[R-G] Massive Support for Arab-American and Muslim Open Letter to the Anti-War Movt.
laactivists at action-mail.org
laactivists at action-mail.org
Sat Jan 31 10:34:14 MST 2004
** FOR WIDE DISTRIBUTION **
[For more information or to join as an organizational
signatory, please contact: rashmawi at sbcglobal.net]
Status Report - January 31, 2004:
This is a status report on the rapidly expanding support
for the "Open Letter from the Arab American and Muslim
Community to the US Anti-War Movement," and on the
political program of the March 20 national mobilization.
What was initiated on January 12, 2004, as an Open Letter
from 41 Arab-American and Muslim organizations in the
United States and Canada, today carries the weight of more
than 222 signatory organizations (listed below) supported
by great many thousands of activists and community
members, including national networks, solidarity groups
and anti-war coalitions from coast to coast.
In addition to the 222 current signatories, and in a
qualitative expansion of the support given to the Open
Letter, non-governmental organizations and civil society
institutions representing the Palestinian people have
extended their explicit support. The Palestinian
Non-Governmental Organizations' Network (PNGO), a
grassroots umbrella comprising 92 Palestinian NGOs in
Palestine, added its significant political and
organizational weight behind the position outlined. The
support of PNGO was further strengthened by the welcomed
endorsement by various grassroots and civil society
organizations in the Palestinian refugee camps, including
The Forum of Palestinian NGO's Working on Refugee Camps of
Lebanon (an umbrella of 18 NGO's). The Palestinian Right
of Return Congress International, with representatives
from the sectors and geographic presence of the
Palestinian people, also stands in support. The Arab
National Conference (ANC), a leading umbrella of Arab
intellectuals and activists throughout the Arab states,
had strongly joined in endorsing this call from the start.
From the onset, the movement in South Africa had also
weighed in, giving its support to the Arab American and
Muslim community in the United States, thus further
indicating the global consensus on the political demands
of the anti-war movement. Grassroots organizations from
all over the world have also expressed their solidarity.
Recognizing the political imperative presented and the
historic importance of the Open Letter in building mutual
solidarity, great many antiwar coalitions, organizations
and networks in the United States are currently advocating
in favor of the positions outlined in the Open Letter.
Steady streams of declarations and letters of support
from all corners relaying the expansion of a national
consensus on the program of anti-war have been received
from Alaska and Hawaii to the heartland of Nebraska. The
support spans from coast to coast, and is growing
everyday.
We had reported earlier that there were hopeful signs that
the movement in the United States as a whole was also
approaching a unity on these core principles set-forth in
the Open Letter. We are happy to report that these signs
are in the process of developing into unified actions
throughout the country. Although a few remain hesitant,
it appears that a national consensus on the political
program of the anti-war is being developed. Collectively,
we are just about to complete turning the corner.
This Open Letter was originally initiated on January 12
following a call to mobilize against colonial occupations
that was issued and endorsed by a large coalition of
organizations and communities that included the
International A.N.S.W.E.R Coalition; Al-Awda - the
Palestine Right to Return Coalition; the National Lawyers
Guild; the Arab Muslim American Federation; the Free
Palestine Alliance-USA; the Muslim American Society
Freedom Foundation; and the Muslim Students Association of
the U.S. and Canada. The National Council of Arab
Americans (NCA) supported and advocated for this call in
full. This national all-encompassing umbrella of
organizations has since expanded and is now called the
March 20 National Coalition.
The call to mobilize, which constitutes the political
basis for the unity of the March 20 National Coalition,
demanded ending "all colonial occupations from Iraq to
Palestine and everywhere". It also called for "bringing
the troops home NOW" without delay, and for opposing
giving an international cover to the colonial occupation
of Iraq. Of the sectors that initially hesitated in
adopting these positions, many have since joined either in
part or in full. A select few remain hesitant.
Today, the movement can be hopeful that a unified and an
all-inclusive mobilization could take place nationwide,
not only in Dolores Park-San Francisco, Los Angeles, and
Chicago, but also in New York City and elsewhere, on the
basis outlined. This would set a new definitional and
unifying turning point and would strengthen the grassroots
tide to stop the continued advance of war and empire.
The Arab-American and Muslim community is humbled by the
outpouring of support. We stand in mutual solidarity with
all and pledge our own support as we together move
forward.
An Open Letter from the Arab-American and Muslim Community
to the US Anti-War Movement
Dear peace and justice organizations and activists,
On March 20, 2004, the world will mobilize against war and
colonial occupations. The significance of this historic
day is evident to all and requires no further elaboration.
The political clarity and character of this mobilization
in the US, however, remains illusive.
This is where our community stands:
In confronting war, the people of Palestine and Iraq have
paid dearly. They stand against the imperial project
shoulder to shoulder with communities of color and the
working class in the United States, along with great many
subjugated peoples around the globe - from Afghanistan to
Colombia, and from the Philippines to Vieques, and on.
Without a doubt, the Palestinian and Iraqi people are
both welded together in an inextricable unity at the
forefront of the global anti-war movement, transforming
themselves as a whole as its embodiment and paying in its
defense with the dearest of all - their very existence.
Yet, despite every home destroyed, child murdered, acre
confiscated and tree uprooted, town colonized and
ethnically cleansed, wall built, refugee remaining
nation-less, and incremental robbery of their
self-determination, they remain the very antithetical
formulation of empire and with a vision of justice for
all.
In the United States, we, Arab-Americans and Muslims have
been maliciously targeted, stripped of our rights, and
positioned outside the constitutional framework of this
country. A new COINTELPRO has been unleashed against our
homes and living rooms, as our fathers, mothers, sons, and
daughters are plucked away and thrown into unknown prison
cells. Thus, in a continuum of history, we stand with
African Americans, Japanese Americans, Latinos, Native
Americans, and all others in the painful struggle for
justice. From them all, we take our cue, for they are
our predecessors and our partners in this long march.
Accordingly, we the undersigned hereby declare that:
1. We do not accept delinking the struggle of the
Palestinian people from the anti-war movement, and regard
the struggle in Palestine, as it is viewed worldwide, to
be central to any peace and justice mobilization.
2. We insist that the Palestinian right to return and to
self-determination are the key anchors of the Palestinian
struggle, and that organizations that attempt to diminish,
sidetrack, or abrogate these rights, regardless of any
other position they may take on Palestine, are acting
contrary to the will and aspiration of the Palestinian
people.
3. We view all attempts to relegate our collective
presence to the margin and to tokenize our participation
in the movement to be racist in character. In its attempt
to silence the Arab and Muslim voices for decades,
particularly that of the Palestinian people, the movement
in the US has stood alone in the global movement for
justice. We see ourselves as full partners in leading the
movement as signified in the heavy price we continue to
pay along the way, and reject any attempt to objectify our
presence.
4. We regard the positions that the "colonial occupation
of Iraq must be internationalized", or that ending the
occupation must be conducted over a period of time until
the "Iraqis are able to secure their democracy", as
implicitly colonial and racist. These are positions that
are rooted in the construct of "manifest destiny" and the
"white man's burden" to "civilize".
5. We call on our people everywhere to hold all
organizations accountable to the positions they take,
especially those that depict racist attitudes towards us,
implicitly or otherwise, particularly those that tokenize
and objectify our struggle. Any organization or movement
that finds it acceptable to minimize or disregard for
political expediency the struggle of any people should not
be allowed to function within the global justice movement.
Justice is neither selective, nor partial or conditional.
We are firm on these principles for the March 20th
mobilization and beyond as we call on all communities and
organizations to mobilize and stand in force under the
following unifying five slogans:
1. End all colonial occupations from Iraq to Palestine and
everywhere!
2. Bring the troops home NOW!
3. No to internationalizing colonial occupations!
4. Stop the attacks on civil liberties!
5. Money for jobs, education, and healthcare not for war!
As we salute and stand empowered with sectors of the
movement that have taken a principled stand on justice, we
seek to participate in the empowerment of all as we call
for a genuine global united front against war.
All out on March 20, 2004!
222 signatory organizations:
(List is still in formation. To be included, please write
to: rashmawi at sbcglobal.net)
1. Act to Stop War Coalition, Omaha, Nebraska
2. Alaskans for Peace & Justice
3. Al-Awda: the Palestine Right to Return Coalition -
National
4. Al-Awda: the Palestine Right to Return Coalition,
Canada
5. Al-Awda: the Palestine Right to Return Coalition,
Connecticut
6. Al-Awda: the Palestine Right to Return Coalition, Los
Angeles
7. Al-Awda: the Palestine Right to Return Coalition, San
Diego
8. Al-Awda: the Palestine Right to Return Coalition, San
Francisco Bay Area
9. Al-Bireh Palestine Society, California Chapter
10. Alexandria Association of Human Rights Advocates
11. Al-Moharer
12. Al-Qalam Institute
13. American Friends for Palestine - Southern California
14. American Muslim Voice
15. American Muslims for Jerusalem (AMJ)
16. American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC),
Greater Philadelphia Area Chapter
17. American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC),
Greater Sacramento Area Chapter
18. American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC), Los
Angeles/Orange County Chapter
19. American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC), San
Francisco Bay Area Chapter
20. American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC),
Seattle Chapter
21. Americans for Justice in Palestine-Israel
22. Arab Cause Solidarity Committee
23. Arab Center of Washington - Seattle
24. Arab Muslim American Federation (AMAF)
25. Arab National Conference (ANC - Al-Mu'tamar Al-Qawmi
Al-Arabi)
26. Arab-American Community Center, Chicago
27. Arab-American Cultural Forum, Chicago, IL
28. Arab-American Forum, New Hampshire
29. Arab-American Press Guild
30. Arab-Palestine Association, BC, Canada
31. Arabs Building Community, SF Bay Area
32. ARA-LA/People Against Racist Terror
33. Asians 4 Jericho/Mumia
34. Bay Area United Against War (BAUAW)
35. BAYAN - USA
36. Bend-Condega Friendship Project
37. Berkeley Women in Black
38. Birzeit Society
39. Black Coalition Against the War
40. Break the Silence Mural Project
41. Cafe Intifada
42. Campaign Against Occupation and for the Sovereignty of
Iraq (CEOSI)
43. Canada-Palestine Association
44. Canada-Palestine Friendship Society
45. Canadian Arab Federation
46. Charlotte Fellowship of Reconciliation
47. Chicago Coalition Against War and Racism (CCAWR)
48. Citizens for Fair Legislation
49. Citizens Standing Against War
50. Citoyen Français Contre le Sionisme
51. Coalition for Equity-Restorative Justice
52. Coalition of Community Organizations (COCO), Del
53. Coalition to Defend Immigrant Rights(CDIR), Los
Angeles
54. Collision Course Video Productions, San Francisco
55. Colorado Palestine Solidarity Campaign (CPSC)
56. Committee Against the U$ Empire (the CAU$E), St.
Louis, MO
57. Committee for Democratic Palestine - Canada
58. Committee for Justice - USA
59. Comunidad Chileno-Palestina
60. Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), LA
Chapter
61. Deir Yassin Society of New York
62. Diocesan Human Rights Commission, Toledo, Ohio
63. Divestment Resource Center
64. DuPage Against War Now
65. Emil Touma Institute for Palestinian Studies, Haifa
66. Filipino Workers Organizing Committee (FWAC), Seattle,
WA
67. Florida Palestine Solidarity Network
68. Free Palestine Alliance - USA (FPA)
69. Freedom Socialist Party
70. Friends of Ghassan Kanafani, Toronto Chapter
71. Global Peace
72. Global Sisterhood Network
73. Hammerhard MediaWorks, Chicago
74. Harlem Fight Back, New York City
75. Harlem Tenants Council
76. Hawaii Committee for a Free Palestine
77. Houston Coalition for Justice Not War
78. Incorruptible Media of Long Island
79. International A.N.S.W.E.R Coalition
80. International Concerned Family and Friends of Mumia
Abu-Jamal, Philadelphia, PA
81. International Socialist Organization
82. International Solidarity Movement (ISM) Support Group
in Northern California
83. International Solidarity Movement (ISM), Chicago
chapter
84. International Solidarity Movement (ISM), Palestine
85. International South Asia Forum (INSAF), Montreal, QC,
Canada
86. Irish Republican Socialist Committees of North America
(IRSCNA)
87. Islamic Political Party of America (IPPA)
88. Jewish Voices Against the Occupation - Seattle
89. Jews Against Zionism
90. Jews for a Free Palestine
91. Justice for Palestinians
92. Kana'an Review
93. Labor Party (Lao Dong Dang)
94. LAGAI -- Queer Insurrection
95. Land Minds Not Landmines
96. Latinos Por La Paz
97. Louisville Committee For Peace in the Middle East/ISM
Chapter, Kentucky
98. Mahina Movement, New York City
99. Marin Affinity Group
100. Marin Center for Peace and Justice, San Rafael,
California
101. Masjid Al Qur'an of Philadelphia
102. Mexico Solidarity Network (MSN)
103. Middle East Children's Alliance (MECA)
104. Middle East Crisis Committee, Connecticut
105. Middle Eastern Student Association of Loyola,
University Chicago
106. Mideast: Just Peace, Northern Michigan
107. Midwest Unrest
108. Minority eXperience Network
109. Morton County Citizens for Responsible Government
110. Mother Seed
111. Muslim American Society Freedom Foundation (MAS
Freedom Foundation)
112. Muslim Students Association (MSA), California State
University, Sacramento
113. Muslim Students Association (MSA), University of
California, Davis
114. Muslim Students Association of the U.S. and Canada
(MSA-National)
115. Muslim Voices for Justice & Peace, Mt. Rainier, Md
116. National Council of Arab Americans (NCAA)
117. Nebraskans for Justice in Palestine
118. New Jersey Solidarity - Activists for the Liberation
of Palestine
119. Niagara Coalition for Peace
120. Nicaragua Network
121. No More Victims
122. No One Is Illegal-Vancouver
123. Northwest Suburban SUSTAIN - Chicago
124. Omega First Inc.
125. One World Society, University College Cork
126. Palestine Children's Welfare Fund
127. Palestine Community Center - Vancouver, Canada
128. Palestine House Educational and Cultural Center,
Canada
129. Palestine Labor Support Committee, USA/Canada
130. Palestine Right of Return Congress - USA
131. Palestine Solidarity Committee (PSC), Los Angeles
132. Palestine Solidarity Committee (PSC), Pittsburgh
133. Palestine Solidarity Committee (PSC), Seattle
134. Palestine Solidarity Committee (PSC), Wisconsin
135. Palestine Solidarity Group (PSG), Chicago
136. Palestine Solidarity Group (PSG), Vancouver
137. Palestine/Israel for Peace and Justice Alliance
138. Palestinian American Congress (PAC)
139. Palestinian American Women's Association (PAWA)
140. Palestinian Rights Committee, Albany, NY
141. Pan Arab Union For Peace
142. Partnership for Civil Justice (PCJ)
143. Pax Christi - Palm Beach
144. Peninsula Peace & Justice Center
145. Peoples Video Network
146. Philadelphia Committee to Free the Five
147. Poets for Peace - Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
148. Progressive Workers Organizing Committee,
Houston-Galveston, Texas
149. Pueblo Insurgente, Republica Bolivariana De Venezuela
150. PUSO Philippine-U.S. Solidarity Organization,
Seattle, Washington
151. Queers For Peace And Justice
152. Queers Undermining Israeli Terrorism (QUIT)
153. Radical Women
154. Resident Peaceniks, Western Washington
155. Riverside Area Peace and Justice Action, California
156. S.U.S.T.A.I.N - Northwest Suburban SUSTAIN - Chicago
157. S.U.S.T.A.I.N, Washington, DC
158. S.U.S.T.A.I.N. (Stop U.S. Tax-Funded Aid to Israel
Now!), L.A./Orange County
159. Sacred Heart Province JPIC Concerns, Countryside, IL
160. Sacred Roots
161. San Francisco Bay Area Palestine Coalition
162. Socialist Arab Coalition in North America
163. SOL Foundation
164. Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights, Queen's
University, Kingston, Canada
165. Solidarity International
166. SOS Iraq
167. South Asian League of Artists in America (SALAAM)
168. South Asian Network for Secularism and Democracy,
Vancouver, B.C., Canada
169. Students Against War from Duluth, MN
170. Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), Bloomington,
IN
171. Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), California
State University, Sacramento
172. Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), Univ. of
Illinois, Chicago
173. Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), University
of California, Davis
174. Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), University
of California, Berkeley
175. Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), University
of Minnesota
176. Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), Washington,
DC (American University)
177. Students for Social Justice, Chicago
178. Students Organizing for Social Justice at Sarah
Lawrence College, Bronxville, NY
179. The 8th Day Center for Justice Staff
180. The Adelaide Institute
181. The Alaqsaintifada.org
182. The All India Peoples Resistance Forum (AIPRF)
183. The All-African People's Revolutionary Party,
Maryland Chapter
184. The Canadian Palestinian Foundation in Montreal,
Canada
185. The Canadian Palestinian Foundation of Québec in
Montréal
186. The Chabot College Advocates for Peace, Equality and
Social Change (APESC)
187. The Coalition for Impeachment Now! (COIN!), Santa
Cruz, California
188. The Fort Myers Social Action Committee
189. The Free Ahmad Sa'adat Campaign
190. The Freeway Twenty
191. The Independent Anglo-Catholic Church of America
192. The International Action Center (IAC)
193. The International League of Peoples' Struggle (ILPS)
194. The Islamic Association for Palestine (IAP)
195. The Islamic Egyptian Soc. of N.S.W.
196. The Knights of the Socially Conscious, Michigan
197. The Manassas Mosque of Virginia
198. The Middle East and North African Student
Association, North Carolina State University
199. The Palestinian Non-Governmental Organizations'
Network (PNGO)
200. The Reform Party USA - Action Group
201. The Roots International
202. The Santa Fe Research Roundtable
203. The Savage Rose
204. The United Muslim Association of High Schools Club
205. The Writing Empowerment Project
206. Third World Forum (TWF)
207. Trade Union Committee for Justice in the Middle East
(TUCJME) - British Columbia, Canada
208. Tri-Taylor Neighbors for Peace, Chicago
209. Twin Cities Anti-War Committee, Minnesota
210. U.S. Citizens Against the War, Florence, Italy
211. Union of Palestinian American Women
212. US-Japan-China Comparative Policy Research Institute
213. Vermonters for Just Peace in Palestine/Israel
214. Vets Against War, Asheville, NC
215. We the People, Del
216. Women In Black - San Francisco, California
217. World Constitution & Parliament Association (WCPA)
218. Youth for Socialist Action
South African Movement in Solidarity:
1. Anti-War Coalition - South Africa (representing 70
social movements and civil society organizations)
2. Muslim Youth Movement of South Africa
3. Palestine Solidarity Committee, South Africa
4. Friends of Al-Aqsa, Cape Town, South Africa
Supported and endorsed by:
1. The Palestinian Non-Governmental Organizations' Network
- an umbrella organization comprising 92 Palestinian NGOs
in Palestine;
2. The London-based Right of Return Congress -
International, a representative formation on the right of
return with representatives from the Palestinian people
everywhere, including the US and Canada; and
3. Grassroots and civil society institutions in
Palestinian refugee camps, including:
1. The Forum of Palestinian NGO's Working on Refugee
Camps of Lebanon (an umbrella of 18 NGO's)
2. A'idun Group - Lebanon
3. Children and Youth Center, Shatila Camp
4. General Union of Palestinian Women - Lebanon
5. Houleh Club Association, Borj AlSHamali Camp
6. Nabila Brier Social Foundation, Ain El Helwi Camp
7. Social Care Association, Ain El Helwi Camp
8. Social Communication Center (Ajyal), Beirut
9. The Abu Jihad AL Wazir Institution, Rashidiya Camp
10. Women's Humanitarian Organization, Borj Al
Barajnh
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