Wednesday, 6 March 2024

Middle East conflict

Samantha RATNAM (Northern Metropolitan) (18:31): (765) My adjournment matter tonight is for the Premier. When five-year-old Hind Rajab’s story broke, many of our hearts broke into a million pieces. Hind had been escaping the terrifying violence in Gaza with her family when the car she was travelling in came under gunfire. Her fate captivated the world as her cousin made a phone call from the car seeking help. This call was recorded and played across the world. We heard the gunfire and then their voices fell silent.

I was hurtled back into my memory to being a six-year-old girl. My twin sister and I had been bundled into a car with our aunties attempting to flee the violent conflict that was erupting in Colombo in 1983 as we Tamils were hunted by violent mobs. Our aunties were weeping – the first time I had seen adults crying – as we sped down the streets that were being ravaged by fire on either side as far as we could see ahead. We made it to safety. Hind Rajab did not.

Her death adds to the over 30,000 Palestinians who have been killed by Israel’s brutal assault on Gaza. Many were innocent children like Hind and Layan. As a member of the Tamil community, we feel the Palestinians’ trauma and grief as our own. Many thousands of other Victorians, especially from Muslim and migrant multicultural communities, feel the same. The experiences of racism and colonisation of our diverse communities have been triggered by the war on the people of Gaza that for many of us evoke the experiences of war and oppression we and our ancestors endured. But this time, we have a voice.

Victoria’s multicultural community has just demonstrated the collective power of its voice by forcing the Premier to cancel her planned Iftar dinner. We have also taken every opportunity to join with the Palestinian community to march in the streets in solidarity, to denounce Israel’s brutal attacks and call on governments to sever ties with weapons manufacturers and defence entities. But the community’s pleas have been met with denial and silence. The Victorian Labor government refuses to end its relationship with Elbit Systems or withdraw from its agreement with Israel’s defence ministry, and it refuses to express sincere solidarity with the Palestinian people and recognise the unfolding genocide.

If Labor was listening to Victoria’s multicultural community, they would hear the hurt. If they were listening to Victoria’s multicultural community, they would hear that we are tired of being taken for granted and used for photos to boost their diversity credentials. Representing multicultural Victoria means listening to the community, genuinely caring about the issues that impact our lives and taking action. While the Victorian government retreats and remains anxious that our multicultural fabric may be at risk of splintering, the reality is that it is just beginning to show its true strength. I ask the Premier to respond to Victoria’s Muslim communities who are asking the government for a statement of solidarity and to end their relationship with Elbit Systems and Israel’s Ministry of Defense.