The Bangor Peace Movement is bringing people from across our community together in a series of events and vigils, initially spurred by the unrelenting suffering in Gaza.
We are a strictly non-politically-affiliated group of individuals from diverse backgrounds. While we hold different beliefs, what unites us urgently in this moment is a shared commitment to humanity and the sanctity of life. We believe it is vital to create a space here in Bangor where anyone who feels the urgency of this crisis can stand up simply but strongly for humanity.
There is a lot of pressure to “take sides” in a conflict but we say it is incumbent on us all to stand on the side of life, of peace, and of international humanitarian law. To that end, we avoid flag symbolism and instead emphasise internationally recognised symbols of peace – a dove, candles of remembrance, flowers.
Our aim is to stand against the suffering inflicted on our fellow human beings.
We uphold the core principle of the value of human life. We promote the principles of negotiation and nonviolence. There must be no place for starvation, brutality against children, or the targeting of innocent civilians. We support calls for the release of all captives. We stand on the side of peace and humanity.
That such horrors persist today, despite international agreement on human rights since World War II, demonstrates a serious erosion of our shared values of compassion and love. International law must be applied consistently. Children are always innocent, whether they are a Palestinian child, an Israeli child, or a child from Sudan, Congo, Ukraine or any other conflict zone. We oppose ideological divisions that fuel suffering, and condemn both antiSemitism and Islamophobia, affirming our shared humanity. The world needs peace. We are calling for an end to the violence that steals our hope for a better future.
We invite everyone to join our peace vigils, to show how widespread this call is, and urge our government to take meaningful action to get aid in now, before more people die of starvation and lack of basic medicines.. The need could not be more urgent.
Finally, we recognise that the current ceasefire in Gaza is a ceasefire in name alone. Since the latest ceasefire started up to 414 Palestinians have been reported to be killed and up to1142 injured, many of which are women and children.
Aid continues to be heavily restricted at the border, and the situation is still at risk for full escalation with little effort to move towards stage two which would involve the Israeli military pulling out.
People are still living in tents as the rain pours in and many are forced to sleep on damp mattresses and take care of their children in such conditions. Meanwhile western governments and western media are choosing to look the other way as if the issue has been resolved. that’s why we feel compelled to stand in the street and bear witness.
We call upon our political leaders to maintain pressure and demand a future rooted in dignity and equality for all people across the region; and in every place where lives are being torn apart by unending violence. Today, we hold them in our hearts. We refuse to look away, and we raise our voices to say: every life matters, and peace must not be a privilege for the few — it must be the right of all.
May our gathering strengthen our resolve to stand with those who suffer, to speak where others are silent, and to work — with persistence and with hope — for a world where peace prevails.