Declaration of a Shared Fate

We, the undersigned, in accordance with our belief in the shared fate of the Syrian and Palestinian people, and our wish for the unity of Syrian territory and safety for all Syrians, draw the attention of the international community, on the occasion of Geneva II, to the fact that the Palestinians who have lived in Syria since 1948 share the same fate as their Syrian brothers and sisters.

Since the beginning of the Syrian uprising, Palestinians and Syrians have both suffered the abuses of the Syrian security services, supported by some of the Palestinian militias (the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine – General Command).  

Moreover, Yarmouk Camp, the biggest Palestinian community in Syria, has been subject to the most repressive measures at the hands of the Syrian regime. The camp has been under partial siege for one year, and total siege for the past six months, leading to 58 deaths from systematic starvation, according to the Palestinian Association for Human Rights/ Syria.

In light of the escalation of this repression, we demand the international community to press for the following:

1. The urgent and immediate lifting of the siege on Yarmouk Camp and all parts of Syria, and the entry of food supplies and medical aid.

2. That the Syrian regime be compelled to stop prosecuting peaceful Palestinian activists, to release those who are in detention and to hand over the bodies of those who have been killed while detained by the regime.

3. That discriminating Syrian regime decrees imposed on Palestinian refugees in Syria after 2011 end.

4. That Palestinian property is protected and that Palestinians are compensated for any damage to property.

5. That Palestinians are allowed to undertake banking transactions and to receive financial aid through Syrian banks.

6. The expansion of UNHCR’s protection mandate to cover Palestinians outside Syria in neighbouring countries and in North Africa.

7. Enabling UNRWA to reach the afflicted camps in Syria, first and foremost Yarmouk camp.

8. That the neighbouring countries of Lebanon, Turkey and  specifically Jordan, are pressured to accept Palestinian refugees holding Syrian travel documents who are fleeing from the violence in Syria

9. That the Palestinian militias who have carried out crimes against humanity are referred to the international judicial system

Finally, we demand that the suffering of Palestinian refugees from Syria not be exploited and used to justify “solutions” that we do not agree to and which prejudice our right to return to the homes that we were expelled from in 1948.

Syria, 22ndJanuary 2014

Signatures

Groups:

Palestinian Association for Human Right Syria, Yarmouk

Intifada Youth Coalition, Gaza

Soora Youth Group, Gaza

Talk Youth Group, Gaza

15th March Movement, Gaza

Oxygen Youth Group, Gaza

Levantine Rights, Italy

The George Washington University Students for Justice in Palestine, Washington D.C.

Individuals:

Abdallah Al Khatib, Palestinian activist, Yarmouk

Youssef Salama, Palestinian-Syrian philosopher, Yarmouk

Ruham Hawash, Palestinian-Syrian activist,Yarmouk

Nidal Bitari, Palestinian-Syrian academic, Yarmouk

Thaer Al-Sahli, Palestinian-Syrian filmmaker,Yarmouk

Salim Salamah, Palestinian-Syrian blogger, Yarmouk

Musaab Balchi, Palestinian journalist, Yarmouk

Alaa Aboud, Palestinian-Syrian human rights lawyer

Doha Hassan, Palestinian-Syrian journalist

Budour Hassan, Palestinian, Occupied Jerusalem

Talal Alyan, Palestinian-American writer

Hanin Shakrah, Palestinian-Swedish writer

Majed Abusalama, Palestinian journalist, Gaza

Farah Saeed, Palestinian Activist, Toronto

Omar Chaaban, Palestinian-Canadian writer

Soraya Misleh, Palestinian-Brazilian member of MOPAT-Movement Palestine for All

Adam Akkad, Palestinian-American, Cambridge, MA

Neda Kit, Palestinian-American

Amira Dasouqi, Palestinian-American Activist, Memphis

Nader Elkhuzundar, Palestinian activist, London

Sara Yasin, Palestinian-American journalist, New York

Yasir Mazen Tineh, Palestinian writer, Kuwait

Noha Momtaz Arafa, Esq. Palestinian-Egyptian

Dana Tawil, Palestinian-Canadian journalist

Sanaa Badawi, Palestinian graphic designer

Mohammed S.M. Antar, Palestinian musician

Mariam Barghouti, Palestinian blogger, Palestine

Najla’ Kayed, Palestinian student, Birzeit University

Rim Al Banna, Palestinian artist and composer

Raid Khartabil, Palestinian activist

Rami Abbas, Palestinian artist

Dina Omar, Student

Dania Awad, Palestinian activist

AlQassem Naim, Palestinian-American researcher, Portland

Hasan Tanji, Palestinian cinema director

Nadia Hasan, Palestinian-Chilean human rights worker

Aiman AbdelMajid, Palestinian-American, Chicago

Amal-Ahmad , Palestinian American economic journalist

Mohammad Ghannam, Palestinian journalist

Najla’ Kayed, student at Birzeit university, Palestine

Sa’ed Atshan, Palestinian-American academic, Providence, Rhode Island

Hana Khalil, Palestinian-American student, Boston

Bassem Breish, Palestinian Film Director ,Leeds, England

Mohammed Salem (Abo Salma), coordinator of تجمع الشباب الفلسطيني الحر “قيد التأسيس”  في اسطنبول 

Ryan Mahmoud, Palestinian Optometrist ,New Zealand

Mohammed Taha, Palestinian—Syrian, Activist ,Yarmouk Camp

Rana Amin Shoman , Occupied Palestine , Amman

Fares Helou, Syrian actor

Karim Al Afnan, Syrian journalist

Sara Ajlyakin, Syrian activist

Amer Matar, Syrian journalist

Samar Yazbek, Syrian writer

Mohannad Rachid, Syrian-American, Loyola University of Chicago SJP board member, Chicago

Aghyan Alzuabi, Syrian-American software professional

Mizer Matar, Syrian photojournalist

Noor Shakfeh, Syrian-American

Mohammad Ghannam, Syrian journalist

Anas Attal, Syrian activist

Robin Yassin-Kassab, Syrian-Scottish writer, Scotland

Sarab Al-Jijakli, Syrian-American activist

Rula Asad, Syrian journalist

Yara Tlass, Syrian graduate student, London

Yasmeen Mobayed, Syrian-American student, San Diego

Nisreen Mobayed, Syrian-American student, San Diego

Manhal Barish, Syrian journalist

Ibraheem Shakfeh, Syrian-American, Litigator

Shiyam Galyon, Syrian-American organizer

Razan Ghazzawi, Syrian blogger and activist

Asma Alabed, Syrian-American activist/blogger

Saroujah Sakran, Syrian-British writer, London/Dubai.

Marwan al-Asali, Syrian-Canadian Student.

Lilah Khoja, Syrian American researcher

Itab Awad Stratti Syrian/Australian ,Art therapist Sydney

Manar Shabouk .Syrian teacher

To add your name, please email: salim52@gmail.com with the full name, title, and country profession plus country of residence.