(photo: Maamoun Homsi at Rafik Hariri Memorial, Beirut)
Invitation for a sit-in and a hunger-strike
By a group of Syrian Human Rights and Democracy Activists
Where: in front of the main entrance of the UN headquarters in New York City
When: February 4 – 8, 2008
To all our Syrian brothers and sisters, our Arab brothers and sisters, our Kurdish brothers and sisters, and all freedom-loving people in the world,
Our people inside Syria are going through some very rough times. The human rights situation is in constant deterioration, with rampant and arbitrary arrests taking place everyday, touching even our national symbols, including some of our better-known intellectuals and human rights. The ruling regime’s security apparatuses are making no difference between men and women, young and old, sick and healthy – all active dissidents are targeted under farcical and bogus pretexts, international norms, appeals and protestations in this regard notwithstanding. Detainees are not only Syrian nationals, but also include many Lebanese, Palestinians and Jordanian nationals. All in all, the numbers of current detainees are estimated at 18,000.
In order to show our opposition to this situation, and show solidarity with our colleagues and families during this ordeal, we call upon you all to join us for a four-day sit-in and a hunger strike to take place in front of the UN headquarters in New York City on February 4-8, 2008. Our hope is to issue a joint cry for help to the international community, asking for a raid intervention to save the lives of our colleagues, including
• The jailed members of the Damascus Declaration General Secretariat: Dr. Fida Hourani, Professor Akram al-Bounni, Professor Jaber Shoofi, Dr. Ahmed Tomei, Dr. Walid al-Bounni, Dr. Yasser al-Eiti, author Fayez Sarah, author, Ali al-Abdallah, Professor Haji Mohammad Darwish, Professor Marwan Al-Ish.
• The signatories of the Damascus-Beirut Declaration: Professor Aref Dalilah (incarcerated for seven years now and has developed serious health problems, leading to the amputation of his leg), Dr. Kamal Labwani, thinker Michel Kilo, Lawyer Anwar al-Bounni, Professor Fayik al-Mir, Professor Riyad Darrar and Professor Nizar Rastanawi, among others.
• The student leaders: Tarik Ghorani, Maher Ibrahim Isbir, Hussam Melhem, Omar al-Abdallah, Diab Serrieh, Ayham Sakr, Allam Fakhour, Karim Arbaji, and their colleagues.
• The Kurdish activists: Maarouf Ahmad Malla Ahmad, Nazmi Muhammad Abdel Hannan, Yesha Kader Khaled, Dalkoush Memmo Shimmo, Ahmad Darweesh Khalil, Tahseen Mahmoud Khairi, and their colleagues numbering in the hundreds.
Please bear in mind in this regard that torture in Syrian jails is commonplace against political detainees and there were several reported deaths as a result of torture in recent years. Also, many former political prisoners are denied their civic rights and continue to be incessantly harassed by the authorities, who restrict their movement and forbid them from leaving the country, even if to seek medical treatment. Most notable in this regard is the case of the current chair of the Secretariat of the National Council of the Damascus Declaration jail, the former MP Riad Seif, who suffers from prostate cancer, and the well-known human rights lawyer, Haitham al-Maleh, among many others.
Organizing Committee
Mohamed Maamoun al-Homsi – former MP and political prisoner, and human rights activist.
Dr. Fehmi Khairullah – human rights activist
Ammar Abdulhamid – human rights and democracy activist