URGENT CALL TO SUPPORT RIGHT OF RETURN

The A.N.S.W.E.R. Coalition is forwarding this important message from the Right of Return Congress - North America.

URGENT CALL TO SUPPORT RIGHT OF RETURN

March 26, 2004--Bulletin Update of the Right of Return Congress - North America (For direct Bulletin subscription, please write to add@ror-congress.org )

INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE TO THE BUSH DECLARATION ON THE PALESTINIAN RIGHT TO RETURN

Due to email size limit, we only included organizational endorsement in this Bulletin. We extend our sincere apologies to the hundreds of grassroots activists, community leaders, scholars, journalists, professors, and unionists worldwide for not including their signatory in this post.

To view the FULL list of signatories as it is formed, please visit http://www.ror-congress.org

PLEASE SEND YOUR SUPPORT TO: responsetobush@yahoo.com WE ARE COUNTING ON YOU!

UPDATE: In a short period of time, this International Response to the declaration made by President George W. Bush on vital issues regarding the Palestinian people has received massive support from organizations, intellectuals, and grassroots leaders worldwide. As indicated below, the Palestinian Right to Return movement in its entirety and organizations representing Palestinian refugees and those in exile stand firm and unified in their demand to exercise the inalienable right to return.

We thank you for your support thus far. We are asking you to take yet another step in advocating for this fundamental right for the Palestinian people, by actively spreading this International Response and by asking your respective organizations and friends to join.

We ask that each one of us attempt to reach out to 5 more, and to get the endorsement of our respective organizations and institutions. It is time that the Right of Return for the Palestinian people is normalized within the international community!

This is a vital time, and we need your support!

On May 15, 2004, this response will be sent to all members of the United Nations General Assembly and other relevant parties. We intend to show an international consensus.

Please join in this important campaign! We encourage institutional, organizational, and individual endorsements. We ask that you post this response and pass it along as widely as possible.

For endorsement, please write to: responsetobush@yahoo.com

INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE

In response to the most recent declaration given by President of the United States, George W. Bush, to Israeli Prime Minister, Ariel Sharon, on April 14, 2004, at the White House, we, the undersigned affirm the full individual and collective inalienable Right to Return of the Palestinian Arab People to their homes, property and land of origin. We assert in no uncertain terms that such a fundamental right is inviolable as it is based on the unbreakable natural belonging of a people to their property and place of origin, as enshrined in international law. Accordingly, we hold that the Palestinian Right to Return is an indispensable obligatory prerequisite for the achievement of any justice and peace.

We consider any attempt to weaken, lessen, or alter such a right in any form through any proclamations or agreements between any parties to be counter to the human, political, civil, and national collective right of the Palestinian Arab People. Hence, such an attempt, along with its implications and ramifications, are null and void in total, regardless of the passage of time and the entities entering into such agreements or issuing such proclamations.

On November 2, 1917, Great Britain issued the Balfour Declaration that promised Palestine to a European settler colonial movement, amounting to the inevitable dispossession and exile of the Palestinian people. Today, at a time when another Deir Yassin massacre is carried out in Fallujah in an attempt to cement the US occupation of Iraq, the Bush Administration is simultaneously attempting to complete the Balfour project of 1917 by nullifying the Palestinian Right to Return, and by giving an international cover to the creation of a truncated and walled collection of Bantustans that would normalize and legitimize the process of ethnic cleansing.

Recognizing this existential and imminent danger, we stand against this new Balfour Declaration, and reaffirm our unwavering position that the Palestinian Right to Return is an inextricable anchor and prerequisite to full Palestinian self-determination, freedom, and liberty.

(This public declaration will be submitted to all members of the UN General Assembly and other relevant parties on May 15, 2004. For endorsement, please write to: responsetobush@yahoo.com )

SIGNATORIES (in formation, please join):

1. Abnaa Al-Ballad Movement, Palestine 48
2. A'idun Group - Lebanon
3. Al-Awda: Palestine Right to Return Coalition, United Kingdom
4. Al-Awda: Palestine Right to Return Coalition, USA
5. Alrowwad Cultural and Theatre Training Center, Aida
Refugee Camp, Bethlehem, Palestine
6. BADIL Resource Center for Palestinian Residency &
Refugee Rights, Bethlehem, Palestine
7. Center for Development, Documentation and Information Palestine
8. Children and Youth Center, Shatila Camp, Lebanon
9. 'Diwans' of Palestinian refugees in the camps of: (1) al-Baq'a, (2) Wehdat, (3) Hussein, (4) Amman, (5) Hittin, (6) al-Awda, (7) Zarqa, (8) Madaba, (9) Souf, (10) Gaza/'Jarash,' (11) al-Hussn, (12) Irbid, Jordan10. General Union of Palestinian Women - Lebanon
11. High Committee for the Defense of the Palestinian
Right of Return and its branches in Palestinian refugee
camps and communities in Jordan
12. Houleh Club Association, Borj Al Shamali Camp, Lebanon
13. Nabila Brier Social Foundation, Ain El Helwi Camp, Lebanon
14. Palestine Right of Return Congress, Europe
15. Palestine Right of Return Congress, Jordan
16. Palestine Right of Return Congress, Lebanon
17. Palestine Right of Return Congress, North America
18. Palestine Right of Return Congress, Palestine - Gaza Strip Section
19. Palestine Right of Return Congress, Palestine - West Bank Section
20. Palestine Right of Return Congress, Syria
21. Social Care Association, Ain El Helwi Camp, Lebanon
22. Social Communication Center (Ajyal), Beirut, Lebanon
23. Societies and Diwans of (1) Bir es-Sabe', (2) Lydda, (3) Ramle, (4) Salama, (5) Jaffa; (6) Latroun villages of Emwas, (7) Yalo, (8) Bayt Nuba, Jordan
24. The Abu Jihad AL Wazir Institution, Rashidiya Camp, Lebanon
25. The Committee for the Defense of Palestinian Refugees Rights, Palestine
26. The Forum of Palestinian NGO's Working on Refugee Camps of Lebanon (18 NGO's)
27. The Palestinian Human Rights Organization- PHRO, Lebanon
28. Women's Humanitarian Organization, Borj Al Barajnh, Lebanon
29. 20th of March Movement for Change, Egypt
30. Adala - Canadian Arab Justice Committee, Canada
31. Al-Adab Publishing House, Beirut, Lebanon
32. Alawda Magazine, USA
33. Al-Bireh Palestine Society, USA
34. Alexandria Association for Human Rights Advocates, Egypt
35. Alliance for Free Palestine, San Diego State University, USA
36. Alrabita Alarabiya
37. Al-Saaha Cultural Club, Beirut, Lebanon
38. Al-Shorouq Newspaper- Canada
39. American Muslims for Jerusalem, USA
40. American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, Greater Houston Chapter, USA
41. American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, Greater
Sacramento Area Chapter, USA
42. American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, Los Angeles/Orange County Chapter, USA
43. American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, San Francisco Bay Area Chapter, USA
44. Anti Globalization Egyptian Group (AGEG), Egypt
45. Arab Commission for Human Rights, France
46. Arab Muslim American Federation, USA
47. Arab National Congress (Al-Mu'tamar Al-Qawmi Al-Arabi)
48. Arab Student Union (UCSD), University of California, San Diego, USA
49. Arab-American Press Guild, USA
50. Association of Palestinian Australian Graduates, Sydney, Australia
51. Bahrain Center for Human Rights, Bahrain
52. Birzeit Society, USA
53. Campaign to Boycott Supporters of Israel, Beirut, Lebanon
54. Canada Palestine Association, Canada
55. Canadian Muslim Forum (CMF), Montreal
56. Canadian Palestinian foundation of Quebec, Canada
57. Coalition for Justice, Stanford, USA
58. Deir Yassin Society of New York, USA
59. Deir Yassin Society of Ramallah, USA
60. Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights, Egypt
61. El Nadim for Victims of Violence, Egypt
62. Free Palestine Alliance, USA
63. Habitat International Coalition, Cairo, Egypt
64. Housing and Land Rights Network, Cairo, Egypt
65. Human Rights First - Saudi Arabia
66. Islamic Association for Palestine in North America
67. Islamic Society of Stanford University, USA
68. Kana'an Review, Palestine/USA
69. Middle East Cultural and Information Center (MECIC), USA
70. Middle East Students Association (USC), University of
Southern California, USA
71. Muslim Student Awareness Network, Stanford, USA
72. Muslim Students Association (CSULB), California State University, Long Beach, USA
73. Muslim Students Association (CSUS), California State University, Sacramento, USA
74. Muslim Students Association (UCD), University of California, Davis, USA
75. National Council of Arab Americans (NCA), USA
76. Niagara Palestinian Association
77. Organization of Arab American Students, Stanford, USA
78. Palestine Aid Society, USA
79. Palestine Community Center-Vancouver, Canada
80. Palestine House Educational and Cultural Center - the 1948 Uprooted Palestinians in Canada
81. Palestine Solidarity Group, Chicago, USA
82. Palestine Solidarity Group, Vancouver, Canada
83. Palestinian Academic Unionist Teem , An-Najah University , Nablus , Palestine
84. Palestinian American Congress, USA
85. Palestinian American Women's Association of Southern California, USA
86. Pan Arab Union For Peace, NYC, NY, USA
87. Society of Arab Students (UCI), University of California, Irvine, USA
88. Students for Justice in Palestine - College of San Mateo, California
89. Students for Justice in Palestine (CSUS), California State University, Sacramento, USA
90. Students for Justice in Palestine (UCB), University of California, Berkeley, USA
91. Students for Justice in Palestine (UCD), University of California, Davis, USA
92. Students for Justice in Palestine (UCLA), University of California, Los Angeles, USA
93. Students for Justice in Palestine (USC), University of Southern California, USA
94. Students for Palestinian Rights, SFPR, University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
95. The Egyptian Association against Torture, Egypt
96. The National Institution of Social Care and Vocational Training, Lebanon
97. Union of Palestinian American Women, USA
98. United Arab Society at UCLA, University of California, Los Angeles, USA
99. A.N.S.W.E.R. Coalition
100. A.N.S.W.E.R./CV (California Central Valley) Organizing Committee
101. Alternative Perspective Media (APM-RAM), Montreal
102. American Educational Trust, USA
103. American Muslim Voice, USA
104. Americans for A Just Peace in the Middle East, USA
105. Americans for Justice in Palestine-Israel, USA
106. Arab Cause Solidarity Committe (CSCA), Spain
107. Artists Against the Occupation, International
108. ASKAPENA (Basque Solidarity with the People)
109. Association for One Democratic State for Palestine/Israel - Colorado Section, USA
110. Bay Area United Against War, USA
111. Bend-Condega Friendship Project
112. Boston Coalition for Palestinian Rights, USA
113. Café Intifada, Los Angeles, CA, USA
114. Campaign for Social Justice, California, USA
115. Citizens for Fair Legislation, USA
116. Coalition for Equity-Restorative Justice (CERJ), USA
117. Collision Course Media Productions, San Francisco, USA
118. Colorado Palestine Solidarity Campaign, USA
119. Committee Against the U$ Empire (the CAU$E)
120. Committee to Defend Palestinian Human Rights, Worcester, MA, USA
121. Declare Peace Project, United Kingdom
122. Defenders of Peace
123. Educational Alliance for Peace - Marin County, California, USA
124. Fellowship of Reconciliation, Louisville Chapter, Kentucky, USA
125. Florida Palestine Solidarity Network, USA
126. For Mother Earth, Scotland
127. Freedom Socialist Party, Australia
128. Friends of Al-Aqsa, Cape Town, South Africa
129. GoodHarvest
130. Granada Center for Human Rights, Chicago, USA
131. Hammerhard MediaWorks, Chicago, IL, USA
132. Houston Coalition for Justice Not War
133. Incorruptible Media
134. Independent Anglo-Catholic Church of American, USA
135. International Action Center, USA
136. International League of Peoples' Struggle
137. International Socialist Organization, USA
138. Iraq-U.S.A. Committee, Florence, Italy
139. Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign, Belfast Branch
140. Irish Human Rights Coalition (IHRC), USA
141. Islamic Political Party of America, USA
142. Jewish People's Liberation Organization, Canada
143. Jewish Friends of Palestine Project
144. Jewish Women's Committee to End the Occupation (JWCEO), Toronto, Ontario
145. Jews Against Zionism, London, UK
146. Kentucky Interfaith Taskforce on Latin America and the Caribbean, Louisville, Kentucky, USA
147. Kentucky Taskforce on Latin America and the Caribbean, Louisville, Kentucky, USA
148. Knights of the Socially Conscious, USA
149. LAGAI -- Queer Insurrection, USA
150. Latinos Por La Paz
151. Louisville Committee for Peace in the Middle East, Louisville, Kentucky, USA
152. Mahina Movement, NYC, NY, USA
153. Marina Drummer- Community Futures Collective, USA
154. Mexico Solidarity Network, USA
155. Middle East Children's Alliance, USA
156. Muslim Youth Movement of South Africa
157. National Lawyers Guild, Bay Area Chapter
158. National Lawyers Guild, USA
159. National Lawyers Guild--Loyola Law School Chapter, Los Angeles, USA
160. New Jersey Solidarity - Activists for the Liberation of Palestine, New Jersey, USA
161. New York City Labor Against the War (NYCLAW), USA
162. New York Committee to Defend Palestine, USA
163. New Zealand Peace Council
164. Niagara Coalition for Peace
165. Niagara region Human Rights Youth Council
166. Nicaragua Network, USA
167. Northwest Suburban SUSTAIN, Chicago, USA
168. Pakistan American Alliance, USA
169. Palestine en Marche, France
170. Palestine Solidarity Committee - South Africa
171. Palestine Support Committee, Durban, South Africa
172. Partnership for Civil Justice, Washington, DC, USA
173. Poets for Peace, Hamilton, Ontario - Canada
174. Progressive Workers Organizing Committee, Houston-Galveston, Texas, USA
175. Pueblo Insurgente, Republica Bolivariana de Venazuela
176. Queers Undermining Israeli Terrorism (QUIT!), USA
177. Sacramento Area Peace Action, CA, USA
178. San Francisco Bay View, National Black Newspaper, USA
179. SANE Sedona Activist Network Educators, USA
180. SNUR-CGIL Trade Union University of Florence, Italy
181. SOAS PALESTINE SOCIETY
182. Students for Social Justice, Chicago, IL, USA
183. SUSTAIN-St. Louis Chapter, USA
184. SWOP (South Western Ontario Poets), Canada
185. The Action Center For Justice, North Carolina, USA
186. The Freeway Twenty, USA
187. The Independent Anglo-Catholic Church of America, USA
188. The Levant Institute, London, UK
189. The National Coalition to Free the Angola Three, USA
190. The New England Committee to Defend Palestine, USA
191. The Peace Foundation, Aotearoa, New Zealand
192. The West Covina Neighbors for Peace and Justice, USA
193. Third World Forum (UCD), University of California, Davis, USA
194. Tri-Taylor Neighbors for Peace, Chicago, IL, USA
195. U.S. Citizens Against War, Florence, Italy
196. University of Southampton Socialist Student Society, UK
197. Women In Black- San Francisco, USA
Plus hundreds of individual supporters spanning a wide spectrum of grassroots activists, community leaders, scholars, journalists, professors, and unionists worldwide.

To view the FULL list of endorsers as it is formed, please visit http://www.ror-congress.org

Please join in this important campaign! We encourage institutional, organizational, and individual endorsements. We ask that you post this response and pass it along as widely as possible.

For endorsement, please write to: responsetobush@yahoo.com

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