Open Letter to the Swedish Government and the Committee on Foreign Affairs
In this open letter, IM’s Secretary General Gabriella Fredriksson delivers strong criticism of the Swedish government and the Parliamentary Committee on Foreign Affairs. The letter is a call to reinstate support for UNRWA and to take urgent action to allow life-saving humanitarian aid into Gaza.
Open letter to the ministers of the Swedish government, members of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and foreign policy spokespersons of all political parties
We write to you in anger and in grief.
What is happening in Gaza is a humanitarian catastrophe without precedent. Hospitals are collapsing. Children are starving. People are dying from disease, thirst and bombs – in their tens of thousands. The United Nations is raising the alarm. The needs are well known, and the resources to ease the suffering exist. At a time when humanitarian aid needs every possible support to reach the most vulnerable, we need governments willing to push for decisive action. In this moment, the Swedish government has chosen to withhold funding from UNRWA – one of the largest and most capable humanitarian actors in the region.
This is unworthy of Sweden – of our history, and of the role we aspire to play in the world. It is immoral to stand by when it is possible to act with greater force.
IM is a Swedish development organisation that has been present in Gaza for decades. Through our local partner organisations, we continue to reach people – even under near-impossible conditions. Dalia Hamayel, responsible for our colleagues in Gaza, puts it like this:
“We see with our own eyes what is happening. Children are forced to drink dirty water. Women give birth without anaesthesia. Families are living under tarpaulins amidst the ruins. This is not just a crisis – it is a prolonged collapse of human dignity.”
Sweden has a responsibility – both as a champion of human and humanitarian rights and as a voice of influence within the EU and the UN. We want to see a Sweden that acts with integrity and:
• Immediately reinstates funding to UNRWA
• Pushes for an immediate ceasefire and unimpeded humanitarian access to Gaza
• Clearly condemns the blockade of aid and the collective punishment of Gaza’s civilian population
The limits of political caution have long since been passed. Only strong, decisive action remains.
It is not too late to ensure that Sweden is remembered as having stood on the right side of history.
Sincerely,
Gabriella Fredriksson
Secretary General, IM (Individuell Människohjälp)
By: Malin Kihlström