AEL Press release 10 11 02

Brussels- 6000 people mainly from the Arab-Moslem community, demonstrated in Brussels today against the planed war on Iraq and Palestine , and against the American-Israeli policies of aggression and oppression against our Arab Nation and the rest of the world. The Demonstration was organized by the Arab European League AEL, factions of radical left and the syndicalist movement, and the anti-globalist movement.

Despite the rain, people came massively to support the radical platform of 10 November that is not only condemning war, but above all condemning its logic and reasons.

Despite provocations the demonstration was generally calm and no serious incidents were reported.

At the end of the demonstration, AEL President Dyab Abou Jahjah addressed the crowd. He insisted that “ It is not enough to say that we are against the war and at the same time accept the American propaganda and say that Iraq is the problem. Iraq is not the Problem, America is the problem”… “ A war against Iraq is a war against Palestine and against all Arabs and Moslems and freedom loving people everywhere in the world, that’s why we should resist together, Arabs and Moslems, European leftists and anti-globalists, We have one fight against the American Imperialism and against Zionism… giving a wrong message is fatal, saying that we are against the war but we are for sanctions is fatal and will justify the American war in the end, We are against the war, and against sanctions and against inspections and any foreign interference undermining the sovereignty of Iraq or of any other Arab or Moslim country” he added.

Representatives of the other movements also addressed the crowd. Zohra Othman of the Belgian Workers party insisted on the link between the resistance of Iraq and that of Palestine . Syndicalist leader Roberto D’Orazio emphasized the importance of the front between radical Europeans and Arabs against the US policy and Israel . And Han Soete from Indymedia expressed solidarity with the Iraqi people in his stance against American arrogance and colonialism.

The Arab European League (AEL) congratulates its members and sympathizers with the success of the demonstration, and calls upon them to stay alert and vigilant. If the aggression globalizes, the resistance should also globalize.

 http://belgium.indymedia.org/
 http://www.arabeuropean.org/