Bitchitra Collective calls for an immediate and complete ceasefire in Palestine and stands in solidarity with Palestinians.

We profoundly mourn all of the thousands of lives lost since October 7, as well as throughout the history of the region. We condemn the systematic occupation that has inflicted immeasurable suffering on the Palestinian people including journalists, civilians, elderly people, women and innocent children. We assert that settler colonialism must be dismantled to bring an end to this cycle of violence.

We stand in solidarity with our Jewish friends, and with communities around the world who are calling for a complete ceasefire, too many of whom are being silenced and penalized for speaking up. We condemn Islamophobia and antisemitism. We express relief at the release of hostages, while calling for the release of all of them, and for a lasting truce and enduring peace.

Amidst the heartbreaking displacement and dispossession, Palestinian artists and journalists, our creative kin, bear witness to the profound impact of ethnic cleansing on cultural expression. Their stories echo the resilience of a people living under occupation.

We are storytellers committed to amplifying underrepresented voices, and as people of Indian origin, we are acutely familiar with the generational trauma caused by colonialism and oppression. At a time of rising violence and hate around the world it is our collective responsibility to educate ourselves, support the people of Palestine, and listen to and uplift their voices.

We urge the U.S. administration to stop the military aid fueling this genocide. We ask the Indian administration to renew its support of Palestine. We call upon the world to stand up for the rights and dignity of Palestinian people, and recognize our shared humanity.

We, Bitchitra Collective: Indian Women in Documentary, are writing this statement of solidarity with Afghan women and non-binary storytellers, filmmakers, artists, and journalists.

Afghanistan has sunk into chaos and violence—caused most recently by the pullout of occupying U.S. military troops, fall of a feeble presiding government and the effects of a rapid takeover by the authoritarian Taliban regime. Thousands of Afghans are trying to flee the country and find safety. The situation is changing by the minute, and there are immediate humanitarian needs to fulfill.

In addition, Afghan women’s organizations—who have worked tirelessly to foreground their voices and perspectives in a patriarchal society—are expressing fear of further erosion of freedom of speech and human rights, especially for women and girls. As a group of South Asian women/non-binary filmmakers we are especially devastated after reading accounts of Afghan filmmakers and journalists who are trapped in their homes, towns, cities, and provinces, and are at risk for silencing and violence. We know how soon the right to expression can be taken away, and how it can be weaponized to violate fundamental rights. We are therefore deeply concerned for this population.

In solidarity with them, we call for the following:

• Western governments and neighboring nations—including Pakistan and India—step up and provide safe harbor to all Afghan refugees, grant express visas, and continue humanitarian aid for their long-term protection.
• Resettlement decisions not be shaped by xenophobia, Islamophobia, or patriarchy.
• Communities receiving refugees create a welcoming culture that fosters inclusion and integration and be supported to do so.
• International institutions listen to Afghan women leaders and foreground their voices. International media outlets elevate and amplify the lived experience of Afghans in-country and the voices of Afghans in the diaspora — with identity protection for each group — and privilege these over western commentators.
• Afghan storytellers, artists, and journalists be treated with special status, given the particular dangers they face. Governments, non-government organizations, politicians, social media influencers and each and every one of us raise our voices in defense of their free and fair expression.
• We all educate ourselves on the history of violence in this region in order to deter our governments from launching future imperialist wars that ravage countries and populations.

We recommend the following resource to learn more about how to support resettlement and humanitarian efforts: Resources to Help Afghan Refugees.

SIGNATORIES

Farha Khatun, Lina Srivastava, Tula Goenka, Vaishali Sinha, Prerana Thakurdesai, Mridu Chandra, Anu Rana, Juhi Sharma, Debalina Majumder, Meenakshi Shedde, Shuchi Talati, Laj P. Waghray, Ambarien Alqadar, Priya Thuvassery, Maheen Mirza, Ghania Siddique, Miriam Chandy, Nishtha Jain, Anula Shetty, Meghna Damani, Shashwati Talukdar, Ruchika Muchchala, Ishita Srivastava, Raji Ram, Sneha Mundari, Sonali Gulati, Leena Jayaswal, Sriyanka Ray, Samina Mishra, Arundhati Ghosh.