Council of Sri Lankan Muslim Organisations UK (COSMOS – UK) Strongly supports the Global Calls for Immediate Ceasefire in Gaza to Prevent a Humanitarian Catastrophe, punish the aggressors and end the illegal occupation of Palestine Lands. COSMOS – UK, an umbrella organization for Sri Lankan Muslim organizations based in the UK, urgently appeals for an immediate and unconditional cease-fire in Gaza, to avert indiscriminate loss of civilian life and humanitarian catastrophe. Anything less will forever be a stain on the global collective conscience.
More than two million people in the Gaza Strip are struggling to survive amidst Israel’s indiscriminate and relentless attacks in Gaza which have reportedly resulted in the death toll surpassing 14,100, including over 5,000 children, more than 3,000 women and 201 medical personnel, thus exacerbating this humanitarian crisis to catastrophic levels. An entire population is besieged and under attack, denied access to the essentials for survival, bombed in their homes, shelters, hospitals and places of worship. According to UN experts, grave violations committed by Israel against Palestinians in both Gaza and West Bank in the aftermath of 7 October, particularly in Gaza, point to a genocide in the making.
COSMOS thus views with extreme concern about the continuous silence of the international community about Israeli Government’s unacceptable collective punishment of the population of Gaza through siege, the scale of the military assault and its atrocious death toll, and the forcible transfer of civilians within the territory, as well as the continuing land and home incursions and demolitions in the West Bank and settler violence against Palestinian communities. COSMOS reiterates that the cycles of violence, apartheid and impunity must be broken, the aggressors should be held criminally accountable. The injustice faced by the Palestinians has lingered for almost a century, spanning multiple generations and causing immense suffering; it cannot continue any longer. As UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres stated, ‘the attacks by Hamas did not happen in a vacuum.’ Further CEO of OXFAM Dr Dhananjayan Sriskandarajah stated “What Israel does is a collective punishment and Our Political leaders don’t have the moral courage to call for a ceasefire”.
COSMOS UK, therefore underlines the imperative need for urgent action and calls upon the international community to do everything in its power to bring about an immediate ceasefire, facilitate the provision of humanitarian aid to all in need, punish the illegal occupiers of Palestinian lands for their war crimes and impunity and accelerate the political processes to realize the Palestinian aspiration of their own homeland without any further delay.
May Almighty bring peace and tranquillity to all in this world, especially for the people of Palestine who are suffering immensely through this war.
M Shakeer Nawas
President, Cosmos UK
Signed:
1. Sri Lankan Muslim Cultural Centre UK – SLMCC – Harrow
2. Sri Lanka Muslim Association – UK, (Slough)
3. Darul Ilm – Sri Lankan Muslim Community of East London
4. Sri Lankan Muslim Community Foundation of Milton Keynes
5. Kingsbury Islamic Learning Centre
6. Sri Lankan Islamic Association (SLIA)
7. Sri Lankan Islamic Forum – (SLIF UK)
8. Inter Build Aid (IBA)
9. Sri Lankan Muslim Association – South London (SLMASL)
10. Sri Lanka Assembly of Muslims
11. Sri Lankan Integrated Cultural Association Gr.Manchester & Northwest (SLICAM MANCHESTER)
12. Sri Lanka Bolton Community (SLBC)
13. West Yorkshire Sri Lankan Muslim Association
14. Sri Lankan Islamic Forum of Liverpool (SLFIL)
15. Sri Lankan Liverpool Association of Muslims (SLLAM)
16. Galhinna Welfare Association
17. AL Furqan (Luton)
18. World Forum for Sri Lankan Muslims (UK Chapter)
19. Sri Lanka Muslims Society UK (25 Leicester based Umbrella Organisations
***Download the original press release here: PRESS RELEASE