suicide.
Human beings have choices. It’s their decision if they decide to do it in darkness. On Monday the 14 November, the eve of when the programme was going to be recorded, a very cordial crew member gave me the “bad news”. I could go on Xarabank, but not be part of the panel. This I refused point blank. I thought that Peppi Azzopardi was a man of his word and therefore would shy away from breaking his promise.
Unfortunately he did. As a public figure, I had no problem in speaking about something which happened to me many moons ago but this right was denied me though it was promised. Thank God that there are some newspapers where I can write with no holds barred. I have never in my life been threatened with the stigma of suicide though it has occurred in my family.
I ask the families of suicide victims to walk with their heads held high. If they are sent to Coventry because of a suicide in their family, the fault does not lie with the latter but in the imbeciles who think that suicide is contagious. I ask these families to seek help for a suicide in the family is a traumatic experience. Though the subject of “suicide” is a taboo one, it is something that is happening quite often. This is indeed a pity that the local media does not inform most viewers that there are people willing to help one who is living a hell of an existence. Just to talk is enough sometimes.
I bear no grudge against Peppi Azzopardi but I must say that he has lost my respect because he did not keep his word. Still I feel I must congratulate him for talking on a very hot subject indeed. I have lived “through” suicide and though the scars remain, life went on. There is life after a suicide, take it from me. I know because my husband committed suicide. God rest his soul and all suicide victims.
Valerie Borg
Valletta councillor (MLP)
|
