According to the organisers of the five-page statement, around 600 civil servants have voiced support for the initiative, which has slowly been gathering traction for months through professional networks and word-of-mouth across a range of ministries.

The senior manager described a “climate of fear” within the civil service that the manager had “never experienced anything like in 15 years”. After internal complaints to ministers about supporting Israel’s war crimes dating from back in October, the manager was warned against talking about it. One director of development even advised against discussions via email, and suggested instead to only use phones so as not to leave a paper trail. “It has been hell for all of us,” said the manager, who singlehandedly gathered more than 100 signatures from colleagues and through professional networks.

  • xmunk@sh.itjust.works
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    3 months ago

    People: Do good thing while risking their jobs.

    Internet commenter: “What an awful thing, I surely would do more in that situation.”

    I agree that more should happen, but I applaud these people for what they’re doing.

    • roguetrick@kbin.social
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      3 months ago

      I’m making an ethical must statement, not an ethical ought statement. If you believe you’re carrying out orders as a civil servant that violate your constitutional oath like they state in the letter you must resign. There’s no gray area there.

      • luckystarr@feddit.de
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        3 months ago

        Which will result in only those remaining which are complicit. This is clearly a negative outcome. 1. For the people resigning, as resigning didn’t advance their cause, but made the situation worse. 2. For society, because it made the institution less trustworthy.

        • roguetrick@kbin.social
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          3 months ago

          If you’re carrying out orders in knowing violation of your constitutional oath you are complicit and the institution is inherently corrupt.

          • Hacksaw@lemmy.ca
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            3 months ago

            Don’t try to use your power to make things better, RESIGN so only the corrupt have power. Then you can say “I did the right thing” as things get worse and worse as every ethical person no longer has any power or authority.

            • roguetrick@kbin.social
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              3 months ago

              You’re not using power to make things better in that case. You’re ACTUALLY using power to make things worse by following unconstitutional orders. But you feel bad about it.

              • Hacksaw@lemmy.ca
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                3 months ago

                I love how you can’t even begin to understand the concept that “if all the people who feel bad about hurting others LEAVE positions of power, the only people left with power are those who don’t feel bad”

                • roguetrick@kbin.social
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                  3 months ago

                  It’s not about understanding. I’m explicitly stating that it’s a distinction without a difference. I know exactly what you’re saying and I’m telling you it doesn’t matter. There is no functional disparity if the result is the same.