http://liberdadepalestina.blogspot.com/2011/02/carta-ao- gilberto-gil-to-ADER-ao.html
February 3, 2011
Dear Gilberto Gil,
As longtime admirers of his music and aware of your commitment to freedom and social justice, and how activists were surprised and troubled to know that you want to do a concert in Israel in April.
As part of the call of Palestinian civil society in 2005 for the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) and inspired by the cultural boycott of apartheid South Africa, the Palestinian people seeks artists to join the international BDS movement canceling concerts and events in Israel, which only serve to equate the occupier and the occupied, so promote the continuation of injustice. In October last year the South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu, established with the Nobel Peace Prize for his fight against apartheid, has called the opera from his country to cancel the show scheduled in Israel. A concert in Israel weakens the call for BDS until Israel meets the basic requirements of international law, ending the military occupation, the taking of land and construction of new settlements in Palestinian territories, respecting human rights and refugee rights. participation in a concert in Israel is not a neutral act, devoid of any political message. As said the late Howard Zinn: You can not be neutral on a moving train. By participating in an event in Israel, you support the campaign to cover up Israeli violations of international law and projecting a false image of normality. Any statement you wish to make through their participation in this event would be overshadowed by the fact that you're crossing a picket line established by most international organizations of civil society in Palestine. Indeed, a just peace message would reach more people, including Israelis, if you cancel your participation.
Since the war Israel against Gaza in December 2008 and January 2009 that left 1,400 Palestinians dead and led the Goldstone declared that Israel committed war crimes, many international artists have refused to play in a country that puts itself above the rights and humantos international law. After the Israeli attack on a ship bound for humanitarian aid to Gaza in May last year, the number of artists grew. Elvis Costello, Gil Scott Heron, Carlos Santana, Roger Waters, Devendra Banhart, and the Pixies are just some of the artists refused to perform concerts in Israel last year.
We asked him to join the growing list of respected artists who have the boycott call.
During recent decades, from the Civil Rights movement in the U.S. until the anti-war movements around the world, when our governments fail to apprehend those responsible for grave human rights violations, we have the responsibility to do so. The South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu said: "If apartheid ended in South Africa, this occupation will also end, but the moral force and international pressure will have to be so certain about." The Palestinian call for BDS comes from the Palestinian civil society to civil society around the world, including Israel, to join this liberation movement.
We are happy to discuss this more thoroughly with you and support you in both is needed. We are simply asking you to do so in a way not to hurt growth led by global BDS movement of the Palestinian cause. With all due respect for his legacy of resistance in the Brazilian military dictatorship, freedom and against racism in the world we invite you to participate in this struggle for justice and cancel his concert in Israel in April.
With great respect,
FRONT IN DEFENSE OF THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE
Abib - Islamic Charitable Association of Brazil
APTA - Association for Prevention and Treatment of AIDS
Islamic Association of São Paulo
House
Latin America Solidarity Committee the Arab Peoples
Conlutas - National Coordination of Struggles
Elac - the Latin American and Caribbean Workers
ICArabe - Institute of Arab Culture
Inter Journal
Al Baian
New Youth Palmares
Liga da Juventude Islâmica
Mopat - Movimento Palestina para Todos
PCB - Partido Comunista Brasileiro
PSTU - Partido Socialista dos Trabalhadores Unificado
Revolutas
SBM - Sociedade Beneficente Muçulmana
Sociedade Palestina de São Paulo
Ujaal - União da Juventude Árabe para a América Latina
UNI - União Nacional de Entidades Islâmicas
Uemb - União dos Estudantes Muçulmanos do Brasil
DCE da USP - Universidade de São Paulo
Adalah-NY: The New York Campaign for the Boycott of Israel
Americans Against Apartheid UK
Arab Cultural Forum
Artists Against Apartheid UK
Association of Al-Quds Bank for Culture and Information
BDS Platform in the Netherlands
Birthright Unplugged
Boston BDS
BOYCOTT! Supporting the Palestinian BDS Call from Within (Israel)
British Committee for the Universities of Palestine (BRICUP)
Cafe Intifada
Canadian Arab Federation
Coalition Against Israeli Apartheid (CAIA), Toronto
Davis Committee for Palestinian Rights
Don’t Buy Into Apartheid
Don’t Play Apartheid Israel (DPAI)
Educators for Peace and Justice (Toronto)
Fredericton Palestine Solidarity (New Brunswick)
Independent Jewish Voices (Canada)
International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network (IJAN)
International Solidarity Movement (ISM)
Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign
Jews for Boycotting Israeli Goods (J-BIG)
Jews Say No!
Los Angeles Palestine Labor Solidarity Committee
Not in Our Name: Jews Opposing Zionism
One Democratic State Group
Palestine Solidarity Committee-Seattle
Palestine Solidarity Group-Chicago
Palestinian Students Campaign for the Academic Boycott of Israel (Gaza)
Queers Against Israeli Apartheid (QuAIA), Toronto
Queers Undermining Israeli Terrorism (QUIT)
Sheffield Palestine Solidarity Campaign (UK)
Students Against Israeli Apartheid Carleton
Tadamon! Montreal
University Teachers’ Association in Palestine
U.S. Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel
U.S. Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation
WESPAC Foundation
Women in Solidarity with Palestine (WSP), Toronto
Women of the Certain Age
0 comments:
Post a Comment