🇺🇳☮️ Roger Waters closing remarks on his 2012 Address to the UN General Assembly
In 2012 Roger Waters gave a speech to the UN presenting the findings of a Global Russel Tribunal of Civil Society on Palestine and supporting the case for Palestine’s promotion to observer status (duly voted in by a huge majority).
See this excerpt, the closing remarks of his excellent speech.
📖 🇺🇸🇺🇳 🚫 To read more about the Russell Tribunal on Palestine, the findings of which Waters presented to the UN, to read my original article click here: 👉 sleekitscotsman.substack.com/...
ℹ️ See my article for a comprehensive at-source documented history of Israel’s breaches of International Law and the legal protections for Palestinian rights to self determination, resistance and the right of return; click link in bio or cut and paste link here: 🔗 sleekitscotsman.substack.com/...
== Text ==
Mr. Chairman, Excellencies, friends. We are all here for the same reason. We are all committed to human rights, international law, the centrality of the United Nations and equality for all - including for Palestinians. We are all attending this meeting on 29th November that marks the UN’s International Day of Solidarity with The Palestinian People.
But it seems to me, our commemoration of this day is not enough.
So, what else to do? The battleground is here, at the headquarters of the United Nations, and simultaneously in the middle of New York City, with access to the media. The battle is two pronged:
1. To continue the work of informing the people of the USA about the reality of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, and most especially, about the role of their government, the host country of the United Nations, using their tax dollars to fund and enable Israel’s violations.
2. Just as importantly, we must address, finally, serious reform of the U.N. The UN needs to embrace a new democracy. The veto must be rethought, or the UN will die. The use of the veto as a strategic political tool by one or other of the permanent members of the Security Council has become outmoded. The power of veto residing in the hands of just five nations makes something of a mockery of the pretence of democracy, of the idea that “The will of the Peoples” is represented here. The system is too open to abuse. The blanket protection afforded to Israel by the United States’ use of the veto, is but one example of such abuse
I urge you, the General Assembly, to collectively work towards wresting the power back to the people in order to facilitate progress towards a more democratic body, better able to pursue the high aspirations of this great institution, to represent the will of the peoples of these great United Nations.
You, the General Assembly, represent the largest, most democratic component of the United Nations. The United States, and China and France and Russia and the UK have no veto here. What is needed is political will. You can make decisions, and take actions, that the Security Council cannot, or will not.
The United Nations Charter begins with the words “We, the peoples, of these United Nations.” Not “We the governments.” I urge you, on behalf of the people of your countries, on behalf of the people of all countries, in fact on behalf of all the peoples, of this, our shared earth, to act.
Seize this historic moment.
Support the vote today for Palestinian enhanced observer statehood status as a step towards full membership.
Thank you,
Roger Waters
29th November 2012
📺 Roger Waters's full address to the UN here: • Roger Waters UN Addres...
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