BY ABDUL BARI MASOUD
NEW DELHI: The Asian People’s Solidarity for Palestine has decided to start on an Asian flotilla for the besieged Palestinians in the occupied Gaza strip.
The ‘Asia to Gaza Solidarity Caravan’ would begin its journey on December t2 his year. Around 500 civil resisters from 17 Asian countries will join the caravan from India and march through 18 Asian cities of Pakistan, Iran, and Turkey to break the siege of Gaza through the sea route in the end of December 2010.
Asian People’s Solidarity for Palestine is an amalgam of host of NGOs. At a press conference here the alliance activists announced that the caravan is meant to extends solidarity to the courageous people of Palestine in their struggle, resistance, and intifada against the Zionist Israeli occupation and affirms its commitment to Palestinian Self-Determination; Ending the Occupation; Equal Rights for All within historic Palestine; the Right of Return for Palestinian refugees; and the Establishment of a Sovereign, Independent and Democratic state of Palestine with Jerusalem as the capital.
Simultaneous press conferences were also held in five countries on Tuesday in India, Turkey, Iran, Indonesia and Lebanon – to announce the launch of the Asia to Gaza Caravan, they added. Noted activist Feroz Mehtiborwala says that similar press conferences will be held next week in Syria, Palestine, Malysia, Nepal and Bangladesh.
It further says that it has committed to build the solidarity of Asian people for the freedom of Palestine, provide materials, resources, and volunteers to support the struggle of the people of Palestine and oppose our own governments’ decisions and actions that give economic, financial, military and diplomatic support to Israel and allow it to behave with impunity.
Highlighting details of the caravan, he says India Lifeline to Gaza, which is a constituent of the Asian People’s Solidarity for Palestine, will have a conference and a large flag off programme in New Delhi on 2nd December 2010. The Caravan will carry relief material for the people of Gaza. The Asia to Gaza Caravan will cross into Pakistan via the Wagah border where members of the Pakistan Solidarity for Gaza will join the Caravan onwards to Iran. In every country and city that the caravan travels through, public meetings will be organised as more activists and participants join the caravan.
Endorsing the international call, the alliance announces that it also supports the United Palestinian call of July 2005 for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) to compel Israel to comply with international law; the Palestinian Campaign for Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI); and all other initiatives to end the occupation of Palestine.
In view of Israel’s aggressive posture, activist maintain that they have resolved to resist the Israeli sea siege in a peaceful manner and following the example of civil resisters such as Martin Luther King Jr., and Nelson Mandela as well as the long tradition of peaceful resistance from all ethical and religious traditions. The civil resisters are willing to be convicted for their peaceful resistance.
Another organizer Gautam Modi said that before the departure of caravan there will be multi-city programmes in solidarity of the people of Gaza and Palestine. Film festivals of Palestinian films and films of resistance, music concerts, photo exhibits, and theatre productions are being organised by the supporters of the people of Gaza and Palestine.
A week-long film festival screening Palestinian films and documentaries is being planned across several cities of India in the last week of October . Several other initiatives such as solidarity concerts, theatrical performances, photo exhibits, panel discussions and seminars will also be planned in the days leading up to the flag-off of the Caravan.
Activists have called on the people to boycott Israel. Besides Mehtiborwala, ex- MP Shahid Siddiqui, Dr Taslim Rehmani, Maulana Abdul Wahaab Khilji, Bhai Tej Singh and others addressed the media. The alliance comprises of organizations such as All India Students Association, Aman Bharat, Asha Parivar, Awami Bharat, Bahujan Sewak Sangh, Bharat Bachao Andolan, CPI(ML), CPI-ML (New Democracy), Muslim Political Council of India, Jamiat-i-Ulema-i-Hind, Jamat-e-Islami-Hind, People’s Union for Civil Liberties and dozens of other organizations.