public statement on the unfolding genocide in Palestine
People Dem Collective’s public statement on the unfolding genocide in Palestine
As a community organisation we are guided by the Black, Brown and Diaspora voices around us, as well as by the lived experiences and histories that have shaped our own realities. Palestinians living in and around Margate are valued members of the collective, all of whom have family living in historic Palestine or in exile as refugees. Bearing witness alongside them to the level of oppression and violence being perpetrated by Israel, backed by the UK, US and other western governments, has been extraordinarily challenging.
It is vital to state that we (as an organisation and as individuals) stand steadfast and in solemn solidarity with the people of Palestine who are experiencing this horrific trauma firsthand, especially in besieged Gaza. We grieve with all people in Palestine/Israel who have lost loved ones and we oppose all attacks on civilians.
Leading human rights organisations including Amnesty International and the leading Israeli group B’Tselem have designated Israel an apartheid regime. The Palestinian struggle for freedom, justice and equality , that has been ongoing for over 75 years, is part of the global struggle against all forms of racism and discrimination. Palestinian freedom cannot be isolated from freedom for all people.
We actively support local campaigns for solidarity with Palestine and aim to support members of our community who have been impacted by what 36 UN experts are warning is “a genocide in the making”, as well as those impacted by the effects of standing against it.
We are equally concerned about human rights abuses occurring worldwide, including genocides, that often go unnoticed in the western media; in the DRC, in Sudan, in Ethiopia, in Nepal, and in Zimbabwe just to mention a few. Our community members include those who have been impacted directly, or intergenerationally, by wars, forced evictions and devastation that has been wrought by racist, imperialist and violent foreign policies. Despite our very limited resources, we are committed to providing support to those within our communities who are impacted by these abuses and providing opportunities for raising awareness about them.
Our response to the unfolding genocide in Gaza – as hundreds of legal scholars including leading Israeli scholars of genocide are warning of – as well as all forms of racism and injustice is informed by the following values:
1. Rejecting Violence, Oppression, Genocide, and Injustice:
People Dem Collective categorically rejects the violence, oppression, genocide, and systemic injustice witnessed in Palestine. We stand against all forms of injustice that violate the rights and dignity of individuals. Our rejection encompasses systemic oppression and injustices that plague communities in Palestine and worldwide. We firmly oppose all forms of racism including anti-Blackness, Islamophobia and antisemitism.
2. Rejecting Historical Injustices and Amnesia:
Our rejection is grounded in a firm refusal to perpetuate historical injustices. We stand against the erasure of culture and community, in Palestine and around the world, recognising the interconnectedness of struggles against oppression. Simultaneously, we reject historical amnesia, acknowledging the long-standing struggles against oppression. Our commitment extends to remembering and learning from history to forge a future free from the abuses we continue to witness today.
3. Rejecting Indifference and Inhumanity:
Indifference is not an option. We reject indifference in the face of human suffering, in Palestine and other regions where genocide and human rights abuses can go unnoticed. Simultaneously, in standing against the ongoing atrocities, we reject not only the violence in Palestine but also the inhumanity that underscores such actions. Our commitment is to amplify voices and stories that demand justice, fostering a commitment to a world free from brutality.
4. Rejecting Systemic Inequality:
Our rejection goes beyond individual acts; we reject systemic inequality that enables oppression. By standing against injustice, we aim to dismantle structures that breed inequality and discrimination.
5. Rejecting Division and Fostering Healing Unity:
People Dem Collective firmly rejects the narrative that divisive tactics and turning on each other will ever be the solution. In the face of global injustices, including the ongoing genocide in Palestine, our commitment is to foster unity within our communities. We stand against any attempts to sow discord, recognising that our collective strength lies in solidarity and collaboration. Turning on one another distracts from the true adversaries—the systems of oppression that persist globally