March 23rd/2024
Introduction of the conference and speech titled “Genocide in Gaza, where the Women’s Rights Movement Stands”
It is with great pleasure to welcome speakers and participants to the conference “Genocide in Gaza Where does the Women’s Rights Movement Stand?” Discussion with women’s rights activists from Syria, Lebanon, Iran, Algeria, West bank- Palestine, Sweden, Canad and France
My name is Homa Arjomand the coordinator of the International Campaign for One Secular School System (based in Canada) and one of the hosts of this conference along with Azar Majidi.
We welcome women’s rights activists for discussion related to the topic of the conference, Justice for Palestinians and where should the secularist and women’s rights movement stand?
Our demand is the permanent and immediate ceasefire and of cessation of the genocide in Gaza.
Our concern is the rise of fascism and the Far-right wing extremism in the West. Our belief is that the war would cause further instability in the region and a possible expansion to the war.
Each speaker introduced themselves and provided a brief biography, followed by a 10-15 minute presentation. A Q&A period followed the presentations.
The conference started at 4PM London Time, followed by a 10 minute intermission at 6:PM London time.
This conference was live on Facebook.
Once again thanks for attending this conference.
As you all rightfully emphasized we demand a permanent and immediate ceasefire.
As everyone is aware, the mass global movement in support of and in solidarity with the people of Palestine against the apartheid regime of Israel and its genocide; shocked all global policy makers, all members of Parliaments and Senates of Western Governments as well as their experts in intelligent services and security.
This global unity of freedom-loving and compassionate people was not expected by the elected leaders of the West. They anxiously held meetings one after another discussing the people’s outcry in search of how to control it and how to implement the censorship.
They passed motions one after another to limit the freedom of expression; the 2016 bill on anti semitism was amended and the term, anti-zionism was added, based on this bill, anyone attending a demonstration in support of Palestine participated in an illegal act, police were ordered to act harshly against them.
No civil servant workers have the right to defend justice for Palestinians as that means criticizing Israel, which is now classified as anti-Zionism and it is a criminal offence. The minimum punishment for a civil servant would be to lose his or her job. If he or she is a head of an organization or agency or a board member of a charity organization, then their funding will be stopped as well.
Journalism is now blocked on Facebook and Instagram as well. In recent weeks, many people in Canada have been investigated, suspended, and fired by an employer for posting or expressing pro-Palestinian views on social media and elsewhere.
Law Students who signed a petition condemning Israel are now facing expulsion.
Journalists who publish an article about the Palestinians’ situation on social media without pre-approval of her or his employers are being terminated.
External investigations are launched to check the school board members and Trustees’ social media.
Pilots have been “taken out of service” for liking and sharing some posts on social media.
Elected Members of parliament have been removed from caucus.
State media fired a web writer and production assistantjust for attending a pro-Palestinian protest.
The lists of people who filed claims for mistreatment in this regard is increasing day by day. Bear in mind that the same policies are adopted by the other countries in the West.
They also unleashed the ultra-right wing and fascists to attack the demonstrators openly and violently. Hate crimes are rising and so is support for political violence in the West.
The political violence is driven by new measures that the United States has put in place and by example of states such as Israel. As everyone is aware, the government of Israel consists of Far-right nationalists that have sparked mass protests against the government even before its’genocide policies against Palestinians.
Recently the plan of the alternative “Fur Deutschland” an ultra -right wing party in Germany was leaked out. The plan was to deport refugees and German citizens of foreign origin, but was confronted by 100,000 demonstrators.
The aggression of extremism is becoming normalized on pro-Palestinian protests.
One cannot ignore the role of the state mass media on making people confused and fooling them. As state mass media communication became the governments’ mainoutlets and tools for spreading false and fake news. Global residents receive their primary news from these outlets and it takes time, energy and money do disprove them which delays the truth.
USA and its allies uses tactics such as threatening activists and demonstrators, arresting and filing criminal charges against them, expulsion of those who defend Palestinians, passing motions, bills and enforcing them, using mass state media for providing misinformation and lies. This is done directly by Biden first and followed by other Western leaders through tools such as their state mass media.
The mass bombardments and genocide of Palestinians became a pivot point for all freedom-loving, compassionate people and all socio-political movements, fighting for freedom, equality and justice.
We are in a historical moment; in this critical moment one needs to defend humanity, and justice or else we will be on the side of the complete destruction of human conscience. The world is watching a live genocide. The Israeli government, with the full cooperation and support of the United State and its’ Western allies and of course the other states’ puppets in the Middle East is carrying out a complete human genocide and cleansing. In this conference, we, as a part of the Women’s Rights Movement as egalitarians, freedom seekers, and defenders of justice, stand fully by humanity and justice and call for an immediate and permanent ceasefire. At such a moment, one cannot and should not remain silent.
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