GENERAL-SECRETARY of the ruling party, Clement Rohee, yesterday joined a group of protestors outside the United States Embassy in Georgetown , to protest the country’s support for Israel’s Gaza offensive, which has resulted in the death of thousands to date.And he noted that the party is willing to sign on to the ‘Palestinian Manifesto’ to protest the ongoing offensive which has not only claimed lives, but has also caused widespread destruction of buildings and infrastructure.
“We are hopeful that the Palestinian Manifesto’ will find its way to Guyana and key personalities will be signatories to the document, which I believe will herald a new chapter of recognition of the Palestinian people,” he said.

PALESTINIAN MANIFESTO
The manifesto, created by The Network in Defense of Humanity founded by Bolivian President Evo Morales, demands the governments of the world to force Israel to leave Gaza, the West Bank and East Jerusalem, return to

the borders in place prior to the ‘Six Days War’, and ensure the return of Palestinian refugees as established by Resolution No. 242 of November, 1967, according to the U.N. Security Council. It defends a political solution of two equal states with definite borders that are recognised internationally.
The manifesto says, “We condemn the imperialist role of the United States that feeds and supports politically, financially and militarily Israel in the face of the unbelievable inaction of the U.N. Security Council, whose resolutions on Palestine have been systematically and with impunity ignored by Washington; a United States that demonstrates its hypocrisy and cynicism of its actions throughout history, threatening with sanctions against the peoples of Latin America, Africa and Eurasia that defend their sovereignty, while it supports the actions of Israel.
“We accuse the complicity of these actions, by omission in some cases of the governments of the European Union as well as unconditional support of the media obeying the dictates of Washington. Stop Now!”
In addition to President Morales, former Honduran president, Mel Zelaya; the Uruguayan writer, Eduardo Galeano; the Argentine Nobel Prize winner, Adolfo Perez Esquivel; poet and President of the House of America, Roberto Fernandez Retamar; prima ballerina, Alicia Alonso; American writer, Alice Walker; Bishops Raul Vera and Pedro Casaldaliga; and the Cuban musician, Silvio Rodriguez have also added their names to the manifesto.
Last Friday, the leader of the Cuban revolution and former President of Cuba, Fidel Castro, was the most recent public figure to sign the manifesto, joining more than 342,000 people including artists, teachers, scientists, lawyers, journalists and citizens from all over the world to join a movement of thought and action to oppose any form of domination.

COMMITTED
Rohee made it clear that the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) remains committed to the cause of the Palestinian people and are also opposed to similar atrocities in other parts of the world.
He said, “We recognise that, notwithstanding the attempts at bringing about a peaceful resolution, we should continue to sensitise the public to this atrocity that is being committed against the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip.
“All over the world, people, from the left to the right, are opposed to this; this has to do with the killing of children, women and helpless people.
“The PPP has always been in solidarity with causes like this. It is nothing new to us. This is also a manifestation of the fact that the party’s principles have not changed since the death of Dr. Jagan, our party’s founder.”
According to him, Guyana has a role to play in making clear its position and expression of solidarity with the people of Gaza.
Asked about the local U.S. Embassy’s response to the protest, the second in two weeks, Rohee said, “We were here since this morning. This is a follow up to a previous protest last week. I think the protest action was very effective.
“The U.S. Embassy here is a representative of the U.S. State Department and the U.S. Government, and whatever the (U.S.) Government says on the matter is the same position of the Embassy here. We have been following what is coming from the US on this issue, but we have our role to play in Guyana.”
The PPP General-Secretary added that he is optimistic that the fact that there are ongoing protests is something that has been communicated to the relevant authorities by officials at the local Embassy.
“A section of the Guyanese community is concerned about this and have protested, and I assume that the relevant officials have been informed…we are simply carrying out our constitutional right,” he said.
Yesterday’s protest included representation from the ruling party and the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers’ Union (GAWU), among others. The slogans on the placards held by the protestors included ‘Free Gaza Now’, ‘Save the Children’ and ‘Stop the killing’.
As of Sunday afternoon, the death toll in Gaza had reached 1,939. According to the U.N., about 73 percent of the people killed were civilians. Also, a total of 64 Israeli soldiers were also killed, as well as three civilians on the Israeli side.
Up to yesterday morning, a new 72-hour ceasefire held the Gaza Strip, raising hopes for a fresh respite in a bloody conflict between Israel and Hamas that has devastated the Palestinian enclave.The truce was agreed after Egypt said it had received “simultaneous consensus” from both sides for the truce which began at 21:00 GMT on Sunday.

(By Ravin Singh )