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campaign info
gift
04/15/02 at 07:07:26
[slm]

below is a campaign pack i recieved from the Islamic Human Rights Commission, and i have to say i was very happy, because it provided me with something else to do for our  palestinian brothers and sisters.

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Islamic Human Rights Commission
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1st April 2002

We apologise for the length of this email.  IHRC's updated Palestine campaign pack is now available online at www.ihrc.org in the campaigns section.  The pack is quite lengthy and contains graphic information and images that can be used to raise awareness of current events.  The pack was prepared in the week of 19th March 2002 but is still relevant in the current circumstances.  The following sections of the pack are pasted below for ease of reference and campaigning:

1.    Background to current campaign pack
2.    Requested action
3.    Specimen letters


1. Background to current campaign pack

The second Palestinian intifada started in September 2000.  This pack has been produced in response to the deterioration of the situation in Palestine in the last few weeks.  Since 28th February 2002 the Israeli army has increased its military campaigns against Palestinian cities and refugee camps. Medical personnel and paramedics have been targeted and two paramedics, three ambulance officers and two drivers have been killed within a week. Israeli troops have directed ammunition and artillery at journalists working in the Occupied Territories and on Wednesday morning, 13 March 2002, an Italian journalist was killed in Ramallah.

Our first campaign pack in October 2000 saw campaigners send thousands of letters to foreign ministers, Muslim politicians and diplomats.  The image we used and which remains on the specimen letters in this pack was that of the martyred twelve year old, Muhammad Al-Durrah who was killed sheltering in his father’s arms by Israeli bullets.

The correspondence between campaigners, IHRC and the British Foreign Minister responsible for Palestine, Peter Hain MP, bore some fruit before Mr. Hain was removed from his position.  The campaign sought the removal of Zionist Lord Michael Levy of mill Hill from his position as the Prime minister’s special envoy to the Middle East, a trade, arms sales and other embargoes on the Israelis, as well as a commitment from the British government to stand up to its pledges to support human rights.  A report on this aspect of the campaign will be available on our about ihrc / previous campaigns page on our website www.ihrc.org.

According to Foreign Office sources this was the first time that correspondence in support of justice for Palestinians had equalled the number sent in by the Zionist lobby requesting the continued promotion of Zionist interests by the FO.  The latest minister Ben Bradshaw MP, a member of Labour Friends of Israel, is less than sympathetic to the cause of justice for Palestinians.  This campaign pack therefore targets not only the British Foreign Office (or the relevant ministry in your country – contact IHRC for further details if necessary), but Mary Robinson, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, whose stance on Zionism has been less than just in recent months, and her superior the UN Secretary General Kofi Annan.

The specimen letters contain a brief background to what is happening currently in Palestine, and can be used to model your letter on. Alternatively you can send it as it is and simply put your address on the sheet and sign it.

The appendices of this campaign pack recount in graphic detail the atrocities being committed by the Israeli forces against the Palestinians.  Whilst it may be difficult to read, please do so to familiarise yourself with the situation.

Please send IHRC copies of any responses you receive so that we can plan strategies for subsequent campaigning.  Please do not hesitate to contact us with your suggestions at the contacts on the cover page.  Allah is the best of all planners, may He guide us all to the right path.


2. Requested Action

(a)      Write to the Foreign Secretary / Minister in your country.  A prepared / specimen letter for Jack Straw MP the British Foreign Secretary is provided in section 3.  Similarly letters for UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan and Mary Robinson, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights are also enclosed.  These letters outline the nature of protests and requests for action that the campaign proposes.

(b)      Support the Boycott Zionism campaign.  Details of companies and products this involves can be found on the Innovative Minds website, www.inminds.com.  The URL of the boycott page is:

http://www.inminds.com/boycott-israel.html

Their leaflet can also be downloaded from the IHRC website, campaigns page, as can the IHRC’s Boycott Marks & Spencer leaflet and other anti-Zionism campaign material.

The Boycott Israeli Goods (BIG) Campaign also provides detailed information on the boycott.  Further details can be found on their webpage: http://www.boycottisraeligoods.org/index.php

(c)      The mislabelling of goods produced in the Occupied Territories as ‘Made in Israel’ is a growing problem.  Whilst it may seem small in the scale of atrocities and abuses being committed it has great ideological significance.  If this type of deception continues it normalises the occupation of Palestinian land as the legitimate annexation of land to the territory of ‘Israel.’  This type of deception is already being perpetrated by the media, and needs to be challenged at all levels.  

IHRC’s ‘CAMPAIGN TO END FRAUDULENT LABELLING OF SETTLEMENT PRODUCE’ pack is available on our campaigns page.

(d)      Participate in and promote anti-Zionist campaigns, rallies, boycotts and protests.  IHRC posts details of these on its email alert list and its events page on its website www.ihrc.org.

If you have any problems downloading material from the IHRC website, we can email copies as attachments or send hard copies in the post.  Please contact us for further information.









3.      Specimen Letters

The following specimen letters can be simply signed and sent or used to model your own letter on.

The more letters sent the harder it is for those receiving them to ignore.  It only takes a few minutes to sign and send.  Please do so and encourage your  friends and relatives to do so.  Please contact us if you require more copies of the letters.

More copies of these letters can be obtained from IHRC.  Please call (+44) 20 8902 0888, email: info@ihrc.org.


                                         Your Name:
                                         Your Address:



                                         
                                         Date:
Rt Hon Jack Straw MP
Foreign & Commonwealth Office
King Charles Street
London
SW1A 2AA

Dear Mr. Straw,

I am writing regarding the recent escalation of violence resulting in appalling massacres and bloodshed at the hands of the Israeli forces committed against the Palestinian people.  Serious human rights abuses are being committed while the international community watches in silence.

We are appalled at the Israeli action in plundering Palestinian refugee camps, areas which are afforded the highest protection form international law, and killing innocent men, women and children, as well as engaging in the destruction of their homes and property.

While the Prime Minister sees fit to travel the globe for the ‘War against terrorism’, I am more than disappointed at the failure of the same Government to speak out against what can only be described as Israeli terrorism.  Moreover, we have seen the Foreign Secretary himself vehemently campaign for the expulsion of Zimbabwe for its government’s human rights atrocities.  However, we have failed to see such vigor and passion, or indeed any concern for those suffering in Palestine.  

Failure of the British Government to act sends out the message that human rights in their opinion are simply standards of convenience.  I urge you take immediate steps to address the grave situation.

The British Government cannot go on supporting the Israeli authorities while this genocide goes on.  I urge you to request an immediate ceasefire by the Israeli forces, and to put in place an arms and economic embargo until such time Israel agrees to abide by international and human rights law.  I further request you to immediately remove Lord Levy from the position of special envoy in to the Middle East, in light of his long-standing Israeli connections.  Moreover, it is essential that the Government use its influence in the international community to ensure these atrocities are addressed  and the perpetrators are brought to justice.   In particular Ariel Sharon must be brought to account for his past war crimes in Sabra and Chatilla as well as the ongoing crimes against humanity being perpetrated under his leadership now.

I look forward to your confirmation of the government’s immediate and effective action in this matter.

Yours sincerely,


Your signature
Your name

More copies of these letters can be obtained from IHRC.  Please call (+44) 20 8902 0888, email: info@ihrc.org.
Your Name:
                                         Your Address:



                                         
                                         Date:
Mrs Mary Robinson
UN High Commissioner on Human Rights
OHCHR-UNOG
8-14 Avenue de la Paix
1211 Geneva 10
Switzerland
webadmin.hchr@unog.ch

Dear Mrs. Robinson,

I am writing regarding the recent escalation of violence resulting in appalling massacres and bloodshed of the Palestinian people at the hands of the Israeli forces.  Atrocities are being committed while the international community watches in silence.

We are appalled at the Israeli action in plundering into Palestinian territory, particularly refugee camps, areas which are afforded the highest protection under international law, and killing innocent men, women and children, as well as engaging in the destruction of their homes and property.

The international community has continuously failed to take action against the Israeli occupying regime engaged in systematic human rights violations and repression of civilians. This failure to act sends out the message that human rights are a standard of convenience.  I urge you take immediate steps to address the grave situation and urge you to use your influence to ask the international community to stop their flagrant military support of a regime engaged in well-documented human rights abuses.

I urge you to call upon Israel to cease it illegal occupation of all Palestinian territories and expansion of settlements therein, and pressure Israel to recognize the human, social, economic and political rights of indigenous Palestinians.  It is also essential that the human rights violations are addressed and that the perpetrators are brought to justice.  

In particular Ariel Sharon must be brought to account for his past war crimes in Sabra and Chatilla as well as the ongoing crimes against humanity being perpetrated under his leadership now.  Your office must take an appropriate and urgent stance on this issue.

I look forward to your confirmation of your immediate and effective action in this matter.

Yours sincerely,

Your signature
Your name:



More copies of these letters can be obtained from IHRC.  Please call (+44) 20 8902 0888, email: info@ihrc.org.


Your Name:
                                         Your Address:

                                         
                                         Date:

Kofi Annan
Secretary-General
UN Headquarters
First Avenue at 46th Street
New York, NY 10017
USA

Fax: (212) 963-0536;
E-mail: inquiries@un.org

Dear Mr. Kofi Annan,

I am writing regarding the recent escalation of violence resulting in appalling massacres and bloodshed of the Palestinian people at the hands of the Israeli forces.  Atrocities are being committed while the international community watches in silence.

We are appalled at the Israeli action in plundering into Palestinian territory, particularly refugee camps, areas which are afforded the highest protection under international law, and killing innocent men, women and children, as well as engaging in the destruction of their homes and property.

The international community has continuously failed to take action against the Israeli occupying regime engaged in systematic human rights violations and repression of civilians. This failure to act sends out the message that human rights are a standard of convenience.  

I urge you take immediate steps to address the grave situation and use your influence to ask the international community to cease their flagrant military, economic and financial support of a regime engaged in well-documented human rights abuses.

I urge you to call upon Israel to adhere to the international rule of law and to abide by the countless UN Resolutions; to cease it illegal occupation of all Palestinian territories and expansion of settlements therein, and pressurise the Israeli authorities to recognise the human, social, economic and political rights of indigenous Palestinians.  It is also essential that the human rights violations are addressed and that the perpetrators are brought to justice.  In particular Ariel Sharon must be brought to account for his past war crimes in Sabra and Chatilla as well as the ongoing crimes against humanity being perpetrated under his leadership now.  

I look forward to your confirmation of your immediate and effective action in this matter.

Yours sincerely,


Your signature
Your name:

More copies of these letters can be obtained from IHRC.  Please call (+44) 20 8902 0888, email: info@ihrc.org.

......................................................
“And what reason have you that you should not  fight in the way of Allah and of the weak among the men and the women and the children, (of) those who say:  Our Lord! Cause us to go forth from this town, whose people are oppressors, and give us from Thee a guardian and give us from Thee a helper.”

Holy Qur’an: Chapter 4, Verse 75

Join the Struggle for Justice. Join IHRC.

Islamic Human Rights Commission
Tel: +44-20-8902-0888
Fax:+44-20-8902-0889
email:  info@ihrc.org
web:  www.ihrc.org


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