COLOMBO – Civic society groups, political representatives and activists in Sri Lanka, on Wednesday (13) called for urgent public and diplomatic support to ensure the safety of Sri Lankan participant Sameera Mahboobdeen and the rest of the mission as the Global Sumud Flotilla prepares to sail to Gaza from Turkey on Thursday (14).
The international humanitarian mission, expected to include more than 50 vessels, aims to deliver medical supplies and humanitarian assistance to Gaza’s besieged population of nearly two million people, which includes more than one million children, breaking Israel’s nearly two-decade siege on the territory.
Addressing a press conference in Colombo, Sadique Salih from the the Free Palestine Movement (FPM) Sri Lanka, reminded the government and public about the dangers facing Sameera and the rest of the mission, as well as the relevance of this mission to our collective independence and sovereignty under threat by a new tyrannical global order.
He drew the attention to what it described as Israel’s continued violations of international law, citing the interception of the flotilla in international waters more than 600 miles from Gaza, near Greek waters, while participants were sailing from Barcelona to Greece. According to the group, Israeli forces kidnapped and detained those on board the vessels and subsequently subjected two key organisers of the mission to abuse and torture. The activists argued that the absence of meaningful international action to hold Israel accountable has made the flotilla mission a high-risk humanitarian undertaking, adding that the safety of Sameera and the other participants would depend heavily on government support and sustained public, media and diplomatic attention in the coming days.
Sameera’s journey, while for the people of Gaza and in the spirit of answering a human cry born out of continued suffering and oppression, has in the background brought together voices across political and civic divides in a testament to functioning democracy as stated by veteran journalist Lakshman Gunasekara at the press conference.
Sri Lanka Frontline Socialist Party representative Nuwan Bopage emphasised the importance of the role the government needs to play, if the vessel she is on is intercepted by Israeli military forces, to ensure she is brought home safely.
Samagi Jana Balawegaya MP Mujibur Rahman also highlighted the importance for the public to unite behind Sameera for her safety, by keeping themselves updated and pressuring the government, to ensure she returns home safely.
President, United Federation of Labour, Swastika Arulingam condemned the government’s recent actions, including the meeting with the Israel Ambassador and expanded agreements on sending foreign workers to Israel, essentially enabling its current isolation and starvation of the people of Gaza. This comes in light of recent investigations showing severe mistreatment of foreign workers in Israel including sexual assault and abuse.
National People Power MP Najith Indika, who was unable to attend the briefing conveyed a message reiterating the government’s support of Sameera and her safety and to the broader cause of freedom, liberation and dignity for the Palestinian people.
FPM also drew attention to the problematic way in which the current genocide and occupation of Palestine is framed by the media, reducing a humanitarian issue, to a conflict along ethnic and religious lines, even as the United Nations, International Criminal Court, International Court of Justice, as well as prominent global and even Israeli human rights organisations have come to the conclusion that Israel’s actions in Gaza constitute genocide. Therefore, the group iterated the need to recognise the enterprise committing and providing cover for these crimes as colonial, and that standing on the side of the Palestinians is not about standing with or against a particular religious or ethnic group but standing with oppressed people against their oppression by powerful countries looking to take control of their national resources and strategic geolocations.
Fr Lionel Peiris highlighted the Zionist project currently oppressing Palestine, has also already deeply embedded itself here in Sri Lanka, acquiring properties, running illegal businesses, creating tensions between the island’s communities by financing individuals and groups to spread racial mistrust and hatred.
-Free Palestine Movement
