By The 16th Arab National Congress, (Algiers, April 6-9, 2005)

Monday, April 18, 2005

The Arab National Congress (ANC) held its 16th session during April 6-9, 2005 in Algiers amid challenges and risks of great proportions facing the Arab nation. Choosing Algeria at this time to host the Congress was significant - being the laud of resistance known worldwide for its heroism as the country of a million-and-a-half martyrs - and its mission answered plainly the important question now facing the nation at a critical moment in its history. These answers prevailed, expressing no alternative to confrontation with the plans for the nation's domination, whatever the price or sacrifices needed; no alternative to Arab solidarity, the same that ably supported the Algerian revolution of liberation, has to stand today for the task of backing struggle for the liberation of Palestine and for the protection of the whole Arab nation. Convening the ANC in Algeria was also meant to be an overview of the Arab future, given that Algeria was targeted for many decades by feverish colonialist plans to suppress its Arab and Islamic identity, but virtually came out prevailing to achieve the two goals of liberation and maintaining its Arab and Islamic identity. This is and will always be a good lesson for whoever thinks of destroying this great nation's identity.

The 16th session of the ANC added significantly to previous sessions through participants coming from all over the Arab land representing its national, religious, social and frontal components. Thus the ANC expresses content at the return of Algeria to its leading and effective role in dealing with the causes of this greater nation, both in its regional and worldwide dimensions. It also expresses content at the resumption of vital Algerian-Moroccan relations, hoping they will contribute to cementing the Arab relations in general and enabling the greater nation to face outside challenges. In this context, the ANC values greatly the Algeria's hospitality in hosting its 16th session, and would like to express its gratitude to the Algerian President, government and people. Thanks are also extended to the preparatory committee of this session and to the task force that made its convening and success possible. Over four days, the ANC reviewed all the issues, including challenges facing the Arab nation, particularly those relating to the Palestinian, Iraqi, Sudanese, Lebanese and Syrian questions. It reaffirmed the strong links connecting all these issues, given that the U. S.-Zionist project targeting the Arab nation constitutes the main source of threats and risks to it. The ANC reaffirmed its conviction that no bargaining should occur with those targeting us, and that resistance and continued struggle with all means available are the only ways to overcome these risks.

In this regard, the ANC condemns all forms of appeasement or conciliation that are followed consequently by a number of Arab regimes flocking to appease dominating powers, hoping to hold fast to power against the national interests. The ANC reaffirms that such appeasement and conciliation will only drive our enemy to more arrogance and sense of superiority, increasing his conviction that force is the only means of dealing with Arabs.

The ANC also reviewed issues of Arab renaissance and reformation, affirming its belief that political reform is the right introduction to other forms of reform, not only on the level of individual Arab countries, but also on the wide scale of the Arab system. Political reform enables the Arab system to resist all attempts at its dismantling together with dismantling the Arab society through divisions on ethnic and sectarian bases, with the aim of destroying national unity. It also reaffirms that reform should be freed from all imposed U. S. views aiming at penetrating Arab societies under the cover of democratic reform.

Facing theses challenges increases ANC's conviction of the necessity of achieving the goals of Arab struggle, as illustrated in the Arab renaissance project of Arab unity, democracy, strengthening national independence, achieving independent economic development, social justice and cultural rejuvenation.

The Palestinian question

On the Palestinian question, the ANC recalled its national position vis-a-vis the Israeli Zionist entity, as a resettling colonial project organically linked to global colonialism and exploitation, its national position on the Arab-Zionist conflict as a conflict for existence, not of borders. ANC reaffirmed its belief, based on the experiences of national liberation wars throughout history, that the will to resist and steadfastness is the crucial factor in this struggle. In this context it declares:

1 - The ANC reaffirms its commitment to the full national and religious rights of the Arabs in the Arab-Zionist conflict; supports the right of the Palestinian people for self-determination and for the establishment of the Democratic State of Palestine on all Palestinian territory; supports the reclaiming of its legal inalienable rights, including the right of return for all Palestinian refugees to their homes and their right to reclaim fully their properties. The ANC, in this context, calls for an Arab-international conference to support and affirm those rights; restates its rejection of projects of settling Palestinian refugees outside of their homeland; and calls upon host countries to furnish them with civil liberties, naming Lebanon in particular and calling upon its government and political and spiritual forces to do the same.

2 - The ANC reminds all that states adopting the Zionist project kept proposing so-called initiatives for "settlement" and "reconciliation" that aim mainly at enabling the project and reinforcing it while weakening the Arab position on both its Palestinian and national levels; thus ANC restates its rejection of those settlement initiatives as demeaning to the national rights of the Palestinian people.

3 - The ANC affirms its conviction that it was Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's failure at suppressing the Palestinian Intifada (Uprising) that forced him to reluctantly offer the so-called plan for "unilateral withdrawal." His aim being to gain time, he needed to expand resettlement on the occupied West Bank before returning and to re-occupying the Gaza Strip, that is assuming a real withdrawal would take place. Therefore, the ANC emphasizes the importance of the continuation of the Intifada and the heroic resistance of the Palestinian people in all its forms, including armed struggle, which is a legal right stipulated in international conventions and norms. The ANC also condemns U.S. and European pursuit aiming at putting Hamas, Islamic Jihad and the National Liberation Front of Palestine on the list of terrorist organizations. It sees this pursuit as an intentional attempt to reinforce Zionist occupation and legalizing the terrorism of the Zionist state, in flagrant violation of international laws and norms and in contradiction with the people's historical experiences.

4 - The ANC values the well-intentioned steps taken by the Third Conference on Palestinian Dialogue, held in Cairo and attended by representatives of all resistance formations, that ended in agreement on affirming national unity and activation and developing of the Palestinian Liberation Organization through the participation of all Palestinian forces. The ANC calls upon all vital forces of the Arab nation and Islamic world to support that unitary orientation warns against turning the pacification agreed upon into a constant truce - a development sure to be utilized by the Zionist enemy to strengthen its settlement and Judaization activities, as its current practices reveal.

5 - The ANC affirms that national and Islamic duty requires supporting the Palestinian people's struggle facilitating speedy financial support to those who stand heroically in defense of this nation and never to submit to U. S. dictations calling for what is called "drying - up resources." It also calls upon Arab states with peace treaties and with normalized relations with the Zionist entity to reconsider their positions to abrogate agreements with it and recommit themselves with popular anti-normalization position.

In the same context, the ANC warns against falling into the U.S. and Zionist trap aiming at breaking the psychological barriers in this existential conflict through contracts, visits or shaking hands with enemy officials, gests that the enemy is used to utilizing to weaken the Arab positions of rejection and resistance.

6 - The ANC emphasizes the necessity of confronting Zionist actions aiming at the Juduzation of Al-Quds and intensifying settlement in and around the city, confiscation of lands through erecting the racist separation (in fact the merging) wall and tightening the noose around the Palestinian citizens in Al-Quds and its suburbs. It also emphasized the importance of taking all actions necessary to protect Palestinian institutions in Al-Quds, drew attention to the threats to demolish Al-Aqsa Mosque and re-establish the Temple in its place. The ANC considers the vital forces of the Arab nation and the Islamic world responsible for warding off that danger.

In this context, the ANC declares its support for the position taken by the militant Father Bishop Dr. Atalla Hanna, member of this Congress, and his colleagues on this issue. The ANC, while it condemns the irresponsible act taken at the Orthodox Church Waqfs in Al-Quds, reaffirms deep conviction that sacred places and Christian Waqfs not only in Al-Quds, but all over Palestine, are properties of Arab Christians, untransferable by any means to others. The ANC calls upon the Palestinian Authority and all Arab governments and vital forces to endeavor to protect these religious sacred assets and properties and draws the attention to the necessity of taking into consideration and making benefit of the International Court of Justice advisory resolution to the effect that the racist separation wall is illegal and all harmed by its erecting should be compensated.

7 - The ANC values the steadfastness and militancy of all Palestinian and other Arab P. O. W.'s and detainees in Zionist prisons and camps, including those who are members of this Congress; it calls upon all Arab and international institutions concerned with human rights to launch a wide campaign of solidarity with them and to apply pressure for their release and to financially support the fund for legal support to help P. O. W.'s and detainees in Israeli prisons. The Congress appeals to the Palestinian National Authority to release all militants detained in its prisons, considering the continuation of their detention a submission to world and Zionist pressures, which is in contradiction with the commitment to the liberation of Palestine, both the people and the land.

8 - The ANC hails the steadfastness of the Palestinian people since their country was occupied in 1948. These people have shown throughout the years of oppression an insistence on maintaining their national identity and their Arab and Islamic culture in the face of pressures and temptations. The ADC would like to expresses its pride for Arab Palestinian people and reaffirms its full solidarity with those put in occupation prisons, calling upon all Arab states to reconsider the ways they treat the 1948 Palestinians and embrace them dearly.

Iraq

The ANC also considered the situation in Iraq, in its different dimensions and in light of the continuous occupation and its practices, as well as in light of the resistance's actions for liberation. It came to the following conclusions:

1 - The ANC emphasizes the necessity of ongoing uncovering of false justifications for the occupation of Iraq, revealing its actual nature as illegal aggression unmasked of its false pretexts. The ANC holds fast to the demand for complete withdrawal of occupying troops from Iraq and to its rejection of whatever justification for their staying on, including pretensions of maintaining Iraqi stability, when in fact these troops are the real reason for the current crisis of Iraq.

2 - The ANC emphasizes its rejection of all practices the occupation has undertaken from the very beginning of its existence till present - practices that are shown by the use of illegal weapons against Iraqi citizens; the dismantling of the Iraqi state and its institutions (as well as Iraq's cultural identity); destroying its historical memory and altering the Iraqi educational curriculum in an attempt to serve interests of the occupiers and terrorizing the citizens of Iraq, incarcerating hundreds of thousands of them, violating their basic rights; indiscriminate, random shelling of Iraqi cities, communities, population centers, houses and even mosques; in addition to expropriating freedom of opinion and of political organization, including the so-called operations of "de-Baathification." The ANC reaffirms the necessity of halting all such practices and the elimination of its impacts, also affirming the Iraqi people's rights to compensation for damages inflicted upon them by those practices.

3 - The ANC hails the Iraqi people's struggle against occupation and the heroic role of the national resistance; and values in particular sacrifices made by Iraqi women; their steadfastness, their major role in the sustainability of resistance; but also condemns, on the other hand, the terrorist acts of those who aim at distorting the real image of the resistance, wherever the acts are coming from.

4 - The ANC calls upon all Iraqi national anti-occupation forces, particularly those of resistance, to turn the page on the past in light of brave critical review of it; and also calls for a democratic dialogue among these national forces with the aim of achieving unity of position and unity of action leading to the setting up of a national front of struggle for the liberation of Iraq and its reconstruction on a democratic basis.

5 - The ANC considers the elections undertaken under occupation by the so-called national assembly, together with whatever outcome of their results, as invalid, its sole valid alternative to rebuild a new Iraq is holding to democracy and free elections under Arab and international supervision, to take place only after withdrawal of occupation troops.

6 - The ANC rejects calls for the fragmentation of Iraq for whatever reason; warns against attempts to derail the conflict in Iraq and re-direct it toward a sectarian or ethnic orientation; affirms in this same context its respect for the rights of all components of the Iraqi people within a framework of equality in citizenship, national unity and territorial integrity, as formulated by constitutionally elected bodies after the end of occupation. With regard to the Kurdish question in particular, the ANC adopts the development of the law for self-government for Kurdistan Province in a way that guarantees Kurdistan national and cultural rights within the framework of Iraqi unity and sovereignty, calling for theses issues to be debated in the spirit of constructive dialogue and interaction with Kurdish forces within the principles of adherence to promoting science, sovereignty, national resources, foreign policy and Iraq's national security within its Arab and Islamic belonging.

7 - The ANC rejects the recognition by the League of Arab States and its member governments of the Iraqi government installed by the occupying power; calls upon them to bridge communication with forces rejecting occupation as well as the political process under occupation auspices; demands Arab governments refrain from any direct or indirect support for the occupation and its affiliates; calls upon popular political forces all over the Arab world to activate the Arab Street's support for the resistance; affirms the right of everyone in the nation to join forces with the resistance, considering its support by all its Arab neighbors, by all means possible, a duty of top priority; calls upon the efficiencies of the "Arab popular Council to Support Iraq" to continue their activity, strengthen these efficiencies, providing media support to Iraqi resistance. The Congress furthermore declares the 9th of April a day of demonstrations against occupation and of solidarity with the Iraqi people.

8 - The ANC calls upon the Arab Organization for Human Rights and the Federation of Arab Lawyers to form a working team to defend all detainees in occupation prisoners, to contact with international organizations and institutions to raise their cases and demand their assistance in putting an end to their dilemma; draws their attention to the sufferings of Iraqi scientists and academics, either through assassination or attempted assassination, by being fired from their jobs, or incarciration.

9 - The ANC condemns Zionist penetration of Iraq; demands a follow-up of its aftermath and actions to put an end to it in order to keep the national, Arab and Islamic identity of Iraq.

10 - The ANC extends a special salutation of pride and esteem to all peoples who condemned the war, especially peoples whose governments sent troops to join in occupying Iraq; values the struggle of those peoples till the real and full dismantling of the so-called international coalition occupying Iraq.

Lebanon and Syria

The ANC reviewed the domination plans aiming at both Lebanon and Syria under false banners of democracy and human rights that would not deserve to be taken notice of in light of past experiences with U. S. and Zionist dealings in our region as manifested in Palestine and Iraq. The Congress came to the following conclusions:

1 - The current U. S.-Zionist-Western assault on Lebanon and Syria, though not new, requires vigilance and action to build broad national connections in Lebanon and Syria based on freedom and rule of law; strengthening bilateral relations between the two countries on both official and popular levels, starting with solving contradictions and problems that marred those relations, as well as broadening their common denominators, opening dialogues and actions by their civil society institutions.

2 - The ANC values the Lebanese people's sacrifices, referring especially to Hizbullah and like forces; considers United Nations Security Council Resolution 1559 as a link in the chain of attempts at disarming the resistance and liquidating its capabilities in line with the Zionist-U. S. objectives; declares rejection of that resolution, warning against consequences of attempts to pressure Lebanon in implementing its articles; rejects in particular military intervention in Lebanon or Syria under any pretext, considering such intervention a threat to the Arab national security that comes under the terms of the Arab Common Defense Agreement and calls for their application.

3 - The ANC calls upon all national forces in Lebanon to continue their dialogue to strengthen common denominators that constitute the strongest defenses against the U. S.-Zionist-Western conspiracy.

4 - The ANC asserts solidarity with Syria and Lebanon in the face of U. S.-Zionist-Western threats, especially manifested in their pursuit to issue the bill titled "The Law of Liberating Lebanon and Syria;" asserts solidarity with Syria's pursuit for the liberation of its occupied territory, condemning any step Arab regimes have taken that would weaken the Syrian and Lebanese positions; calls for efforts with concerned states to steer them away from the U. S hegemony policies.

5 - The ANC condemns the criminal assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq al-Hariri, together with a number of Lebanese citizens in the heart of Beirut; calls for the uncovering of the perpetrators and putting them to justice; draws attention to the dangers of letting some regional and international quarters manipulate the sequences of this horrible crime to stage a full reversal of Lebanon's national choices.

Sudan

The ANC considered the current situation in Sudan, in the context of the U. S.-Israeli imperialist scheme against the Arab nation, which explains the attempts at tearing apart Sudan through media wars and at separating the negotiating process and mechanisms with the rebellion forces in the country from their Arab surroundings. The Congress came to the following conclusions:

1 - The ANC condemns the UN Security Council resolutions aiming at besieging Sudan, controlling its resources and its strategic location, using its territory as a springboard to destroying its neighboring Arab and African countries. This is in addition to violation by Security Council Resolution 1593 of international laws and norms through transferring Sudanese citizens to the International Criminal Court, the treaty of which was not signed by either Sudan or the U.S. It is well known that U. S. citizens are exempted from standing trial in this court in flagrant practice of double standards of international measures. The Congress, in the face of Resolution 1593, demands immediate holding of open trials in Sudan by Sudanese national justices for all those accused rightly of involvement in crimes against humanity in Darfur.

2 - The ANC calls upon all Sudanese forces to commit to higher national interest in the current troubled circumstances; to form a national unity government with a platform that takes into consideration the peace agreement and aims at reinforcing democracy and rule of law, building foundations for development and voluntary national union in the South as our introduction to an overall renaissance project. The Congress, in this same context, demands the releasing of all political detainees and taking of measures leading to mobilizing Sudanese capabilities in the face of possibilities of foreign intervention.

3 - The ANC asserts the importance of strengthening cooperation between Sudan and Arab states in all fields, acting for the formation of an Arab peacekeeping force in Sudan, for Arab finance institutions and the Arab capital in general a major role in investment in Sudan. The Congress recommends sending a message to Arab and African leaders in their responsibility of preventing foreign intervention in Sudan and avoiding sabotage of its territorial integrity, national security or destruction of its resources.

4 - The ANC commends the efforts of the Arab Federation of Lawyers in solidarity with Sudan and subsidized by the federation's legal know-how; calls upon all Arab labor and professional union federations, as well as the forces of civil society, to follow suit; urges mass media all over the Arab world, especially satellite television networks, to uncover the conspiring activities of the U. S., Zionist and Western forces against Sudan and its people.

The Arab System

The ANC took a glance at the way the Arab system functions in face of challenges coming to the nation from different directions, debated about the requirements to activate these functions, reviewed the various conspiracies hegemony forces contrived in order to uproot the Arab System, taking notice especially of the Greater Middle East plan. The Congress came to the following conclusions:

1 - The ANC holds fast to the constants of the Arab cultural renaissance project; calls for acting to raise Arab popular participation, strengthening initiatives for the mass uprising in certain Arab countries, considered to be the rise leading to enabling the Arab citizen to participate in decision-making and maintaining its democracy.

2 - The ANC holds fast to the existence of the League of Arab States, despite of reservations with its performance; calls for the development of its agencies; asserts in particular the importance of revising the rule of country sovereignty, considered to the responsible to the league's failure in its efforts to transform into a political economic and security block, in addition to the establishment of an actual Arab Parliament that secures popular participation in Arab decision-making; safeguard its democracy, as well as secure the control by the nation's representatives of the executive branch of the league and submitting it to accountability, opening the field to more steps of development.

3 - The ANC rejects the method of adapting and submitting to the U. S.-Zionist assault on the Arab nation, a method now followed by Arab regimes; calls upon all vital Arab forces, their nongovernmental organizations and civil society institutions to confront U. S.-Zionist projects, especially the Greater Middle East Initiative; considers that undertaking this role is not only an effective weapon in the face of our enemies, it is also a mechanism of enabling those forces of real participating in the running of the nation's interests.

4 - The ANC asserts the necessity of caring about Arabs living in countries of emigration as an extension abroad of the nation that is to be communicated with, protected and mobilized with their capabilities in the service of Arab causes. Sincere efforts should be enhanced to cement links among them and between them and their nation.

Political Reform

The ANC considered the issue of political reform, urgent as it is in various Arab countries; viewed it as a continuous process that aims at establishing a political system on the rules of multiplicity rule of law, alternate power, separation of powers, accountability, transparency and respect of human rights; affirms that reform process turned into a political ordinance on which the nation's future depends in the context of a cluster of local, regional and international changes. Thus, the Congress came to the following proposals:

1 - The ANC calls for an overall national conference in each and every Arab country, to include all national trends with their different terms of reference, to write a code of ethics agreed upon by all political efficiencies and works as an agenda for the popular movement in each Arab country. It is rather important for this code of ethics to mandate political multiplicity, democracy and human rights.

2 - The ANC calls upon political parties, labour unions and

civil society institutions to adopt democratic means in their

internal dealings.

3 - The ANC stresses on the link between masses activity and media efforts, through calling intellectuals, including workers of different modes of media, audio, visionary and written, to conscious raising of the Arab masses of the vital issues of reform, updating, enhancing the concepts of citizenship and respect of the other. In a related matter, the Congress emphasized the importance of disengagement of reform, on one hand, and normalization of relations on the other, confirming the fact that Arab-zionist conflict is not separated from the democratization at home; as well as the importance of distinguishing respect for country peculiarities resulting from the stand of political, economic and social development of the Arab regimes, and the existing of basic constants indispensable to achieve a real shift to democracy.

4 - The ANC asserts the sanctity of the public wealth and prohibition of its waste, matters that require more application of transparency, control and accountability; thereby the Congress commends the establishment of "The Arab Anti-Corruption Organisation".

5 - The ANC assert the importance of enhancing efforts by various Arab human rights organizations in the field of education to emphasize democracy and human rights, politically enabling women, while bewaring of the risks of their foreign finance. In the same context, the ANC stresses the importance of providing for efficient media coverage, through the efforts of the Arab Institute for Human Rights, aiming at writing textbooks relevant to the subjects, taking into consideration that different Arab regimes are in the process of revising their curricula.

6 - The ANC calls for the formation of national fronts to support the public liberties and combat all measures of their expropriation.

7 - The ANC calls for the formation of a preparatory committee for a constitutional conference to undertake the task of draft constitutional documents asserting the principal guarantees, both relating to the system of government, the relations among powers, and to public rights and liberties, with emphasis, in all cases, on the importance of keeping constitutional texts away from any abuse that meets the interests of those in power. Steps could be taken in a later stage to convene a legal conference in order to purify various laws of all forms of discrimination among citizens and to eliminate constraints on public rights and liberties, with emphasis on the fact that the point of departure is demand for the abrogation of emergency terrorism and all other exceptional laws as well as exceptional courts.

8 - The ANC affirms the principle of resorting to lawfull means in solving disputes between rulers and the ruled inside our Arab countries, at the same time affirms the continual legality as the main source of sovereignty inside each Arab country.

9 - The ANC asserts the importance of formulating criteria for sound democratic system and for evaluating the extent of Arab states adherence to them at each of the Congress sessions, in order to know the extent of progress in their reform course. It will be possible in this effect to draw on the Annual Report of the Arab Organization for Human Rights.

10 - The ANC decides to send a memorandum to Arab governments demanding the issuing of a law of general amnesty for all political detainees and opinion prisoners, being journalists, intellectuals, political activists, letting those living in exile for political reasons return to their homeland, and forming national panels for investigation and reconciliation, for justice and alleviating grievances.

Education Issues

The ANC gave top priority to issues of Arab education, considering their superior importance for the enhancement of our national identity and the fulfillment of our Arab Renaissance project, particularly in the face of the current assault against our educational systems aiming at subjecting them to the foreign domination. In this context the Congress cause to the following conclusion:

1 - The ANC draws attention to the dangers of degrading the Arabic language from its supreme status in the Arab educational system, in time when the colloquial tongues of the Arab countries are let loose through satellite TV and other media; also draws attention to the dangers of fabricating conflict between Arabic and local colloquial languages for the benefit of foreign languages.

2 - The ANC demands Arabic language to be put in its right place enabling it to play its role in the enhancement of Arab identity, this being strongly connected to plans of Arabization of sciences and activating writing in them in Arabic, translation to Arabic, in this context welcoming the foundation of the Arabic Organisation for Translation; also demands using Arabic in everyday life activities, especially in the field of media, issuing binding laws on generally using Arabic and securing its prevailing in various sectors of society, formulating educational rules of teaching foreign languages and activities of private and foreign schools in the Arab land, in order to secure growing - up of young generations within the framework of Arab nationalist identity and to secure their interaction with the causes relating to the destiny of this nation, a well as upgrading the public schools to a level to play a major role in these fields.

3 - The ANC draws attention to the risks the Arab educational curricula are prone to, in particular in the field of human sciences, in the face of the current assault of domination forces against the Arab mind. The Congress meanwhile observed the lagging of our educational curricula behind the modem scientific progress, their inability to creative thinking, forming another danger to Arab mind, that should not be underestimated. In this same context the Congress asserts the necessity of developing methods of Arab teaching, putting emphasis on this developing in the field of human sciences in particular basing on our national identity, not permitting any sort of abuse to the texts relating to religious education in Arab schools, and giving high priority to the mission of molding teachers educationally and rewarding them both materially and morally.

Economic Issues

The ANC considered the condition of the economies of the Arab states and reviewed their crisis that is due mainly to mismanagement by the Arab ruling regimes, leading, among other things, to emigration of Arab capitals and investments outside of the Arab World, the decline of mutual inter-Arab trade, leading to more obstacles to Arab economic integration in time when Arab countries find them