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<h1 id="reader-title">We Are Not Numbers || We are all Puerto
Ricans</h1>
<div id="reader-credits" class="credits">Tarneem Hammad </div>
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<p>Dear Puerto Ricans,</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>Like you, many of us were forced to move into buildings
never meant to serve as shelters, like schools. I read
about a <a
href="http://abcnewsradioonline.com/national-news/in-post-maria-puerto-rico-an-infant-copes-with-shelter-life.html"
target="_blank">31-day-old baby</a>, 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 <a
href="https://wearenotnumbers.org/home/Story/Reham_forgot_how_to_draw_a_dove">wrote
about one family</a> forced to sleep with nearly 30
other people in the same room after they were forced to
flee their home as tanks moved in.</p>
<p>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:</p>
<h2><strong>Electricity outages</strong></h2>
<p>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 <a
href="https://www.engadget.com/2017/09/30/puerto-rico-power-energy-crisis-hurricane-maria-prepa-tesla/"
target="_blank">operating with outdated equipment</a>
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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<h2><strong>Dangerous water</strong></h2>
<p>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.</p>
<h2><strong>Lack of gas</strong></h2>
<p>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.</p>
<h2><strong>Dirty politics</strong></h2>
<p>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!</p>
<p>Stay safe Puerto Ricans.</p>
<p>Love,<br>
Tarneem from Gaza</p>
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