|
{mosimage}by Mike Buckthought About 200 protesters gathered on Parliament Hill on May 15, asking the federal government to support the right of Palestinian refugees to return to their homeland. The demonstration was organized by Carleton's Middle East Discussion Group and Montreal's Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights (SPHR).
Palestinian flags flew on the Hill, and people carried placards reading "Stop the Suffering of the Refugees" and "52 years of injustice." The protest commemorated the 52nd anniversary of El-Nakbe, the 1948 displacement of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians from areas now controlled by Israel. Five decades later, there are over five million refugees, many still living in refugee camps across the Middle East. The protesters say the refugees' right of return is guaranteed by numerous international treaties and United Nations' resolutions. "We're hoping to have the Canadian government recognize how necessary it is to have these people given the right of return, which is an inalienable right in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights," says Maha Zimmo, a student at Carleton University. "We came here today to ensure that Canada stops its moral posturing and to openly acknowledge the right of return and right to compensation." David Cooper, a spokesperson for the Embassy of Israel, says the Palestinian refugee issue is complicated and will have to be dealt with by the countries of the Middle East. "Many people come from areas that are now built up within Israel and there's no ability to take in these people," says Cooper. "But the issue of refugees is something that is being dealt with currently in the negotiations between Israeli and Palestinian officials. It's something that will be negotiated...But the basic position of the government is there can't be a right of return." Yara el-Ghadban, a student at l'Université de Montréal, was one of four students from Montreal and Ottawa who set up tents on the Hill to call attention to the suffering of the refugees. "I am a refugee myself, from Lebanon," says El-Ghadban. "I'm one of the lucky ones who gets to come to Canada and speak my mind and express myself, and they (the refugees in camps) can't, so I'm here to tell fellow Canadians that they can do something about it, and it's their responsibility to do something about it." "My family is actually still in Burj al-Barajneh refugee camp in Lebanon," she continues. "Their situation gets worse and worse. They can't get an education, no jobs, no healthcare. Here, we're fighting against private healthcare. There, they have no healthcare." "Our goal is to have the Canadian public aware of what's happening to Palestinians -- because actually the Canadian public is really in the dark about what's happening," says Basil Keilani, a vice-president for SPHR. New Democratic Party MP Libby Davies spoke at the protest. She agrees that Canadians should be made aware of the refugees' plight. "We must speak out on this issue. It is an issue that does not get the attention that it deserves," says Davies. Davies says the federal government should support the Palestinians' right of return. "We are also here today to hold our own government accountable," she says. "I think as Canadians we want to see the Canadian government take an independent role. We want to see Canada speak out in defence of human rights internationally." The protest ended with a moment of silence, in solidarity with the refugees. In the background, rush-hour commuters headed home -- a right that most of us take for granted. And on the steps leading to the Peace Tower, many protesters hoped their government would take steps leading to peace in the Middle East. For more information: contact the Middle East Discussion Group,
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
. Mike Buckthought is an Ottawa writer and activist. |
