Tamil National People’s Front (TNPF) parliamentarian Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam delivered a searing indictment of global inaction and what he termed “cold criminal calculations” behind the ongoing crisis in Gaza, during a commemoration event marking 77 years since the Nakba.
The event, themed “International Action Towards Ending the Nakba and Realizing the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People”, was jointly organised by the Embassy of the State of Palestine and the Sri Lanka Committee for Solidarity with Palestine.
Ponnambalam criticised the global community for failing to halt a genocide, despite the violence in Gaza being broadcast in real time to a global audience.
“Despite this being the first genocide to be live streamed onto our mobile devices 24/7, the slaughter continues uninterrupted for 19 months. What does it tell us about the times we live in and the so-called rules that are said to be the basis of the global order?” he said.
The MP questioned the moral position of a world that, even in the face of graphic and widely accessible evidence, remains divided between “active supporters of the unfolding genocide” and “passive spectators of the carnage.”
Citing sources such as The Lancet, Ponnambalam highlighted the devastating human toll in Gaza, noting that the actual death toll may be three to four times higher than official figures.
He referenced the killing of nearly 18,000 children, over 200 journalists, 400 aid workers, and more than 1,300 healthcare personnel as part of a “surgically calculated” campaign to erase Palestinian national identity.
“The complete dismantling of infrastructure in Gaza and the West Bank is not accidental. It is targeted, coordinated, and deliberate,” he asserted.
As protests in support of Palestine continue globally, Ponnambalam lamented the disconnect between popular sentiment and geopolitical strategy. He warned that the aftermath of the Gaza conflict will permanently alter humanity’s faith in international norms and institutions.
“After Gaza, what meaning would be left to understand the basis of common humanity? From the Universal Declaration of Human Rights to the so-called rules-based world order?” he asked.
Despite the dire context, the MP struck a note of profound respect and hope for the Palestinian people, praising their resilience in the face of devastation.
“Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians who are being starved, bombed, maimed and slaughtered… will change our understanding of justice, resilience and collective will. They represent the collective human desire of the millions of oppressed to achieve a different world,” he said.
Ponnambalam also reaffirmed his belief that Palestine’s struggle transcends borders and represents the universal yearning for dignity and freedom.
“Palestine will live on and the collective will of the Palestinians will shine sharper and brighter as a timeless and borderless universal example for the subjugated people in the world,” he added.
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