Hi, I'm Marisa Wikramanayake formerly on another acct here. I'm a freelance journo, book editor & writer currently based in Naarm (Melbourne, Australia) on Kulin land & a member of my union MEAA.
This is a pinned tweet thread of impt info & links w/ my work links at the end.
The IDF have now targeted and hunted down 242 Palestinian journalists in Gaza. This compares to 69 journalists killed in World War II and 63 killed in the Vietnam War. Why are Western leaders silent in the face of this appalling slaughter of the last witnesses of Israel's genocide?
I’m sorry, but I will not normalize the fact that 100 people from my community are murdered every day. It is not right and it is not human. The fact that Western media doesn't deem the killing of 100 people worthy of rage should not be your motivation to care.
Gaza is the only “conflict” in history where independent foreign journalists are banned from entering and covering.
More Palestinian journalists in Gaza have been killed than in WW1, WW2, Vietnam, Ukraine & Balkan wars combined.
There’s more the international community can do
Wow. Take a few minutes to watch please.
So moving and powerful and proud to see so many colleagues standing together to call on Israel to stop the trageted killing of Palestinian journalists.
Thanks @withMEAA#mediafreedom
Looks credible. Writers are withdrawing from the program. The blowback is going to be huge - no doubt attendees will also boycott the festival. Stay tuned for the media attention
Did Bendigo Writers Festival really make guest speakers sign an agreement not to mention the state of Israel's crimes against humanity?
And if so, why would any moral writer sign that?
Surely this is just a rumour, as there's ethical writers on the program, who do speak up
No one seems to ever ask the question of why the country committing genocide should be in charge of the destiny of the people they’re killing. All of these reports talk about Palestinians as things that another country can do whatever it wants with.
For those who continue to ask us why we don't speak to media: this is why. Gaza is the voice. Nothing we say in the west means anything. We take direction from our elders and from them, no one else.
Stop killing journalists!
My union @withMEAA recognising the slaughter of Palestinian journalists at the hands of Israel.
Thank you to fellow MEAA members for saying the names of our slain colleagues out loud. We remember you. We fight for justice.
Proud to stand with my union against what is happening in Gaza. We remember and honour our colleagues who have been showing us the truth of what's happening on the ground. Stop Killing Journalists. #pressfreedom#gaza@withMEAA
https://t.co/eEuAIbmmXj
@usaidwot@withMEAA We actually have made several statements on the conflict & fundraising as have house committees at different news orgs. Good info though to know we may not have the reach to get it out there far enough so thanks.
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