-----Original Message-----
From: Pedestrian Pictures [mailto:pedepics@yahoo.com]
Sent: Thursday, September 04, 2003 10:52 AM

I know that adding to the sufferings we have all undergone over the years of occupation does not make us want freedom any less. I appeal to the mothers of this world to raise their voices with mine against the unjust and inhuman expulsions of Palestinians, my two sons and all other sons of mothers like me.
- Umm Mohammed, West Bank(Mother of two sons illegally arrested, now
facing execution in Israeli prison camps)

Pedestrian Pictures and People's Union for Civil Liberties, People's Democratic Forum, Karnataka Vimochana Ranga, Mahila Jagruthi, Students' Christian Movement of India

Presents

Voices from Palestine

on 8 September 2003, Monday

at Students' Christian Movement India, Mission Road, Bangalore

5:30 p.m. - Screening of Gaza Strip (a 74 min documentary directed by James Longley)

7 p.m. - Discussion on the current socio-political situation in Palestine with Sam Bahour and Wafa Abdur Rehman from The Palestinian Initiative for Global Dialogue and Democracy (MIFTAH) in Jerusalem through a web link. Moderator - Dr.Unnikrishnan P.V.

"You have blood on your hands, Mr. Sharon. Indian People do not
welcome you."

Israeli Prime Minister and right-wing Likud party chief whip Ariel Sharon will be in India on 9 September 2003 to help India battle 'terrorism.' Sharon himself stands accused of murders of several thousand Palestinians -as the commander of an Israeli force that massacred refugees in Qibya in 1953; as the Defense Minister in 1982, when Lebanese forces allied to Israel slaughtered hundreds of Palestinian non- combatants in the Sabra and Shatila refugee camps, a crime for which an Israeli commission found Sharon to bear indirect responsibility. Sharon is in India to finalise a $1 billion arms deal with the BJP led Govt.


"India, the United States and Israel have some fundamental similarities. We are all democracies, sharing a common view of pluralism, tolerance and equal opportunity.." - National Security Advisor, Brajesh Mishra at American Jewish Committee meeting, Washington.

The present BJP led Government's inherent fascist character is coming to light with its alliance with countries like Israel and the United States. In the 'battle against terrorism', there has been blatant persecution of communities - be it Muslims in Gujarat or elsewhere in India or Palestinians in the Occupied Territories. The US battle cry of pre-emptive war to fight terrorism rings loud in Afghanistan, Iraq and other parts of the world.

We invite you to listen to the Palestinian people as they testify against Sharon and the Israeli government and speak of their long resistance against years of persecution. On September 8 through a direct web link, we will question fascism, understand and hear the voices of resistance. The violence faced by the Palestinian people at the hands of the Israeli Government has been drowned in the racket of global media giants. We see this an opportunity to access technology as we stand in solidarity with the Palestinian people, to question the Indian Government's alliance with fascist forces like Israel and US and to tell Mr. Sharon that he is not welcomed by the Indian people.

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For further details contact

Pedestrian Pictures at 5670 2232, 98450 66747, 318 12 691