Cynthia Thanda
The beauty of freedom lies in the voice of the masses internally and externally.
As a peace loving and independent state, Botswana continues to show support for Palestine both in words and deeds.
The Main Mall of Botswana’s capital city, Gaborone, was flooded with human rights activists, sympathisers and people from all walks of life in the morning of Saturday 25th November 2023 all with one aim – solidarity with Palestine.
This comes after the successful first march held on Wednesday 25th of October 2023.
The great statesman and liberation icon, the late Nelson Mandela once said South Africa’s liberation is incomplete if Palestine is not free.
It was a great delight therefore, for Saturday’s march to experience this testament being manifested when Mandela’s grandson – Nkosi Zwelivelile Mandela – relayed a solidarity message to the marchers.
“Madiba dedicated his entire adult life to strive for our freedom and he had principled position on Palestine and described it as the greatest moral issue of our time.
“Our slogan Free Palestine is a rallying call to freedom loving people all over the world. It is a call that unites us in an unbreakable chain of international solidarity.
“It is this solidarity that helped us bring Apartheid South Africa to its knees and it is this same international solidarity that is supporting the Palestinians until freedom dawns!
“We say no to Apartheid Israel. No matter how many Palestinians you kill, you will never deter us from our quest for justice. We say to the ICC you must immediately issue a warrant of arrest for (Benjamin) Netanyahu and his war criminal cabinet just as you hastened to issue a warrant of arrest for (Vladimir) Putin.
“We say to the ICC you must listen to the submission made by South Africa and supported by Bangladesh, Djibouti, Comoros and the Plurinational State of Bolivia.”
Zwelivelile Mandela observed that it is important to note that the murderous crimes against humanity perpetrated by Apartheid Israel did not start in the aftermath of 7th October 2023.
In-fact, this has been an ongoing struggle created by conditions imposed by Apartheid Israel on Gaza and all of the West Bank and the Occupied Territories since 1948 when the first refugees fled their villages and came to Gaza.
Giving a historical context of the Israel/Palestine conflict, Professor Marobela of the University of Botswana emphasised the need for a concerted international pressure to help materialize justice for Palestine.
“Our participation in this event is a clear testimony that Batswana are peace-loving people but we are also sending a strong message that Batswana are unwavering in their conviction for equality, democracy and human rights.
“Our march today forms part of global solidarity marches from South Africa, US, Ramallah, Egypt, the UK, Zimbabwe, Germany, France, Turkey, Japan and many others,” he said.
He further explained that the history of Palestine people is a history of resistance against imperialism since the 1948 occupation. It is a history of self-determination and self-defence.
Palestinians have gallantly fought against oppression, racism and marginalisation against a hyper-militarized state.
Ditshwanelo -The Botswana Centre for Human Rights – which has been vocal about standing for human rights continues to urgently call for an immediate ending of the conflict and standing in solidarity with the Palestinian people and all those affected by this tragic suffering.
They further continue to call upon the international community to support the call 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.
Fatema Khan of the Zahraanaaz Children’s Fund who has been amazing in coordination of the march expressed gratitude to Batswana who continue to add their voice to calls for a Just Peace and permanent ceasefire and an end of the occupation.
“The people of Palestine have taught us resilience and courage to stand up for our human rights. Even in pain and death they are heroic fighters as they have been through Intifadas and are not giving in to fear and intimidation.
“Nothing has brought Palestinians justice but the people of the world are finally speaking with one voice”.
Stop the war
Stop the gruesome killing of innocent civilians
End occupation
The Free Palestine slogan calls to raise awareness and our consciousness that the original sin of the Zionist occupation is that Palestine was a land without a people for a people without a land.
To the United Nations how can you allow genocide to happen in front of your very eyes? Have you forgotten the Holocaust? Has your memory of the pogroms vanished and faded?
The march started at 8 am until 9 am and ended with a prayer by Hafeez Mahmood Khatib.
Through the Gift of the Givers Network, teams have been providing assistance inside Gaza from 7 October to 24 November 2023, a period of 49 days in all and funds will continue to 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. Branch code: 062267. Reference: Filistine-your name.
For merchandise such as mugs, lapel pins, kufiya, neck scarfs, all bearing the Palestine flag are to be ordered through WhatApp from +267 72572918.
Remember no contribution is ever little. Do be part of those saving lives.
iNkosi Mandela concluded his speech by extending an invite to all to attend the Fifth Global Convention of Solidarity with Palestine entitled Nelson Mandela and Palestine: Confronting Racism till Liberation from 2-5 December 2023.
One hundred and fifty (150) Palestinians from the Diaspora will be part of the conference which will also include a march to the Union Buildings in Pretoria on the 5th December 2023.
#FreePalestine
© TPA
