‘Australia’s silence on Palestine: A threat to democracy, human rights’
Muslim Votes Matter says it has become harder and harder to speak publicly in Australia for Muslims
SYDNEY, Australia (MNTV) – A growing number of Australians are facing increased scrutiny and backlash for speaking out against the Israeli government’s actions in Palestine, says Ghaith Krayem, the spokesperson for Muslim Votes Matter (MVM).
This trend has led to a chilling effect on free speech, with many individuals and communities feeling forced to choose between their conscience and their safety, Krayem writes for Pearls and Irritations journal.
“Over the past 18 months, it has become harder and harder to speak publicly in this country if you are Muslim, brown, and pro-Palestinian,” he says.
“For people like me, who not only want to speak up, but need to, it has been a time marked by isolation, scrutiny and risk. Risk to our reputations. Risk to our livelihoods. And risk to our place in a country that insists on calling itself democratic, while punishing those who dare name a genocide for what it is,” Krayem adds.
It’s not just anecdotal, he says and adds that the evidence is out there on the internet, in the media and in institutions. “Look at the silencing of academics, the blacklisting of creatives, the suspension and intimidation of health professionals and the arrests of activists who dared express solidarity with Palestinians. These are not isolated cases. They are part of a deliberate, systematic campaign to silence dissent. . . . The message is clear, if you are visibly Muslim, politically brown, or ethnically Arab, your voice is not welcome unless it conforms,” says Krayem.
The Australian Government continues to walk the tightrope of “neutrality”, afraid to name the perpetrator or take meaningful action, he says.
“This facade of objectivity has worn so thin, it’s transparent. Neutrality in the face of genocide is not virtue. It is complicity,” says Krayem.
He says championing human rights while ignoring war crimes broadcast in real-time is duplicitous.
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