AJLPP Statement for June 6 Rally

June 6, 2009

Contact: Riya Ortiz

East Coast Coordinator

FREE, FREE PALESTINE! FROM THE RIVER TO THE SEA, PALESTINE WILL BE FREE

The AJLPP expresses our militant solidarity to the Palestinian people and demand an end to the criminal siege of Gaza.

Today, June 6 marks the 42nd anniversary of the Israeli seizure of Gaza. Today we join all progressive people and forces that will hit the streets all over the United States and with the Arab and Muslim community we are one in protests on this major event. We add the voice of the Filipino American community and show that our voices will not be silent--we will not sit by idly as the people of Gaza suffer!

The world looked on in horror this past winter as Israel mercilessly starved and bombed the people of Gaza, killing more than 1,400 Palestinians, at least a third of whom were children. The Arab world and the whole world refers to the dark days from the end of December to mid-January “The Gaza Massacre.” Although the mainstream media no longer focuses on Gaza, the suffering continues there nonetheless.

Using the pretext of combating terrorism, Israel has refused to allow even one truckload of cement into Gaza. Gaza was reduced to rubble still lies in rubble today. All these months later, people are still living in tents and are scarcely able to secure the necessities of life.

This is the same situation in the Philippines, in the island of Mindanao where the US Imperialism supports the war againsts our Muslim brothers and sister. More than 600,000 people are refugees and more than 2.5 million affected by the fascist terrorism. Gaza and Mindanao shares the same fate.

Thus we express our militant solidarity and demand not words but action. It is not enough that US president Obama speaks of a Palestinian state and roots for Israel. Even if he says Assalam Molaikum, it does not mean anything and the situation still the same when the Palestinian people and the FIlipino people are oppressed and have no right in their own land.

The Palestinian people supported the Filipinos in their 14-years of struggle against the US-Marcos dictatorship even they were in the crucible of struggle. We are grateful for this solidarity.

We do it now and you have our militant and full support. We say, FREE GAZA NOW, FROM THE RIVER TO THE SEA,PALESTINE WILL BE FREE!

We demand the right of return and self determination for the Palestinian people and our Muslim compatriots in Mindanao!

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