Petition
by Maltese Civil Society Urges Immediate Intervention by the UN in
Palestine
A
number of Maltese NGOs and other organisations have written to UN
Secretary-General Kofi Annan to call for decisive,
immediate and impartial international intervention in Palestine
by the UN. The petition also urges the two sides to resume negotiations on
a political settlement to the conflict in the region with two states,
Israel and Palestine, living side by side within secure and recognised
borders.
The petition was drafted by four local NGOs: Inizjamed, Third
World Group, Koperattiva Kummerċ Ġust, and Kopin,
and was first presented in public during the activities organised by the
Parliamentary Secretariat in the Ministry of Education to commemorate
World Youth Day held in Valletta.
H.E.
Prof. Guido De Marco, President of the Republic, was presented with
fair-traded Palestinian couscous as a symbolic gesture auguring that the
future in the Middle East is characterized by prosperity and cultural
exchange rather than conflict. This “couscous” is imported by the
local fair trade cooperative Koperattiva Kummerċ Ġust
which runs the world shop L-Arka in St Paul’s Str, Valletta, which is
run by volunteers.
The
organisations that have signed also include Alternattiva Demokratika,
Ceratonia Foundation; Moviment Graffiti, Poezijaplus, Għaqda
Letterarja Maltija, General Workers Union, GLUE (Global Liberation and
Unity on Earth), Bridging the Gap (Malta), Ċentru Fidi u Ġustizzja,
Azzjoni Pożittiva, ŻAK Żabbar, Dar it-Tama, Peace
Laboratory, Akkademja tal-Malti, Group for Human Encounter, L-Għaqda
tal-Malti (L-Università.); and Pulse.
Some of
the individuals who signed the petition were, Dr. Arnold Cassola,
Secretary General of the European Federation of Green Parties; The Hon.
Dr. Alfred Sant, Leader of the Opposition (MLP); The Hon. Dr.
Laurence Gonzi, Deputy Prime Minister (PN);
Dr. Harry Vassallo (AD-The Green Party); The Hon. Jesmond
Mugliett, Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Education (PN)
The Hon. Carmelo Abela (MLP); Mr. John Demanuele (Director Youth and
Sport); Mr. Mario Cutajar (Deputy Secretary General, General Workers
Union); Mr. Karmenu Vella and Ms. Josephine Attard Sultana (GWU); writers
Rena Balzan, Ġorġ Peresso and Victor Fenech; environmentalist
Prof. E.A. Mallia; journalists Gillian Bartolo and Joe Mifsud;
anthropologist Dr. Paul Clough; and psychologist Prof. Fr. Alfred Darmanin
SJ.
In
a statement he made during the presentation, Prof. Guido Demarco
highlighted the "enormous suffering" of the Palestinian people
and the importance of this initiative by local NGOs. The President also
spoke about the suffering that this conflict has brought on many Israelis
and he expressed the hope that the conflict will be resolved as soon
as possible for the good of all those involved.
The petition addressed to Mr. Kofi Annan is as follows:
“We,
the undersigned, representing Maltese NGOs and other organisations, call
upon the UN Security Council to take the necessary measures to deploy
emergency intervention forces to impose an immediate cease-fire, and to
separate Israeli and Palestinian forces. The international community is
duty-bound to take immediate action to stop the bloodshed and the widening
circle of violence and revenge.
We
are aware that no intervention can have a lasting effect without a clear
political plan of action, and therefore we urge the UN to convene an
international conference to discuss the implementation of the relevant UN
resolutions, including the withdrawal of the Israeli forces to the 4th of
June 1967 borders, the management of the Holy places, the just solution of
the refugees question and the establishment of a fully independent
Palestinian State with it's capital in East Jerusalem.
Like
many people in both Israel and Palestine, we believe that true and just
peace can only be achieved between equals, a Palestinian state in the
territories occupied in 1967 alongside the state of Israel. Only then will
people live in security and dignity.
We
urge you to intervene immediately.”
