Hello !
We woud like to inform you about the events happening now in Lebanon, but above all to invite you to participate to it as much as you can.
In reaction to the recent events in Palestine, a spontaneous movement started in Beirut. Tents were built on Maryrs Square (Beirut downtown), where young activists camp non-stop in protest to the Israeli repression in Palestine.
It is from this movement that « Tents of Resistance » started.
Who are we ? « Tents of Resistance » is a group of individuals who decided to launch an international action in protest to the Israeli repression. We are creating a camp near the israeli border to, symbolically, do the siege of Isreali State.
Our motivations are better explained in our declaration, which follows this message. This declaration can be amended in the future according to the contribution of everybody.
Everything we do is in movement, is changing, we do not want to create something static.
We want to make of this event an international action that will gather all these who support the palestinians in the events that they have to face today.
The access to Palestine has become impossible to the peace activists. Let them join us here in Lebanon in the symbolic and non-violent siege of Israel. We will make this camp a forum for all those who want to express their opinions, their wills, and their ideas on the subject.
The camp will start on April 8th, 2002. You are welcome from that date.
However, we are concentrating our efforts on a week of action that will take place from Saturday April 13th to Sunday April 21st. We call you, if you come, to include this period in your stay.
The action has no planned ending. We will keep sieging as long as possible before the situation changes positively.
The programm on the spot : it will be modified according to everybody's contribution and to the ongoing events, that is why we leave it deliberately loose.
You can however note already that everyday, and particularly during the week of action, forums and film projections will be organised.
Discussions with war victims, a visit of palestinian refugees camps in Lebanon, will take place.
Furthermore, we are planning lectures, workshops and discussions on themes that will get broader, but that are now based around the israelo-palestinian conflict, conflicts in the Arab World and else, the problem of refugees, the civil war in Lebanon, non-violent resolution of conflicts, American policy in Middle-East, globalisation...
Anyway, we hope that you, participants, will bring in these forums the themes that you think are importants. Everybody will have the possibity to run workshops on the subjects they feel able to speak about.
We do hope you will be many to join us so that we express together our desire to see and end to the violations of the Palestinians'rights and to the occupation of their living place.
We will be very happy to give you all informations you need. To ask, just send a mail to our address :
tentsofresistance@altern.org
See you soon in Lebanon !
Co-ordinator to « international relations » of Tents of Resistance,
Namik Bovet-Wolteche.
namik@nnx.com
TENTS OF RESISTANCE
join us for a non-violent siege of Israel, in solidarity with Palestinians
Members of the International Community:
In the past week, the Israeli state has launched an onslaught on the people of Palestine. Under the claim of a "war against terrorism," the US has given Israel the green light to systematically obliterate every wing of the Palestinian political, social, and economic infrastructure.
Most Palestinian towns and villages are under a state of complete siege and occupation as Palestinians sit entrapped in their homes under Israeli random shelling and gunfire. Their food supplies are quickly diminishing and almost all access to medical care is denied.
Israel claims that it is acting out its legitimate right to self-defense. However we ask how the systematic destruction of civilian homes, the gunning down and execution of Palestinians, occupation and destruction of their cities and refugee camps, and the siege of their political leader, can be viewed in any light as self-defense. If the Israeli intention is to protect their citizens, the oppression and the onslaught of the Palestinian people will only invite more threats of suicide bombs as Palestinians use any means necessary to realizing liberation.
We, the people of the Arab world, stand as witnesses to the systematic destruction of Palestine and every aspect of Palestinian life.
We declare that we will stand for it no longer - with or without the support of our governments.
A group of activists from Lebanon have initiated a campaign. We call this campaign: Tents of Resistance. As we cannot enter Occupied Palestine, we will set up tents on our borders with Israel, where activists will camp out in non-violent protest against the occupation of Palestine and the escalating violence against the Palestinian people. We believe that these tents on the borders of Israel will carry a symbolic message: a pacific siege on Israel by the people of conscious. Further, we use the tent as it is a symbolic representation of 54 years of Palestinian exile and destitution as well as their status as refugees inside their borders and internationally. The first tent has already been set up on the streets of Beirut in the form of an on-going sit-in since last week. Some of us will now take it to the border.
We call for activists in opposition to Israeli imperialism and brutality to join us in protest. As Israel, the supposed democracy of the Middle East, is not allowing peace activists into Occupied Palestine, we extend an invitation into Lebanon: Come and join us as we protest at the borders and demand a boycott on Israel economically and politically until they conform to the norms of international human rights. As the situation in Palestine worsens by the day, our actions demand urgency. They are hence spontaneous and will be shaped by your immediate response. We are working by the hour to establish a program and welcome your suggestions with our utmost effort to collectively realize them. We call on activists who cannot join us here in Lebanon to replicate this action in their own countries by setting up tents in front of the Israeli embassies and consulates of the nations.
We look to examples of resistance through boycott from the courageous struggle against apartheid in South Africa and the struggle against corporate globalization - where an international siege is the most powerful tool of resistance.
Alone - we are powerless against the tanks and F-16's of the Israeli army.
Alone - we are powerless against the on-going US support of the systematic destruction of Palestine and the ongoing massacre of the Palestinian people.
Together - in solidarity - united - in opposition: we can shake the world.
The boycott on Apartheid South Africa, Zapatista Revolution in Mexico, and the struggle against corporate globalization show that history can be shaped when the people decide to reclaim the power.
Come numerous to bring your little piece of change in the world !
Contact us: tentsofresistance@altern.org