Network Director

Since the first attacks on October 7th, 2023, Gaza has been embroiled in a devastating conflict as tensions that have been mounting for many decades have erupted in these most recent tragedies. Thousands of civilians have lost their lives, and countless more have had to flee their homes for fear of further death and destruction. In light of these tragic developments, the United Nations General Assembly called for a “humanitarian truce” in Gaza on October 27th. The vast majority of the delegates chose to adopt the resolution with a 120-14 vote. In the midst of the ongoing military conflict, their resolution emphasizes the need to support and care for the millions who lack access to food, water, medicine, and fuel. The resolution also calls for all parties to honor international humanitarian law, especially with regard to the protection of civilians, humanitarian personnel, and humanitarian facilities, such as hospitals and schools.

We at National APAMSA unequivocally uphold the value of human life everywhere, and we join the U.N. General Assembly in demanding that it be protected at all costs. We firmly assert that civilian lives must not be jeopardized, even in the midst of a military conflict, and we strongly urge for a humanitarian truce to be enacted. We affirm the statement of the Committee of Interns and Residents in emphasizing that as members of the medical profession, we are committed to maintaining the health and safety of every person regardless of background. No civilians on any side of the conflict should have to face the fear of death or have their access to the necessities of life threatened, and we commend the healthcare workers who have been caring for the sick and injured even at the risk of their own lives.

Moreover, we recognize and likewise condemn the ways in which the conflict has led to an increase in racially motivated hate crimes against both Jewish and Muslim people in the United States. As stated in our most recent Official Statement, we stand against all instances of racial hate crimes and violence within our communities. Relevantly, we also reaffirm Resolution 20.002 of our Policy Compendium: that we support and uphold the importance of refugee and migrant health and safety, both within and outside our national borders.

We are aware of the recent developments in which Israel and Hamas agreed to a four-day truce starting on November 23rd, 2023. However, the truce would entail an exchange of only a limited number of hostages; it does not itself indicate a definitive end to this present conflict.

We therefore maintain our call for a ceasefire to be established and for unrestricted humanitarian aid to be provided to all who have been affected by the conflict, and we urge our community members to join us in contacting local government representatives and legislators to raise their own voices to this end. Please reach out to your local regional director or the National APAMSA Mental Health Director at mentalhealth@apamsa.org. You can find our list of additional supportive resources here.

On October 14th, 2023, 6-year-old Wadea Al-Fayoume was killed and his mother, Hanaan Shahin, was critically wounded in a horrific stabbing by their landlord, allegedly because they were Muslim. Having moved to Illinois only 2 years ago, the Muslim Palestinian family has been devastated by what is now being investigated as a potential hate crime, as the authorities believe this attack was likely connected to the Israel-Hamas conflict that erupted just a week prior.

The ongoing conflict in the Middle East has shaken the world with the tragedies that have arisen from it. There are no winners in war, and we at National APAMSA grieve for all those who have lost so much and suffered so greatly from it. Indeed, increased reports of hate and violent threats against both Muslim and Jewish communities across the country have been pouring forth in just the past few days. We lament how the eruption of this conflict has sparked such hate and violence, and we condemn all acts of racially targeted attacks.

We strive to protect and uphold the health and safety of all our communities, and we absolutely do not tolerate any threats to those values. As news coverage continues to focus on this most pressing issue, we urge those in political offices and the media to proceed with caution so as not to inflame already mounting tensions that may exacerbate threats of violence. APAMSA condemns all forms of racism, and we look to our country’s leaders to do the same.

We offer our deepest condolences to Al-Fayoume’s family and all those in the Muslim and Arab American communities, and we hope Shahin will recover soon. 

On January 23rd of 2023, 23-year-old Jaahnavi Kandula was struck and killed by a police officer’s vehicle that was responding to a “priority one” call. A Master’s student of Northeastern University’s Seattle campus, Kandula had immigrated from India, where her single mother was an elementary school teacher and had taken on financial debt to support the move. Yet the tragedy of her story has only grown as recently released footage revealed the manner in which vice president of the Seattle Police Officers Guild, Dan Auderer, had responded to the incident. In it, Auderer is heard laughing while discussing Kandula’s death, finally quipping, “Just write a check… yeah, $11,000. She was 26 anyway, she had limited value.”

It is difficult to describe the horror and anger that naturally arise upon listening to Auderer’s callous behavior. Not merely in virtue of Kandula’s talent and potential, but as a human being deserving of dignity and respect, she deserves far more than to be laughed at so flippantly. We at National APAMSA are horrified with Auderer’s actions, and we call upon the Office of Police Accountability to conduct its investigation with the utmost seriousness and urgency. We demand that justice be brought to the situation for the sake of Kandula’s memory and her family. We cannot stand idly by and allow the dehumanization and diminishment of members of our AANHPI community go unpunished.

We offer our sincerest condolences to Kandula’s loved ones, who had to suffer from not only the loss of someone so dear to them, but also the insult and disrespect from those that are ostensibly there to protect and serve our communities. We urge other AANHPI communities to join us in our condemnation of these disturbing developments. We also urge organizations associated with or otherwise involved in this nation’s police force to fight for robust and just accountability practices for police officers throughout our communities.