Mayor welcomes anti-war demonstration

Press Release

Mayor welcomes anti-war demonstration
26-9-2003 393

Mayor Ken Livingstone today hosts a press conference in association with the Muslim Association of Britain, to coincide with the national demonstration on Saturday, protesting about the war and occupation of Iraq and the situation in Palestinian territories.

Dima Tahboub and Jocelyn Hurndall join the Mayor and Anas Altikriti, Media and Public Relations Head for the Muslim Association of Britain, to speak about the reasons for the latest protest to take place in the capital since the war in Iraq.

Dima Tahboub is the widow of Al-jazeera journalist, Tareq Ayoub, who was killed by an American missile on the 8 of April earlier this year. Jocelyn Hurndall is the mother of photographer Tom Hurndall, who now lies in a coma after being shot in the head by the Israeli army on 11 April.

The Mayor said: 'The majority of Londoners opposed the war in Iraq. Subsequent events have proven them entirely right. No weapons of mass destruction have been found. Basic services and security have not been restored months after the war. The only way out of this quagmire is for power to be transferred to the Iraqi people without delay and for the transition to be overseen by the United Nations. For the Middle East as a whole there will never be peace and stability if the rights of the Palestinian people continue to be ignored. While invading and bombing Iraq, Israel's defiance of the UN resolutions calling for an end its 1967 illegal occupation of Palestinian territory is ignored. Saturday's demonstration provides a good opportunity for the majority of people who want to see justice in the Middle East to make their voices heard.'

Anas Altikriti, who was born in Iraq and now lives in Leeds, said: 'The public's frustration with Government deceptions, doggy dossiers, and double standards is immense. Our involvement in an unprovoked war in Iraq, our failure to bring a just resolution to the Palestinian catastrophe, and our continued unethical foreign policy have created unprecedented anger and mistrust in the Government throughout the country. Saturday's demonstration will be a great manifestation of how far we have come as a British people in demanding that noble human notions be upheld at all costs.'

Dima Tahboub said 'Might is not right, the truth will shine bright. The launching of war in the name of humanity was the gravest of mistakes, while the targeting of innocent civilians, culture and heritage is an unforgivable sin.'

Notes to Editors

A poll earlier this year showed that 72 per cent of Londoners were opposed to British involvement in the war without UN approval and that 75 per cent of Londoners were concerned about the impact a war would have on London's economy. A study before the war suggested that it could cost the capital's economy £1bn.
Saturday's demonstration is jointly organised by Stop the War Coalition (www.stopwar.org.uk), Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (www.cnduk.org/) and the Muslim Association of Britain (www.mabonline.net). It will assemble Hyde Park 12 noon and the march to a rally in Trafalgar Square. Nearest tubes: Marble Arch and Lancaster Gate. The Mayor will address the rally in Trafalgar Square.
Dima Tahboub is the widow of Al-jazeera journalist, Tareq Ayoub, who was killed by an American missile on the 8 of April earlier this year. Tareq Ayoub was a Palestinian Jordanian who had worked for the Jordanian Times five years and had arrived in Baghdad only a week prior to his death.
Jocelyn Hurndall is the mother of photographer Tom Hurndall, who was observing and recording the work of a peace group in Gaza and the activities of the Israeli army, and was shot in the head by the Israeli army on 11 April in the town of Rafah, at the border between Gaza and Egypt. He is now in a deep coma in hospital and has suffered severe brain damage from which he is not expected to recover.
For information about the Muslim Association of Britain, contact Harris Bokhari: 07958 329 879. Website: www.mabonline.net.
There will be demonstrations the same weekend in: Algeria, Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Belgium, Canada, Cyprus, Denmark, Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, India, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Japan, Jordan, Lebanon, Macedonia, Mexico, Morocco, Netherlands, Norway, Pakistan, Palestine, Poland, Portugal, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sudan, Syria, Thailand, UAE, UK and US.

Press information is available from Ben McKnight in the Mayor's Press office: 020-7983 4071

For non-media and general enquiries call the Public Liasion Unit: 020 7983 4100
For out of hours press enquiries: 020 7983 4000