Asia to Gaza Solidarity Caravan

500 civil resisters from 17 Asian countries will join the caravan from India and march through 18 Asian cities of Pakistan , Iran , and Turkey to break the siege of Gaza through the sea route in December 2010

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.

TENTATIVE CARAVAN SCHEDULE

1 December
Participants from East and South East Asia reach New Delhi , India

2 - 3 December
Flag off from New Delhi
and travel to Wagah border, India-Pakistan Border

4 December
Reach Lahore , Pakistan

5 - 7 December
Lahore to Karachi/Quetta, Pakistan

08 December
Karachi/Quetta, Pakistan to Zahedan , Iran

9 - 14 December
Zahedan, Iran to Tabriz , Iran

15 - 17 December
Tabriz, Iran to Eskandarun , Turkey

18 - 19 December
Eskandarun, Turkey to Damascus , Syria

20 - 21 December
Damascus, Syria to Amman Jordan

22 - 23 December
Amman, Jordan to Beirut Lebanon

24 - 26 December
Beirut back to Turkey

26 December
We Sail for Gaza ( Palestine )


Peaceful Resistance

The civil resisters have resolved to resist the Israeli sea siege in a peaceful manner and following the example of civil resisters such as Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr., and Nelson Mandela as well as the long tradition of peaceful resistance from all ethical and religious traditions. The civil resisters are willing to be convicted for their peaceful resistance.


India Lifeline to Gaza
This process has been initiated by Indian people’s movements, social movements, trade unions, civil society organisations and multi-faith and ecumenical organisations. In the two months prior to departure of the Asia to Gaza caravan there will be multi-city programmes in solidarity of the people of Gaza and Palestine . Film festivals of Palestinian films and films of resistance, music concerts, photo exhibits, and theatre productions are being organised by the supporters of the people of Gaza and Palestine .


Palestinian Film Festival: Celebrating Cultures of Resistance

A week-long film festival screening Palestinian films and documentaries is being planned across several cities of India in the last week of October (tentatively 23-30 October). Several other initiatives such as solidarity concerts, theatrical performances, photo exhibits, panel discussions and seminars will also be planned in the days leading up to the flag-off of the Caravan.


End the Siege of Gaza ¢ Freedom to Palestine ¢ Boycott Israel


Endorsed by:

Organisations

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 )

INHURED International ( Nepal )

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


Individuals:

Achin Vanaik

Agdish Nagarkar

Amol Madame

Anand Grover

Anand Patwardhan

Anand Swaroop Verma

Anil Chaudhary

Arif Kapadia

Ashish Kothari

Asif Khan

Aslam Ghazi

Bajrang Sonawane

Brig. Sudhir Sawant

Chetna Birje

Ghazala Azad

Ihtishaam Ansari

Jai Sen

Javed Naqvi

Kabir Arora

Kalyani Menon-Sen, New Delhi

Khalid Riaz

Mukta Srivastava

Mukul Sinha

Mulniwasi Mala

Munawwar Azad

Munawwar Khan

Qurratulain Sundus

Reshma Jagtap

Ritu Menon

Rohini Hensman

Salman Usmani

Sandeep Pandey

Sanjay Shinde

Savyasaachi

Sayeed Khan

Sayeeda Hameed

Shabnam Hashmi

Shahid Siddiqui

Sheikh Muhammad Hussain

Shyam Sonar

Sudhir Dhawale

Sumi Saikia

Syed Iftikhar Ahed

Tusha Mittal

Varsha V V

Vasanthi Raman

Vilas Gaikwad

Winnie Thomas

Yawar Ali Qazi


Indian Coordination Committee:

1. Dr. Zafarul Islam Khan, Editor, Milli Gazette / Majlis-i-Mushawarrat
2. Ashim Roy, National Trade Union Initiative and Member, Asian Coordination Committee
3. Feroze Mithiborwala, India Palestine People's Solidarity Forum and Member, Asian Coordination Committee
4. Com. Ramachandran, CPI-ML
5. Shahid Siddiqui, Editor, Nai Duniya and Ex-MP
6. Dr. Sunilam, Kisan Sangarsh Samiti and Ex-MLA
7. Com. Sanjay Singhvi, Trade Union Centre of India
8. Mujtaba Farooq, Jamat-i-Islami-i-Hind
9. Com. Tapas Ranjan Saha, CPIML-Liberation
10. Niaz Faruqi, Jamiatul-Ulema-i-Hind
11. Dr. Tasleem Rehmani, Muslim Political Council of India
12. Dr. Mrigank, CPI-ML-New Democracy
13. Com. Vasudevan, Blue Star Union
14. Com. Ravi Joshi, Indian Federation of Trade Unions
15. Com. Thomas Matthew, Bahujan Vampanth
16. Sandeep Pandey, National Alliance of People's Movements
17. Bhim Singh, Bahujan Sevak Sangh
18. Com. Aslam Sheikh, All India Students Association
19. Kishore Jagtap, Mahatma Phule-Dr. Ambedkar Vichar Manch
20. Shah Nawaz, Students Islamic Organization
21. Gauhar Iqbal, Palestine Solidarity Movement

CPI(M): "Investigate the Israeli missile contract"

From People's Democracy;

The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has issued the following statement on March 28, 2009

The Rs 10,000 crore [approx. 2,010,000,000 USD] missile production deal with an Israeli company, the Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), has now been exposed as a deal involving massive kickbacks besides being an unnecessary contract. The Left parties had asked in a letter to the prime minister in March 2008 that the $ 2.5 billion deal for developing a medium range surface to air missile with the IAI should not be proceeded with, in view of the fact that the earlier Barak missile deal with the same company is being investigated by the CBI for kickbacks. The Defence minister replied to this letter that if there is any impropriety or violation of law, action would be taken (letters attached).

An investigative report by the DNA newspaper has exposed the fact that the Israeli missile deal involves a "business charge" which is six per cent of the total value (approximately Rs 600 crore). This makes it a scam of ten-fold magnitude compared to the Bofors Rs 64 crore kickbacks.

The Left parties had written to the prime minister again in February 2009 barely three weeks before the contract was signed once again urging the government not to proceed with the deal (letter attached). The reason cited was that the DRDO had already developed a missile system which was superior to the one being offered by the IAI for co-production. The letter also reiterated that IAI should have been blacklisted just like the South African firm Denel which is also under investigation for kickbacks.

Given the seriousness of the charges the government has to answer the following questions:

1. The IAI had got the contract for the supply of Barak missile in 2000 during the NDA regime. The FIR lodged by the CBI in October 2006 names IAI as an accused besides naming the Delhi-based arms dealer, Suresh Nanda and other family members as agents of the Israeli firms IAI and Rafael Corporation. Why was the IAI not embargoed from further supplies till the case was disposed off?

2. Was the government not aware that the Israeli authorities had investigated the IAI for malpractices in contracts with other countries? Such charges led to the head of the IAI stepping down in 2005.

3. Was the ministry of Defence not aware that an Indian agent of the Israeli company replaced by another petitioned the Israeli Defence ministry claiming additional commissions were due to him?

4. What does the Manmohan Singh government have to say about the DRDO having developed and field proven its Advanced Air Defence (AAD) missile capacity? Why was the DRDO compelled to enter into the so-called "joint development" of the IAI air defence missile when it already has its own superior AAD missile?

5. Was the Manmohan Singh government not aware of the fact that like in the Barak missile deal, there are middlemen and intermediaries involved who are being paid commissions/kickbacks? Was the government not aware of identity of these agents?

6. How does the Manmohan Singh government explain the six per cent "business charges" on the total value of the deal? Is this not contrary to the stipulations against engagement of agents and payment of agency commissions?

7. Why is it that the contract was signed on February 27, 2009 and the fact was kept a secret? The information about the date of signing has now become known from the IAI which has claimed that the Indian government wanted the signing of the contract to be kept secret.

8. Why did the government get the contract signed on February 27, 2009, just two days before the announcement of the Lok Sabha elections?

The Polit Bureau of the CPI(M) demands that the missile contract with the IAI be suspended and an investigation be ordered by the CBI into the contract with the IAI which should be a follow up of the investigations into the earlier Barak missile deal.

Statement annexures

Annexure 1

The following is the text of the letter dated March 17, 2008 to the prime minister, Manmohan Singh addressed by the general secretaries of CPI(M), CPI, AIFB and RSP.

We have been noting with growing concern the manner in which arms deals with Israel are being conducted. Israel is already the second largest supplier to India. It is now clear that Israeli arms manufacturers, including government-owned entities, have been blatantly violating Indian laws by using middle-men and by giving kickbacks to officials involved in the decision-making process.

The scam surrounding India’s acquisition of the Israeli Barak missile systems manufactured by the state-owned Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI) and Rafael corporations is the latest case in point. The original deal for ship-mounted Barak systems worth about Rs 1300 crore struck in 2000 during the NDA regime was rife with procedural violations and outright corruption as emerged during the Tehelka expose. CBI’s FIR of October 2006 names IAI as an accused, besides naming Delhi-based arms dealer Suresh Nanda and other family members as agents of the Israeli firms. The recent CBI raids and consequent arrests of the Nandas and their associates seem to have added more hard evidence.

Evidence has also emerged in Israel of the bribery and corruption, including payments to agents in India, indulged in by IAI and Rafael. An Indian agent replaced by another petitioned the Israeli Defence ministry claiming additional commissions due to him, and the matter has even been referred to the Israeli attorney general. All this has led to the arrest and impending prosecution of Moshe Keretz, who headed IAI for 20 years till 2005, and another agent whose name has been concealed under a gag order of the Israeli authorities.

Regrettably, despite all this evidence, the UPA government has shown a remarkable reluctance to take action against IAI, Rafael and other Israeli arms companies. The Swedish firm Bofors was blacklisted after the involvement of middle-men was proved in the notorious deal. The South African firm Denel was similarly blacklisted in 2005 for resorting to agents and kickbacks. But demands that similar action be initiated against IAI and other Israeli firms have been ignored. Some high authorities have bent over backwards to argue that the cases were not similar in some unexplained manner.

To add insult to injury, the UPA government has further cemented the alliance with IAI by signing a massive $2.5 billion (Rs10,000 crore) deal for co-development of more advanced Barak NG (new generation) and Barak-8 missiles with longer range and for land-based anti-missile applications. How can India proceed with this deal in the face of evident wrong-doing by Israeli firms?

By turning a blind eye to systematic violation of Indian laws by Israeli firms, India is sending out wrong signals to international arms manufacturers at a time when India is embarking on huge overseas military acquisitions, with the potential to corrupt and derail the entire system. These developments also underline the importance of self-reliance in defence production which has been given low priority of late.

The Left parties urge the UPA government to immediately take strong action against the errant Israeli firms, and also ensure that the CBI pursues the Barak scam case to its logical conclusion and brings all the guilty to book.

Annexure 2

The following is the text of the letter from A K Antony to Prakash Karat

This has reference to your letter dated March 19, 2008 enclosing a copy of your letter dated March 17, 2008, addressed to the prime minister expressing concern as to the conduct of arms deals with certain Israeli companies.

As you are aware, the ministry of Defence carries out its procurement activities in accordance with the Defence Procurement Procedure that contain mandatory stipulations against engagement of agents, payment of agency commissions and use of undue influences. Moreover, Integrity Pacts are being invariably signed with vendors for procurement schemes of over Rs 100 crores. These stipulations empower the government to cancel the contract as well as debar the vendor from entering into any supply contract with government of India for a minimum period of five years in addition to imposition of penalty in the event of breach of any contractual provisions. After filing of a FIR by the CBI in Barak Anti Missile Defence case, the ministry of Defence had obtained legal advice through the ministry of Law as to whether it would be appropriate to debate a party in terms of the above provisions. The advice received was that it would be advisable to await the charge-sheet or the investigation report and an embargo only on the strength of a FIR may not be justified. The matter is presently under the consideration of the government.

Similarly, when newspaper reports appeared regarding alleged irregularities on the part of Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) in defence contracts including payment of commissions in the procurement of Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft, the ministry of Defence took steps to ascertain the facts through the Israeli Ministry of Defence and the latter conveyed that they had contacted the offices of the Israeli State Comptroller and their State Attorney’s office and both of them had made clear that their investigations focused on alleged IAI procedure and practices without any reference or connection whatsoever to the Indian transaction or Indian citizens. The Israeli ministry of Defence has further informed that the Israel State Comptroller issued no report on his inquiry and the police investigations ended with no charges pressed against any person.

I may assure you that all necessary action would be taken whenever any impropriety or violation of laws is established or brought to notice and that such cases would be pursued to their logical conclusion.

Annexure 3

The following is the text of the letter addressed to the prime minister, Manmohan Singh on February 9, 2009 by the general secretaries of CPI(M) and CPI. A copy is also addressed to A K Antony, minister for Defence, government of India.

We are writing to you regarding the contract for Air Defence Missile Systems placed by the MoD on Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI). The amount involved is around Rs 10,000 crore for the supply of around 12 such systems. This is surprising considering that such a contract has been given when IAI is already under investigation of the CBI on charges of bribery and corruption for the anti-ship, ship-mounted Barak missile system. We had brought this to your notice in our earlier letter dated March 18, 2008 about the kickbacks and use of middleman in the Barak deal, which are in violation of Indian laws. In the past India has blacklisted firms such as Bofors, Sweden and Denel, South Africa for similar cases of kickbacks and middleman.

The deal with IAI is also surprising on other counts. First, it involves systems that have yet to be even developed by IAI, let alone manufactured and test proven. Secondly, our Defense R & D Organisation (DRDO) has already developed and repeatedly field proven DRDO’s Advanced Air Defense (AAD) missiles capacity. This missile is capable of destroying incoming enemy missiles as well as aircraft whereas aircraft the proposed IAI missile can deal is only with enemy aircraft. The DRDO (AAD) missile is capable of intercepting even ballistic missiles at altitudes upto as high as 18 kilometers. Thus the proposed missiles sought to be developed by IAI appears to be inferior to the DRDO developed missiles AAD on the counts of technical, cost and operational readiness.

Thirdly, to give a “cover” of indigenous involvement and content, DRDO has been forced to enter into a so-called “joint development” of the IAI Air Defense Missile even when it already has its own superior AAD missile!

This deal again brings out the unfortunate influence that Israeli arms manufacturers including government owned entities assert on India’s arms purchases. Nothing else can explain why IAI, which is seriously implicated in corruption in India and in Israel, should be favoured in this way.

We urge you to get the contract stopped and see that the DRDO’s indigenous missile programme is not subverted in this way.

"اليسار الهندي يطالب بتجميد الصفقات العسكرية مع دولة الاحتلال"

ذكرت صحف هندية أن أحزاب اليسار الهندية تطالب بتجميد صفقة سلاح بين دولة الاحتلال والهند احتجاجا على الحرب العدوانية التي شنتها الدولة الصهيونية على قطاع غزة، والتي وصفتها بأنها "محرقة"، تسببت بأزمة إنسانية. ويدور الحديث عن صفقة تزود الصناعات الجوية الصهيونية الهند بموجبها بصواريخ أرض-أرض بقيمة 2.5 مليار دولار.

وقال السكرتير العام [للحزب الشيوعى الهندى (الماركسى)] ، فراكش كاراط، في اجتماع ضم التنظيمات والأحزاب اليسارية الهندية: "يتعين علينا بناء حركة تضامن مع شعب فلسطين". وطالب بوقف التحالف العسكري والاستراتيجي مع دولة الاحتلال.

من على موقع الجبهة الشعبية لتحرير فلسطين
News links: 1, 2, 3

India: Convention for Solidarity with Palestine

On February 7, a Convention for Solidarity with Palestine was held in Delhi, the Indian capital. Below is the statement of the convention reproduced:

"Resolution of the Convention for Solidarity with Palestine
February 7, 2009 New Delhi

The savage military aggression by Israel on the 1.5 million Palestinians in Gaza is genocide. More than 1300 Palestinians -- including hundreds of women and children -- have been killed and over 5000 wounded. More than 26,000 homes have been destroyed with targeted bombing of schools, hospitals and basic infrastructure. The Palestinians are today without electricity, drinking water, medicines and food. The hospitals are not being able to take care of the injured with an acute scarcity of not just medicines, but doctors and medical staff.

The Israeli military has pulled out but the siege continues. The Israelis remain in command and have been blocking the supply of food and medicines for the Palestinians. The US, European Union are accountable for Israel's repeated invasions of Gaza and the continued occupation of Palestinian land. The Indian government, while paying lip service to the Palestinian cause, is the biggest buyer of Israeli arms and is helping subsidise the Israeli armed forces.

We cannot remain mute spectators to this genocide and need to come together to express our solidarity with the Palestinian people and pressure the international community and the government of India to act against Israel. The role of the media is also questionable, as the attack on Gaza was barely covered by Indian newspapers and television channels. And except for a couple of days, most of the national newspapers did not even report the death and destruction on the front pages.

Going beyond the humanitarian crisis of Gaza, this convention expresses its firm solidarity with the struggle of the Palestinian people to form their independent state on the whole territory that is theirs by right and to pursue their path of development, overcoming the machinations of Israel and its western patrons.

This Convention calls upon the government of India to:

1) Reverse its pro-Israel foreign and security policies
2) snap military ties with Israel;
3) cancel the 10,000 crore missile deal with Israel Aircraft Industries
4) boycott all goods from illegal Israeli settlements
5) take an initiative on Palestine along with other non-aligned countries

Amongst the speakers were N. Ram (Editor The Hindu), SP Shukla (Former Secretary, Min. of Finance), Zikrur Rehman (India's former Consul to Palestine), Aijaz Ahmed (Professor), Prince of Arcot -- Nawab Mohammed Abdul Ali, Prakash Karat, CPI(M), AB Bardhan, CPI, Umareddy Venkateswaralu, TDP, Danish Ali, JD(S), Debabrata Biswas, Forward Bloc, Prabhat Patnaik (Professor, JNU), Achin Vanaik (Professor), Saeed Naqvi, (Journalist), Saeed Mirza (Film maker). Seema Mustafa chaired the meeting. Others who have already agreed to be in the Organising Committee include Justice PB Sawant, (Retired Supreme Court judge), Khushwant Singh (writer and journalist), Goutam Ghosh, (Film maker), Tushar Gandhi (Mahatma Gandhi Institute), Anand Patwardhan, (Film maker), Habib Tanvir, (Theatre person), Zahed Ali Khan, (Editor Siasat) and many others.

The Convention also resolved to start a mass campaign on the issue of Palestine and India's independent foreign policy. As a part of the campaign it was announced that a signature campaign by Members of Parliament on India Israel military ties and the Rs. 10,000 crore [approx 2 billion US Dollars] missile deal with Israel Aircraft Industries would be started once the Parliament opens. Other measures include organising boycotts including academic boycott, creating exhibitions and film screenings on Palestine, organising medical and other relief material for Gaza. The Committee would meet soon and to chalk out a concrete program on these and other possible measures."

Source: CPI(M)

Delhi: "Down with killer Israel"

On Friday January 9 a demonstration was held in Delhi, the capital of India. It was attended by several leaders of political parties, calling for an immediate stop to the massacre in Gaza. The placards on the photo read qatil israel murdabad, 'Down with killer Israel'.

From: Pragoti, See also an article about the rally in People's Democracy.

Communist Party of India (Marxist) condemnation of Israeli aggression

"The savage and horrific wave of air strikes by the Israeli Government on the densely populated Gaza strip leading to the killing of over 200 Palestinians, one third of whom are reportedly women and children and causing severe injuries to hundreds more, once again exposes the state terrorism indulged in by Israel. This attack comes on top of the siege of Gaza by the Israeli armed forces. The Israeli government has been oblivious to all the calls for stopping its policies of colonial repression in Gaza and the West Bank. Israel is emboldened in its aggression by the backing it receives from the United States."

excerpt of statement published in the CPI(M) website.