|
Dr. Mustafa Barghouthi Speaks: Life in Palestine
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Monday, November 10 2003 @ 06:31 PM EST
"Barghouthi is Founder and Director of the Health, Development Information and Policy Institute in Ramallah and he is President of the Palestinian Medical Relief Committee .."
By SONIA NETTNIN
On Sunday, Dr. Mustafa Barghouthi (MD, MSc) gave a presentation about life in Palestine at Ya Hala Restaurant in Chicago Ridge, IL.
November 9th marked the international day of protest against Israel’s Wall of Separation. Barghouthi’s presentation illustrated the stats-and-facts about the health and economy of the Palestinian people.
President of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, Mary Rose Oakar, spoke at the event. She talked about Arab-American values, such as love of God, family, mosque or church, country, and roots. Moreover, she discussed the promotion of peace, fairness and justice for humanity. She said: “We want our voices heard in a non-violent way.”
Oakar encouraged people to contact members of Congress because every phone call and letter represents hundreds and thousands of Americans who feel the same way. She said: “The white house belongs to you as much as it belongs to the President of the United States.”
The ADC declared November Palestine Action Month.
Barghouthi is Secretary of the Palestinian National Initiative (Mubadara). According to a handout provided at his presentation, it states: “The Palestinian National Initiative is a movement that came as a response to popular demands from men and women calling for increased participation by Palestinian citizens in the process of nation building and for the opportunity to participate in the just struggle for the realization of an independent, viable, democratic, and prosperous state which guarantees security, justice, equality before the law, and a dignified existence for its citizens. The initiative also calls for an unequivocal end to the Israeli occupation, removal of illegal Israeli settlements and a just solution to the right of Palestinian refugees.
Additionally it calls for immediate international protection to allow democratic elections at all levels of the political system, and reform of political, administrative and other institutional structures in order to meet the needs of the Palestinian people.” (http://www.almubadara.org)
Barghouthi is Founder and Director of the Health, Development Information and Policy Institute in Ramallah and he is President of the Palestinian Medical Relief Committee. Internationally known, Dr. Barghouthi has interviewed on CNN, BBC, ABC, and other international news agencies.
“We have reached a point when the compromise cannot be compromised,” Barghouthi said. “Regardless of the suffering, the people our steadfast and they will not break our will.”
On average, three Palestinian are killed every day. Palestinian children killed total 495 year-to-date, including a 3-month-old infant girl named Duniya. People disabled total 2500 -- 500 who are children. Since the Second Intifada, 100 Palestinian children have lost their eyes to rubber bullets, which can penetrate the skull. In some instances, it happened while they sat in school. According to Barghouthi’s presentation, rubber-coated metal bullets used to control demonstration are excessive and inappropriate.
Over the last, three years, 292 Palestinians have been assassinated; 142 were bystanders, meaning “unintended” victims; 33 were children and 25 were woman. Over 40 per cent of Palestinian men have been to jail, including a 12-year-old boy from Jericho. He is incarcerated in deplorable conditions… he has tried to kill himself three times. Since the Second Intifada, 2000 Palestinian children have been imprisoned. At present, more than 360 children are currently incarcerated in Israeli detention centers and prisons.
Health care is under siege constantly. Ambulances are attacked – with patients in them – and are crushed by Israeli tanks. Since September 2000, 121 ambulances have been destroyed beyond repair. Injured people have been denied access in 991 reported cases; 27 children (17 newborns) were prevented medical treatment at checkpoints; 53 women have given birth at checkpoints because they were prevented from reaching medical facilities; 25 medical personnel have been killed and 425 medical personnel have been injured. In numerous instances, many people are left to bleed to death.
Finally, nine journalists who covered the conflict have been shot and killed as well.
The psychological impact is tremendous. According to Barghouthi’s presentation, 93 per cent of the children feel unsafe or exposed to attacks; 48 per cent have experienced violence. The destruction of houses is psychological terror because the experience remains with the children for the rest of their lives. Rafah has had 7523 homes razed from the ground – 12000 in Gaza.
As a result, 75 per cent of Palestinians live in poverty – their daily income is less than two US dollars per day. During this past week, Israel invaded ten communities –curfews are one of the root-causes of social and economic destructions. “It’s the first time in human history that a people are prevented from using their own roads and streets,” Barghouthi said. Israel’s strangulation of the Palestinian economy has caused 60 per cent unemployment among the Palestinian labor force.
“The rate of unemployment is one of the highest in the world,” Barghouthi said. “Sharon is conducting an internal transfer.”
Barghouthi referred to the wall as the Israeli instrument that isolates Palestinian communities. He sees it as true ethnic cleansing because it affects social and economic health. “It is the worst kind of apartheid that has erupted in human history . . . in the 21st century.” The wall will isolate 600,000 Palestinian from health care and education. In essence, the wall creates enclave communities or ghettoes.
“We cannot allow Israel to conduct ethic cleansing,” Barghouthi said. “We need help to help these people survive.”
Thousands of dunums of Palestinian land have had their olive and citrus trees uprooted to tree stumps and barrenness. The construction of the wall alone has destroyed 102,320 trees.
Barghouthi emphasized strong international support to correct the imbalance in the region. A sovereign Palestinian state must be real, Barghouthi stated. Moreover, he said that he Palestinian case has become the case or the cause of national liberation worldwide.
The strategy of the Palestinians is to show that the cost of the occupation is much higher than the benefits, for all people. He stated that he knows Israel is suffering. Sustenance of the occupation has cost Israel $23 billion US dollars and 300,000 Israelis have emigrated out of Israel; their GDP capita decreased by twelve per cent.
Barghouthi’s hope is that the educated and talented people in the international community will become an important force for the cause. The Palestinian people have not given up hope – international intervention can change the power formula for peace. “We are so optimistic about the future,” Barghouthi said.
According to Barghouthi, there are three conditions for success: belief in ourselves; reliance on ourselves to take initiative; and overcoming differences through democratic means. He sees the youth as the most powerful instruments in the cause.
“We have created the human force, the force of the people. We have to transform the Palestinian power that we’ve created in the PNI,” Barghouthi said. “We will never give up unless we have our freedom, independence, rights, and dignity.”
Source: The Palestine Chronicle - www.palestinechronicle.com
___________________
*** Sig will be edited -> see rule #5 regarding political/religious content
Theodore Herzl, founder of the World Zionist Organization: "Spirit the penniless population across the frontier by denying it employment... Both the process of expropriation and the removal of the poor must be carried out discreetly and circumspectly."
|
Palestinian Death Toll Rises
that was cheap.. real cheap
