Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement from the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP)

The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine denounced the Palestinian Authority (PA) police and security forces’ assaults on protesters in Ramallah on July 28, 2013, as they marched against the PA’s return to negotiations with Israel, warning against dangerous concessions of Palestinian national rights.

PA security forces attacked demonstrators with batons as they marched toward the Muqata’, the PA presidential headquarters and injured dozens of marchers, who were participating in a peaceful, popular march against the negotiations. The PA decision – the individual act of President Mahmoud Abbas – was contrary to the decisions of Palestinian national institutions, including the PLO Central Council – and reflects a culture of recklessness, irresponsibility, lack of accountability, and disregard for the law and the national traditions of our people.

The PFLP demanded that those who ordered and implemented this violence be held accountable for their actions. The PFLP said that this protest against the resumption of negotiations is the beginning of a popular movement including the Palestinian people inside and outside Palestine to call for ending the absurd negotiations and the entire path of Oslo, holding accountable those who normalize with the occupation, returning to international institutions, including the UN, to struggle for Palestinian rights, ending the division, and creating an alternative national strategy of resistance, to achieve the rights of our people: to return, self-determination, independence, sovereignty and our capital in Jerusalem.

Hundreds of marchers joined in the protest in Ramallah and a simultaneous protest in Gaza. Addameer Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association reported that among the dozens of injured at the protest was Political Bureau member of the PFLP and Legislative Council deputy Comrade Khalida Jarrar. Injured demonstrators were further arrested from the hospital as well.

Comrade Maher al-Taher, member of the Political Bureau of the PFLP and leader of its branch in exile, strongly condemned the PA’s suppression of the protests against the return to negotiations and said that it is the right of our people to express their free will and refuse the return to these absurd negotiations and to refuse submission to the dictates of the U.S. Taher said, “The primary goal of the US and Israel in this return to negotiations is to prevent the explosion of the situation in Palestine in the face of the occupation, and to cut the route to the United Nations and the International Criminal Court to prosecute the leaders of Zionist terrorism.” Taher called on Palestinians inside and outside Palestine everywhere to reject and condemn the return to negotiations because of the risk to our cause and the national rights of our people, which will only benefit the Zionist enemy and the United States of America.

Leaders, cadres and members of the Front, as well as other factions and community organizations joined in the protest in Palestine Square in Gaza City against the resumption of negotiations and the actions of the official Palestinian leadership in returning to those negotiations. Demonstrators chanted against security coordination and normalization and called for accountability for those who have been engaging in meetings with the Zionists and returning to negotiations that violate Palestinian red lines.

Comrade Dr. Mariam Abu Daqqa, member of the Political Bureau of the PFLP, encouraged the building of an ongoing campaign to reject the return to the negotiations, involving the masses of the Palestinian people and pressuring Palestinian officials to not go to Washington. Abu Daqqa said that the action of returning to negotiations is a serious concession that deeply damages Palestinian national consensus and threatens Palestinian rights. She said that Palestinian national rights are inalienable; that they will not be traded for money in a so-called “economic peace,” and that Palestine is Palestine from the river to the sea, and Palestinian refugees will return. Abu Daqqa also demanded an immediate halt to security coordination, and to hold accountable the figures of normalization that meet with Zionist leaders day and night, exposing them accountable in front of our people and their national institutions.

She also called upon all to confront and join in the struggle against the Zionist Prawer Plan which aims to displace Palestinian people and seize the Palestinian land of our people in the Naqab, and to build an alternative national democratic strategy that rejects the path of Oslo and instead is based on resistance to all of its forms. She saluted the prisoners in occupation jails and especially imprisoned PFLP General Secretary Ahmad Sa’adat, saying that the Front will continue to confront all attempts to impose submission, settlement, normalization, and absurd negotiations.

#Palestine #PopularFrontForTheLiberationOfPalestine #MiddleEast #Israel #PFLP #March

###March 23-25, 2012 at the Stamford CT Hilton (one stop from Harlem/125th St. on Metro North commuter line)

####Say No to the NATO/G8 Wars & Poverty Agenda

####A Conference to Challenge the Wars of the 1% Against the 99% at Home and Abroad

The U.S.-led North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the G-8 world economic powers will meet in Chicago, May 19-22, to plan their financial and military strategies for the coming period. These elites, who serve the 1% at home and abroad, impose austerity—often by the use of drones, armies, and the police—on the 99% to expand their profits.

Join activists from the antiwar, occupy, environmental, immigrant rights, labor, and other movements at a conference from March 23-25, 2012 to learn more, to plan a May 19 “No to NATO/G8” demonstration in Chicago, and to democratically develop a program of action for the months to follow.

Special guest speakers include:

–Xiomara de Zelaya is currently a presidential candidate in Honduras and the partner of Manuel de Zelaya, the former president displaced by a U.S.-backed coup in 2009.

–Bill McKibben is the founder of the grassroots global warming group 350.org and the architect of the successful campaign to defeat the XL pipeline.

–Glen Ford is the executive editor of Black Agenda Report, a ground breaking site that covers U.S. wars abroad and wars at home from the perspective of the African American community.

–Richard Wolff is the author Capitalism Hits the Fan: The Global Economic Meltdown and What to Do About It

–Imam Abdul Malik Mujahid is the founder of the Muslim Peace Coalition

–Vijay Prashad is the author of The Darker Nations: A People's History of the Third World

–Andrew Murray is a member of the UK Trades Union Congress General Council and head of UK Stop the War coalition from 2001-2011

–Col. Ann Wright was a central Gaza Boat organizer and the editor of Dissent: Voices of Conscience

–Medea Benjamin is the founder of Code Pink

—Jared Ball is the author of I Mix What I Like.

–Clarence Thomas is an Oakland ILWU activist with Longview WA Longshore fight

–Scott Olsen is an Iraq war veteran and Occupy victim of Oakland police violence

–David Swanson is author and editor of War is a Crime.org

–Pat Hunt is a founding member of the Coalition Against NATO/G8 Wars & Poverty Agenda

—Fignole St. Cyr is a leader of the Haitian Autonomous Workers Confederation

How to Register?—Where to Stay?—Transportation?—Submitting Resolutions?

Visit www.UNACPEACE.org and click on UNAC conference.

Email: UNACpeace@gmail.com Phone: 518- 227-6947.

We urge attendees to take advantage of the double rooms (2 double beds) at the convention site that are now only $119 a night. There is nothing less expensive in the tri-state area and we had to guarantee the hotel room reservations in return for the use of space for the convention. By staying at the hotel, you are contributing to the overall success of the conference.

Also, registration covers two Saturday meals, and there will be key plenary panels going on in the dining room during these meals.

Conference Schedule and Workshops

Conference Schedule

Friday Night, March 23, 2012

4:30 p.m. Registration Opens

8:00 pm—Opening Panel: Shifting Strategies of Empire: Analyzing the Military and Economic Plans of the 1%.

Saturday, March 24, 2012

7:00 am Registration Opens

8:30 am—Plenary

10:45 am Workshop Series One

12: 30 pm. Lunch with Panel: The War at Home on the Black Community: Mass Incarceration, Unemployment, Stop and Frisk

1:45 pm Plenary

4:00 pm Workshop Series Two

5:45 pm Workshop Series Three

7: 30 pm Dinner with Panel: Islamophobia, the Attack on Civil Liberties, & the War on Workers

Sunday, March 25, 2012

9:00 am Plenary

Noon Plenary Panel: Global Economic Meltdown, Warming, and War

1: 30 pm Workshop Series Four

3:00-4:30 pm NATO/G8 Protest Organizing Session & Closing Remarks

Workshops-in formation

US Geopolitical Strategy and Intervention in the Asia-Pacific Region. Bernadette Ellorin, Juyeon Rhee.

End the Occupation of Haiti! Ray Laforest & Kim Ives.

Haiti: Analysis from Trade Unionists on the Ground. Fignole St. Cyr & others.

Egypt: One Year After the Revolution. Where is the Struggle Headed? Ayman El Sawa, Ahmed Shawki, others

Law as a weapon of war. Steve Downs, Marlene Jenkins, Shamshad Ahmad, Kathy Manley

Defeating AFRICOM & NATO: Bldg Solidarity with Africa in the Struggle Against Imperialism. Abayomi Azikiwe In formation.

Targeting Iran: The Truth Behind the Hype: Ana Edwards, Sara Flounders, Ken Stone, Mansoureh Tajik & Phil Wilayto.

Iran: Solidarity, Not Intervention. Raha Iranian Feminist Collective.

The West's Politico-Economic Warfare on Iran. Eleanor & Ardeshir Ommani.

Antiwar Strategies in Black Community Organizations. Ana Edwards, Abayomi Azikiwe, others.

Contradictions of the Imperialists' Agenda for Full Spectrum Dominance. Glen Ford, Nellie Bailey, Margaret Kimberly, Bruce Dixon, Tony Montiero.

Propaganda and Communications on Permanent War. Peter Hart & David Swanson.

Building Resistance at the Democratic & Republican National Conventions. Ben Carroll. In formation.

No to NATO/G8: Teaching Resistance—Anti-Imperialist Curriculum and Methods. June C. Terpstra, Cris Toffolo.

U.S. Nuclear Weapons in Europe and Outer Space and the Campaign for Withdrawal: John LaForge, Alice Dressman; Bruce Gagnon

Veterans Peace Teams. Tarak Kauff, Eric Lobo, Mike Tork, Fred Nagel, Ellen Barfield.

What War? US Turns from War on Iraq to Permanent Occupation. Invitees: Debra Sweet, Siman Antoon, Wafaa Bilal, Larry Everest, Raed Jarrar, and Michael Otterman; Pat Elder

Taking Back Our Schools: Counter-Recruiting in upstate NY and Chelsea MA. Jim Murphy, Lyn Meza

“We are Not Your Soldiers”: Stop the Militarization of our High School Campuses. Elaine Brower, Ethan McCord, Matthis Chiroux,, James Brower.

Corporate War Against the Planet: The Hydrofracking Front. Mary Finneran, Joan Walker, video of Richard Grossman

Democratizing Money: Banking in the Public Interest: Susan Harman, Mike Krauss, Tom Sgouros

Labor Against Austerity and War: Andrew Murray, Clarence Thomas, others.

Struggle to Free Palestine. In formation.

Afghanistan After Ten Years of Occupation. Mary Dean, Jeff Pickert, others. Border Militarization/Migrant Workers Rising Globally. Monami Maulik, Rafael Samanez, Amanda Flores, Ayesha Mahmooda, Roksana Mun, Mustafa Sullivan, Derechos Humanos, Carol Barton

All Out for the May 1 Mobilization! Teresa Gutierrez, Victor Toro, others.

From Egypt to New York City: “Anti-Radicalization” Laws, Surveillance, the War on Terror Industrial Complex, & NDAA. Monami Maulik, Fahd Ahmed, Shasheena Parveen, Shahid Buttar; Osman Chowdhury, Sam Anderson, Suzanne Adely

Confronting Robotic (Drone) Warfare at the Hancock AFNG Base/Hancock 38. Carol Baum, Judy Bello, Ed Kinane.

Rethinking Pakistan: People’s Struggle and the War on Terror. Saadia Toor, Adaner Usmani, Madiha Tahir, Zohra Ahmed.

Negotiating Peace—What the U.S. Might Do for Colombia. John Jairo Lugo & Stephen Kobasa.

Honduras: The Struggle for Land, Democracy, & Sovereignty. Xiomara de Zelaya, Lucy Pagoada, others.

The Economy, Unemployment & the Military: Alternatives to Save Our Country & the Jobless: Marguerite Rosenthal, Gertrude Schaffner Goldberg, Shelia Collins.

Linking Endless War and Economic Crisis: Bring Our War $$ Home. Bruce Gagnon, Lisa Savage, Paki Wieland, Mary Beth Sullivan; Marilyn Levin

Occupying the Military Industrial Complex: David Swanson, Brian Kwoba, others

Occupy, Community, & Labor Collaboration: Notes from the field. In formation.

Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions—Join Palestinian Non-violent Resistance to Occupation. Ethan Heitner, Nancy Krikorian, SJP.

No Nukes: Nuclear Power, Weapons, & War. Hattie Nestel, Alice Slater, Henry Rosenberg

How Do You End Student Debt? End the War! Tax the Rich! Daniel Alley, Christopher Hutchinson, SJP, others

Search for Human Rights & Justice in South Asia. Muslim Peace Coalition. Kannan Srinivasan, Toby Caman, Junaid Ahmad, Haley Duschinski.

Climate Change Related Conflicts in So. Asia. Muslim Peace Coalition. Hares Sayed, Akhtar Assad, Shafat Ahmad.

Influencing Electoral Conversation from a Peace & Justice Perspective. Muslim Peace Coalition. Shaik Ubaid, Seemi Ahmed, Imam Talib Abdurrashid.

Prisons: The New Torture Machines. Steve Downs, Faisel Hashmi, Ayesha Hoda, Kathy Manley.

Faith-Based Organizing. Fellowship of Reconciliation & others.

Lessons from the Past: Activist Strategies for Ending Warfare & Converting from a War Economy. David Swanson, Jeff Mackler, others.

Women, Peace & Security. Laura Roskos In formation

Understanding & Organizing Against Expanding Wars in Yemen & Pakistan. Leili Kashani, others.

Faith-Based Organizing for Resistance. Newland Smith, Rabbi Lynn Gottlief, Paki Weiland, others.

Music & Song to Move the Movement. Chris Nauman, others

No Torture. No Indefinite Detention. Beth Brockman, Carmen Trotta, Debra Sweet, others.

NATO & G-8: Two Arms of American Empire. In formation.

Puerto Rican Self-Determination & Struggle Against Militarism in the Caribbean. Gamelyn Oduardo

Occupy Movement, Labor and Community Struggles: A Fruitful Collaboration. Clarence Thomas, Larry Holmes, Jen Waller, Larry Hales.

*To add yourself to the UNAC listserv, please send an email to: UNAC-subscribe@lists.riseup.net*

#StamfordCT #AntiwarMovement #UnitedNationalAntiWarCoalition

Minneapolis, MN - More than 500 people came together September 25 under the slogan “Stop the Land Grab!” The protest was organized by opponents of the Highway 55 reroute and activists who have been fighting against the demolition of public housing on the North side of Minneapolis.

The rally started at the Glenwood-Lyndale public housing project, which the city is trying to demolish. The Rev. Herron, Zion Baptist Church, led protesters in the chant “The people united will never be defeated!” Herron is one of the Hollman 14, a group of African-American ministers and community activists arrested earlier this fall while blocking the destruction of public housing.

Led by Native American drummers, the rally took to the streets for a 2 mile march to City Hall. There speakers from endorsing groups denounced social and economic injustices. A skit showed the destruction of Minnehaha Park and sacred sites if the reroute of the highway goes through. Protesters hung a banner reading “Stop the Reroute of Hwy 55” from the roof of a nearby parking ramp.

The City Hall rally was led by Leola Seals, past president of the Minneapolis NAACP, and Jim Anderson, Cultural Chair of the Mendota Mdewakanton Dakota Community.

Said Anderson; “We're all here for a reason, and that's for justice for the people. The people in the communities are not being heard. The politicians and the money people are pushing us around and we're tired of it. We taking back the streets to show them that it's not just a small group of people here, or a small group of people there – it's the people together and we won't take it anymore!” Spike Moss, vice-president of The City, Inc. spoke to the crowd, “MN is a winter state and if we don't fix the problem of getting more affordable homes now, many people, including families, will be in desperate situations soon. So, it's very important to help our families and we have to do more. This is where people should be. We need to understand that America has moved away from 'the concern about the poor people' and turned towards to 'the concern about the rich.' We need to turn that around.”

Peggy Watkins of the Twin Cities Welfare Rights Committee, told demonstrators, “Back in the day Minneapolis would give you good square meals, a decent place to live, great medical care and vouchers for clothing and furniture. This was a good thing. A helping hand until you could get on your feet. We were prosperous. Now Minneapolis wants to tear everything down. Your dreams, your ambitions, your homes.”

In his speech, Steve Walsh, of the Northside Neighbors for Justice told the crowd, “It is bad to be born into a country where you are considered nothing.”

After the rally at City Hall, the march continued 5 miles to the encampment near Minnehaha Park, where protesters have been living to protect land that is sacred to Native Americans. This is where the MN Department of Transportation plans to destroy a part of Minnehaha Park and sacred lands in order to reroute the highway at the cost of about $548 million. People who live in the neighborhood have been fighting road projects for over forty years.

Two Powerful Movements

The September 25 “Unification March” had two powerful movements at its core; the struggle against Highway 55 reroute, and the fight for housing which has been centered in the African-American community.

With a 1% vacancy rate for affordable housing, and homelessness rising, the destruction of public housing at Glenwood-Lyndale has become a focal point in the struggle for housing.

Mayor Sales-Belton was forced to stop the demolition process when a group of Black pastors and community activists were arrested blocking the heavy machinery that was being used to tear down the projects.

The pastors demanded that the projects be rehabbed to house the homeless. In the following months of negotiations and court proceedings, it was impossible to reach an agreement with the city that would save the housing project. At this point the city is saying it will resume the demolition in the near future.

The struggle at Highway 55 has been sharp. Last December, more than 600 police attacked an encampment of protesters. Recently, arrests at the project site are an almost daily occurrence.

Organizers of the Sept 25 march stress the need for more unity in the face of a common enemy.

Organizations that sponsored the rally and march included; Stop the Reroute Coalition, Northside Neighbors for Justice, Mendota Mdewakanton Dakota Community, Welfare Rights Committee, Twin Cities Coalition to Defend Mumia Abu-Jamal, Freedom Road Socialist Organization, and the Anti-War Committee.

#News #IndigenousPeoples #housing #March