Luisa Morgantini . net

Il 27 giugno in Libano, a Beirut, si terrà una grande manifestazione per i diritti civili, sociali ed economici della popolazione palestinese rifugiata in Libano. Lo slogan della marcia sarà "We want to live in dignity in order to return", vivere con dignità ma poter tornare alle proprie terre. Di seguito l'appello e le associazioni palestinesi promotrici. Luisa Morgantini MARCH FOR PALESTINIAN CIVIL, SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC RIGHTS IN LEBANON Sunday, June 27, 2010 BACKGROUND Lebanon was one of the founding countries that helped draft the International Declaration of Human Rights in 1948, and is a signatory to a number of related international agreements, most important of which were the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights in 1966, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and the International Convention for the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination in 1965. Despite this, Palestinian refugees in Lebanon have been denied their civil, social, and economic rights and have been the victim of discriminatory practices for over 60 years. While some Lebanese officials and political elites have made promising statements regarding the basic civil rights of Palestinian refugees, the over-arching approach of the Lebanese government and its departments and committees continues to be security-based, framing the Palestinian refugee question in Lebanon as an internal security issue. At a time when Palestinian factions, Lebanese political parties and both Palestinian and Lebanese civil society organizations are showing willingness to discuss solutions to the many problems facing Palestinian refugees - mainly within the camps - the issue of civil, social, and economic rights remains the foundation of any sustainable resolution. There is a need to re-frame the debate. The humanitarian approach looks at Palestinian refugees as a group of people that need to be fed and sheltered by international relief agencies and charitable organizations, denying their agency as participatory actors in their state of affairs. Instead, we need to adopt a rights-based approach centred on the right to human dignity, out of which all basic human rights stem (the right to work, the right to ownership, healthcare, education, freedom of movement and speech and the right to form and register organizations, etc). These rights are inalienable and need to be looked at as an organic whole, despite the fact that some of them, such as the right to work, the right to ownership, right to mobility and reconstruction of Nahr El Bared Camp are currently a priority to Palestinian refugees. We are participants in this march because of our belief in the right of return, as stipulated in United Nations Resolution 194 issued by the United Nations Security Council. The march will bear the slogan of, “We Want to Live in Dignity in order to Return.” Granting Palestinian refugees in Lebanon the right to work and own property will contribute positively to Lebanese society and its economy. In no way do these rights pose a threat to the Right of Return. Rather, these rights will allow Palestinian refugees to return by enabling them to play an effective role in the economy of the host country and redress their economic situation in order to be able to work harder to achieve the return. Based on this framework, we have decided to organize a full-day march that will gather people from different regions of the country. The march will eventually lead to the Parliament building in Beirut, delivering a petition to the relevant authorities that includes a draft modification of some laws that discriminate against Palestinians, contradict the Lebanese constitution and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The march will take place on Sunday, june 27 at 9:00 am, stopping in some cities and towns along the way to deliver speeches and gather crowds, and will end at 6:00 p.m. in front of the House of Parliament where a delegation of MPs will be waiting. The march will bring together Palestinian and Lebanese crowds, and will be accompanied by technical teams (first aid, etc.) and the media. As it progresses, it will be joined by other crowds from the areas it passes through. The march is expected to end with more than 5000 people, and to coincide with a mass signing of the petition and the draft law modifications. The march’s main slogan will be “Civil, Social and Economic Rights and Living in Dignity are an Essential Step in the Journey of Return.” There will also be other detailed demands pertaining to the Right to Work and the Right of Ownership, in addition to other slogans to be agreed upon by the organizing committee. Only Palestinian and Lebanese flags will be allowed, preventing people from showing their individual parties’ and factions’ flags. This March will be organized in coordination with the Right to Work Campaign and the Palestinian Civil Rights Campaign in Lebanon (PCRC). ORGANIZING COMMITTEE Organizations and Civil Society Groups Palestinian Organizations Lebanese Organizations International Organizations The Center for Refugee Rights / AIDOUN Frontiers Center Palestine Civil Rights Campaign, Shatila – Washington D.C. Palestinian Human Rights Organization / PHRO the civil rights defend Campaign - Lebanon Norwegian People’s Aid / NPA Labor Office Yes We Can, Tripoli Arab Network for Development NAJDEH Association Collective of Civil and volunteering groups in Lebanon Palestinian youth network PYN Palestinian Cultural Club, AUB AMEL ORGANIZATION Unified Socialist Worker's Party (PSTU) (brazil) Campaign for the Right to Work Association of Islamic Charitable purposes (almaqased) The Fraternity Association for Social and Educational Work , Burj el Barajneh Campaign for Civil Rights, Lebanon Palestinian Women’s Union Caritas Lebanon - Middle East Council of Churches Arab Palestinian cultural club –north Popular Lebanese Aid Society (alnagdeh) Palestinian cultural club -bau Family Planning Association in Lebanon Oshaq alaqsa band The Popular Aid organization Youth of Mar Elias Maarouf Saad Cultural Foundation Charity AL Achbal club National Centre for Development and Rehabilitation Ahlamona center Farah Social Foundation Arab centre (alborg ) Imam Sadr Foundation National Service Foundation Beirut Association for Social Development Progressive Women's Association Nahda women organization Sail's of return center Human land orgnization Mobile clown cesmo Trees and human beings institution Federation of Trade Unions of Palestine The land of childhood The General Union of Palestine Students Abdul Rahim Murad,Institutions Palestinian scout and guides association progressive Scout organization Palestinian Cubs institution (AL-achbal ) Progressive socialist party Student Office - Fatah movement Progressive Women's Federation Al Karama Centre for Culture and Education Free front media Palestinian group for youth activities Nabe’ association Palestinian Democratic Youth Union right of return protection Campaign (194) SAHEM RASED Center LAji (Ain Helwa) Lebanese Democratic Youth Union Solidarity Association for Social & Cultural Development George Hawi Foundation Popular Aid for Relief and Development, (PARD) Collective for Research and Training on Development - Action (CRTDA) Union of Palestinian Engineers Nationality Campaign Advocacy Group of Handicaps in North Youth Against Normalization Media Department- Fateh Movement Lebanese Democratic Women Union Sanin Scouts Organizations of the Amal Movement Palestinian Youth Organization Organizations of the Progressive Socialist Party Ramle Sporting Club Social Movement Arabic- European Association for Development Organizations of Green Party- Lebanon Women's Charity Society Organizations of Harakat Shaab Nedal Bloc for Palestinian Labour Organizations of the Future Movement Nedal Bloc for Palestinian Woman Masar Nedal Bloc for Palestinian Teachers Al Jana Nedal Bloc for Palestinian Engineers Human Development Center Women's Charity Society Joint of Christian Committee for Social Services in Lebanon Palestinian Youth Center Youth Section/ Jamaa Islamyah Social Development Center Bloc of Lebanese Civil Societies NAWAT- Social Advocacy Center Lebanese Communication Party Joint Christian Committee for Social Services Leftist Gathering for Change Palestinian Artists Union Kafa AL Kofya Band Rashad Al Sheikh Cultural Center Al Quds Band Cultural Forum- Tyre Hanin Band Lebanese Women’s Gathering Popular Committee- Ain el Helwe Union of Palestinian Workers' Syndicate Union of Palestinian Woman Mass of Workers/ Struggle Front Al Tadamon Association for Social Development Al Ghad Cultural Association Woman Bloc Women's Programs Center Nabila Brer Institution Women's Committee- Ain Al Helwe General Union of Palestinian Engineers Al Takaful Charity Association Youth Organization/ Palestinian People's Party Al Karama Palestinian Club Popular Committee- Al Jalil Camp Palestinian Cultural Center Students Union Al Ofuk Association Palestinian Youth Palestinian Youth & Children Institution Karmel Club- Nahr el Bard Scholars and Activists Sari Hanafi Ismael Sheikh Hassan Walid Sharara Tara Mahfoud Tah Fawzi Naji ITINERARY MARCH FOR PALESTINIAN CIVIL RIGHTS IN LEBANON June 27, 2010 The march will end at the Parliament building at 4 p.m. NORTH LEBANON - Residents of the Nahr el Bared and Beddawi camps and their surrounding areas will gather in Abo Ali round at 9:30 am, and walk towards Al Noor Sqaure. - Buses will collect the demonstrators from Al Noor Sqaure at 11 am, and will drive down to Karantina, where the march will continue on foot to the Parliament building in Downtown. SOUTH LEBANON - Residents of Tyre & surrounding camps will gather next to Al Moqawama Martyrs Status at 8:30 am & head directly to Martyrs Square in Saida. - Residents of Sidon will meet at the Martyr’s Square in southern Sidon at 10:30 am to start the march towards the Al Nejmeh Sqaure. - Buses will collect the demonstrators from AL Nejme Square at 11:30 am, and drive down to the Sportive City in Beirut, where the march will continue on foot from there to the Parliament building in Downtown. BEKAA - Residents of Bekaa will gather in Chtaura at 9:30 am. Buses will collect demonstrators and drive towards Sportive City in Beirut, where the march will continue on foot from there to the Parliament building in Downtown. Mount Lebanon: - Residents from Shouf & Iqlim Kharoub will gather on the Main Road of Wadi Zyne at 11:30am and continue towards Sportive City by buses - Residents of other villages in Mount Lebanon will gather in Alay at the Souq Enterance at 11:30 and drive towards the Sportive City. BEIRUT - Residents of Beirut & surrounding camps will meet with demonstrators from South, Bekaa & Mount- Lebanon at the Sportive City at 2 pm, to continue on foot to the Parliament. - Residents of Beirut & North will meet next to Fire Department- Karantina at 2 pm & continue on foot to the Lebanese Parliament. A group of demonstrators will walk the entire trajectory from the Saida to Beirut by foot. This group will leave at 8 a.m. MARCH FOR PALESTINIAN CIVIL RIGHTS IN LEBANON PARTICIPATION FORM for Organizations To be sent to Ammar Youzbashy: palmarch2010@gmail.com. (He will confirm by email) Name of Organization: Office Location: Director Name: Telephone No: Email: Fax No: Number of people who will participate on your behalf: 1) from North: 2) from South: 3) from Bakaa 4) from Jabal 5) Beirut only: 6) North only 7) South only 8) Bakka only 9) Jabal only Number of people who will walk to entire distance from Sidon to Beirut: We would appreciate your organization’s support. Please indicate how you could help: 1) Organizing Committee and Staff: 2) Financial support (please state amount): 3) Transportation means (buses and/or cars): 4) Sound equipment (microphones, loud speakers, etc.): 5) Water and food: 6) Palestinian flags no: 7) Lebanese flag no: 8) Other: Comments/Suggestions: MARCH FOR PALESTINIAN CIVIL RIGHTS IN LEBANON PARTICIPATION FORM for Individuals To be sent to palmarch2010@gmail.com Ammar Youzbashy (03123153) or Sahar AlBashir (70996918) (They will confirm by email) Name: Place of Residence: Occupation: Position/Title: Telephone No: Fax No: Email: Where will you be starting the march? 1) from North: 2) from South 3) from Bakaa 4) from Jabal 5) Beirut only: 6) North only 7) South only 8) Bakka only 9) Jabal only Will you walk the entire distance from Sidon to Beirut? 1) Yes 2) No Comments/Suggestions: