[Reader-list] Call to Endorse and Participate in the India Lifelineto Gaza Campaign to End the Siege of Gaza

[TaraPrakash]

If an individual wants to make financial contribution to the campaign, what 
is the procedure? Any phone numbers for more details?



----- Original Message ----- 
From: "AsiaToGaza-India" <asiatogaza.india at gmail.com>
To: <shuddha at sarai.net>; <reader-list at sarai.net>
Sent: Monday, August 09, 2010 12:48 AM
Subject: [Reader-list] Call to Endorse and Participate in the India 
Lifelineto Gaza Campaign to End the Siege of Gaza


> Friends,
>
>
> Several organisations have endorsed the call for a Campaign to End the 
> Seige
> in Gaza and will be participating in an Asian land convoy that leaves from
> New Delhi mid-September and travels across Pakistan, Iran, Turkey, Syria,
> Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt and ultimately through the Rafah Crossing into
> Gaza-Palestine.
>
>
> We hope you will endorse the campaign call and become part of the
> coordinating committee of the campaign that decides the broad policies of
> the campaign.
>
>
> All endorsing organisations are requested to contribute a minimum of Rs 
> 1000
> towards meeting campaign costs and also to nominate full-time volunteers 
> to
> the secretariat to oversee and execute day-to-day functions and tasks.
>
>
> Please drop us a line informing us of your endorsement and/or your intent 
> to
> participate in the caravan.
>
>
> *Campaign to End the Siege of Gaza: India Lifeline to Gaza *
>
> *September 2010*
>
>
>
> We the people of India extend our solidarity to the courageous people of
> Palestine in their struggle and resistance against the occupation of their
> land.  Israel’s occupation of Palestinian and Arab territories has lasted
> for more than six decades in violation of international law, international
> humanitarian law and numerous United Nations resolutions. The occupation 
> of
> Palestine must end! Gaza has been turned into a vast
> open-air-prison-cum-concentration camp for its 1.5 million inhabitants. 
> The
> Palestinian population in the West Bank and in Jerusalem are under
> continuous repression, assaults and in a permanent state of siege due to 
> the
> ever expanding settlements & the apartheid wall. The Palestinian people 
> must
> have the freedom to exercise their right to self-determination including
> their right to establish on all the territories that Israel has occupied, 
> an
> independent sovereign state with Jerusalem as its capital. The
> structure of Zionist
> apartheid, based on ethno-religious discrimination that Israel has
> established, must be dismantled and it must grant equal rights to all its
> citizens, including the “Right of Return” to the Palestinians refugees.
>
> *Defend the right of Palestinian people to resist the occupation through 
> all
> legitimate means*
>
> The campaign and struggle to end the blockade of Gaza is an integral part
> of, and a step to this larger struggle for self determination of the
> Palestinian People and for a State of Palestine. The people of Gaza are
> being subjected to the Israeli policy of collective punishment for 
> asserting
> their democratic right to decide for themselves the leadership and 
> political
> organisations to lead their struggle, govern their society and represent
> them in all negotiations.
>
>
>
> The genocidal nature of the war unleashed on Gaza, is also meant to serve 
> as
> a warning to the rest of the Palestinian People. Israel, backed by the US
> and reactionary forces, is using war, terror and blockade to break the 
> will
> of the people of Gaza.  The Blockade of Gaza since 2007 has resulted in 
> lack
> of essential supplies, petrol for electricity, imminent shortage of
> medicines, food and water which has triggered a humanitarian crisis that 
> the
> world needs to respond to with urgency.
>
>
>
> The freedom and peace loving people of the world and democratic states 
> have
> to defeat this nefarious design. Palestine is today one of the defining
> struggles for freedom, democracy and equality for peoples and nations.
>
>
> *Let us unite to win this battle*
>
> This struggle is broad, varied and multi-dimensional. It is humanitarian 
> and
> for peace, freedom and human dignity. It is against occupation, 
> imperialism,
> apartheid, Zionism and all forms of discrimination including religious
> discrimination. We call upon all organisations, movements and individuals 
> to
> engage, contribute, actively participate and join the struggle. We commit 
> to
> respect the right of all participants to share, emphasise and focus on any
> aspect and dimension of the struggle that is accordance with their own
> views, belief and ideology, provided they do not divide, weaken or vitiate
> the common and broad front against the blockade of Gaza and the very
> struggle for the liberation of Palestine.
>
>
>
> After the terrible massacre aboard the Freedom Flotilla on 31 May
> 2010, citizens
> around the world are taking action to help break the siege which is
> suffocating the lives of the people of Gaza and denying them their very
> right to exist.
>
> Different movements across the world are mobilising to end the blockade of
> the Gaza Strip and to bring humanitarian aid to the Palestinian people. 
> The
> IHH (Insani Yardi Vakfi or The Foundation for Human Rights, Freedoms and
> Humanitarian Relief), participated in the Freedom Flotilla in which 9 of 
> its
> peace activists were murdered in cold blood by Israeli soldiers on board 
> of
> Mavi Marmara. The “Free Gaza Movement” has challenged the siege by
> organizing ships to the shores of Gaza. The “Viva Palestina” has mobilized
> more than 500 vehicles and 60 ships that will reach Gaza in September. 
> “The
> European Campaign to End the Siege of Gaza” will be sending more than 9000
> delegates. Many more organizations around the world are now galvanizing 
> the
> global solidarity movement and will be contributing with their local and
> global actions.  Convoys from North and South Africa and ships from the 
> USA,
> New Zealand, Canada & Australia are also due to join the global effort.
>
> We are committed to and believe that there must be a strong Asian
> involvement in the global movement to end the siege of Gaza and for the
> liberation of Palestine. It is important that India plays a part in
> initiating and building the Asian process for solidarity with Palestine.
>
>
> It is against this background that the undersigned organisations undertake
> to organise an Asian land convoy to Gaza. This convoy will leave from New
> Delhi mid-September and will travel across Pakistan, Iran, Turkey, Syria,
> Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt and ultimately through the Rafah Crossing into
> Gaza-Palestine. The Asian convoy will be joined by delegations and 
> vehicles
> in each of the nine countries through which it passes. We will coordinate
> with existing and new organisations and alliances in each of these 
> countries
> and commit together to develop an Asia level campaign to free Palestine. 
> In
> each of these countries public meetings, press conferences, meetings with
> mass organisations and political parties will be organised.
>
> We endorse the Solidarity Caravan from India to Palestine.
>
> In solidarity,
>
> *Organisations*
> Aman Bharat
> Awami Bharat
> Banglar Manabadhikar Suraksha Mancha (MASUM)
>
> Bharat Bachao Andolan
> Campaign for Peace & Democracy (Manipur)
>
> Ekta Parishad
> Free Gaza - India
> India Palestine People’s Solidarity Forum
> Intercultural Resources
> IIM
> Mazdoor Ekta Manch
>
> Muslim Intellectual Forum
> Muslim Political Council of India
> National Forum of Forest People and Forest Workers (NFFPFW)
>
> New Socialist Initiative (NSI)
>
> New Trade Union Initiative (NTUI)
> Palestine Solidarity Movement
> People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL)
>
> Phule-Ambedkar Vichar Manch
> Programme Against Custodial Torture & Impunity (PACTI)
>
> Republican Panther
> SACW.NET
> South Asia Peace Alliance (SAPA)
> Trade Union Centre of India (TUCI)
>
> Vidyarthi Bharti
>
>
>
> *Individuals*
>
> Salman Usmani, New Delhi
> _________________________________________
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