Birzeit University Students Call for Solidarity with Palestinian Political Prisoners

Student Council, Birzeit University, 23 August 2004

The solidarity tent on Birzeit University campus

Birzeit University students and the Right to Education Campaign are calling for international solidarity with over 2,200 Palestinian political prisoners in Israeli prisons who are on an open-ended hunger strike to demand their human rights as political prisoners and an end to their appalling living conditions. Birzeit University students will carry out various activities this week in support of Palestinian political prisoners and student prisoners in particular. Since Wednesday 18th August, 22 Birzeit University students have been on hunger strike in solidarity with the prisoners and many more students are on a partial hunger strike.

Birzeit University Students’ Solidarity with Palestinian Prisoners

Rally at Birzeit University
Monday 23 August 11am
A rally will be held at Birzeit University on Monday 23 August by the Student Council and the students on hunger strike to raise awareness about the issue of Palestinian political prisoners.

Student Day of Solidarity with Palestinian Prisoners
Tuesday 24 August
Tuesday 24 August is the Student Day of Solidarity with Palestinian political prisoners.

Students look at photos of Palestinian political prisoners

A student solidarity demonstration will be held in Ramallah at 12:00. Students will be leaving Birzeit University at 11:30 and will join college and university students in a demonstration which will begin at Al Manara and end at the Solidarity Tent in Baladna Center in Ramallah.

Birzeit University faculty will be requested to designate a part of class time to write solidarity letters to student prisoners.

Solidarity Demonstration in Ramallah with Arun Gandhi
Thursday 26 August
Students, faculty and staff at Birzeit University will join the grandson of Mahatma Gandhi, Arun Gandhi, in a mass procession in Ramallah which will end in a rally at the Friends Boy’s School Playground.

Calls for International Action:

1. International 48-hour Fast
7am Saturday 28 August 7am – Monday 30 August
Join Al Awda’s international call for people of conscience all around the world to fast for 48 hours in solidarity with our brothers and sisters in Israeli jails. In particular, we call upon students, faculty and the international academic community to join the fast. The fast will begin at local times on Saturday August 28 at 7am and last until 7am Monday 30 August.

2. Media Outreach and Awareness-Raising
To ensure media coverage of your activities prior to the 48-hour fast and to raise public awareness about the issue of Palestinian political prisoners and students prisoners, erect a solidarity tent on your campus, send letters to the editor, press releases, phone calls to the media (arrange for designated media spokespersons etc). Please emphasize that this is a worldwide effort which includes the continuing letter writing campaign in support of Palestinian prisoners.

3. Letter-writing Campaign for Student Prisoners
We call on universities, organizations and individual students and faculty worldwide to write letters of support to our student prisoners in Israeli prisons. Please send your letters to right2edu@birzeit.edu and we will present them to the student prisoners and their families.

To put pressure on the Israeli Authorities send a copy of your letter to:

Minister of Interior Security
Tzahi Haneghi
Kiryat Hamemshala, POB 18182
Jerusalem 91181
Tel: 972-2-5309999 Fax: 972-2-5847872
E-mail: sar@mops.gov.il

For more information on the hunger strike and Palestinian prisoners please go to Addameer Prisoners’ Support and Human Rights Association and the Right to Education website special section on Students in Detention

Please let us know about your solidarity activities on right2edu@birzeit.edu

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