THE ONGOING atrocities in Palestine are a manifestation of blatant disrespect to Human Rights. Although there had been an initiative for “aid truce”, still it is not enough to mitigate the growing tension and the escalation of death toll because soon after the truce, massive rocket attacks coupled with ground operations resume.
The problem in Palestine dates back from several years ago. Although there had been initiative to come up with peaceful resolution through peace negotiation still, it failed to arrive into a concrete resolution aimed at ending the atrocities and further displacements among the Palestinians.
In fact, the issue on Israel and Palestine had arrived into a state of apartheid, which segregates majority of the indigenous Palestinians through institutionalized segregation through Israeli policies. The main issue at hand that entails to be addressed is the decade old concern on the displacements of the Palestinian and the further structural violence that institutionalized, legitimized and legalized the marginalization of the Palestinians in their own land.
The issue in Palestine is related to the context in Mindanao, wherein the question on the Right to Self Determination among the Bangsamoro and the Indigenous Peoples continues to be the subject matter of all campaigns of the different movements. The Right to Self-Determination is a universal right, which should be rightfully afforded among peoples without conditions. It is beyond moral comprehension that such atrocities are given international support, a sad and unfortunate reality to what has been happening now. Instead of opting for a peaceful solution, military operations have been justified as just move in order to attain peace.
There can never be peace when the lives of the peoples are in constant peril. There can never be peace when a majority fraction of a certain nature is under constant attacked at all levels. There can never be peace when all of the Nations succumb to the unjust ways in order to advance vested interest, and there can never be peace when its only real solution has been subjected to political bargaining and positioning.
The horror in Gaza and in all parts of Palestine, are the same horrors we from Mindanao fear to happen. Although for some aspects we had already experienced some of the horrors as our peace processes are sometimes subjected to personal political agenda. The membership of the Alyansa ng Kabataang Mindanao para sa Kapayapaan firmly believes that only through inclusive peace, one can attain a sustained and just peace.
It is therefore imperative to call for international community solidarity for Gaza in order to awaken the international community especially the United Nation to review and reflect on the basic principles of the United Nations. The wisdom behind the creation of UN is to signify that all of its signatories agreed to adopt peace in all of its international engagements therefore; the condition of Palestine should be regarded as a major concern to put pressure and intervention to end the atrocities.
The alliance would want to reiterate its consistent position that the future of the Tri-People Youth, in solidarity with all the young generations in Palestine is NON-NEGOTIABLE.
Reina Marie Gahum
Secretary General
Alliance of Mindanao Youth for Peace (Alyansa ng Kabataang Mindanao para sa Kapayapaan)
Mindanao, Philippines
Email: akmk_peace@yahoo.com
FB: Akmk Peace
Website: http://akmkforum.weebly.com
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