A. Declaration

We the civil society representatives of the peoples of East Asia and South-East Asia, gathered in Shah Alam , Malaysia on 3-4 November 2010, having discussed and deliberated on the Asian Caravan to Gaza  in support of the Palestinian National Liberation struggle hereby declare:

The Palestinian struggle for freedom is the defining & central geopolitical issue of our times & the Palestinian Intifada stands as the vanguard of the international resistance to imperialism & Zionism.

 We extend our solidarity to the courageous people of Palestine in their struggle, resistance and intifada against the Zionist Israeli occupation and affirm our commitment to: 

  Palestinian Self-Determination

• Ending the Zionist Occupation
• Equal Rights for All within historic Palestine
• The full Right of Return for Palestinian refugees

· The International Boycott of Apartheid Israel.       

 We endorse the Cairo Declaration of 2010; 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.

 To that end, we call for, and commit to, build and participate in a global democratic people’s movement to work in alliance with the people of Palestine for the freedom of Palestine and resolve to constitute Asian People’s Solidarity for Palestine, an alliance of peoples’ organisations, political parties, social movements and civil society institutions of peoples of Asia.

 In view of:

• Israel’s ongoing collective punishment of Palestinians through the illegal occupation and siege of Gaza;
• the illegal occupation of the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and the continued construction of the illegal Apartheid Wall and settlements;
• the contempt for Palestinian democracy shown by Israel, the US, Canada, the EU and others after the Palestinian elections of 2006;
• the genocidal war crimes committed by Israel;
• the continued threats of destruction to the Al Aqsa Masjid & the Qubattus Sakhra, as well the Christian Holy sites, by the relentless Judaisation of Jerusalem as well as the rest of historic Palestine;
• the continuing discrimination and repression faced by Palestinians within Israel;
• and the continuing exile of millions of Palestinian refugees;
• the Zionist ideology which underpins Israel and a source of its inspiration & legitimization for all  its racist & oppressive acts;

 We commit to:

· Build solidarity of Asian people for the freedom of Palestine.

· Provide materials, resources, and volunteers to support the struggle of the people of Palestine

· Support and reinforce the boycott of Israeli products and financial divestment from companies directly implicated in the Occupation and/or the Israeli military industries.

· Campaign for non-cooperation with academic, cultural and sport events of Israeli institutions

· Oppose our own governments’ decisions and actions that give economic, financial, military and diplomatic support to Israel and allow it to behave with impunity.

· Building a campaign for the prosecution of Israeli government for war crimes.

· Restoration of UN Resolution 3379 that equates Zionism with Racism, and endorsement by the international community.

 We demand that the Israeli Zionist regime immediately:

· End the Siege of Gaza     

· Dismantle the Israeli Settlements, demolish the Apartheid Wall and remove all the checkpoints that have turned Palestine into the largest open air prison-cum-concentration camp for the entire population.

· Respect the sanctity of the Islamic & Christian Holy sites across historic Palestine & desist from their nefarious designs against the Al-Aqsa Masjid & the Qubattus Sakhra.

· Stop targeted assassinations of the Palestinian leadership and the indiscriminate brutalization, torture, and killing of civilians 

· Release the more than 11,000 Palestinian men, women and children languishing in Israeli prisons 

 We call on our governments to:

·  Sever all relations, secret and open, with Israel

·  Use the international fora  including the UN Security Council and the International Criminal Court to make Israel accountable for its crimes against humanity and war crimes

·  Give full support – economic, political, diplomatic and military – to the Palestinian Resistance

·  Support the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions campaign launched by Palestinian Civil Society

We unite with all peoples’ movements and national resistances, peace loving citizens and democratic states of the world for the establishment of a Sovereign, Independent and Democratic State of Palestine with Jerusalem as the capital.

 

B. Supporting Organizations

India:

• All India Students Association (AISA(
• Aman Bharat
• Asha Parivar
• Awami Bharat
• Bahujan Sewak Sangh
• Banglar Manabadhikar Suraksha Mancha (MASUM(
• 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
• Indian Isladhi Movement
• India Palestine People’s Solidarity Forum
• Indian Federation of Trade Unions (IFTU)
• Insaaniyat
• Intercultural Resources
• Jamiat-i-Ulema-i-Hind
• Jamat-e-Islami-Hind
• Loknaad
• Mazdoor Ekta Manch
• Muslim Intellectual Forum
• Muslim Political Council of India
• National Association of Peoples Movements (NAPM(
• National Forum of Forest People and Forest Workers (NFFPFW(
• New Socialist Initiative (NSI(
• New Trade Union Initiative (NTUI(
• Palestine Solidarity Movement
• People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL(
• Phule-Ambedkar Vichar Manch
• Programme against Custodial Torture and Impunity (PACTI(
• Progressive Students Union (PSU(
• Republican Panther
• Saheli Women’s Resource Centre
• Sarva Seva Sangh
• Solidarity Youth Movement
• South Asia Peace Alliance (SAPA)
• South Asian Network of Gender Activists and Trainers (SANGAT)
• Students Islamic Organisation of India (SIO)
• Trade Union Centre of India (TUCI)
• Vidyarthi Bharti
• Yuva Koshish
• All India Majlis-i-Mushawarrat

Nepal:

• INHURED International (Nepal)
• NGO Federation of Nepal
• Human Rights Alliance, Nepal

Indonesia:

• Islamic World Issue of FSLDK
• PAHAM Indonesia
• PROSPEROUS JUSTICE PARTY
• SAHABAT AL-AGSHA
• HMI(Islamic Association of University Student)
• VOICE OF PALESTINE(VOP
• Teachers Working Group Indonesia
• MER-C(MEDICAL EMERGENCY RESQUE COMMITTEE)
• Himpunan Mahasiswa Islam(HMI)

Malaysia:

• Citiezen International
• MUSLIM CARE MALAYSIA
• MUSLIM SCHOLAR ASSOCIATION OF MALAYSIA
• S.H.U.R.A
• SALIMAH-TERAS, SELANGOR

Singapour:

• Singapore Democtatic Party

Japan:

• Japan to Gaza Committee

Turkey:

• IHH

Pakistan:

• Jamat-e-Eslami Pakistan
• Labour Party

Srilanka:

• Peoples' SAARC process

Azerbayjan:

• Call for moral Purity

Barhrain:

• تیار الوفا الاسلامی
• Bahrain human rights

Iran:

• International union of unified ummah
• مجمع تشکل های حامی فلسطین (شیخ الاسلام)

Note: Different asian NGOs are going to join this coelition

 

C. THE ASIA TO GAZA SOLIDARITY CARAVAN

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.
 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. From Iran caravn will go for Turkey and then Syria. From Syria two delegations will go for Lebenon and Jordan and the caravan will go toward Egypt via Lazeqiya – Alarish rout from which they will go for Rafah border.

 

D. Time Table of caravan

1 DEC	Participants from East and South East Asia reach New Delhi , India
2 DEC	Flag off from New Delhi to India-Pakistan Border
4 DEC	Reach Lahore , Pakistan
5 - 7 DEC	Lahore to Karachi/ Pakistan
8 DEC	Pakistan to Zahedan , Iran
9 - 14 DEC	Zahedan, Iran to Tabriz , Iran
15 - 17 DEC	Tabriz, Iran to Vaan , Turkey
18 - 19 DEC	Turkey to Damascus , Syria
22 - 23 DEC	Damascus, Syria to Beirut Lebanon
24 - 25 DEC	Beirut back to Syria
25 DEC	Syria (Lazeqiya) to Egypt (Al Arish)
26 DEC	Al Arish to Rafah (Gaza)