Who should we be listening to? While Nato’s Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg based on a fictional enemy, is pleading for continued increased founding for military and militarisation another General Secretary speaks of the importance to put disagreements aside so we all side by side can fight against a real threat to humanity – the corona virus.
On March, 23 United Nation’s Secretary General António Guterres held a speech where he asked for an immediate global cease fire in all corners of the world to give everyone a real chance to fight the corona virus.
He talked about the reality where the virus hit us all. It does not care neither about ethnicity or nationality nor faction or faith; “The fury of the virus illustrates the folly of war.”
Around the world we see a severely cut healthcare system that is trying to deal with more and more people getting ill with COVID-19. Beds, equipment and personnel are missing to treat everyone. In this chaos, Guterres reminds us of something we must never forget; In war ravaged countries have the whole health systems collapsed and health professionals, already few in number, have often been targeted.
Recently, we have also started to hear warnings about what will happen when the corona virus takes an iron grip on overcrowded refugee camps around the world. Guterres states that refugees and others displaced by violent conflict are doubly vulnerable. He calls to;
“End the sickness of war… Pull back from hostilities. Put aside mistrust and animosity. Silence the guns; stop the artillery: end the airstrikes. This is crucial… To help create corridors for life saving aid. To open precious windows of diplomacy. To bring hope to places among the most vulnerable to COVID-19.”
We would like to add that also all preparations for war must be stopped immediately and we must start investing in the future of humanity..
We say
Stop Defender 20, Aurora 20 and other large scale military exercises in Europe and elsewhere
End rearmament and invest in peace, welfare, health and the environment
Activists for peace will every day choose the solidarity that the UN Secretary General raises by calling for an immediate global cease fire; “That is what our human family needs, now more than ever”.
The virus does not care about nationality or ethnicity, faction or faith. It attacks all, relentlessly.
Meanwhile, armed conflict rages on around the world.
The most vulnerable — women and children, people with disabilities, the marginalized and the displaced — pay the highest price.
They are also at the highest risk of suffering devastating losses from COVID-19.
Let’s not forget that in war-ravaged countries, health systems have collapsed.
Health professionals, already few in number, have often been targeted.
Refugees and others displaced by violent conflict are doubly vulnerable.
The fury of the virus illustrates the folly of war.
That is why today, I am calling for an immediate global ceasefire in all corners of the world.
It is time to put armed conflict on lockdown and focus together on the true fight of our lives.
To warring parties, I say:
Pull back from hostilities.
Put aside mistrust and animosity.
Silence the guns; stop the artillery; end the airstrikes.
This is crucial…
To help create corridors for life-saving aid.
To open precious windows for diplomacy.
To bring hope to places among the most vulnerable to COVID-19.
Let us take inspiration from coalitions and dialogue slowly taking shape among rival parties in some parts to enable joint approaches to COVID-19. But we need much more.
End the sickness of war and fight the disease that is ravaging our world.
It starts by stopping the fighting everywhere. Now.
That is what our human family needs, now more than ever.
Update: Thursday Augusti, 2 Devina Levrini landed in Sweden after being deported from Israel.
A report from Arlanda upon arrival in Sweden is published by AA news agency and can be found in this link.
“For days ago, they tried to break the Gaza blockade
Swedish activists Andreasson and Levrini, who were detained by Israel, said upon arrival in their home country that they were tortured in the cell in Israel.”
Help to spread this interview – Swedish speaking and Turkish text version.
Let the world hear and know.
NOTE! Sunday August, 4 the Israeli navy reported that they had highjacked a second ship, the Swedish flagged Freedom with 12 passengers and humanitarian cargo bound for Gaza. Below, you find who to contact to demand immediate release of the crew. Also, demand that the ship and it’s cargo are allowed to reach the destination in Gaza.
The Swedish citizen Divina Levrini which also is a part of Aktivister för fred (In English: Activists for peace) have since the departure from Sweden in May 2018 sailed with Ship to Gaza and Freedom Flotilla. During the last leg towards Gaza, she sailed under Norwegian flag on Al Awda (The Return).
They were expected to reach their destination in Gaza during the evening on Sunday July, 29. However, during the day Israeli military boarded the ship on international waters, confiscated the ship and it’s humanitarian cargo and took the the crew against their will to Israel.
Divina’s SOS-video is available through Freedom Flotilla Coalition’s Youtube-channel.
The other crew members SOS-videos are also published there.
Letter from Divina Livrini where she tells about the highjacking of Al Awda (The Return), the Israeli prison and that she started a hunger strike. Delivered July, 31 2018.
Divina and another Swedish crew member, Charlie, will be deported and are expected to arrive in Sweden on August, 1. They were held in Israeli prison from Sunday. Divina and another passenger started a hunger strike and wanted to make a juridical case against the Israeli State. Now, Divina is however deported. Israel just wants everyone to forget about what happened.
At the same time, another ship sailing in the flotilla is approaching the same area as Al Awda was highjacked during Sunday. It’s Freedom (for Gaza) sailing under Swedish flag.
Aktivister för fred (In English: Activists for peace) has gathered information on who to contact to help Divina and the other crew members who were kidnapped by the Israeli authorities.
Contact the government of Sweden and other actors to demand that Divina’s and the others safety are garantueed. Demand their immediate release. Also, demand that all the ships sailing in the flotilla are safely allowed to reach their destination.
Break the blockade of Gaza!
This post will be updated. Further contacts may be added.
Gustav Fridolin, Minister of Eduaction and spokesperson of the Green Party
Phone (mobile): +46 72-452 31 34
Phone (office): +46 72-557 38 01
Phone (press secretary): +46 72-5511605
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gustavfridolin
Magnus Hellgren, Sweden’s ambassador to Israel
Twitter: @hellgren_magnus
Sweden in the United Nations
Permanent Mission of Sweden to the United Nations
Phone: +1 212 583 2500
Visiting address: One Dag Hammarskjöld Plaza, 885 Second Avenue, 46th floor, New York, USA
Mikael Lindvall, Ambassador, Ambassador, Head of the Department of Foreign and Security Policy, Representative of Sweden in the Political and Security Committee (PSC)
Phone: +32 (0)2 289 56 57 (Jeanette Lindzter, assistent)
E-mail: jeanette.lindzter@gov.se
Åsa Pehrson, Council of Ministers (Deputy Head of EUS, EU UN, Institutional Affairs, PMG)
Phone: +32 (0)2 289 56 22
E-mail: asa.pehrson@gov.se
Jeanette Lindzter, Assistant to Ambassador Mikael Lindvall
Phone: +32 (0)2 289 56 07
E-mail: jeanette.lindzter@gov.se
Other political parties represented in the Swedish Parlament and in the Parlament of the European Unions, spokespersons for foreign policy and Party offices
Contact local polititian by searching for contact details. Many have their own websites, Facebook-pages, Twitter and so on as channels to reach the electorate. Some contacts may be found by looking at each party’s homepage (se above).
Activists for Peace 