Marchers trooped onto the streets of Gaborone to show solidarity with Palestine
Cynthia Thanda
The Main Mall of Botswana’s capital city, Gaborone, was teeming with human rights activists, sympathisers and people from all walks of life in the morning of Wednesday 25th of October 2023 all locked in one aim!
The spectacle was a peaceful march, organised by Ditshwanelo-The Botswana Centre for Human Rights in collaboration with other invited groups, to show solidarity with the people of Palestine.
The solidarity march was aimed at raising awareness about the bombings and the plight of Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank.
The march started at 8 am till 9 am. The meeting ground was Gaborone Secondary School grounds.
Marchers walked around main mall bearing placards with the following slogans: #Free Palestine,#Stop the killings, #Stop the siege, #Help Gaza.
Ditshwanelo urgently calls for an immediate end to the hostilities and for strict adherence to human rights principles and international law.
They urge all parties involved in the conflict to:
-immediately cease hostilities. The indiscriminate use of force and violence must end immediately and all parties should commit to ceasefire
-Protect civilian lives. It is imperative that all necessary measures are taken to ensure the safety of civilian populations in Gaza and other affected areas.
-Facilitate humanitarian aid. Humanitarian organisations must be given unimpeded access to provide essential assistance to those in need
-Uphold international law. All actions done, including investigations and peace-making processes must be in accordance with international law and
-Engage in diplomacy and dialogue. We urge all parties to return to the negotiation table and seek a peaceful, just and lasting resolution to the conflict. This should include the release of hostages and political detainees
Ditshwanelo further calls upon the international community to support their calls for a just peace in Palestine and to act to support this goal.
The core issue of the illegal occupation of Palestine by the State of Israel has to be acknowledged and addressed with political honesty.
Through the Gift of the Givers Network, all funds will be sent in order to assist Relief Aid in Palestine.
Any contribution should be sent to Zahraa-Naaz Children’s Fund, Stanbic Bank, Game City Branch. Account number:9060001282358. Reference: Filistine-your name.
Remember no contribution is little. For more information, please check Ditshwanelo-The Botswana Centre for Human Rights
#Free Palestine
Meanwhile from South Africa
*_Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions South Africa Coalition (BDS SA Coalition Press Alert*_
_*25 October 12:30pm*_
*Israel is killing a Palestinian child every 15 minutes*
The SA BDS Coalition has this morning (25 October) heard from our colleague, Professor Haidar Eid that on Day 18 of Israel’s genocide against Palestinians in Gaza, Israeli bombs are now killing one Palestinian child every 15 minutes.
Women and children are being deliberately targeted. Children are being operated upon in the dark, without anesthesia after Israel refused to allow any essential supplies into Gaza yesterday.
The number of casualties now stands at 6055 Palestinians killed by Israel in the last 18 days. These are known deaths. There are other Palestinians still missing under the rubble of bombed buildings and that number is likely to rise significantly. There are more than 15 500 injuries – almost 70% of which are women and children.
Prof Eid and all 1.1 million other Gazans who used to live in the Northern Gaza Strip until 18 days ago, were told yesterday by Israel that even if a ceasefire is agreed, they will not be permitted to return to their homes.
This is the very definition of ethnic cleansing. Tented refugee camps have been set up for Palestinians who are just 30 kilometres away from their homes. This is a horrific reminder of the Israeli invasion and depopulation of Palestine in 1948 (known as the Nakba).
The SA BDS Coalition is horrified at the continuing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza. Every day that the ceasefire is not implemented provides Israel with the opportunity to kill thousands more Palestinians.
The SA BDS Coalition demands that the South African ambassador immediately expel the Israeli ambassador to South Africa. We cannot understand what is taking the South African government so long?
The SA BDS Coalition demands that the SA government implement BDS policy and call on the UNGA to urgently reinstate the anti-Apartheid mechanisms towards international sanctions, including an arms embargo. We demand an immediate cessation of Israel’s bombings of the Gaza Strip.
It is unacceptable for the South African government to continue delaying any action against Israel.
Meanwhile from South Africa
*_Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions South Africa Coalition (BDS SA Coalition Press Alert*_
_*25 October 12:30pm*_
*Israel is killing a Palestinian child every 15 minutes*
The SA BDS Coalition has this morning (25 October) heard from our colleague, Professor Haidar Eid that on Day 18 of Israel’s genocide against Palestinians in Gaza, Israeli bombs are now killing one Palestinian child every 15 minutes.
Women and children are being deliberately targeted. Children are being operated upon in the dark, without anesthesia after Israel refused to allow any essential supplies into Gaza yesterday.
The number of casualties now stands at 6055 Palestinians killed by Israel in the last 18 days. These are known deaths. There are other Palestinians still missing under the rubble of bombed buildings and that number is likely to rise significantly. There are more than 15 500 injuries – almost 70% of which are women and children.
Prof Eid and all 1.1 million other Gazans who used to live in the Northern Gaza Strip until 18 days ago, were told yesterday by Israel that even if a ceasefire is agreed, they will not be permitted to return to their homes.
This is the very definition of ethnic cleansing. Tented refugee camps have been set up for Palestinians who are just 30 kilometres away from their homes. This is a horrific reminder of the Israeli invasion and depopulation of Palestine in 1948 (known as the Nakba).
The SA BDS Coalition is horrified at the continuing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza. Every day that the ceasefire is not implemented provides Israel with the opportunity to kill thousands more Palestinians.
The SA BDS Coalition demands that the South African ambassador immediately expel the Israeli ambassador to South Africa. We cannot understand what is taking the South African government so long?
The SA BDS Coalition demands that the SA government implement BDS policy and call on the UNGA to urgently reinstate the anti-Apartheid mechanisms towards international sanctions, including an arms embargo. We demand an immediate cessation of Israel’s bombings of the Gaza Strip.
It is unacceptable for the South African government to continue delaying any action against Israel. Halal certification body moves on Israel, major implications* 25 October 2023 Earlier today the South African Halal certification body, MJCHT, made a ground-breaking announcement that will have an irreversible ripple effect across the Muslim world.
The human rights organization #Africa4Palestine welcomes the historic resolution that has been announced by the Muslim Judicial Council’s Halal Trust (MJCHT). The MJCHT has adopted a policy position to decline, refuse and not certify any goods or services emanating from Israel – to boycott all such Israeli companies and products. This has major domestic and international implications as well as wide ranging financial and economic impact.
A statement released by the MJCHT reads:
“The Muslim Judicial Council Halaal Trust (MJCHT) commits itself to ethical business practices in line with international law and human rights. As part of this commitment, the MJCHT declines the certification of any goods or services emanating from Israel. The MJCHT, furthermore, declines the certification of any Israeli based companies or their directly controlled foreign subsidiaries.”
(See attached) MJCHT is a certification body that provides compliance certificates to companies that manufacture food and drink products as well as to restaurants and other similar establishments that meet certain strict criteria. Certificates are voluntary, however, in practice, Muslims will not purchase a product that does not have a certificate from an authorised certification or compliance body (such as the MJCHT).
Similarly, Muslims will also not eat at a restaurant that does not have a certificate from a compliance/certification body (such as the MJCHT). Consequently, companies seek such certification before selling their products locally or exporting their goods to other countries, especially those that are Muslim-majority. Countries and economies with significant Muslim populations include Egypt, Mauritania, Algeria, Nigeria, Chad, Sudan, Tanzania, Senegal, Malaysia, Indonesia, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Bangladesh, Qatar, Pakistan, etc. Today’s announcement and decision follows MJCHT’s engagements with #Africa4Palestine.
We thank the MJCHT for these discussions and commend the body for the position that it has adopted after our consultations. We also thank Chief Mandla Mandela for his support both in this MJCHT decision as well as his unwavering commitment to the Palestinian struggle against Israeli Apartheid.
The MJCHT decision, which is the first such decision in the world, should and will set an example for other such compliance and certification bodies. We call on all other halal certification bodies to adopt a similar position to that of the MJCHT. #Africa4Palestine has written to such bodies both in South Africa as well as internationally.
*We have written to SANHA, NIHT, ICSA among others and will publish their responses in due course.* Israeli companies and products not receiving such certification going forward will isolate them from major markets across the globe with colossal financial consequences. The message is clear – no normal trade with an abnormal country. Israel is paying for its violence, its violations of international law and abuse of the Palestinians people.
Muslims – who make up 2 billion of the world’s population – do not consume pork or alcohol. In addition, the foods that they do consume must follow certain dietary and preparation requirements. Once these requirements are met, a company or restaurant seeks a certificate from an authorised Halal Certification Body, such as the MJCHT, stating that the product of restaurant is “halal”.
A company or restaurant with such a certificate can then market their product or restaurant as halal. A halal certification body (that provides a certificate stating that a product or restaurant is halal) can be compared, with some limitation, to other certification bodies, such as bodies that provide compliance certificates confirming that a product is Kosher, free from nuts, free from animal cruelty, or free from gluten. In this vein, Africa4Palestine will also be engaging with such bodies to also adopt a position of withdrawing and not certifying Israeli companies.
