As 2023 drew to an finish, two government members of the Worldwide Federation of Social Employees – Joachim Mumba, IFSW President & Pascal Rudin, IFSW Performing CEO – posted an electronic mail to all IFSW members. In it, they said, “As we method the tip of one other exceptional yr, we need to take a second to replicate on the unimaginable contributions and achievements of our career worldwide” and went on to want “you all a joyful vacation season and a profitable, fulfilling yr forward”.
The e-mail was met with disbelief by members of the Palestinian Union of Social Employees and Psychologists, who’ve been urging the IFSW to make an announcement on the genocide in Gaza and the intensified oppression within the West Financial institution since October. Their response was to ship a message to the IFSW that included the assertion, “This message is to the management of IFSW that celebrates human rights and the New 12 months whereas their colleagues are being slaughtered in Gaza and West Financial institution. Congratulations on the brand new yr, you who grasp silence.”
Additionally they despatched the messages under, messages gathered from social staff nonetheless working within the Gaza Strip, not less than from these they may contact; many have died.
The RSW Collective thanks the Palestinian social employee Raed Amira for bringing this to our consideration and for gathering these vital messages from social staff in Gaza.
After many makes an attempt, over 25 days, I succeeded in reaching our colleagues and buddies, social staff within the Gaza Strip. Gaza is going through genocide by the colonial capitalist occupation and has been left with nothing of the essential components of life. My contact succeeded with three social staff and one different whose identify I didn’t have time to find. They have been from the North, Middle, and South of the Strip). Possibly it’s a coincidence, however destiny wished me to speak to our buddies and colleagues to inform us they have been high quality, they usually requested me: “How are you?” Their phrases have been tough to take heed to, however these are actual tales of the lived expertise of social staff in Gaza in the present day.
Dr. Salameh Abu Zuaiter, Head of the Palestinian Union of Social Employees and Psychologists within the Gaza Strip, says:
“Hey, my buddy, and thanks for calling. We’re high quality and we hope you’re effectively. We’re high quality as a result of we’re nonetheless alive. We’re high quality as a result of somebody is asking about us,” including, “My buddy Raed, my message won’t be to the worldwide human rights system that has fallen within the face of this blood. And to not the United Nations, which has not been in a position for greater than 75 years to bind this brutal occupation to any decision. Nor will or not it’s to the Western empires that conspired towards Gaza and our individuals. My message is just to social staff and the IFSW.
We live below bombardment by planes, tanks, and naval battleships. The size of the tragedy and destruction can’t be described, and you can’t think about what we’re struggling. We attraction to you and ask you to work with all you would possibly for a ceasefire and an finish to genocide. We attraction to you to work onerous to cease this aggression. As a result of if we stay alive, we have no idea how life will return to its regular course: the physician to his sufferers, the social staff to their neighborhood and their beneficiaries, the farmer to his land, the mom who misplaced her kids to her destroyed house, or to the youngsters who misplaced their fathers, properties, and siblings. Ending the occupation is a precedence, and your protection of Palestine is a precedence. Skilled, moral, and union-based.”
Mohammad Al-Sharif: A social employee from the northern Gaza Strip.
I misplaced contact with Mohammed for greater than three weeks. Within the final communication between us he stated his home had been destroyed and that he and his household had been injured. I believed I’d not be capable to speak to him. Mohammad in the present day says:
“Immediately I’m high quality, and I’m transferring from one place to a different to flee the bombing. Our household was divided into two components in order that if a missile shocked us, not less than one of many relations would stay. We don’t know what to do. Right here, while you see the martyrs within the streets, we’re unable to do something as a result of approaching them is inevitable dying by the hands of the occupation tanks and troopers. We now have misplaced many family members and buddies, and we have now misplaced many social staff and great, loyal colleagues. Here’s a message to all of the social staff on the planet: we have now a message and a objective. We’re not simply numbers that the occupation needs to remove. We’re persevering with and could also be martyred at any second however keep in mind that we have now addressed you and sought refuge with you thru IFSW greater than as soon as to be extra simply and daring in decision-making. I don’t need to remind them that this colonial occupation has exceeded 75 years. From the displacement, killing, and now the genocide of the Palestinian individuals.”
Mohammad Al-Bobo, a social employee from the south Gaza Strip.
“My colleague’s social staff, the state of affairs within the southern Gaza Strip could be very scary, steady bombing, displaced individuals from all around the Strip, lack of primary requirements for all times, injured kids and others trying to find their brothers, fathers and moms. Starvation, shock and thirst are the masters of the state of affairs. It’s crime, it’s genocide in each sense of the phrase. We name on you to intervene. Instantly for a whole ceasefire and to avoid wasting what will be saved from the crimes of the occupation. We will not endure, however we’re affected person. We will not think about what is going on, however we’re steadfast. We, as social staff, can not assist our kids and ladies and learn how to assist ourselves. “
There’s one other voice that spoke merely. He cried typically and screamed at different occasions. I don’t know his identify. He stated:
“I’m a social employee. I used to be in shelter colleges, enjoying with kids and serving to them as a lot as attainable. I used to be attempting to make them overlook the sound of bombs and attempting to maintain them away from the destruction. Abruptly, one of many missiles fell on this secure college, and numerous kids have been martyred. I used to be all the time attempting to play with them and unfold a smile on their faces. I don’t know what occurred to the youngsters and their households. Everybody has left and is looking for an umbrella to shade themselves, attempting to heal the injuries.
I ask all social staff on the planet to unite their voices in direction of Palestine and its freedom, in direction of a ceasefire in Gaza, and in direction of holding this colonialism accountable. Maintain accountable the brutal occupation forces and everybody who bombs, kills and occupies our land, even when they’re social staff.
Oh social staff within the free world, don’t forget us. We now have realized from our colleagues that lots of you’re elevating your voices loudly towards colonialism, injustice, and occupation. We would like you to boost your voice loudly to finish occupation and colonialism. However we additionally ask for motion towards these social staff, and social work organisations, such because the Israeli colonial Union of Social Employees who follow killing and destruction. We ask you, in mild of this tragedy, to take a step ahead and freeze the membership of murderers and monsters and expel them.
I apologize to you upfront IFSW. Do you perceive what I’m saying? Do I have to repeat it louder? Social staff within the occupying state take part within the killing and destruction of our individuals. Isn’t this a disgrace!”
