PHA-Exchange> World Social Forum delegates condemn the ongoing violence in Palestine. They demand immediate halt to occupation and aggression. (Joint statement by PHM, UPMRC and Arab Network for Development)

Sat Feb 1 11:16:01 PST 2003

Union of Palestinian Medical Relief Committees  &
Arab Network for Development
 URGENT                                          PRESS RELEASE 

 World Social Forum delegates condemn                           the ongoing violence in Palestine. 

They demand immediate halt to occupation and aggression.

Porto Alegre (Brazil); 27th January 2003: The delegates assembled here for the World Social Forum and the 2nd Health Forum expressed serious concerns over the deteriorating situation in Palestine/ occupied territories. In a joint statement issued by the People´s Health Movement (PHM), Union of Palestinian Medical Relief Committees (UPMRC) and the Arab Network for Development (AND) the delegates condemned the ongoing attack on civilians in Palestine. "The aggression by the Israeli forces have lead to deterioration in the health services in the region and caused immeasurable hardships to civilians". 

The two organizations from the region who represent a cross section of the civil society and PHM, representing the health movement world wide, calls upon other delegates here and the people of the world to speak out against such aggression against civilians and to assist in initiatives to rebuild the shattered lives of victims in the region. 

In Palestine, health services and the basic infrastructure have been destroyed and will take years to rebuild. The delegates from Asia, Africa, Americas and Europe who are here strongly condemn the state-sponsored massacres of civilians in the occupied territories of Palestine. Medical doctors, health workers and others from Palestine also gave a blow-by-blow account of the hardship that the civilians are going through because of occupation and the ongoing violence. 

The organizations also condemn the violence perpetuated against civilians, particularly children and women. "It should be considered as a crime against humanity. The health community has been targeted systematically for attack and their humanitarian work obstructed. This constitutes a grave violation of fundamental humanitarian principles and conventions," they said. 

Deliberations during the Health Forum (that was held in this city last week) and the ongoing World Social Forum also extended their solidarity to the ongoing peace efforts by peace activists and others in Palestine and Israel. 

The People's Charter for Health (the largest consensus document on health in the world) makes specific remarks about the negative impacts of war, violence, conflicts and military aggression. The Charter (as the document is popularly known) calls upon the people of the world to place peace and health before military and commercial interests. The charter and the health movement condemn any act of war, violence and military aggression on civilians. " The Charter calls on the people of the world to demand the end of occupation, as it has become one of the most destructive tools to human dignity".

Maria Hamlin Zuniga,   People's Health Movement 

Dr. Hassan Hamdan,   Union of Palestinian Medical Relief Committees 

Ziad Abid Al Samad,   Arab Network for Development

Health situation in Palestine: Vital statistics:

Source: www.upmrc.org  (8 Jan 2003)

Since September 2001, 83 Palestinians have died at checkpoints awaiting access to medical care such as kidney dialysis or emergency care for heart attacks. Furthermore, 36 babies have been born at checkpoints.

A joint study by Johns Hopkins University and US AID found that during the last six weeks, 33% of Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza requiring emergency care, 21% of women in need of mother/child care, 17% of children due for vaccinations, 44% of patients in need of kidney dialysis and 46% of cancer patients in need of chemotherapy were not able to access medical facilities.

The following statistics are not based on the total number of Palestinians killed. Due to the long invasion in April 2002 and the current prolonged curfews, we (UPMRC) are lacking information and data on the approximately 75 people who were killed in this period. The following statistics are therefore only provisional.

  Age Distribution
     #
     %

      5 years or younger
     277
     13.2

      16-18 years
     199
     9.5

      19-29 years
     981
     46.6

      30-39 years
     285
     13.6

      40-49 years
     124
     5.9

      50 + years
     131
     6.2

      Immediate Cause of Death
     #
     %

      Live ammunition*
     1,254
     60

      Heavy weaponry**
     445
     21

      Rubber-coated metal bullets
     3
     0.1

      Prevention of medical treatment
     76
     3.6

      Tear gas
     14
     0.7

      Other***
     229
     11

* Includes 5.56 mm (223 caliber) bullets, 7.02 mm bullets, 9 mm bullets, 50 caliber bullets, 500 mm bullets, 800 mm bullets. ** ** Includes tank fire, bombs, helicopter missiles and F-16 missiles.  *** Includes explosions, stabbings, killings by car, and heart attacks occurring directly after an attack.

For media enquiries : Mobile : Local in Porto Alegre (Jan 19th till 28th) : +55 9649 9156

For PHM media enquiries (permanent contacts) :

India: Dr. Unnikrishnan PV , +91 (0) 98450 91319     :   unnikru at yahoo.com 

London: Andrew Chetley, London : +44 20 7539 1591        chetley.a at healthlink.org.uk

Thailand: Satya Sivaraman l: satyasagar at yahoo.com                                             

PHM : Secretariat; 367 - 'Srinivasa Nilaya'; Jakkasandra I Main, I Block, Koramangala, Bangalore - 560 034,  India. (Ph: +91 (80) 553 15 18; Fax: +91 (0) 80 552 53 72 ;      Email : sochara at vsnl.com ;  www.phmovement.org 

UPMRC : (Nablus): Nablus P.O. Box 1904; E-mail: 09- 2335 616; 09- 238 7174              E-mail: Ghassanha at hally.net; Website: www.upmrc.org

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