Sri Lankan urge: Focus on the dying children, the elderly, and the sick in the Gaza Strip

“No matter what country, no matter what race, children are the same. At this moment, every 10 minutes, innocent children of Palestine die like this, so we stand here for those children, for those mothers, and express our protest and displeasure in any way we can because I am a mother of two girls and I feel it much. So, we urge the United Nations to take immediate steps to stop this war against Palestine’s human beings.” Told Mojo News Nadhi Perera , a Human Rights Activist in Colombo.

A silent protest was held in front of the United Nations office in Colombo recently, emphasizing that world powers including the United Nations should intervene immediately to prevent the deaths of thousands of children due to the conflicts in the Gaza Strip.

It was the day of UN World Children’s Day, 20th of November,  and concerned people without a border religion and ethnicity, gathered near the door of the UN Office in Colombo to remember the thousands of children killed and on the brink of being killed in Gaza.

Holding placards written about what they are demanding from the UN, they stressed, ” Please stop the war, concern over children, women, and patients in hospitals. Enough is enough. All are human beings.”

“Is it possible to commit murders in such a terrible way? This is a very terrible and pathetic fate for humanity. Therefore, we humans cannot remain silent. So, we again and again urge the UN to stop this!” said Nadhi Perera to Mojo News.

“We have gathered here today to protest against the barbaric war that is being carried out continuously without respecting any human law or international law. We are against war that is waged knowing that children and civilians are being killed. While expressing our deepest condolences to the children who were killed, we appeal to the United Nations organization to stop this cruel war while focusing our attention on the safety of the remaining children.” Told Mojo News Attorney-at-Law Jagath Kularatna.

He also said, “Even the children who were being treated in hospitals, who survive in incubators have died now without the necessary oxygen due to the power cut. So we called them all planned and executed mass murders.”

“Neither the United Nations nor anyone else has succeeded in stopping the war, paying special attention to children, women and the sick. We condemn that dead silence,” told Mojo News Sandaya Eknaligoda the wife of disappeared  Prageeth Eknaligoda.

Three Christian Priests and one religious Sister attended the silent protest in front of the UN Colombo Office and a Catholic Priest and a Human Rights Activist, Father Terrance Fernando told Mojo News ” We hear and see thousands of human lives being destroyed. Meanwhile, we especially feel the killing of small children. Everyone’s life is precious, but a child who dies today is tomorrow’s future. We cannot tolerate these brutal killings. We Sri Lankans too had a similar experience. Therefore, we ask the United Nations Security Council to immediately stop this war. Stop the inhumane acts.” he said.

“The same thing happened in our country for many years. Today, Israel is doing the same crime to the Palestinians that was done to the displaced helpless Tamils by the Sri Lankan government. Their basic needs such as food, water, and medicine have been banned. They have been allowed to die without those basic needs. Therefore, at this moment, we are calling out to the whole world to stop this war immediately.” Said Father Terrance.

On World Children’s Day, issuing a statement by the Embassy of Palestine in Sri Lanka, said “Over the past six weeks, Israel’s murderous assault on Gaza has killed more than 5500 children while thousands of others remain under the rubble and presumed dead. Thousands more are injured. Palestinian children who survive this slaughter are made to endure inhumane conditions of displacement, starvation, dehydration, and lack of basic elements of life imposed on them by Israel, the occupying Power.”

“This atrocious reality also extends to Palestinian children in the occupied West Bank, where the occupying army and settler militias have displaced dozens of families and murdered 96 children since the start of 2023, including 53 who were killed in the past 44 days. Meanwhile, 200 Palestinian children languish in Israeli detention centers, deprived of their most basic rights.” said the Embassy of Palestine.

END.