Peace group to Gaza stopped at Wagah

Activists stage a dharna at the Wagah border point

Indian peace activists planning to take humanitarian aid to Palestinians in the Gaza Strip sat in dharna briefly at the Wagah border point with Pakistan. They later returned to Delhi as the government denied them permission to cross over on foot.

“Permission was not denied. They had valid passports and visas and were free to use the established means of transport to cross over into Pakistan. Going on foot is not one of the established means such as bus, train or plane,” said informed sources in the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) here.

‘No response’

Members of the “India lifeline to Gaza” claimed that the Ministry did not respond to their plea for permission to cross over even though it was sought a month ago. “We thought the Indian government has a stated policy of support to the Palestinian people. But such unresponsiveness makes us have serious doubts,'' said Sunil Kumar who sat in dharna with the others at Wagah.

The mission, first such from the country, is part of the Asian Peoples Solidarity for Palestine.

“Crossing over by foot is not the normal practice. Foreigners, diplomats and sometimes journalists can cross over on foot. For jathas and other groups, the norm is to take the established means like bus, train or flights,'' said the sources.

This group planned to travel through six nations on its way to Gaza. The caravan was flagged off from Rajghat on December 2 by senior Congress leader Digvijay Singh along with Mani Shanker Aiyer, MP, Planning Commission Member Syeda Hameed and National Advisory Council member Harsh Mander. The convoy was to travel through Pakistan, Iran, Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan and Egypt, and to enter Gaza on December 27.

http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article931949.ece

Indian government stops peace activists from visiting Pakistan

Staff Report
LAHORE: The Indian government, on the influence of the US administration, has halted 41 peace activists and denied them permission to visit Pakistan for joining the Asian People’s Solidarity for Palestine Caravan, this was disclosed by the Pakistanis for Palestine (PoP) on Saturday.

PoP held an urgent press conference at the Lahore Press Club and condemned the act of the Indian government demanding a review in the visa policies of both the neighbouring countries, India and Pakistan for each other.

Activists of some of the prominent civil society organisations, political parties, trade and students’ unions, the Pakistan Institute of Labour Education and Research (PILER), the South Asia Partnership, SAFMA, the Labour Party Pakistan, the Labour Federation and National Students Federation were also present in the press conference.

PILER’s director Karamat and Farooq Tariq of LPP said influence of the US and Israel had increased in the South Asian region and they had pressurised the Indian government not to issue visa to 32 Indians and restrict nine peace activists from Australia, Japan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Indonesia and Malaysia to become a part of Peace Caravan in Pakistan.
Karamat said Pakistanis and Indians had set some unique example as they were issuing visa of some specific cities which was a discriminatory and uncivilised act of both the countries. He demanded governments of India and Pakistan that they should relax visa rules for each other following the wishes of their people who wanted to meet each other without any hindrance.

Condemning the Indian government’s act of halting the peace activists who were campaigning against Israel’s aggressive moves towards Palestinians, Karamat and Farooq said although the Indian government had not given visas to 41 peace activists, the caravan would not stop and set off on its journey from Pakistan to Iran, Turkey, Syria and Lebanon to Gaza where they would show solidarity with the deprived nation.

Farooq said the governments as well as bureaucracy of Pakistan and India was working against the people of Gaza under the US and Israel pressure.
He said the Palestinians, especially the people in Gaza, have been under siege by the Israeli forces for a long time. All human rights activists of the world would continue their struggle to end the siege of Gaza, he added.

A Palestine national and peace activist Muhammad Khalid, while addressing the press conference, stated that the US administration had influenced the Indian government to stop the caravan against the Israeli aggression.

Replying to a question about the Palestine government of Mehmood Abbas, he showed dissatisfaction with him, said the government was collaborating with the White House.

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2010%5C12%5C05%5Cstory_5-12-2010_pg13_2

Asian People's Solidarity For Palestine Announces

05 October, 2010

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 December 2010

The  Asia to Gaza Solidarity Caravan  is being organised by the  Asian People's Solidarity for Palestine , an alliance of peoples' organisations, social movements, trade unions, and civil society institutions of Asia. 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 .  Simultaneous press conferences are being held in 5 countries today – India, Turkey, Iran, Indonesia and Lebanon – to announce the launch of the Asia to Gaza Caravan.  Similar press conferences will be held next week in Syria, Palestine, Malysia, Nepal and Bangladesh.

The Asian People's Solidarity for Palestine 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.

The Asian People's Solidarity for Palestine commits 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.

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.  We also support  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.

TENTATIVE CARAVAN SCHEDULE
01 Dec	Participants from East and South East Asia reach New Delhi, India	15-17 Dec	Tabriz , Iran to Eskandarun, Turkey
2-3 Dec	Flag off from New Delhi  and travel to Wagah border, India-Pakistan Border	18-19 Dec	Eskandarun , Turkey to Damascus, Syria
04 Dec	Reach Lahore, Pakistan	20-21 Dec	Damascus , Syria to Amman Jordan
5-7 Dec	Lahore  to Karachi/Quetta, Pakistan	22-23 Dec	Amman , Jordan to Beirut Lebanon
08 Dec	Karachi/Quetta, Pakistan to Zahedan, Iran	24-26 Dec	Beirut  back to Turkey
9-14 Dec	Zahedan, Iran to Tabriz, Iran	26 Dec	We Sail for Gaza (Palestine)

Peaceful Resistance

The civil resisters have resolved to resist the Israeli sea siege in a peaceful manner and following the example of civil resisters such as Mahatma Gandhi, 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.

India  Lifeline to Gaza

This process has been initiated by Indian people's movements, social movements, trade unions, civil society organisations and multi-faith and ecumenical organisations. In the two months prior to departure of the Asia to Gaza 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.

Palestinian Film Festival: Celebrating Cultures of Resistance

A week-long film festival screening Palestinian films and documentaries is being planned across several cities of India in the last week of October (tentatively 23-30 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. 

End the Siege of Gaza • Freedom to Palestine • Boycott Israel

Endorsed by:

[

Organisations

All India Students Association

Aman Bharat

Asha Parivar

Awami Bharat

Ayodhya Ki Awaaz

Bahujan Sewak Sangh

Banglar Manabadhikar Suraksha Mancha

Bharat Bachao Andolan

Bharat Jan Vigyan Jatha

Campaign for Peace & Democracy (Manipur)

Chhattisgarh Mukti Morcha (Mazdoor Karyakarta Committee)

CPI(ML)

CPI-ML (New Democracy)

Forum against Oppression of Women

Free Gaza - India

Global Gandhi Forum

Hard News

Indian Isladhi Movement

India Palestine People's Solidarity Forum

Indian Fed of Trade Unions

Insaaniyat

Intercultural Resources

Jamiat-i-Ulema-i-Hind

Jamat-e-Islami-Hind

Le Monde Diplomatique

Loknaad

Mahatma Phule-Dr Ambedkar Vichar Manch

Mazdoor Ekta Manch

Muslim Intellectual Forum

Muslim Political Council of India

National Association of Peoples Movements

National Forum of Forest People and Forest Workers

New Socialist Initiative

New Trade Union Initiative

Palestine  Solidarity Movement

People's Union for Civil Liberties

Phule-Ambedkar Vichar Manch

Programme against Custodial Torture and Impunity

Progressive Students Union

Republican Panther

Saheli Women's Resource Centre

Sarva Seva Sangh

Solidarity Youth Movement

South Asia Peace Alliance

South Asian Network of Gender Activists and Trainers

Students Islamic Organisation of India

Trade Union Centre of India

Teesra Swadheenta Andolan

Vidyarthi Bharti

Yuva Koshish

All India Majlis-i-Mushawarrat

Individuals:

Achin Vanaik

Agdish Nagarkar

Ambarish Rai

Amol Madame

Amit Sengupta

Anand Grover

Anand Patwardhan

Anand Swaroop Verma

Anil Chaudhary

Arif Kapadia

Ashish Kothari

Asif Khan

Aslam Ghazi

Bajrang Sonawane

Brig. Sudhir Sawant

Chetna Birje

Dr Sunilam

Ghazala Azad

Gopal Rai

Ihtishaam Ansari

Jai Sen

Javed Naqvi

Kabir Arora

Kalyani Menon-Sen, New Delhi

Khalid Riaz

Medha Patkar

Mehmood Madni

Mukta Srivastava

Mukul Sinha

Mulniwasi Mala

Munawwar Azad

Munawwar Khan

Pandit Jugal Kishore Shastri

Qurratulain Sundus

Reshma  Jagtap

Ritu Menon

Rohini Hensman

Salman Usmani

Sandeep Pandey

Sanjay Shinde

Savyasaachi

Sayeed Khan

Sayeeda Hameed

Shabnam Hashmi

Shahid Siddiqui

Sheikh Muhammad Hussain

Shyam Sonar

Sudhir Dhawale

Sumi Saikia

Syed Iftikhar Ahed

Thomas Matthew

Tusha Mittal

Varsha V V

Vasanthi Raman

Vilas Gaikwad

Winnie Thomas

Yawar Ali Qazi

-- 
India Lifeline to Gaza c/o ICR 33-D, 3rd Floor Vijay Mandal Enclave
DDA SFS FLATS
New Delhi, 110016 Email:  asiatogaza.india@gmail.com We b site:  http://www.asiatogaza.net/ Phone: 09711178868; 09911599955; 09820897517

Asian People's Solidarity For Palestine Announces The Asia To Gaza Solidarity Caravan