In the letters to this month’s Tawny, you may have noticed “We deserve better” from Dr Caroline Yarnell, citing that to date there had not been any mention of “Australia’s complicity in the ongoing human rights violations in Gaza in your otherwise excellent publication.”
Dr Caroline was right. We’ve steered clear of this issue. But as soon as Tawny received this letter, we encouraged members of Manly’s Amnesty International and Northern Beaches for Palestine groups to send in their experiences since the events of 7 October, and the steps they’re taking to see peace prevail in Gaza.
In the interim, we’ve also seen arguably the biggest march in Australian history take place on Sydney’s Harbour Bridge – despite pouring rains and bitter cold winds. It’s clear. The community is speaking. They’re passionate, fired up. They want action. But what exactly are they saying? And what difference does the Northern Beaches make in the overall scheme of things?
It would appear the most recent lightning rod to bring the crisis in Gaza to the Beaches’ shores and more widespread community attention was Frenchs Forest Ward’s Greens Councillor Ethan Hrnjak’s 17 June proposal for Northern Beaches Council to consider a ceasefire and BDS motion.
Firstly, what on earth is “BDS”? Inspired by the South African anti-apartheid movement, the BDS movement, or “Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions”, is a Palestinian-led global movement advocating for freedom, justice, and equality for Palestinians. It aims to pressure Israel to comply with international law through various boycotts, divestments, and sanctions.
“I moved this in response to the ongoing blockade of humanitarian aid, the incalculable loss of human life and local distress at the genocide occurring in Gaza,” said Ethan via social media. “Council has a role to play in advocating for an end to the bloodshed and must confirm that it doesn’t do business with organisations known to the UN as being complicit in human rights abuses. This motion will recognise the incredible work and advocacy of Northern Beaches for Palestine and the Gaza Lifesaving Project, while also supporting our local Palestinian community.”
Ethan’s motion did not pass. Local councillors felt un-informed sufficiently of global affairs to make the best local decision on this front. The reporting at the time of Ethan’s actions seemed focused on disparaging his efforts as wasteful in a time of rate rises being passed. To which his Manly Ward Greens colleague Cr Bonnie Harvey said, “Some may argue this motion is not in the remit of the Council to pick ‘sides’ in an international conflict. However, we are merely supporting the position adopted by the Australian Government. And all of the actions proposed are able to be implemented by Council, so it is definitely within our remit!”
Bonnie continued, “Some say that with a rate rise on the table, this meeting is the ‘wrong time’. I would say it’s the perfect time. If the Council decides to increase residents’ rates by 25%, we should put our community at ease that their hard-earned cash is not funding human rights abuses.”
Putting the community at ease is top of the concerns sent in by local members of Manly’s Amnesty International and Northern Beaches for Palestine groups. A local mum who wished to remain anonymous said, “The images of children starving, burning, beheaded, martyred simply for who they are haunt me. I can’t imagine my own children ever having to endure such atrocities. I hide from them. In the bathroom. On the toilet. And sob silently.”
She continued, “I go through each day feeling like an outlier. Does anyone around me even care? We live lives of extraordinary privilege here on the Northern Beaches, we will never experience even a fraction of what is happening there. But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t care. That doesn’t mean we should turn away. That doesn’t mean we stay silent.”
Narrabeen’s Cheryl Nunn told the Tawny, “I feel the motion put to Northern Beaches Council was legitimate and important as local government is closest to our daily lives. We live in a global economy and society and when human rights and war are waged on one of us, we should all have a say if those actions erase human decency, human rights and international law.”
Cheryl continued, “We are all horrified by the reportage from Palestine, most verbalise their despair, but let’s act local and think global.”
There’s often a sentiment that our actions here in Australia, particularly on the Northern Beaches, are too small to make a difference in the grand scheme of global conflicts. However, in our interconnected world, where money’s movements drive significant change, our consumer choices hold substantial influence. This is where the ‘No Thanks’ app steps in, as highlighted by Neehal Clements.
The ‘No Thanks’ app is a free mobile application designed to empower users to make ethical purchasing decisions. It helps identify products and brands associated with human rights concerns or potential harm. Much like those apps that scan for toxins, sugar, or allergens, the ‘No Thanks’ app allows you to scan barcodes to check if the product or its parent company is included in the BDS boycott list.
What happens next? No one knows. But the words of Dr Caroline Yarnell’s son, Gus, a 28-year-old Northern Beaches local who’s studied Politics, Philosophy and Economics at ANU, sum up the feeling of so many:
“I know the world has never been and will never be perfect, but this gaslighting and siding with the genocide perpetrators has made me feel really uncomfortable locally.
“Thank you for being brave enough to write about this – but it shouldn’t have taken nearly 2 years, and it shouldn’t need to be an act of courage: there should be nothing to fear.”