MORE THAN 1,000 GATHER FOR PEACEFUL RALLY TO COMMEMORATE 77TH NAKBA DAY

KUALA LUMPUR, May 16 (Bernama) -- More than 1,000 participants representing various non-governmental organisations (NGOs) today took part in a peaceful rally to commemorate the 77th year of the Nakba Day here.

The participants started their march from the Tabung Haji Tower on Jalan Tun Razak here before gathering at the British High Commission Office and then continuing the march to the United States Embassy here.

Chairman of Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) Malaysia, Prof Dr Mohd Nazari Ismail, as the representative of the organizers, stated that they also delivered a memorandum to commemorate Nakba Day to the Political Counselor of the United Kingdom in Malaysia, Ruzina Hassan, at the British High Commission Office.

The memorandum demands, among other things, that the British government terminate all military and economic cooperation with Israel until it complies with international law and support sanctions against Israel for violations of Palestinian rights, including ongoing massacres and the blockade of Gaza.

The memorandum was signed by 31 NGOs including BDS Malaysia, the Malaysian Women's Coalition for Al-Quds and Palestine, the Palestinian Solidarity Secretariat, the Malaysian Islamic Youth Movement, Global Peace Mission Malaysia, the Association of Graduates of Malaysian Educational Institutions, and the Malaysian Islamic Organizations Consultation Council.

Mohd Nazari stated that the organization of this gathering is to raise awareness among the public that the people of Palestine have been oppressed since the Zionist invasion in 1948."

“We are holding this program today to remind about the Nakba event for 77 years to inform the world community and also the Malaysian community that the oppression occurring in Palestine has lasted for 77 years, which is a very long time... and hundreds of thousands of Palestinians have lost their lives.

"We also want to inform the Malaysian government and the Malaysian people that we can do something to stop this genocide. By boycotting companies that support the atrocities of Israel,” he told reporters here today.

He said that gatherings like this will continue to be held from time to time as long as the oppression against the Palestinian people continues.

The Nakba Day means the day of catastrophe, referring to May 15,1948, when more than 750,000 Palestinians fled or were expelled from their homeland by invading Israeli forces.

They were forced to escape to neighbouring countries such as Jordan, Syria, and Iraq and were prevented from returning.

This day is generally commemorated on May 15.

-- BERNAMA