Kim Il-Sung should be stripped of Gieh ir-Repubblika - Fenech Adami

As Parliament discussed amendments to the law regulating the Gieh ir-Repubblica order of merit, Opposition deputy leader Beppe Fenech Adami said that apart from awarding the honour posthumously to former Maltese prime ministers and presidents, Parliament should revoke the honorary award given to North Korean tyrant Kim Il-sung in 1985.

Describing North Korea's first leader Kim Il-sung as one of the biggest dictators of the 20^th century, the PN deputy leader said that the man responsible for the death of millions of persons in the wars and famines which hit the East Asian country in Kim's 46-year reign.

 "His legacy is today's North Korea and the current state of tyranny. Keeping Kim Il-sung on the list of honours is an insult to the country and the persons who were rightly awarded Gieh ir-Repubblika," Fenech Adami said.

In the 1970s, Kim Il-sung's son and heir, Kim Jong-il was sent to Malta to learn English, possibly as part of an exchange that included a secret agreement between the Dom Mintoff led Labour government and the North Korean regime for the provision of military training and weapons.

Fenech Adami explained that the honour awarded to the North Korean leader in 1985 should be revoked in the same way the honours to former Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi and former Tunisian autocrat Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali.

Gaddafi's was awarded honorary membership of the Xirka Gieħ ir-Reppublika in 1975 and became a member of the National Order of Merit in 2004.

Parliament is currently discussing amendments which would allow more persons to be honoured.

Gieh ir-Repubblika is a society of honour with membership and honorary membership restricted to those who demonstrate exceptional merit in the service of Malta or of humanity. The motto of the honours is 'For the benefit of the Maltese.'

Maltese citizens may be appointed members of the Xirka. Distinguished citizens of countries other than Malta may be appointed as honorary members. Apart from honorary members, the number of new members may not exceed three every two years, and the total membership is limited to twenty.

While agreeing with the proposal to honour persons posthumously, Opposition MPs such as Censu Galea and Francis Zammit Dimech has shed doubts on the wisdom of removing the capping and has asked the government to explain the reason behind this proposal.