Here she continues her regular blog through sharing what she calls "a news sheet with a difference"..... "I thought some of you might be interested in a Gandhian perspective on the West Bank. It certainly gave me the broader perspective and inspiration, I needed at the time."
Meeting at the friends Boys school Ramallah - 5.4.10
Speakers : Rajmohan Gandhi & Mustafa Barghouti
Silje and Pat were attending a meeting at Ramallah Friends Boys School, hosted by the National Palestinian Initiative, whose general secretary is Mustafa Barghouthi and who have the following 3 aims:
- End the Occupation
- Resist
- End Racism
Mustafa Barghouthi was the first to speak He started by welcoming particularly all the young people who were present at the meeting. He set the tone by saying Gandhi epitomized the fact that moral spirit is greater than material might. He called tortured people to unite in seeking freedom ‘No one can ride on your back unless you bend’
Mahatma Gandhi visited Palestine in 1938. He said then that Palestine should be for the Arabs and that it was a crime against humanity to deprive them of their land. Gandhi developed a model for building popular resistance. Barghouthi advocated a boycott of Israeli products, not just settlement products and further international sanctions against Israel. He said the current present struggle was not a conflict between equals, but a struggle between the oppressed and the oppressor.
Rajmohan Gandhi opened by saluting the Palestinian ability to enjoy life despite hourly humiliation and suffering. He saluted the Palestinian struggle against injustice He then summarized the key points in Mahatma Gandhi’s life, starting with his relationship to South Africa. He said India was a land of diversity, but rigidly divided by caste, whereas in South Africa all castes and religions, which were not Afrikaans, were thrown together
He returned to India with a strategy to unite all groups starting from his home region. He set up a training centre to mobilize people from all backgrounds. His followers took vows: Traditional vows like: truth, non violence, non accumulation of property New vows including: to work for the unity & friendship of all communities
- To work against Untouchability
- To live with fearlessness
- To earn their bread through the sweat of their brow
Using these methods he led a victorious struggle against imperialism. The British had greater respect for a non violent fighter than fear of a violent fighter. In India, Hindus are the majority, Muslims the minority. Extreme Hindus killed Mahatma Gandhi in 1948. But his death advanced his cause. He had a great Muslim friend, a Pashtun leader from Afghanistan called Abdullah Khan. Abdullah opposed the tradition of honour killing. He spent 27yrs in prison under the British and Pakistanis, like the many Palestinians who have spent long years in prison and like Nelson Mandela. He spent his life fighting for democracy and visited Jerusalem in 1920.
Rajmohan then went on to reflect on what he had seen during his brief visit to Palestine. He said the settlements, wall and roads that divide Palestinians from each other and prevent them from earning their livelihoods are more ugly than he realized and he hoped that this knowledge would burn in his heart forever. He said these realities nullify Israeli talk of their desire to see a Palestinian State. Israel is promoting fear among its own people to continue the enforced policy of domination and expansionism. They view the Palestinians as an inferior race not meriting equality and respect. They never talk of colonialism being good for the Palestinians
He again expressed his admiration for the Palestinian’s creativity and struggle and encouraged them that they were winning small victories again and again eg. opening a road, retaining land Preserving an olive tree are all precious victories. He had also been very impressed by the work of Palestinian civil society in: education, medical relief, facilities for the disabled, training women doctors, teaching children to help each other.
“Self confidence will be found with one hand fighting for your rights and the other hand reconstructing civil society” This is not just a coping strategy – it is a sign you are winning victory.”
Then he turned to the international community. Injustice anywhere is injustice everywhere. The independence of India , Pakistan, Sri Lanka are incomplete without the independence of Palestine He saluted the Israelis who support the Palestinian struggle If I don’t join the struggle for this I am a smaller person. We have to meet our maker who will ask us what we did about injustice.
Why does God take so long to give victory to a just cause. It is a mystery like the death of children through natural disaster. I accept mystery. I cannot shake the almighty to act. I must learn patience which is the most frequently used word in the Qu’uran. But we can disturb the sleep of the international community.
On Easter Sunday he was at Abraham’s tomb in Hebron and in Bethlehem, where he prayed for the liberation of Palestine and for his Jewish friends in Israel and the USA. He said he could not offer advice after 3 days but he had some suggestions to offer:
- Be patient
- Never lose faith in ultimate victory – the oppressor will crumble under the weight of their own wrong doing
- Be appreciative of colleagues and don’t blame them for their omissions
- Continue the work of strengthening civil society – build your Palestinian home – make everything of the highest quality
- Continue to laugh your way to victory
- Form a partnership between Muslims & Christians.
A society is great if it respects its minorities He added the international community has duties. Opinion has to be mobilized in support of the Palestinian cause. The sense of justice in Judaism must be aroused. Non violence must always be joined to struggle and resistance. The Palestinian struggle is tougher than the Indian struggle. But the Palestinian people are resilient and gifted. You will find a way to overcome obstacles and move forward
Mustafa Barghouthi responded that Palestinians must develop open thinking capable of learning from others. We must learn not only to be fighters but to be effective: “ We must learn not only to be fighters, but to be effective and achieve results. When we are despondent we count our losses as achievements, but we must measure real achievements”
How can we be effective – Gandhi, Mandela, Martin Luther King started by refusing to accept the injustice. Popular resistance is growing, but we need to unite to be effective. We must be organized and united to succeed. A leadership role is not about position but about what a leader can provide for the people.
“Don’t accept not to be yourselves. Be yourselves and you can be more”
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