BY JENNY LONG
SYDNEY — Up to 400 people gathered for a two-hour protest vigil for Palestine on March 15. Well supported by the Sydney Palestinian community, the vigil was called by the Council of Australian Palestinian Organisations with the Union of Palestinian Workers and supported by other community organisations.
A statement distributed by organisers described the last 20 months of siege, humiliation, tank and aerial bombardment, killing of Palestinian civilians including medical workers, house demolitions, arrests, terror, economic strangulation, assassinations and the Nazi-like practice of numbering Palestinian detainees. It asked how long the illegal Israeli military occupation of the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem could remain, and how much longer the hypocrisy of talking about human rights, excluding Palestinian human rights, could last.
The statement called for people to contact the Palestine Human Rights Campaign to get involved, by phoning (02) 8080 8125 or emailing <Palestine@mbox.com>.
On the evening of March 15, more than 800 people packed into the Addison Road Community Centre hall for a dinner and concert for Palestine. The event, organised by the Palestine Human Rights Campaign and APHEDA (Australian People for Health, Education and Development Abroad), raised money for education supplies for Palestinian children.
The next event in Sydney in solidarity with the Palestine people is a rally and march on March 24, assembling at 10am at Town Hall Square, before marching to Belmore Park to meet up with the Palm Sunday march at noon. For information on this event, contact Tara on 0403 902 455 or Jamal on 0413 467 367.
In Canberra, Toby Millar reports, an emergency speakout initiated by the socialist youth group Resistance attracted 40 people to the Israeli embassy on March 16 to protest escalating Israeli aggression against the Palestinian people.
A broad range of participants attended, including members of the Canberra mosque, representatives of the Trades and Labour Council, anti-war group Women In Black, the Democratic Socialist Party, Socialist Alternative and the International Socialist Organisation.
Addressing the crowd, Resistance activist Stuart Munckton spoke about the need to continue applying pressure on the Israeli and US administration to end the collective punishment of the Palestinians. "Peace loving people", he said, "will not accept the Israeli government's stance".
The protesters passed a motion to send a message of support to the website of the"refuseniks", Israeli reserve soldiers who are refusing to serve in the occupied territories.
The Canberra mosque's Ahmed Berjak told those gathered that, "next week [at the same time] we will return... we will grow bigger and bigger". For information on how to get involved phone Resistance on 6247 2424.
From Green Left Weekly, March 20, 2002.
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