8 January 2011
Dear Friend,
NTUI invites you to a reception for the Comrades who have returned from Gaza
this weekend, on 10 January 2011 at the Gandhi Peace Foundation, 221/223 Deen
Dayal Upadhyaya Marg, New Delhi 110002 at 5.30pm.
Forty two days after they began their journey from Rajghat in Delhi, on 2
December 2010 to break the Israeli siege, the Asia to Gaza Caravan – ASIA ONE -
finally crossed over to the Gaza Strip through the Rafah crossing on the early
morning of 3 January and was welcomed by besieged Gaza residents.
The first ever aid convoy from the southern hemisphere with 170 human rights
activists from 18 Asian countries of which only 108 members who were allowed to
enter Egypt gathered at the crossing. The caravan hit a deadlock with the
Egyptian government when its Iranian and Jordanian members were denied access
citing "security and organisational reasons," without giving further details.
The Asia to Gaza Solidarity Caravan travelled from Rajghat in Delhi, through
Pakistan, Iran, Turkey, Lebanon and Syria. The caravan, in its journey of over
7000 km, collected $1 million worth of aid supplies including four ambulances,
medical supplies and essential food supplies.
Israel’s occupation of Palestinian and Arab territories has lasted for 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 prison with the Palestinian population there under
continuous, murderous assaults and a permanent state of siege. 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 state of their own in any manner they see fit. The
structure of apartheid 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. The Palestinians have the right to resist the
occupation through all legitimate means.
NTUI has in the past supported actions in solidarity for the people of
Palestine. We have supported the International Call for Boycott, Divestment and
Sanctions against Israel. In consonance with our existing position on India’s
foreign policy, as articulated in our statement of 7-8 December 2006 with other
organisations and our statement on the events in Mumbai on 26 November 2008, we
have been demanding that the Government of India brings to end all economic and
military relations with Israel and pursues an independent foreign policy. In
February 2010 we also signed the Cairo Declaration.
It is against this background, that NTUI has been a part of the campaign,
‘India Lifeline to Gaza’. This process was initiated by Indian people’s
movements, social movements, trade unions, civil society organisations and
multi-faith and ecumenical organisations. India Lifeline to Gaza is a
constituent of the ‘Asian People’s Solidarity for Palestine’. This struggle is
broad-based, 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.
Re-shaping by peoples’ movements, of international politics and national
foreign policy cannot be done in isolation. Building a resistance in support of
the Palestinian resistance within national boundaries would only be symbolic.
There is a clear need to build an alliance of organisations in the global
south, especially in Asia. In recognition of this, building an Asian alliance
became paramount hence the solidarity came to take the shape of an overland
caravan.
All be it, a small step, we believe this is a step in the right direction that
will provide the basis for us to add strength and depth to the struggle of the
Asian peoples’ in resisting imperialist globalisation.
We hope you will be able to join us on 10 January 2011 at the Gandhi Peace
Foundation at 5.30pm.
Comradely,
Gautam Mody
Secretary
--
New Trade Union Initiative (NTUI)
B-137, First Floor, Dayanand Colony,
Lajpat Nagar IV,
New Delhi 110024
Telephone: +91 11 26214538
Telephone/ Fax: +91 11 26486931
Email: secretar...@ntui.org.in
Website: http://ntui.org.in
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