Solidarity Caravan from India to Palestine Left New Delhi on 2 December; Dear Comrade, Israel’s occupation of Palestinian and Arab territories has lasted for decades in violation of international law, international humanitarian law and numerous United Nations resolutions. The occupation of Palestine must end! Gaza has been turned into a vast prison with the Palestinian population there under continuous, murderous assaults and a permanent state of siege. The Palestinian people must have the freedom to exercise their right to self-determination including their right to establish, on all the territories that Israel has occupied, an independent state of their own in any manner they see fit. The structure of apartheid that Israel has established must be dismantled and it must grant equal rights to all its citizens including the right of return to the Palestinians refugees. The Palestinians have the right to resist the occupation through all legitimate means. The terrible massacre aboard the Mavi Marmara on 31 May 2010 has brought a sea change in international opinion against the inhumane siege on the people of Gaza. Citizens around the world have responded to the plight of the Palestinian people and are taking action to help break the blockade which is suffocating the lives of the people of Gaza and denying them their very right to exist. Far from deterring people from seeking to bring that siege to an end, the Israeli assault on the Freedom Flotilla is spurring on even more people to bring humanitarian aid to the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip and to end the blockade. NTUI has in the past supported actions in solidarity for the people of Palestine, and in 2009 supported the International Call for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions against Israel. In consonance with our existing position on India’s foreign policy and our statement on the events in Mumbai on 26 November 2008, we have been demanding that the Government of India brings to end all economic and military relations with Israel and pursues an independent foreign policy. In February 2010, NTUI also signed the Cairo Declaration. It is against this background, that NTUI has been a part of the campaign, ‘India Lifeline to Gaza’. This process was initiated by Indian people’s movements, social movements, trade unions, civil society organisations and multi-faith and ecumenical organisations. India Lifeline to Gaza is a constituent of the ‘Asian People’s Solidarity for Palestine’. 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. Asia Lifeline to Gaza decided to organise an Asian land convoy to Gaza, which would travel through Pakistan, Iran, Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt and ultimately through the Rafah Crossing into Gaza, and carry with it humanitarian aid for the peoples of Palestine. This is the first Asian caravan to Gaza which will carry humanitarian aid and perhaps the first pan-Asian solidarity for the struggles of the peoples of Palestine. The Asian Caravan will be joined by delegations in each of the countries through which it passes. The Caravan also has delegates from Indonesia, Malaysia, South Korea, Japan, Jordan and Lebanon. On 2 December 2010, a group of 58 Indian civil resisters from across India departed from Raj Ghat, the memorial for Mahatama Gandhi, towards Gaza. This group of 58 civil resisters includes ten comrades from NTUI. The Caravan travelled through the Indian state of Haryana and Punjab and was meant to cross the in to Pakistan at the border at Wagah on 4 December. The caravan was held back at the border for a day because despite valid visas to enter Pakistan, the Indian External Affairs Ministry held their ‘permission’ back. The Government finally acceded following protests on both sides of the border and a spate of media coverage. In turn the Government of Pakistan issued visas only to 26 out of 54 Indian delegates. The caravan was also only issued visas to travel to Lahore. They were denied permission to take the original land route through Karachi and Quetta and the border crossing into Iran at Zahedan. As a consequence, the caravan travelled back to Delhi from Lahore and then travelled by air to Zahedan. In Lahore, the Indian delegation was given a very warm reception by a wide spectrum of activists, civil society organizations, students and journalists. (http://ntui.org.in/media/item/india-lifeline-to-gaza-hands-over-palestinian-flag-to-pakistan-and-moves-to/) The caravan resumed its land route at Zahedanon 8 December. In Iran, the Caravan has travelled through the cities of Zayadan, (http://ntui.org.in/media/item/thousands-welcome-india-lifeline-to-gaza-in-iran/) Kerman, Ishfahan, Qom, Tehran (http://ntui.org.in/media/item/palestine-not-a-conflict-between-arabs-and-jews-or-muslims-and-jews-says-ir/) and Tabriz. On 17 December, the Caravan crossed into Turkey. Today we crossed into Syria. It will take a ship from the Syrian port of Latakia and from there on to the Egyptian port of Al Arish. From Al Arish it will go by land in vehicles to Gaza via the Rafah crossing. We at the NTUI believe that it was critical that the Caravan takes the land route to Gaza so as to provide the opportunity to build a sense of solidarity amongst Asian peoples and in particular in our very own region and in West Asia which is where imperialism is fighting its most belligerent and sustained wars. Even though we were not able to cross Pakistan entirely through the land route, it was an important achievement to have crossed the border and travel even a partial route. It is also a first, in recent times that Indian and Pakistani working class organisations have come together in action. All be it, a small step, we believe this is a step in the right direction that will provide the basis for us to add strength and depth to the struggle of the Asian working class in resisting imperialist globalisation. We hope that we will reach Gaza on 27 December 2010, and hope to join comrades in Gaza in marking the Second Anniversary of the attack on Gaza. We are writing to you to ask for solidarity messages, which the delegates on the Caravan would carry to Gaza. Please send your messages to us at: We hope to hear from you. Comradely yours, Gautam Mody Secretary |