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TITLE: Support Worldwide Rallies for Palestinian Right of Return |
AUTHOR: |
ORG: BADIL Resource Center |
DATE: January 15, 2001 |
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MASS RALLY FOR PALESTINIAN REFUGEE RIGHTS, NEW YORK, 7 APRIL 2001 PALESTINE RIGHT TO RETURN COALITION (AL-AWDA) Calls For GRASSROOTS MOBILIZATION, ORGANIZATIONAL SPONSORSHIP and DONATIONS Based on the successful Right-of-Return rallies held simultaneously in Washington DC, London, Lebanon and Palestine in September 2000, the Palestine Right of Return Coalition (Al-Awda) has announced a second round of rallies on 7 April 2001. Thousands are again expected to march and rally, this time in New York City and in other cities around the world, to reaffirm the right of Palestinian refugees to return to homes and lands from which they were expelled in 1948 and thereafter. The rallies on 7 April 2001 will coincide with the fifty- third anniversary of the massacre of Palestinians in the Jerusalem village of Deir Yassin committed by Zionist forces in 1948. The rallies and marches on April 7 are intended to draw the public's attention to the human rights abuses and suffering inflicted on the Palestinian people. They are also intended to send a strong signal of support to the Palestinian people in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, who continue to suffer human rights abuses under Israeli occupation. More than three hundred and fifty Palestinian civilians have been killed and over 11,000 injured by Israeli forces in the past few months. Many of those injured and killed are refugees. Palestinian refugees, numbering more than 5 million in the year 2001, represent one of the oldest and the largest refugee population in the world. Their suffering is magnified by Israel's ongoing denial of their right to repatriation and restitution, as required by international law and UN resolutions, especially UN Resolution 194. The Palestine Right-to-Return Coalition (Al-Awda) calls for ORGANIZATIONAL SPONSORSHIP: Groups wishing to co-sponsor the 7 April 2001 rally in New York City, or to inquire about rallies in other countries, can contact PRRC at events@mail.com or as indicated below. CALL FOR GRASSROOTS MOBILIZATION: To join an Al-Awda/PRRC grassroots action committee currently mobilizing for April 7 in your area, visit: http://www.al-awda.org/committees.htm. To help establish Al-Awda/PRRC action committees in your area, please send a message to PPRC at events@mail.com indicating your location. Fax: 001-717-832-1123 BADIL Resource Center aims to provide a resource pool of alternative, critical and progressive information and analysis on the question of Palestinian refugees in our quest to achieve a just and lasting solution for exiled Palestinians based on the right of return. PO Box 728, Bethlehem, Palestine; tel/fax. 02-2747346; email: info@badil.org END |