Democratic Palestine : 2 (ص 10)
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- Democratic Palestine : 2 (ص 10)
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GUPS Congress
The 9th National Congress of the General Union of Palestinian Students (GUPS) was held in
Algiers, February 12-17th. Its convening was especially significant in that it 1s the first congress of a
Palestinian mass organization to be held after the visit of Yasir Arafat to Cairo. Consequently, the
focus of the deliberations was on political issues of utmost importance for the Palestinian cause. As
GUPS is the most active mass organization of the Palestinian Revolution, the positions taken by its
congress acquire substantial influence. The Palestinian resistance organizations have always attached
great importance to the role of the GUPS. Thus, the positions it adopts provide a barometer of the
opinion of broad sectors of Palestinian activists.
The Congress was composed of 167
delegates who had been elected by the
respective branches of the GUPS over
the past two years. An additional 45
delegates were nominated and ap-
proved by two-thirds majority at the
congress, to represent branches in coun-
tries, such as Egypt, Turkey and Leban-
on, where prevailing conditions had
prohibited elections. Some delegates
did not attend. They did not, however,
make any statement as to political rea-
sons for their absence. Their seats were
left open. The congress was also at-
tended by a large number of guest dele-
gations from Arab student organizations
and progressive student unions around
the world.
For unity and democracy
Since the vast majority of the elected
delegates participated, the Congress
more than fulfilled the reguired quo-
rum. The delegates included members
of Fatah, DFLP, PFLP, the Arab Liber-
ation Front, the Palestinian Communist
Party and the Palestinian Liberation
Front. This indicates a high degree of
interest in the Congress as a forum for
political struggle to unite the masses of
our people on a clear political line and
within the legitimate bodies that have
been built up in the course of Palestinian
national struggle. In truth, the Congress
afforded this opportunity, precisely be-
cause of the democratic spirit that pre-
vailed. On the whole, the constitution
and by-laws of the GUPS were abided
by regarding election of delegates, the
congressional proceedings themselves,
the adoption of the final statement and
the election of a new leadership. Des-
pite the severe disagreements expe-
rienced in the Palestinian arena this past
year, there was a majority will that all
delegates and_ political tendencies
should enjoy full participation and ex-
pression of their views. There was no
pressure or discrimination against any
delegate’s entry to the congress or right
to speak.
10
The GUPS has reason to be proud of
having successfully practiced the demo-
cratic traditions developed in the Pales-
tinian revolution and the PLO. Moreov-
er, a great vote of thanks goes to our
Algerian brothers, who facilitated the
assembly and work of the Congress in
every way possible. The Algerians
demonstrated in practice their genuine
respect for the independence of Palesti-
nian decision-making and for democrat-
ic proceedings, free from interference,
tutelage or pressure.
Our comrades’ participation in the
Congress was in accordance with the
PFLP’s approach to the current crisis in
the Palestinian Revolution. This is based
on belief that the only way to preserve
the achievements of the PLO, while si-
multaneously rectifying its line and
practice, is by persistent political strug-
gle to rally our people around reform in
the legitimate frameworks. Moreover,
in relation to the GUPS Congress in spe-
cific, we find it important to distinguish
between our own political platform and
the correct way to work within a mass
organization. As an example, the PFLP’s
political representatives to the Congress
did not attend the opening session,
where Arafat addressed the GUPS, be-
cause of our principled position that he
has disqualified himself to lead our
people. On the other hand, our
members who were elected GUPS
delegates, participated actively in all
sessions of the Congress, because their
prime duty is to contribute to unity,
constructive work and correct political
stands on the part of the Union_as a
whole.
In line with this, our comrades to-
gether with those of DFLP, the Palesti-
nian Communist Party and the Palesti-
nian Liberation Front, presented a
memorandum expressing a joint view-
point on major political issues and mat-
ters of special importance for the GUPS
work. This was positively received by
the great majority of delegates. The four
organizations also presented a joint
paper advocating the principle of pro-
portional representation, motivated by
desire to develop the democratic struc-
ture of the Union.
Political debate and final
statement
The initial discussion at the Congress
revolved around the Political Report
presented by the Executive Committee
of the GUPS. This paper presented a
political line which was not acceptable
to the majority of the Congress; it furth-
ermore placed the GUPS in a position of
addressing issues which are beyond the
capacity of a student organization.
Thus, the report was not adopted by the
Congress, but referred to the Political
Commission, whose 100 or so members,
after thorough discussion, resolved to
put it aside.
Consequently, the decisive political
debate focused on drawing up the final
statement. The principle stands befit-
ting a mass organization of the Palestini-
an revolution were readily agreed upon:
affirmation that the PLO is the sole, leg-
itimate representative of the Palestinian
people based on adherence to the Pales-
tinian National Charter and the resolu-
tions of the PNC, and to the Palestinian
peoples right to return, self-
determination and the establishment of
an independent national state; adher-
ence to the strategy of protracted peo-
ple’s war; escalating the armed struggle
in the occupied territories in order to
achieve the full inalienable rights of our
people and abort all the imperialist and
Zionist projects; preserving the inde- - هو جزء من
- Democratic Palestine : 2
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