A GROUP of Dabawenyos convened at Roxas Freedom Park, in front of the Philippine Red Cross-Davao City Chapter, for the "Solidarity Gathering and Call for Ceasefire, Peace, and Justice in Palestine" on Sunday afternoon, November 12.
Chants of "From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free" echoed through the crowd as various speakers took the stage to articulate their sentiments on the issue.
Lobna Abu-hamiadan, a Filipino-Palestinian, spoke during a media interview at the gathering, representing her people and voicing their plight.
"My people are currently facing ethnic genocide and ethnic cleansing for being born Palestinian and I think we should know that ethnic cleansing and genocide that is being perpetrated by Israel in the term of self-defense," Abu-hamiadan said.
She said the Palestinian struggle is a longstanding humanitarian issue, tracing back to 1948 when the British mandate facilitated the creation of a Zionist state on Palestinian territory. She urged everyone to research and comprehend the historical context before forming conclusions.
Youth leader Saima Mamalo, in her speech, countered the misconception that the gathering represented terrorism or extremism, emphasizing that they are merely "concerned human beings."
Mamalo recounted the struggles confronted by Palestinians and emphasized the vital role of the Palestinian Revolution Resistance in regaining independence and fundamental human rights. These rights include self-determination, freedom of movement, and even the basic freedom of nutrition and diet, which have been lacking in Gaza for nearly two decades.
She expressed surprise at the larger-than-expected turnout, turning what they thought would be an intimate gathering into a sizable assembly.
She stressed the importance of conveying the ground reality since mainstream media often controls the narrative, and informing people could potentially lead to meaningful change. RGP
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