A PALESTINIAN-British schoolgirl Leanne Mohamad, who was crowned regional finalist in the ‘Speak Out’ Challenge has been barred from progressing further in the competition in an attempt to gag her.
She won the regional competition in a speech entitled ‘Birds not Bombs’, which was about being a Palestinian and being denied human rights. She talked of the injustice of living in fear of violence and about health inequalities where Palestinians in Gaza are unable to receive proper medical treatment.
The Palestinian Mission UK condemned the decision of Speakers Trust of the Jack Petchey Foundation to silence Leanne Mohamad. Her winning speech has been erased from the Jack Petchey’s ‘Speak Out’ Challenge website and she has been told she will not go through to compete at the Grand Final.
This was due to a complaint by Edgar Davidson, an anti-Palestinian blogger. The Palestinian Mission said that Davidson ‘recommends articles on his blog which deny the existence of Palestinians!’
As a charity, The Jack Petchey Foundation funds the world’s biggest youth speaking event and helps young British children from diverse backgrounds to develop their confidence and communication skills.
The Palestinian Mission argue: ‘Surely it should help assert and give a platform to voices which are marginalised like those of the Palestinians, but, to the dismay of many, the charity has been intimidated by a racist blogger.
‘It is a great shame that such a charity that has helped so many young people, sees fit to silence a young voice, that of a British-Palestinian schoolgirl, whose family are refugees from Palestine and, before they came to Britain, lived in terrible conditions in Burj Al Barajneh Refugee Camp in Lebanon. Last year, her baby cousin died through lack of medical facilities in Gaza which has been blockaded by Israel for nearly ten years.
‘Surely it is exactly such disenfranchised voices that The Jack Petchey Foundation should aim to magnify, not silence. ‘We are dismayed and unequivocally denounce the decision of the Speakers Trust of The Jack Petchey Foundation. Despite this and all such similar ploys to negate Palestinian history and suffering, Palestinians will never be silenced and will never tire of telling the world about the injustices against them.
‘They will continue to tell their story and continue to speak out!’ the Palestinian Mission concludes.
