The Palestinian author at the heart of the recent Adelaide Writers Festival controversy has released a remarkable statement regarding the Bondi terror attack, mere hours after the cancellation of the event.
Dr. Randa Abdel-Fattah was removed from the Adelaide Writers’ Week lineup last week due to concerns about ‘cultural sensitivity’ following the Bondi terror incident.
This decision led to a significant backlash, with over 180 writers and commentators, including former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, threatening to boycott the event, which was scheduled for late February.
On Tuesday afternoon, the Adelaide Festival announced the festival’s cancellation and the resignation of the entire board of directors.
In a statement shared on her Instagram, Dr. Abdel-Fattah criticized the board for their actions.
“The Bondi terrorist attack was abhorrent and horrifying. Yet, it is astonishing to see the Board’s erasure of terrorist attacks against First Nations peoples in Australia, as well as the erasure of the Australian-perpetuated terrorist attack in Christchurch,” Dr. Abdel-Fattah remarked.
‘This is not about oppression Olympics, but truthful reckoning with the violence of this colony and understanding the connections between violence not the exceptions.’
Dr Abdel-Fattah continued: ‘And this is why it is never more important to understand that whilst this was all triggered by a blatant act of anti-Palestinian racism against me as an individual person, it is clear that settler colonial and white supremacist violence against one marginalised person represents violence against all marginalised people.’
Dr Randa Abdel-Fattah was disinvited from the Adelaide Writers’ Week last week
Adelaide Festival also issued a public apology to Dr Abdel-Fattah for how the decision to disinvite her was ‘represented’ – something she refused to accept.
‘Because I have too much respect for myself and for my people, for those who have suffered irreparable harm by the Board’s conduct, for the brilliant Louise Adler who was forced on principle to resign, I refuse and reject the Board’s apology,’ Dr Abdel-Fattah said.
‘It is disingenuous. It adds insult to injury. It is clear that the board’s regret extends to how the message of my cancellation was conveyed, not the decision itself.’
The news comes just hours after the Adelaide Writers’ Week director Louise Adler publicly resigned from her post in an opinion article on Tuesday morning.
‘The Adelaide festival board’s decision – despite my strongest opposition – to disinvite … Abdel-Fattah from the Adelaide writers’ week weakens freedom of speech and is the harbinger of a less free nation where lobbying and political pressure determine who gets to speak and who doesn’t,’ she wrote.
‘I cannot be party to silencing writers so, with a heavy heart, I am resigning from my role as the director of the AWW.
‘Writers and writing matter, even when they are presenting ideas that discomfort and challenge us.’
Ms Adler’s resignation was just one of many departures, with half of the board having resigned over the weekend, following the board’s January 8 decision to disinvite Dr Abdel-Fattah.
Director Louise Adler publicly resigned from her post in an opinion article on Tuesday morning
In a statement issued on Tuesday afternoon, Adelaide Festival said the decision to axe the event was a ‘deeply regrettable outcome.’
‘As a board we took this action out of respect for a community experiencing the pain from a devastating event. Instead, this decision has created more division and for that we express our since apologies,’ they said.
‘We recognise and deeply regret the distress this decision has caused to our audience, artists and writers, donors, corporate partners, the government and our own staff and people.’
Dr Abdel-Fattah had been criticised for past anti-Zionist comments, which included the statement, ‘If you are a Zionist you have no claim or right to cultural safety.’
SA Premier Peter Malinauskas has also defended accusations he put political pressure on the board to cancel her appearance.
