The International Movement for a Just World (JUST) and Peace Malaysia are organising a forum and related activities to remember 60 years of ‘Al-Nakba’ (The Catastrophe). The event will commemorate the struggle of the Palestinian people in the last 6 decades to regain their freedom and their dignity. It will be held on Saturday, 10 May 2008 from 10.30 am ( sharp) to 1 pm, at the Sin Chew Hall, Sin Chew Daily, no.19, Jalan Semangat, Petaling Jaya.
After thousands of Palestinians were driven out of their homes and scores were massacred in cold blood between 1947 and 1948, Israel was established by a United Nations dominated by Western nations on 14 May 1948. For the Palestinians that day represents a catastrophe for a state had come into being through the cruel and callous dispossession of an entire people who had lived and toiled continuously on the land called ‘Palestine’ for millennia. 60% of their ancient land was now allocated to Israel. Within a year, through war and violence Israel annexed another 18% of Palestinian land. As a result of the 1967, it captured the remaining 22% of Palestine. Thus, Al-Nakba which actually began with organised Zionist colonisation of Palestine in the wake of the Balfour Declaration of 1917 is a longstanding catastrophe which appears to have no end. It is a catastrophe which has witnessed tens of thousands of deaths and the expulsion of millions of others creating in the process some 5 million Palestinian refugees.
To remember this terrible injustice, a panel of 3 speakers will discuss various aspects of the Palestinian struggle for self-determination. They are JUST Vice-President, Dr. Abdullah al Ahsan, Peace Malaysia Chairman, Dato’ Mukhriz Mahathir, and social activist, Abdul Rahim Majid. The discussion will be moderated by Datin Dulcie Abraham, also an activist and Church leader.
A Palestinian, Maha Alfarra will recite poems on the Palestinian struggle while Saiful Amri of Phlowtron will render some songs. There will also be an exhibition of photos related to the Palestinian cause. One of the unique features of the forum will be a ‘Plant an Olive Tree’ campaign.
The public is invited to the forum. Admission is free. JUST and Peace Malaysia urge Malaysians regardless of religious affiliation to come forward and express their solidarity with the Palestinian people by attending the forum on 10 May and participating actively in it.
Dr. Chandra Muzaffar,
President,
International Movement for a Just World (JUST)
Petaling Jaya
2 May 2008