|
University Of Michigan Conference Finds Success
by Dina Rashed
WASHINGTON, March 20 (IslamOnline) - Despite a snowstorm and freezing cold weather that swept through the U.S. MidWest Saturday night, more than 150 Muslims, Arabs, American activists and human rights advocates made their way through 4-inch snow-covered roads to listen to prominent speakers attending a conference on Palestine at the University of Michigan.
Most speakers addressing the conference are nationally recognized and acclaimed individuals well known among Muslim and Arab communities.
The one-day event in Ann Arbor, Michigan, kicked of with a 20-minute video entitled "The New Uprising" showing images of shootings and funerals as part of recent developments in the occupied Palestinian territories. The video also included the entire clip of the assassination of 12-year-old Muhammad al-Durrah, shot to death by Israelis while cowering for protection from his father, who was severely wounded.
As the conference held four parallel informational sessions in the morning on Palestinian Right of Return, Zionism, the role of the U.S. in the Middle East and Israeli attitudes following the Oslo accord, to serve an educational function, the conference organizational committee planned repetitious sessions allowing attendees a wider selection of topics.
The afternoon round of sessions concentrated on community empowerment issues, and was repeated later in the afternoon.
One of the main goals of the event was to introduce communication channels between American activists and Muslims, Arabs and American organizations, working in humanitarian relief and Muslim and Arab immigrant civil rights issues.
From booths at the conference, representatives of 11 participating organizations found the conference an opportunity to present their work and attract prospective activists.
"We provided everyone with time to network with the organizations that participated in the conference," said Hazem Mahmoud, one of the conference's organizing committee.
The dinner lecture at the end of the day featured one of the successful sessions of the conference. Keynote speaker Steve Sosebee, founder of Palestine Children's Relief Fund (PCRF) and longtime activist defending Palestinian human rights, addressed why the Oslo accord failed and how it led to the second Intifada, or uprising.
"Contrary to Israeli propaganda, this is not a revolt orchestrated by Arafat and his weak and increasingly marginalized authority. It is a popular revolt of a frustrated and angry people who have waited too long for their basic legitimate national rights and can no longer tolerate life under occupation," Sosebee said.
He also criticized U.S. media for turning a blind eye on Israeli practices and breaches of Palestinian human rights while under occupation. Sosebee also criticized the U.S. administration for using taxpayers' money to finance the military forces of occupation.
He concluded by calling on those in support of Palestinians' rights to join any form of relief work that would ease living conditions of those under occupation.
"You can work individually or collectively, as long as you do something and don't let the current political mess leave you so hopeless that you merely throw up your hands in despair. As long as our brothers and sisters continue to struggle for their freedom, then we too must do our part in supporting them," he said.
Sosebee's moving and honest speech received a standing ovation from the audience in recognition of his work and efforts with Palestinian children. One of the missions of PCRF has been to facilitate the transfer of injured Palestinian children - wounded in confrontations with the Israeli forces - to the U.S. to receive medical care.
|
