The Lewiston city council Tuesday night approved a resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire and release of hostages in the Israeli-Hamas war. In public testimony, several immigrant residents said they felt compelled to call for a ceasefire based on their own experiences fleeing war.
Mayor Carl Sheline and several city council members said they were uneasy about asking municipal officials to weigh in on foreign policy, but ultimately decided to hear the measure due to fervent local support.
Ifraax Saciid-Ciise was one of the local organizers pushing for the resolution. A member of Lewiston's Somali community, she said opposing war is personal.
"I as a child went through war in Somalia and I have seen the horrifying effects of war," she said. "A lot of new Mainers are here because of the war. And I feel like I'm being forced to fund this war in Gaza."
Many of those who testified, including Asif Siddiqi, said they wanted the council to amplify their concerns by conveying the resolution to Maine's congressional delegation.
"We kindly request you to leverage your influence to amplify our voices to stop this violence and request you to support ceasefire in Gaza," he said.
Siddiqi said he too was motivated to testify based on his personal experience of witnessing the horrors of war while growing up in Afghanistan.
The resolution passed 5-2.
Lewiston joins Portland and Belfast as the third Maine city to pass a ceasefire resolution. Over 100 municipalities nationwide have approved similar measures.
