(more…)

Ghassan Makarem, a Lebanese activist, speaks from Beirut about the huge protests that have rocked the Lebanese capital

Beirut has become the focus of a new movement that is challenging the US-backed government and the political system that put them in power.

This movement was launched by the biggest ever demonstration in the country’s history. Over one million people – out of a population of 4 million – converged on the Lebanese capital on Friday of last week to demand the formation of a government of national unity. (more…)

Willie Madisha, President of the Congress of South African Trade Unions: “As someone who lived in apartheid South Africa and who has visited Palestine I say with confidence that Israel is an apartheid state. In fact, I believe that some of the atrocities committed by the erstwhile apartheid regime in South Africa pale in comparison to those committed against the Palestinians.”

(more…)

Beirut, 20 November – Even as the country prepared for mass street protests aimed at changing the composition of the government, activists in Beirut held a spirited protest in solidarity with the besieged people of Gaza and against the presence of UNIFIL troops in southern Lebanon.

Around 30 people staged the sit-in outside the headquarters of the European Union (EU), many of whose countries have contributed troops to the enlarged UNIFIL presence in southern Lebanon.

(more…)

Lens On Lebanon is an international grassroots documentary initiative formed during the Israeli bombardment of 2006. The documentary material, photo narratives, and video diaries of daily life gathered here have been conceived, produced, and contributed by residents of Lebanon from all walks of life.

(more…)

CONFERENCE REPORT

Almost 30 Montrealers travelled to Toronto to participate in this conference. The movement to boycott Israeli Apartheid is growing in Montreal: contact Tadamon or the Coalition for Justice and Peace in Palestine (www.cjpp.org) to find out how you can get involved.

The landmark conference held in Toronto from 6-8th October 2006 “The Struggle Continues: Boycotting Israeli Apartheid“, was an inspiring and significant event. Over 600 people attended the conference sessions, one of the largest Palestinian solidarity conferences ever held on this continent.

Although the conference was primarily designed for Palestine solidarity activists in Ontario, a significant number of participants came from across Canada including Montreal, Halifax and Vancouver as well as the US. International guests included Jamal Jumaa from the Stop the Wall Campaign in Palestine, Salim Vally from the Palestine Solidarity Committee in South Africa, Betty Hunter from the Palestine Solidarity Committee in the UK, and Jonathan Rosenhead, Emeritus Professor at the London School of Economics and member of the British Committee for Universities in Palestine. Robert Lovelace, Co-Chief of the Ardoch Algonquin First Nation, closed the conference with a powerful comparison of the experience of colonialism in Canada and Palestine.

(more…)

 

DIRECTIONS for MONTREAL SOLIDARITY WITH LEBANON after the 2006 Israeli Attack.

Tadamon! [Solidarity! in Arabic], is a Montreal-based collective of social justice organizers & media activists working to build relationships of solidarity between grassroots political movements for social and economic justice in Beirut & Montreal.

Building on Tadamon!’s 2006 summer delegation to Lebanon & its organizing efforts in Montreal against the Conservative government’s support for the Israeli military assault on Lebanon, Tadamon! has outlined new priorities for the coming months. 

(more…)

Beirut –www.samidoun.org– On Saturday November 4, 2006, the National Demining Office, and the National Steering Committees for Mine Risk Education and Victim Assistance will call upon Lebanese civil society to participate and mobilize in a national day against cluster munitions.

This event is intended to send a message to the international community prior to the Review Conference of the COnvention on Certain Conventional Weapons in Geneva, taking place from November 7-17. This message presents an important opportunity for states to seriously review the devastating humanitarian impact attributed to cluster munitions.

(more…)

Pan-Canadian Day of Action: CANADIAN TROOPS OUT OF AFGHANISTAN !

Saturday, October 28, 2006

MONTREAL DEMONSTRATION
Dorchester Square (corner of Peel and René-Lévesque)
Departure: 13h00. Gathering time : 12h30

Canadian Troops, Out of Afghanistan!

No to Canada’s military partnership with the USA!

(more…)

OCCUPATION ANYWHERE … RESISTANCE EVERYWHERE!
5 YEARS IN AFGHANISTAN … 500+ YEARS ON TURTLE ISLAND

Join the BLOCK THE EMPIRE anti-imperialist contingent on October 28, part of a worldwide day of action against the occupation of Afghanistan.

::::::::::::::::::::
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 28th, NOON
Parc Norman Bethune
corner of de Maisonneuve and Guy (metro Guy-Concordia)
::::::::::::::::::::

The BLOCK THE EMPIRE anti-imperialist contingent will be a “child-friendly” march.

We will be joining and supporting the Échec à la guerre demonstration. We march in opposition to war at home and abroad, and against US/Canadian imperialism.

(more…)