2011 Jan 28: TUNISIAN EXILE TO ADDRESS SCOTTISH PALESTINE CONFERENCE
Friday 28th January 2011
Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign: Media Release
TUNISIAN EXILE TO ADDRESS SCOTTISH PALESTINE CONFERENCE
A prominent opponent of the ousted Tunisian dictatorship is set to address an Edinburgh conference on Palestine this weekend.
Mohamed Ali Harath, who was imprisoned and tortured by ex-President Ben Ali's regime, was granted asylum in the UK in 1995. He now plans to return to his country.
Said Harath, "The Arabs watch Tunisia in solidarity, while every Arab dictator watches nervously at the tide of collective power of the people."
Harath says he is "not enthusiastic about the term 'democracy' as we have seen it being practiced in the West, where over a million people marched against the war in Iraq - yet were ignored, and where, because of fabricated evidence involving weapons of mass destruction, thousands of innocent deaths occurred."
"The demand for democracy can only come from the people, as Tunisia is now showing to the world", he said.
The conference, which has been organised by the Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign (SPSC) will also hear from Gazan Professor Haidar Eid, Iraqi author, Haifa Zangana, Mohammed Asif of the Scottish Afghan Society, and US Iraq war veteran, Mike Prysner. A speaker from Lebanon is also expected.
SPSC chair Mick Napier said, "in the same week that Tunisia has shown the world how to topple a Western-backed dictator, the 'Palestine Papers' have exposed the Palestinian Authority as just such a corrupt regime in need of toppling; a Hezbollah-backed prime minister has just been sworn in in Lebanon; and Egypt's masses are rising against their US-puppet regime."
The two-day conference entitled "Palestine in the Context of the Drive to Permanent War" starts tomorrow at 9:15 at St George's West Church, Shandwick Place. Registration details are available at www.scottishpsc.org.uk
ENDS
Notes for editors:
1. The Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign started in autumn 2000 in response to the Palestinian second uprising against Israeli occupation (Intifada). The SPSC has branches and groups of supporters in several Scottish towns, cities, and universities, as well as individual members across Scotland and elsewhere.
For further information, contact:
SPSC Chair, Mick Napier: 0131 620 0052; 07958002591
Email: media@scottishpsc.org.uk (default reply to this email)
Website: www.scottishpsc.org.uk
2. INTERVIEWS WITH SPEAKERS CAN BE ARRANGED ON REQUEST.
3. The Conference takes place on Sat/Sun 29th/30th Jan 2011 at:
St George's West Church,
58 Shandwick Place
Edinburgh
EH2 4RT
4. Full programme, including information on speakers, here:
5. Mohamed Ali Harrath is quoted from his article:
"Why 14 January 2011 will go down in history"
18 January:
http://www.opendemocracy.net/mohamed-ali-harrath/why-14-january-2011-will-go-down-in-history