People and organizations around the world are protesting Assads illegitimate elections. We want to add the voice of the International Solidarity Hunger Strike. Hundreds of thousands of starving Syrians are still living under siege. Lets protest in solidarity with them by doing a fast for one day or one meal! INTERNATIONAL SOLIDARITY HUNGER STRIKE PROTESTING THE SHAM ELECTIONS IN SYRIA Activists urge you to join the International Solidarity Hunger Strike from May 31 to June 4 to protest the illegitimacy of Assad’s June 3 elections by fasting for one day or one meal. Nonviolent Syrian activists working at the grassroots toward the democratic, pluralistic future they hope to make by Syrian hands, say SHAME on these sham elections. Here’s why: Syria’s current Constitution places ultimate power in the hands of the president, without any effective checks on his power from legislative or judicial branches. Only government-approved candidates are allowed to run for president, and only government-approved parties can exist. This means that only Assad-approved parties are allowed to run only Assad-approved candidates for president. Non-Muslims are forbidden by the Syrian Constitution to run for president. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights states in Article 21 that, to be free and fair, elections must have “universal suffrage and secret ballots,” and voters must not be under “intimidation and reprisals.” Millions of Syrian citizens are currently subjected to intimidations and reprisals violating their suffrage rights. Major cities are under attack by their own nation’s army. The regime is barrel-bombing civilian areas in Syria’s largest city, Aleppo. Farm towns around Damascus are under starvation siege by Assad’s army. The regime has not indicated that it will permit suffrage to populations it is bombing or besieging. Approximately 53,305 Syrians are prisoners of conscience in regime prisons, the majority held extra-judicially. They are denied suffrage. Also denied voting rights are 2.5 million Syrian refugees and six million internally displaced citizens. The Assad regime continues to spurn the United Nations Security Council resolution, passed 22 February 2014, demanding that all parties allow humanitarian aid to cross military lines. In some areas, armed rebels are the parties blocking access, while Assad’s army is blocking access to food in the majority of besieged areas—even while Assad campaigns for elections. ASSAD’S JUNE 3 ELECTIONS IN SYRIA MEET NO REASONABLE STANDARDS FOR BEING FREE OR FAIR No Food + No Freedom = No Fair Elections People-power supporting people power! Individually or with your organizations, support democratic civilian activists in Syria protesting the Sham Elections. Here’s how: 1. Hunger strike for one day or one meal—but is sure to send your selfies with your signs or street theater expressing SOLIDARITY WITH SYRIANS AGAINST THE SHAM ELECTIONS. Email your pix, vids, or solidarity statements to us: stopthesiege@gmail 2. Sign this petition urging the UN to declare these elections illegitimate. https://secure.avaaz.org/en/petition/The_Secretary_General_of_the_United_Nations_Declare_the_June_3rd_Syrian_elections_invalid_and_the_results_illigitimate/?dMsKIfb In hope and solidarity, Jawdat Said, teacher of nonviolence in Syria for over 50 years Mohja Kahf, Syrian Nonviolence Movement Qusai Zakaria, Eyewitness to the Starvation Siege of Moadamiya, Syria Afra Jalabi, Syrian Nonviolence Movement Wisam Elhamoui, Freedom Days Syria Rola Hallam, doctor & humanitarian, Hand in Hand for Syria Jodie Evans, Co-founder, CODEPINK: Women for Peace Terry Burke, Committee in Solidarity with the People of Syria Gail Daneker, Friends for a NonViolent World Razan Ghazzawi, Syrian blogger-activist & former political prisoner Maryam Alkhawaja, Acting President, Bahrain Center for Human Rights Danny Postel, University of Denver Andy Berman, U.S. Veterans for Peace Marilyn Hacker, American poet Dr. Ismet Bujupaj, Kosovo Kenan Rahmani, Syrian American Council Muhammad Idrees Ahmad, University for the Creative Arts, U.K. Fadia Afashe, Syrian refugee in the U.S. Marvin X, Black Arts Movement poet, activist & more names in process
Posted on: Tue, 27 May 2014 02:48:03 +0000
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