Closing Plenary/ Hiroshima Day Rally, August 6
2024 World Conference against A and H Bombs
Rex Alex
Peace Action New York/ SUNY-BDS
USA
Good afternoon, My name is Rex Alex, I am a recently graduated student organizer, representing Peace Action New York State, Students for Justice in Palestine and State University of New York (SUNY) Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions campaign (BDS). I am honored to attend the World Conference against A and H Bombs alongside many inspiring leaders in the global movement for peace and nuclear disarmament. I want to thank all the conference organizers for welcoming me and for their dedication and passion for shining a light on the stories of the Hibakusha and promoting dialogue which will lead us to a more peaceful world.
As I dream of that peaceful world, I am reminded of the tragic reality of our current world which is plagued by war, genocides, humanitarian disasters and increased militarization. And I am reminded of the history which led us here. 79 years ago, the United States bombed Hiroshima and Nagasaki with total disregard for humanity and the sanctity of life. Today I see the same inhumane disregard for innocent life when I look to Gaza and I am terrified of history repeating itself. In the past 10 months, the Israeli Apartheid state has intensified its attacks on the Palestinian people. The videos of wounded children searching through rubble to collect the bodies of their parents, the horror stories of refugee camps bombed, and the disturbing reality that my government finances these atrocities, moved me to despair and then motivated me to action. I quickly discovered that I was not the only one who was galvanized as a grassroots movement erupted across the United States, including a march in Washington DC with thousands of Americans demanding an end to the violence against Gaza. Within this movement, Peace Action New York State joined a campaign to bring a permanent ceasefire and end weapons shipments to Israel. At the same time, Peace Action Student Chapters and Students for Justice in Palestine participated in campus protests, organized educational events and hosted fundraisers at their universities.
The epitome of this student movement was the wave of Gaza Solidarity Encampments which spread across universities all over the world. This movement featured students building tents on their university grounds and sleeping overnight for several days until the university leaders met the demands of divesting from corporations which support the Israeli apartheid state, including weapons companies who build and sell the weapons which Israel uses to massacre Palestinians. This student movement took inspiration from those who came before us, such as the student movements against the Vietnam War, Apartheid South Africa and the nuclear nonproliferation movement. Our encampments became a community as we shared food, studied, read books, painted, and made our voices heard together. Despite the peaceful nature of these encampments, students in the United States faced severe repression from the police and university administrators. In my own university I witnessed the police drag students on the ground and kneel on them while making arrests. Additionally, my friends and I were suspended by the university for organizing this protest. In spite of this repression, I hold fond memories of our encampment. I will always remember the community of students from diverse backgrounds who came together to stand up for human rights and liberation. I will always remember locking my arms with my fellow protestors and standing together as we faced the glaring eyes of the police. I will always remember the solidarity and care that we showed for each other even in these frightening circumstances.
The Gaza Solidarity Encampment movement shined light in a dark world. As Israel intensifies its attacks against Palestinians, as we approach a presidential election featuring two candidates who have no interest in peace, as the threat of nuclear weapons hangs over our heads like a sword, as we march closer towards climate disaster, this student movement reminded me that there is hope. It proved to me that there are bold and passionate young people who will stand up for peace, justice and liberation and throughout history, these people are the ones who change the world. Hope blooms like a flower in rocky soil, it must be nurtured for it to grow. Let us nurture hope by supporting grassroots activism across the world. Let us grow hope in our communities by organizing and educating people. Let us build the movements which will lead us into a more peaceful future.