Potugal, Palestine and the values of April
On April 25, 1974, the military who, embodied in the Armed Forces Movement, returned to the Portuguese people the freedom, the dignity and the hope, paved the way for the independence of peoples under the Portuguese colonial rule and repositioned Portugal in the right place in the concert of nations, elected three banners for their action: democratize, decolonize, develop.
To celebrate the 41st anniversary of the Carnation Revolution, the MPPM calls for the popular movement, local authorities, trade unions, the youth movements and women's organizations, for other democratic and progressive organizations and all citizens in general to give expression to the liberating solidary spirit of April, contributing to increase awareness and mobilization around the national cause of the Palestinian people, inspired by the three April banners:
Democratize - Require that the Palestinian people is master of his destiny; demand an end to the arbitrary arrests and the release of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails; require that Israel and the international community respect the rights of the Palestinian people and the expression of his will.
Decolonize - Demand the end of the illegal occupation by Israel of the Palestinian territories and the creation of a sovereign and independent Palestinian state, thereby implementing the UN promises and the expressed will of the majority of countries around the world through its recognition of the Palestinian state; demand the dismantling of illegal Jewish settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories and the return of refugees; demand an end to pilferage by Israel of Palestinian resources, first the water and the land; demand an end to discriminatory practices of Israel against Palestinian citizens; demand the dismantling the infamous Apartheid Wall.
Develop - Demand the end of the inhumane siege of Gaza that encloses 1.8 million people in an open-air prison; recognize to the Palestinian people the right to fully control the borders of their country and to freely determine their movements; demand that Israel hands over to the Palestinian people that tax money that it illegally retains; demand that Israel cease its brutal military interventions that destroy the entire Palestinian economic base.
On April 25, 1975 was elected the Constituent Assembly, that drew up and approved the Constitution, which came into force a year later, with its markedly humanistic, progressive and pacifist character, as regards international relations, which remains in spite of attacks and kinks of which has been targeted. It should be remembered, in this date, the April values enshrined in the Constitution:
1. Portugal is governed in international relations by the principles of national independence, respect for human rights, the rights of peoples, equality between States, the peaceful settlement of international disputes, non-interference in the internal affairs of other States and cooperation with all other peoples for the emancipation and progress of mankind.
2. Portugal advocates the abolition of imperialism, colonialism and any other forms of aggression, domination and exploitation in relations between peoples and the general, simultaneous and controlled disarmament, the dissolution of political-military blocs and the establishment of a collective security system, with a view to creating an international order capable of ensuring peace and justice in relations between peoples.
3. Portugal recognizes the right of peoples to the self-determination and independence and to the development, as well as the right to insurrection against all forms of oppression.
As we also celebrate today the anniversary of the entry into force of the Constitution, the MPPM urges the Portuguese government to respect the Constitution, both in the relations between States and in the international organizations in which Portugal is a part, particularly in the treatment of the Palestinian question and the situation in the Middle East, respecting and making respect the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination and independence and advocating a peaceful solution to the conflict, refraining from interference in the internal affairs of other states.
Lisbon, April 25th, 2015
The National Board of Directors of MPPM
Sábado, 25 Abril, 2015 - 00:00
