Democratic Palestine : 14 (ص 19)
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- Democratic Palestine : 14 (ص 19)
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being served by the union activity. We must judge if the activity
of the union is supporting or halting the development of the
Palestinian revolution.
Based on these considerations, the women of the PFLP
boycotted the GUPW congress held in Tunis in the spring of
1985, because we could see what the intentions of this con-
gress were. We asked the general secretariat in Tunis to post-
pone the congress until a time when there were better condi-
tions for resolving the internal crisis in the PLO. However, they
refused. They had instructions from the rightist leadership to
convene the congress even if that meant finding substitutes for
those women who boycotted the congress. Their justification
was that the congress had not been held for a long time (4
years). Looking back, however, the first congress was held in
1965, and the second in 1974. This gap was due to the difficult
situation for the Palestinian revolution at that time. There was .
the Jordanian regime’s attack on the resistance in 1970, andits
aftermath, which made it difficult to hold the congress.
Today, there are problems more serious than any encoun-
tered before; they are more important than when the congress
is held, especially considering the turmoil tnis creates in the
ranks of the union. We need to convene something that will
bring all forces together on solid common ground.
However, the right wing wanted a congress with leaders
that would approve the rightist trend. For this reason, we
worked for postponement of the congress, meanwhile continu-
ing to work together, but they refused. Then we suggested that
it be held in Democratic Yemen which was ready to receive all
delegates to the congress. Of course, as a progressive coun-
try, Democratic Yemen would have wanted assurance that the
congress would make progressive decisions, denouncing the
Amman accord, and that all forces would participate, to avoid
a split. This was also refused, for those in Tunis wanted the
congress held there, close to the rightist leadership which
could dominate the proceedings. We sent a memorandum
explaining our boycott of the congress, because we consi-
dered that a political fault had been committed. This does not
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mean that we boycott the GUPW as such. We deal with all the
union branches and take part in elections on the basis of
denouncing the Amman accord and the Cairo statement (on
restricting armed struggle).
Anyway, they held the congress in Tunis. DFLP and PCP
participated, allowing the Tunis leadership to claim support
from the left. However, no representative from the socialist
countries or the WIDF participated. They had asked
beforehand who was participating and who was not. The sus-
pended general secretary of the union sent a letter of explana-
tion, and on that basis, they boycotted the congress. Until now,
there have been no relations between the GUPW and the inter-
national unions. The WIDF invited the GUPW to attend its con-
ference in Prague in November, but a full delegation was not
sent. GUPW vice-president Isam Abdel Hadi attended. We do
not know how relations will develop in the future. Actually, we
do not expect the socialist countries to be bound by our posi-
tion. That is their affair. Their view will determine how they deal
with this issue.
Although we did not attend the congress in Tunis, the new
GUPW general secretariat informed us that they would con-
tinue to invite us to their activities in our capacity as progres-
sive Palestinian women, not a group that has split off. We are
not represented in the general secretariat and administrative
council formed at Tunis, but we consider ourselves members
of the union because we were greatly involved in its establish-
ment. We will participate in elections in any branch even if we
lose. We will try to counter the right’s policy of only bringing in
those it can count on to support its line, for this is not a union.
We are optimistic about the elections in some branches.
Especially in Lebanon and Syria, there will be democratic elec-
tions giving everyone an opportunity to participate. We will not
repeat the mistakes of the right. There are fifteen legitimate
branches in which elections will be held; some makeshift
branches were set up by the rightists for election purposes
only, but they did not maintain the required membership of 50.
This is a real difficulty when the right wing uses people simply
to have a show of hands supporting their policy.
To be frank we do not blame only the right for this situation.
This has been their policy in the union work since it began, and
parallels their policy in the PNC. We also blame the progres-
sive forces who have not presented a united alternative to
counter the right and prevent it from continuing like this. We
consider the DFLP, the PCP and Isam Abdel Hadi, who are all
still working in the union, to be progressive. They should put a
halt to these things and not be restricted by the union's ceiling.
Their role is to bring in the progressive forces to tip the balance
against the right.
| will give a concrete example of the problems facing the
left in this respect. Recently, there were elections in the
GUPW's branch in Qatar. The PFLP women wanted to run on
the basis of denouncing the Amman accord and the Cairo
statement. However, the DFLP had a different position. The
DFLP’s policy is to remain in the framework of the union no
matter what the political cost. Under no conditions will they
leave any form of the union work. To us, the political aspect
determines our union participation. In my opinion, if the DFLP,
PCP and Isam Abdel Hadi would declare a united position of
withdrawing from the leadership bodies, they would be able to
impose a whole new situation to the advantage of the progres-
sive forces. | am not talking about a split, but a new situation.
As it is. the right holds two-thirds of the leading posts. As a
minority, the left forces can at most register opposition. .
19 - هو جزء من
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