Group to hold solidarity march in support of Palestinians

The Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) and other social and faith organisations would on 28 May organise a public march through Accra's principal streets in support of the Palestinian People.

The march will start from in front of Barnett's, near Kwame Nkrumah Circle, at 0800 hours and culminate in a rally outside the Accra Sports Stadium. The social and faith organisations comprise both Muslims and Christians. A statement signed on Friday for Mr Yao Graham, the convenor of the PSC, said the march and rally would be the latest in a series of activities initiated by the campaign, a secular non-sectarian organisation, and its allies in support of the 10-point platform of demands in solidarity with the Palestinian people.

The 10-point platform, which was issued by PSC on 30 April, included heightening the right of the Palestinian people to statehood and self-determination and drawing attention to the continuing Israeli occupation of Palestinian lands. The statement also mentioned the killing of hundreds of Palestinians and extensive destruction of the Palestinian property and institutions and called for an unconditional Israeli withdrawal from the Palestinian territory.

It said although Israel has scaled down its aggression against the Palestinian people and their territory, its occupation of Palestinian lands continues. "Many of the large numbers of persons taken prisoner by the Israeli during the last military offensive are being held in harsh conditions and some are being tortured."

It said Palestinian Legislative Council member, Marwan Barghouti, who was arrested on 13 April in Ramallah was being held in solitary confinement, subjected to sleep deprivation and position abuse, where his legs and hands were shackled to a small chair, and angled to a slant chair in order for him to sit in a stable position.

The statement said the Israeli aggression and destruction of Palestinian areas had resulted in a drastic drop in the living conditions of Palestinians adding that half of them were now living on 50 per cent of their income.