A Successful Demonstration In Solidarity With African Refugees in Israel Held San Francisco.

January 22nd, 2014

(San Francisco, Ca) January 22nd, 2012, several Eritreans and friends of Eritreans from various backgrounds poured out of mostly North Californian cities and merged into the intersection of Market and Montgomery at 10 in the morning. The corner that was designated for this rendezvous was quickly graced by determined people with positive energy and a San Francisco weather that generously lent it’s delightful sunshine. The organizers of Da’Ero Bay Area distributed the banners, flags and slogans as well as directions. Upon concluding it’s preparations at 11:00 am, the crowd was escorted by the accommodating SFPD police officers and were lead, chanting their slogans with fervor, to the doorsteps of the General Consulate of Israel.

As the crowd marched through the main streets, there were curious individuals to whom we were able to efficiently and clearly convey our cause through the slogans that were sprawled on the banners, the chants that reverberated through the streets and the flyers that were distributed.

Once the crowd reached the designated area in front of the Consulate, utilizing multiple megaphones, it passionately continued to chant the pertinent messages in front of the office and at the surrounding areas. The messages were conveyed for over an hour and a half in English, Arabic, Tigrigna and Hebrew.

The details of the messages conveyed as well as the chants will follow; but to briefly state the realities of our brothers and sisters in Israel: at this moment, there are over 56,000 African refugees; from which 36,000 are Eritreans. When they made their journey to Israel, it is with the intent and hope that their human rights and dignity will be safeguarded and respected. However, the horrendous reality they are currently forced to deal with is one that defiles the realms of one’s conscience and rejects their rights as refugees. They have not ceased from conducting their demonstrations and since they have not found the kind of attention their unjust reality deserves, human rights advocates and activists everywhere have engaged in a determined initiative to stand on their behalf. The Bay Area activists and seekers of justice have stood to contribute their part in this cause and this is the reason the demonstration was held.

When the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was signed and ratified by the United Nations on April 10th, 1948, it was with the unambiguous and resolute intent that the horrific persecution the Jewish people faced in the brutal grips of the brutal Nazi, will never happen again. It is a declaration that Israel, as a UN member, is unequivocally obligated to abide by. It is then disheartening that the law that is meant to protect people from persecution is violated by Israel. Thus, the fundamental theme of our march is for Israel to respect the law that was passed by the UN by respecting the rights of refugees.

Tekh’a Zeggai, one of the board members of Da’Ero Bay Area,  gave a speech that highlighted the objective of the demonstration.

A number of members from Jewish Voice for Peace were in attendance and expressed their solidarity. Rabbi Lynn Gottlieb, who was fasting in the name of the African refugees, read a poignant poem written by an African asylum seeker in Israel. “The peace and freedom of all beings must be safeguarded” she proclaimed, and went on to appeal by echoing the slogan that is reverberating throughout Israel, “Prison, No! Freedom, Yes!”.

Lyndsay Kauffman of Right Now Coalition stated, “It is an open secret that the dictatorial regime in Eritrea, the limitless and unreasonable military conscription, and the deprivation of the opportunity to work and get their education has caused thousands of Eritreans into exodus. In Israel today, there are 51,000 refugees and 94% of them are Eritreans. Out of all of those refugees, not a single one is granted either a citizenship or permanent residency. Instead of providing them with health services and opportunities to further their education, the government has resorted to imprisoning them threatening to deport them right back into the place they just fled from.” And this, Ms. Kauffman stresses, is a crime against humanity.

Dalit of American Friends Service Community stated that when Israel was initially established as a nation, it was with the intention of embracing all who need refuge. And, many have, in fact, found such refuge. Unfortunately, those whose lineage is of a different kind now face persecution and discrimination.

Da’Ero Bay Area has faxed it’s official letter of appeal to the General Consul of Israel and will earnestly follow up.

At the end of the successful demonstration, members of Da’Ero Bay Area thanked those who participated in the demonstration, the tireless volunteers and the San Francisco Police Department for their cooperation. It also expressed it’s special thanks to Priority Africa Network, Jewish Voice for Peace, the Right Now Coalition. In correspondence following the demonstration, all of these organizations have reaffirmed their readiness to assist Da’Ero Bay Area in it’s future endeavors. Da’Ero Bay Area is emboldened by their support.

In Solidarity,
Da’Ero Bay Area