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An Indian poet and author from an indigenous community has declined an award supported by the U.S. in solidarity with Palestine as the Israeli attack on Gaza reaches its one-year milestone.
Jacinta Kerketta, 41, shared with Anadolu Agency (AA) that her poetry collection “Jirhul” for children was chosen for the Room to Read Young Author Award by the Room to Read India Trust in collaboration with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) – a Washington-funded aid organization.
She made the decision to reject the award because of its connection to “USAID support.”
Kerketta stated that she learned about the award and its supporting organizations via an email.
She expressed her concern about the thousands of children losing their lives in Palestine and emphasized the failure of adults to create a better world for children.
“As a poet, I want to express my support for the children, women, and victims of Palestine,” Kerketta mentioned.
The poet pointed out that Room to Read India Trust is involved in Boeing’s children’s educational activities and highlighted the company’s affiliation with Israel in terms of arms trade.
Kerketta, a journalist, poet, and activist who works in the state of Jharkhand, focuses her work on gender-based violence, particularly against women, displacement, and critiques of India’s governance indifference.
Kerketta’s refusal to accept the award coincides with continued U.S. backing of Israel as the country’s aggression against the blockaded Gaza Strip reaches its one-year mark on Monday.
Israel initiated its offensive on Gaza after a cross-border raid by the Palestinian resistance group, Hamas, on October 7, 2023, resulting in less than 1,200 casualties.
Since then, Israel has caused the death of nearly 41,800 individuals, most of whom are women and children, alongside around 97,000 injuries, according to local health authorities.
The Israeli assault has led to the displacement of almost the entire population of the region, amid an ongoing blockade causing severe shortages of food, water, and medication.
Furthermore, Israel is facing a genocide charge at the International Court of Justice for its actions in Gaza.
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Emil Kovács graduated from the Journalism program at Eötvös Loránd University in Hungary. During his journalism studies, he focused on data journalism, investigative reporting, and multimedia storytelling. He gained experience by writing for the university’s student newspaper, where he gained attention for his articles on social issues. After graduation, Emil began working as a reporter at a European news agency, where he conducts in-depth analyses of international news and current events.
