Protestors hold signs outside the CNMI legislative building.
Marianas For Palestine organizer Salam Younis speaks during their peaceful protest on Capital Hill, Wednesday.
Rep. TJ Manglona, center, supports a ceasefire in Gaza.
OVER 20 protestors affiliated with Marianas for Palestine, a coalition of activist groups, gathered outside the CNMI Legislature on Capital Hill Wednesday to urge local leaders to voice their opposition to the conflict in Gaza.
Protestors held signs and chanted anti-war slogans such as “Free, free, Palestine” as members of the Saipan and Northern Islands Legislative Delegation arrived on Capital Hill to hold a session.
Salam Castro Younis, an organizer with Marianas for Palestine and a Chamorro-Palestinian, said: “We want to hear them say that they’re going to support a call for a permanent ceasefire to stop the atrocities being done by Israel. We just want a solid voice from the archipelago, from the Marianas to be on the right side of history and call for a ceasefire immediately.”
Similar peaceful protests were held on Guam by other groups affiliated with Marianas for Palestine, according to Monaeka Flores, a Guam-based activist.
Marianas for Palestine supports a permanent ceasefire in Gaza, as well as an “end to genocide, end to apartheid, end to U.S. arms support for Israel,” and a “Free Palestine,” according to the group’s media release.
One Saipan protestor, Wejdan Yussifeid, has been residing on island for around eight months now, but has roots in Palestine. Although she cannot directly speak to family members there because of the ongoing conflict, Yussifeid still remains in contact with a sister who lives in Egypt.
Yussifeid said her sister travels to Palestine to send food and supplies to family members there.
She said so far, she has lost nine family members, including children relatives, to the violence in Gaza.
“It is very important for everyone, no matter what nationality you are, to come and support justice for the Palestinians because you have to be the voice of the voiceless. These people have no platform to talk,” Yussifeid said.
At least three lawmakers spoke with the protestors — House Floor Leader Ed Propst, Reps. Marrisa Flores and Diego Camacho.
Flores said she respects the group’s First Amendment right to free speech and assembly.
As for the Legislature calling for a ceasefire in Gaza, she said: “Like everything, there’s a process we have to go through…. If that is something [that] we can do [as a team or]…as individuals…[and] if I need to be the voice that joins them then so be it. I’m willing to join them.”
The protestors later entered the legislative building and the House chamber where they were allowed to make public comments. Their complete testimony is available at https://tinyurl.com/3a36aata.
Rep. TJ Manglona said the protestors were exercising their First Amendment rights.
“I try my best to stay neutral on most issues to see both sides, but if there’s one thing that I can see, we cannot ignore the fact [the war in Gaza is] affecting our people here,” Manglona said.
“I don’t know who’s right or wrong, but I can sympathize with the loss of children. If anyone can, I can,” said Manglona, whose young daughter passed away recently. “In any case, the loss of innocent life, the loss of children, is not right…if there’s anything that I can support it is a ceasefire, it is ending war.”
Rep. Diego Camacho told Variety that he, too, supports a ceasefire.
“I understand that this may be a complicated and delicate matter,” Camacho said. “Nonetheless, a call for an immediate ceasefire is warranted.”
He added, “We may not know exactly the historical aspect of this conflict, whether it is geopolitical or religious, but when innocent lives are caught in the crossfire and when basic human rights come to a halt, there should be no reason for this squabble to continue, and with that, we empathize with those impacted by these acts,” he added.
Some of the protestors gather in the lobby outside the House chamber.
Rep. Marissa Flores speaks to some of the protestors outside the legislative building.
