In April, TONY RICHARDSON re-visited Palestine as a delegate from the OxfordRamallah Friendship Association to co-ordinate a visit of Palestinian children to Britain this summer. Here are edited extracts from his diary. April 13 Ramallah To the Refugee Camp called Al Amari. Here we spent the whole day talking to the young people who are coming to Oxford in July, and to their parents. April 14 Ramallah In the afternoon we went to have a meal, with Mohamed, and his family, at their home.
He is a trade union official, and he was saying that they have a development on the democracy front.
All the left opposition groups in the PGPTU (Palestinian General Federation of Trade Unions) have united, against Fateh. The democracy has got worse; they haven't had a financial report for 5 years.
They have also united in the wider society, where they are going to start working towards a Labour Democratic Party. They feel they need to present a third choice.
Hamas is starting to form trade unions, involve itself in the PLC, and standing in elections all over the place (the results in Bir Zeit student council were 23 Fateh-22 Hamas, the Islamists split their vote.)
People don't want to vote for Fateh, and the lack of democracy, and corruption it represents. The left want to present a real secular alternative to the Islamists. This is a very interesting political development.
After the meal we had a look at the huge Israeli Army post, on the edge of Ramallah, and then drove past Abu Mazen's palatial home, as well as that of another minister. April 17 Ramallah Today is national prisoners day in Palestine. I went to the activities in Ramallah, which were in two parts.
The first is a demonstration by the families of prisoners, at National prisoners day: I went to the activities in Ramallah the Palestinian Ministry. This is clearly because they want the Palestinian Authority (PA) to put the release of prisoners on the agenda of any talks.
The fact that Marwan Barghouti is hardly talked about by the PA, when in many peoples opinions he would win any election, is indicative of the attitude of the fat cats who head the PA.
The demonstration is incredibly moving, from all over the West Bank bring framed photos, probably just taken off the wall, of loved ones who are imprisoned by the Israelis. Maybe 3500 women try to get the media to take photos, or film of them.
There is also a group, from Hamas, mostly men with photos. Mustapha Barghouti, the runner up in the presidential elections is present.
This demonstration is not popular amongst Fateh loyalists, who prefer to put the attention on the Israelis. After chaining themselves up, and creating cages, the demonstration moves to the city centre. Here there are banners loudspeaker systems etc. set up in Al Manara Square.
All movements seem to be involved in this part of the demonstration, from the left wing PFLP through to Hamas. Prominent in the speeches, and the banners is Marwan Barghouti, but dominating throughout, including in the demonstration through the town that follows are the women with the photos.
The second part is a discussion. Present were Mohammed Aruri, a group of French trade unionists and myself. Mohammad is on the 7 person ruling council of the PGFTU.
He reports as follows: all the 5 coalitions within the federation, who are opposed to Fateh, have just, one week ago, formed a Workers Democratic Coalition, with many independents involved.
Developments within the union were coming to a head, they have not had a financial report for 5 years, officials' pay has been stopped for 3.5 months, and yet delegations go all over the place.
The union took a decision at its 2004 general assembly to hold elections, and formulate rules for these. This has not been implemented. There have been no elections in the higher levels of the unions since 1990.
Remember these people are representing the union at the level of the ICFTU (International Confederation of Free Trade Unions) , on bodies such as the Service Unions international, when this union does not exist in Palestine, so the delegate represents nobody. Anyway all delegations are decided by one person, Shaheer Sahed, who is a member of Fateh, and very close to the PA.
For example the Executive of the union decided that they would support candidates who supported the workers, in the presidential elections.
Shaheer ignored this and produced posters in the name of the PGFI supporting Abu Mazen.
The opposition was angered by this, and produced a petition to the leadership, saying that if they did not institute democratic changes then they would establish a new democratic workers federation. They were planning a May Day demonstration, which might be in opposition to the PA.
They want a democratic independent trade union; the first point of its action would be its opposition to the Israeli occupation.
"We don't want a Jordan, or an Egypt, you can't fight occupation with corruption, you must have democracy".
Two weeks ago the Palestinian Authority took the decision to get rid of all their cars, because they were brought in 2000, and replace them with new ones. With the poverty levels around them, this shows their priorities. April 20 Ramallah What a day!
First joined the lobby of Palestine Legislative Council. It was mostly demanding democratic elections, not controlled by Israelis in Jerusalem. There were also demands for 20 per cent quota for women. A delegation of youth from a village came late demanding quota, plus lowering of age of candidates from 30 to 25. Very militant
Next to picket line of municipal workers of Al Bireh, who have been on all out strike for 2 days. workers out, have had no wage increase for 8 years, plus demand for pension, and medical rights.
Mohammed, who is with me, goes in on the negotiations, and I find out later that they have won 90 percent of their demands, and this will be put to a mass meeting on Saturday.
Next to discuss May Day with DWRC (Democracy and Workers Rights Centre), who have helped organise independent trade unions. They are widening this year's May Day, and may unite with official union dissidents, we will see.
Next, two discussions regarding the new left democracy bloc in the trade unions and beyond.
It is becoming clearer that the wider demands for democracy is reflecting in to the
and could reflect back in to society. We meet another Executive member of the union, and he is also full of the need for democracy, and the fact that elections take place in Salfit, his area, outside of the rules of the union, which should involve proportional representation, but which Fateh take all seats.
They want to know what internationals will do to support their struggle for a democratic union, under conditions where Fateh conCLOSE
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