Remarks delivered at a protest at Harvard Square, November 14, 2018
Millions of people in Yemen are on the brink of starvation – a child dies every ten minutes, 130 children per day and at least 50,000 children have died during the past 3 years of war.
Over this past weekend, I read, but do not know for sure, that one million Yemeni children are in such a state of advanced starvation that there is no remission – no way to bring them back with the aid that can save starving people if it is given in time.
One million children in Yemen may starve to death in the coming few months–that is genocide.
I’m here today to say not in my name!
This war on Yemen is being waged by Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates. It has been going on for three years – using weapons and intelligence from the United States, weapons from Great Britain and from France.
Spain just cut off their arms sales.
This war has destroyed the poorest nation in the Middle East and catapulted human beings into this potentially genocidal catastrophe of starvation.
If a million Yemeni children do die of starvation –it will be an unparalleled catastrophe for all humankind.
We are already in a lot of trouble – there is a sixth great extinction happening now on Planet Earth and we still live in daily danger of nuclear annihilation.
It only takes one hour to obliterate our planet and every living thing by using nuclear bombs.
I stand here with you today – my beloved peace pals – because our hearts are always with humanity seeking to lessen suffering and destruction… The human family: we are one, we are many, we are different, we are alike and we share a finite, beautiful planet that needs our devoted care. No matter how dire the crisis – it is a joy of my life to stand with you.
What does it mean to say not in my name?
It means: call every politician’s office, every news outlet and every arms manufacturer in our areas and saying enough!
This conflict has already gone too far and everyone of us must do everything we can to stop the disaster that is starving millions of people … we call every politician’s office, every news outlet and every arms manufacturer in our areas – to say Stop!
We say: put aside indifference, inattentiveness, greed for ever higher war profits off this terrible, manufactured human suffering and also put aside the very real despair in the face of this crisis – so that we might
Act in a united effort Raise a united cry and say
Not in my name, Not in your name, Not in our names
Everything causing this catastrophe must stop it must stop
for my child, for your child for the children of Yemen
Thea Paneth is a coordinating committee member of United for Peace and Justice
