The Caribbean Movement for Peace and Integration is petitioning the High Court for Barbados to formally label Israel as an apartheid state, and to bring charges and/or deport anyone here involved with the unrest in Gaza.
During a media conference held by the Caribbean Against Apartheid in Palestine group at the Clement Payne Cultural Centre, Crumpton Street, The City, yesterday, attorney Lalu Hanuman outlined what they were seeking to do. He said the motions were brought by general secretary of the movement, David Denny.
“Mr David Denny . . . has filed documents in court asking for certain declarations: Israel has committed genocide in Gaza; Israel has committed war crimes in Gaza; Israel has committed crimes against humanity in Gaza; Israel is an apartheid state, and the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) must bring charges against anyone in Barbados, visitor or resident alike, who has been involved in either one or all the [above],” he said, adding the motions were filed on Thursday.
Charging that at least one former member of the Israel Defence Force was currently in Barbados, though he would not give details, Hanuman said the action further stated that should the DPP be unable to prosecute such individuals, then the Immigration Department should “immediately” deport them regardless of diplomatic status.
The attorney, who is also the secretary of the Caribbean Against Apartheid in Palestine, said Barbados was a signatory to the Genocide Convention and failure to act made the island complicit.
“To do nothing is not an option,” he declared.
Hanuman said the motions had been filed using the court’s folio digital system, which had malfunctioned. As such, he said they would be filed completely on Monday, along with a certificate of urgency. He said should he not hear anything after a few days of filing, he would contact the Registrar.
Denny said the court files were a bold step for the region, as other territories were thinking of following suit. During the press conference, a representative from Trinidad, via Zoom, confirmed they were seeking to do the same. He said it was time for the world to take a strong position against those who were murdering Palestinians and preventing the people
of Gaza from receiving food and medicine.
Educational tool
“This case . . . is also an educational tool for our people to better understand how the people in Palestine are suffering, and I want to . . . [call] again on the government to give up all forms of diplomatic relationship with Israel,” he said.
Denny said he had not received any acknowledgement from Government or support from any political party in this regard, while Hanuman said he had written to CARICOM asking for all member countries to break ties with Israel, but got no answer.
“In the days of apartheid South Africa, obviously, we were in the vanguard of the struggle against apartheid, but for whatever reason, we’re not in the vanguard of the struggle against apartheid in Palestine. We want CARICOM to discuss this matter, to discuss Gaza at the coming heads conference in Montego Bay, which is from the 6th to the 8th of July this year.
“I had a look at the official agenda and Gaza is not on the official agenda, which is disgraceful, so as part of our push for that to happen, this court case will hopefully be one of the instigators,” he said.
Hanuman said they had not received support from Barbadians as they would like, as many people still saw Israel through a religious lens. However, he pleaded with Barbadians to realise Gaza was not much bigger than Barbados but with a population of 2.5 million people, and had been hit with the equivalent of two nuclear bombs. (CA)
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