[News] We Are Not Numbers || We are all Puerto Ricans

[Anti-Imperialist News]

https://wearenotnumbers.org/home/Story/383#sthash.bJOBSdF9.gbpl


  We Are Not Numbers || We are all Puerto Ricans

Tarneem Hammad
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dear Puerto Ricans,

I know what it’s like to struggle with shortages of vital supplies such 
as electricity, gas, cash and safe water. I know what it’s like to lose 
everything and have no place to go. I know what it feels like to hope 
that help will come—and it doesn’t. That’s why I am writing this letter, 
to express my solidarity with all of you who are struggling to survive 
the damage wrought first by years of neglect and now by the furies of 
Hurricane Maria. It breaks my heart to know that the same crises that 
make life so difficult every day in Gaza (although here, they are all 
very much manmade) now are hurting you in Puerto Rico. As a Gazan, I 
have experienced the same pain and I wish that on no one.

A few days ago, I read in the news about the more than 70,000 residents 
who had to evacuate their homes because they live very close to a dam 
damaged by the hurricane and was in imminent danger of failing—thus 
potentially destroying their homes. That made me remember the summer of 
2014, when Israeli forces attacked Gaza from the sea, sky and land—often 
giving those of us living in targeted neighborhoods only minutes to leave.

I hope most of you managed to collect your most valuable possessions 
before you had to flee, unlike most of us, who didn’t. Ten minutes is a 
very short time to try to recall every memory you had inside your 
house—your favorite books, your pictures, your love letters. Shock is 
mixed with pain and we do what every Gazan did before and will do after: 
We take our identity cards and go out to die a million times, to watch 
gazillions of memories wiped out like they never existed.

I also read that trucks carrying food, water and gas couldn’t deliver 
these necessary supplies across the island because so many roads were 
wrecked, making them unpassable. Again, memories flooded my mind. The 
people of Gaza have suffered through three wars since late 2008, and 
each time, Palestinian ambulances couldn’t reach the injured due the 
destruction and ongoing Israeli assaults. Often, the paramedics and 
hospitals themselves were attacked.

Like you, many of us were forced to move into buildings never meant to 
serve as shelters, like schools. I read about a 31-day-old baby 
<http://abcnewsradioonline.com/national-news/in-post-maria-puerto-rico-an-infant-copes-with-shelter-life.html>, 
born just before the hurricane, who is living in a classroom with 64 
other people and is suffering from an untreated skin condition. 
Tragically, we can relate! One of my fellow writers in We Are Not 
Numbers wrote about one family 
<https://wearenotnumbers.org/home/Story/Reham_forgot_how_to_draw_a_dove> 
forced to sleep with nearly 30 other people in the same room after they 
were forced to flee their home as tanks moved in.

The more I read about the way the hurricane has devastated Puerto Rico, 
the more parallels I see to Gaza after a war—or actually, even now. 
Because we have so much experience already, here are some tips to help 
you cope:


    *Electricity outages*

I understand it is expected to take four to six months to restore 
electricity to more than 3 million people—and that even before the 
storm, your sole electrical plant had been operating with outdated 
equipment 
<https://www.engadget.com/2017/09/30/puerto-rico-power-energy-crisis-hurricane-maria-prepa-tesla/> 
for decades. Again, the parallels are clear. Our 2 million people have 
been living with as little as three to four hours of power a day for 11 
years due to the blockade imposed by Israel and Egypt’s cooperation. Our 
only power plant has been hit in nearly every war waged on Gaza, and has 
never been able to completely rebuild.

So, as a partner in crisis, allow me to share some of our tactics for 
dealing with such shortages. First, get rid of any perishable food in 
the refrigerator or you will wake up one day to find it spoiled and 
rotten. The second thing you should do is to purchase a back-up power 
generator, if you can afford It; because here in Gaza, most can’t. 
Another option is to buy a unit that stores power for use later; 
however, it will be useless if there is insufficient electricity to be 
charge it in the first place. Don’t rely on candles, especially if you 
have children, because some Gazans have suffocated and died after 
dropping or knocking down candle and starting a fire. Third, when you 
have light during the days, try to read some books or just take a walk 
with friends; don’t stay alone with your negative thoughts.

Finally, be ready in case the electricity suddenly shows up with no 
warning; keep your electronic devices near a plug so you can charge them 
as fast as possible. In our case, this is particularly important, since 
our power will disappear again pretty quickly. Hopefully, once your 
electricity comes back, it will stay on.


    *Dangerous water*

As you are learning, the ugly truth about water is that it depends on 
electricity to be pumped into houses. Water and sanitation facilities 
don’t run when power is off. I read that the U.S. Federal Emergency 
Management Agency has estimated that 42 percent of Puerto Ricans are 
without access to potable water, and that just nine of the island's 52 
wastewater treatment facilities are operational. In Gaza, less than 4 
percent of our water is drinkable. We know how dangerous it is to drink 
contaminated water, and our only other choice is to buy it from 
commercial sources (like Israel, our occupier!), at very high prices.


    *Lack of gas*

I read that many of you were forced for a while to wait in line more 
than 10 hours to get gas, and that some residents of the island still 
face that situation. Many times, we also have to spend an entire day 
waiting for fuel, when our supply from Egypt and Israel is cut off. What 
Gazans usually do is bring along different types of snacks, as well as 
friends to keep us company. Good friends ease the suffering of waiting. 
Sometimes we take turns sitting in line. And be sure there is a strong 
phone signal! Otherwise, your family will worry and everyone will be 
wondering why you do not answer their calls.


    *Dirty politics*

Here is something else we share: When tracking the hurricane news, I 
discovered that politicians around the world are all the same. They 
criticize each other’s decisions instead of focusing on working together 
to help the victims. Your President Trump attacked San Juan’s mayor by 
saying, “Puerto Ricans want everything to be done for them.” Likewise, 
officials of our Hamas government often blame the [opposing] Fatah party 
for many of their problems, and vice versa. But must never settle for 
less than we deserve; we are under no obligation to silence ourselves!

Stay safe Puerto Ricans.

Love,
Tarneem from Gaza

-- 
Freedom Archives 522 Valencia Street San Francisco, CA 94110 415 
863.9977 https://freedomarchives.org/
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