Over the past year, the world has bore witness to an unparalleled level of destruction in Gaza. Israel has bombed residential areas, civilians and critical infrastructure, leaving behind disintegrated bodies buried in rubble and displaced masses. Yet, amid this devastation, there is also celebration — of resistance, of defiance, of martyrdom. Armed militants continue to clash with an imperialist power, choosing to stand and fight — even if that fight leads to death. For many in the diaspora watching this genocide unfold, these scenes invoke all-too-familiar feelings of rage and frustration, as Canadian political leaders and other settler-colonial Western nations continue to express unwavering support for the oppressor, in this circumstance, Israel. The sense of apathy within Canada and the wider international community fuels the anger of those who feel a profound disconnect between their struggle and the positions taken by the governments meant to represent them.
In response, Palestinians and their allies have mobilized across the world, building solidarity and celebrating their struggle for liberation. From community centres to schools to the streets, their message has been clear: this is a life-and-death struggle and they will not be silenced. The sheer scope of their global mobilization has drawn attention to the shared urgency and commonality of liberation struggles everywhere. The connections between these struggles have long been understood by those on the frontlines of resistance, where the convergence of regional oppressions and shared colonial histories has created an organic solidarity among movements. For those directly impacted by the violence of imperialist powers, there is a visceral, lived understanding that their fates are bound together.
Shared resistance: connecting the South Asian diaspora and Palestinian experiences
Our solidarity does not exist in isolation; it is built on a long history of shared resistance to colonial settler states that stretches across continents. From the Indigenous peoples of Canada to Palestinians under Israeli occupation, from Sikhs, Dalits, Kashmiris and Tamils to those resisting in the tribal regions and conflict zones of Manipur and Nagaland, we all face the relentless advance of settler-colonialism and imperialism. Each of these communities has endured systems designed to suppress their sovereignty, erase their cultures and marginalize their voices. In these struggles, our collective pain and resistance have intertwined across time and geography.
The Indigenous peoples of Canada and the Palestinians have faced generations of forced assimilation, displacement, cultural suppression, and systemic racism and violence inflicted by settler-colonial states seeking to eradicate their identities and cultures. Similarly, in India, Sikh communities, Dalits, and Adivasis (tribal communities) have long resisted the state’s efforts to suppress their autonomy through colonial-era laws, state violence and the use of the military to quash their movements.
These histories of resistance — whether in Gaza, Kashmir, Manipur, or British/India-occupied Punjab — are deeply interconnected. We are united by the shared experience of resistance against settler states that seek to crush any form of self-determination. By recognizing these shared histories of resisting colonialism, we understand that our liberation is tied to each other’s. Whether in the streets of Gaza, the forests of Manipur or the unceded territories of Canada, the fight is against the same systems of power and domination. This bond is the foundation for true solidarity — one that transcends borders and connects us through the pursuit of justice and freedom for all oppressed peoples.
The nature of digital misinformation
The political landscape in our communities is shaped not just by external events but by how these are perceived and amplified online. Social media has become an arena where disinformation thrives, encouraging knee-jerk reactions that often stifle productive dialogue. In this chaotic space, narratives are weaponized and the truth becomes secondary to outrage and emotional manipulation. The Palestinian struggle, while a deeply human story of survival, resistance and oppression, is too often distorted by those who seek to drive a wedge between solidarity movements. Rather than being a tool for fostering genuine connection, these platforms have become breeding grounds for divisiveness, leaving marginalized groups to face even greater challenges in their pursuit of justice.
Those broadcasting and sharing inflammatory content without context bear responsibility for inflaming further polarization in this as well. This content, shared across social media, creates a vacuum where understanding and dialogue should exist. This is not a problem unique to any one community — the entire world, including superpowers, struggles with the rampant disinformation and polarization that social media facilitates. Inflammatory content is often shared without context, creating a dangerous cycle where outrage is stoked and communities are pushed into rash, reactionary positions. We’ve seen this repeatedly with Muslims, Dalits, Kashmiris, Tamils, the people of Manipur and Nagaland, as well as Sikhs where decontextualized clips go viral, sparking intense outrage and mobilizing protests only for the facts to emerge later, revealing ulterior motives or otherwise detrimental consequences.
This issue is further complicated by the deliberate weaponization of social media by Indian bot accounts, aiming to sow discord between Sikhs, Muslims, Dalits, Tamils, other oppressed communities and Palestinians. But the manipulation runs deeper than mere misinformation. The burgeoning strategic alliance between India and Israel introduces a more sinister dimension: cyber warfare and cognitive manipulation. Israel, with its extensive expertise in military intelligence and psychological operations, is assisting India in refining its cyber capabilities — including psyops and cognitive warfare campaigns designed to influence the decision-making processes, behaviours and even the worldviews of entire communities.
Social media, in its relentless pursuit of engagement, often amplifies the most provocative narratives, stripping away the nuances crucial for informed understanding. This leaves us vulnerable to manipulation, fighting battles we didn’t choose and don’t fully comprehend. This is the insidious nature of digital misinformation — a constant challenge in navigating today’s complex political landscape. In this instance, it distracts from a far more critical issue: the urgent need to recognize the interconnectedness of liberation struggles and forge collective action with those fighting similar battles against shared oppressors.
The age of cognitive warfare
Authoritarian regimes are no longer just spreading misinformation; they are deploying sophisticated tools designed to alter how we perceive reality itself. By fusing psychological operations with advanced neuroscience and cyber technologies, these strategies aim to manipulate not just the information we receive but our very cognitive processes. This goes beyond influencing opinions — it’s about reshaping political behaviours and social attitudes at their core. This isn’t merely an information war; it’s an assault on the integrity of independent thought and personal autonomy.
A CSIS Analytical Brief from September 2023 highlighted the growing severity of India’s focus on cognitive warfare, describing it as an “unconventional form of aggression that uses cyber tools to alter cognitive and decision-making processes of an individual or a group of individuals. It involves the integration of traditional psychological and information operations with the latest advances in computer, cognitive, and neuroscience technologies.” This strategic shift represents a disturbing development, where the manipulation of thoughts and perceptions becomes a key weapon, far beyond traditional disinformation tactics. India’s collaboration with Israel, particularly in developing these technologies, is a key part of this strategy. The implications are deeply troubling: these tactics undermine the very foundations of informed decision-making, replacing autonomous thought with engineered compliance.
The gravity of this situation cannot be overstated. We are no longer merely confronting misleading headlines or decontextualized social media clips; we are facing a deliberate, calculated effort to distort reality on a mass scale. If we fail to recognize and counter this, we risk becoming passive actors in a game of geopolitical manipulation designed to erode solidarity and perpetuate cycles of oppression. As these tactics are employed to fracture movements and disrupt alliances, our response must be grounded in a clear-eyed understanding of these broader forces at work. It is not only our political autonomy at stake but our collective ability to resist and organize in meaningful, lasting ways.
Khalistan and the Palestinian struggle
The struggle for liberation runs deep within the Sikh community, woven into our very being. Historically, Sikhs have stood at the forefront of anti-imperialist and anti-colonial movements, and have played pivotal roles in labor and workers’ organizing worldwide. These values of justice and resistance are instincts embedded in our collective consciousness. As we witness the genocide unfolding in Palestine and see their determined resistance, it stirs a profound and personal reflection within our community, compelling us to connect our own struggles with theirs.
In the first week of October, the Khalistan Centre published a collective statement of solidarity with the Palestinian struggle, recognizing that our fates are interconnected with those of other oppressed peoples: “Solidarity is not an abstract concept; it is rooted in action, in our lived history, in our willingness to take risks and stand firm.” Our solidarity is not theoretical, it is lived; embodied through our actions and our deep commitment to resisting oppression wherever it exists. Those of us actively engaged in solidarity with other marginalized groups do not need to justify our actions to others. We do not act in pursuit of validation or popular approval; we act because our path, set forth by our principles, demands it. We are not swayed by the fleeting judgments of others, for we know the truth of our struggle. Public opinion may shift and falter, but our commitment to justice remains steadfast.
During the peak of the Khalistan sangarsh (struggle), the Sikh Students Federation, an armed militant group, incisively stated: “So long as the Sikh movement was guarded by the poor and the oppressed forces, it remained in perfect health and high spirits with respect to its aims, objectives, and principles.” This reminder is crucial for us today. We cannot allow our struggle to be dictated by those who do not share in the suffering of the oppressed. When the movement is hijacked by those removed from the reality of oppression, it risks being diluted, losing its clarity of purpose, and becoming disconnected from its original aims. The voices and actions of those who live on the margins — those who understand the weight of colonialism, state violence, and injustice firsthand — must continue to guide and guard our struggle. If we allow the privileged or those seeking to appease oppressive systems to steer our path, we risk betraying the very principles on which our movements are built.
Uniting for liberation: diaspora in solidarity with Palestine
As we navigate within our own networks to build support for the Palestinians, we must avoid the dangerous trap of becoming ensnared in reactionary politics. Reactionary responses, driven by emotion rather than grounded principles in solidarity, compassion and deep understanding, often result in impulsive decisions and a form of politics that is ultimately futile. We must remember: when we allow ourselves to be swept away by reactionary outrage, we lose sight of our greater responsibility. The rush to react has created divisions between us and has distracted us from the larger political realities that we should be addressing, both in Palestine and in our communities.
We must actively resist the forces that seek to fragment and subjugate us. Our strength lies in the spiritual and political traditions of our communities, traditions that defy liberal, imperialist and capitalist systems. This is not a fight for reform but for revolution. To settle for anything less, to waver in our solidarity with other oppressed peoples, is to betray our history and abandon our future.
We must acknowledge that we reside in countries that not only condone but actively enable the Israeli oppression of Palestinians — through military aid, diplomatic cover and the suppression of dissent within their own borders. These countries demonstrate a blatant disregard for marginalized communities and human rights, prioritizing geopolitical interests above all else. To appeal to such systems for justice is to ignore the very foundation of their oppression.
We must forge a path that is rooted in the collective power of our communities and our unwavering commitment to justice.
Palestine Zindabad! Long Live Palestine!
Inquilab Zindabad! Long Live the Revolution!
This article is a condensed version of a longer piece written by Jungfateh Singh and originally published through Panth Punjab on October 1, 2024. For extended analysis and further insights, please visit https://www.panthpunjab.com/p/navigating-solidarity-in-an-age-of.
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