Media Release June 5, 2011
Archbishop Desmond Tutu sends letter of support and solidarity to Marrickville Mayor and Councillors
Marrickville’s Mayor Fiona Byrne has received a letter of support from Archbishop Desmond Tutu regarding her and other Councillors support for the Boycott Divestment and Sanctions call from Palestinian civil society.
The letter will be presented to Mayor Byrne at Marrickville Council Chambers at 6pm on Tuesday, June 7.
“I’m honoured to receive this endorsement from Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, Archbishop Desmond Tutu,” Mayor Byrne said. “Desmond Tutu’s courageous stand against Apartheid in South Africa and ongoing advocacy for peace and human rights is an inspiration to us all.
“Palestinian civil society has called for support for the Boycotts, Divestments and Sanctions campaign to highlight the struggle of the Palestinian people for basic human rights.
I am proud that Marrickville Council was able to support and highlight the human rights violations suffered by many Palestinian people,” Mayor Byrne said.
The letter makes reference to Marrickville Council’s Sister City relationship with Bethlehem, the importance of sporting boycotts in the campaign against apartheid in South Africa and the pressure placed on Marrickville Council.
Excerpts:
“I want to pay my respects to you and your fellow Councilors in Marrickville for taking a stand to isolate the Israeli state, and before that for offering practical solidarity to our sisters and brothers under occupation in the Holy City of Bethlehem.
“International Boycotts, Divestment and Sanctions against the Apartheid regime, combined with the mass struggle inside South Africa, led to our victory.
“Sometimes taking a public stand for what is ethical and right brings costs, but social justice on a local or global scale requires faith and courage,” the Archbishop wrote.
In December 2010 ten out of twelve Marrickville Councillors supported the BDS. However by April 2011 six had withdrawn their support.
“We are humbled and inspired by this expression of support from Archbishop Desmond Tutu,” said Councillors Kontellis, Thanos and Peters said, who along with Mayor Byrne maintained their support for the BDS under intense media pressure.
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LETTER FROM ARCHBISHOP DESMOND TUTU
TO MARRICKVILLE’S MAYOR FIONA BYRNE

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Presentation speech to Mayor Fiona Byrne from Karel Solomon
Firstly I would like to acknowledge the original people of Australia – past present and future
And would like to see the end of the NT intervention – a very racist policy
And the suspension of the racial discrimination act being lifted.But tonight we here to support Clr Bryne and those of you who were brave enough to bring the plight of the Palestinian people to Australian mindset.
I know it’s not a easy task.
As someone who suffered under apartheid – it is all to clear that what exists in Israeli today is Apartheid – make no mistake about that.
Let me give you the definition of Apartheid
The crime of apartheid is defined by the 2002 Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court as inhumane acts of a character similar to other crimes against humanity ”committed in the context of an institutionalized regime of systematic oppression and domination by one racial group over any other racial group or groups and committed with the intention of maintaining that regime.”
On 30 November 1973, the United Nations General Assembly opened for signature and ratification the International Convention on the Suppression and Punishment of the Crime of Apartheid (ICSPCA)[1] It defined the crime of apartheid as “inhuman acts committed for the purpose of establishing and maintaining domination by one racial group of persons over any other racial group of persons and systematically oppressing them.”——-
How that does not fall into the ambit of what is happening to the Palestinians — I don’t know.
People were forcible removed from their homes and dumped into refugee camps – based on one criteria – and one criteria alone – by the race – by a accident of birth = people that were deemed non Jewish - were forcibly removed from their homes they knew all their lives.
When such a action was taken against Black people in White South Africa – it was seen as a policy of Apartheid. – a racist policy
When we as Blacks were told you can’t stay here – but you must stay there – it was a policy of Apartheid– a racist policy
When we as Blacks were told we can’t buy this land – but you can buy there – it was a policy of Apartheid – a racist policy
When Israeli demands to be recognized as a state that is defined by race – then it is an of Apartheid state. – a racist policy
When people – through a accident of birth to a specific race – are being denied basic human rights by another race – that is Apartheid
Make no mistake Israeli is an Apartheid state.
Even some people that that are fully supportive of the Palestinian people hesitate – to use the dread Apartheid word
I’m not sure why – but that is why we as South Africans have to moral responsibility – it is our duty – to tell the world when we see Apartheid.
Because we know it all to well – and the legacy.
It was for this reason – I called on family friends to contact Arch Bishop Tutu – to help Australians understand – that what is happening to the Palestinians – is Apartheid.
And it was for the same reason I knew Arch Bishop Tutu would support the action of Marrickville council
I will end – by reading the letter of support to Fiona and those who are supporting this anti racist campaign.
Read letter
In closing Fiona I would like to say – that although you might think you alone in this fight sometimes – don’t worry – there are millions of us – Fighting racism is our business.
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Social justice at local scale takes courage, Tutu tells Marrickville mayor
Josephine Tovey
SMH June 7, 2011

Illustration: Rocco Fazzari.
THE Anglican Archbishop Desmond Tutu has penned a letter of praise to Marrickville Council over its support for a boycott of Israel, almost two months after the policy was abandoned amid an angry political backlash.
The Nobel peace prize recipient and critic of Israel wrote that he wanted to extend his respects to the mayor, Fiona Byrne, and her fellow councillors ”for taking a stand to isolate the Israeli state”.
”We in South Africa, who both suffered apartheid and defeated it, have the moral right and responsibility to name and shame institutionalised separation, exclusion, and domination by one ethnic group over others,” Archbishop Tutu said in the letter, which will be formally presented to Cr Byrne tonight.
”Sometimes taking a public stand for what is ethical and right brings costs, but social justice on a local or global scale requires faith and courage.”
Ten Marrickville councillors – five Greens, four Labor and one independent – voted to support the boycott campaign against Israel last December, provoking condemnation from federal and state politicians, Jewish groups and media commentators.
The motion was overturned in April, when all the Labor and two Green councillors withdrew their support.
Cr Byrne, who narrowly lost her bid to unseat Carmel Tebbutt at the state election in March, welcomed the archbishop’s support.
”I am proud that Marrickville Council was able to support and highlight the human rights violations suffered by many Palestinian people,” she said.
The issue provoked a fresh spat between federal government and opposition MPs last week.
The opposition foreign affairs spokeswoman, Julie Bishop, put forward a notice of motion asking Parliament to ”note with concern” the council’s support for the boycott and the ”fraying of the traditionally bipartisan support amongst Australia’s political parties for the state of Israel”.
A Labor MP significantly amended the motion, prompting Ms Bishop to accuse the ALP of siding with the Greens.
”The actions of federal Labor MPs in Parliament today can only further embolden the anti-Israel elements within the Labor and union movement,” she said in a statement.
But the Foreign Affairs Minister, Kevin Rudd, returned fire, saying the motion was amended because bipartisan support among the major parties was ”unwavering”.
”Israel is fully supported by the government and we are not aware of any fraying of support from the opposition,” he said.
The revised motion reiterated support for the right of Israel to exist and for a peaceful two-state solution in the region.
Mr Rudd had previously derided the boycott policy as “just plain nuts”.
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/social-justice-at-local-scale-takes-courage-tutu-tells-marrickville-mayor-20110606-1fpdl.html#ixzz1OgZHRZxs