Protestors outside of MP Frank Caputo's office, Feb 21/24 (image credit - CFJC Today)

By Michael Reeve

PALESTINE SOLIDARITY KAMLOOPS

Protestors rally in front of MP Caputo’s office demanding a ceasefire in Gaza

Feb 21, 2024 | 6:00 PM

KAMLOOPS — A sing-in for peace and solidarity was held out front of Kamloops-Thompson-Cariboo MP Frank Caputo’s office in downtown Kamloops Wednesday (Feb. 21) afternoon.

A small but vocal crowd of protestors gathered to sing, chant and call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.

“No war has ever stopped without a ceasefire,” said Joanne Hammond with Palestine Solidarity Kamloops. “That is the necessary starting point to get in and start to save hostages, and have prisoner exchanges and releases. All that has to happen and then we can discuss diplomatic ends.”

The hope was to hand Caputo a petition. However despite being in Kamloops, Caputo was in meetings and his office was closed on Wednesday during the rally.

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“We were really hoping for some representation of local issues,” Hammond told CFJC News. “This is an issue for Palestinians who are living in Kamloops and there are families who are in Gaza. We want him to know that this is something that affects people who are his constituents and we expect him to act on it.”

While Caputo’s absence was touched upon and messages where left for his return, speakers focused instead on the scenes occurring along the besieged Gaza Strip.

“Every hour, two mothers are killed in Gaza and, according to the UN, mothers in Gaza have been put in the situation of burying at least 7,729 children,” said Umme Mansoory.

“A hollow statement for a ceasefire at the eleventh hour means nothing when we send tens of millions of dollars in military exports to Israel. It means nothing when we provide charitable status to organizations who are recruiting for the IDF within our borders, and it means nothing when we cut aid to more than 2 million people under genocide because we cave to political peer pressure,” added Jessica Guthier.

While Hammond noted it is likely naïve to get Caputo to change his mind 180 degrees on the situation, she believes everybody can agree on one thing.

“Regardless of what political party we support or what we see as an end point to this resolution,” said Hammond, “we all agree that Canada has a special place in the world in terms of standing up for human rights and democratic values. And I want Frank Caputo to do that in this case, too.”

While reports vary, it’s estimated more than 29,000 Palestinians have been killed since the October 7 attack.

“Please continue to push for an immediate and permanent ceasefire, an end to Canada’s complicity in this violence, an end to the occupation and a free Palestine,” concluded Guthier.