Indonesia to host Int`l humanitarian conference on Palestine

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Indonesia will host an International Humanitarian Conference on Assistance for Palestine at the Jakarta Convention Center (JCC) here from October 31 to November 2, 2008, the chief organizer said. 

Deputy Chief of Commission III of the House of Representatives (DPR) which deals with legal and human rights affairs, Suripto, said here on Thursday that about 300 domestic and international non-governmental organizations (NGOs) would take part in the conference. 

Suripto who is also the conference`s chief organizer said that the participants would discuss various forms of assistance for the Palestinian people, both for those who lived the Palestinian areas and for those who still stayed in refugee camps in the Middle East. 

The conference is also expected to stress rejection of the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories. Besides, it will also voiced its rejection of the Israeli oppression and captivation of Palestinians who are posing a threat to the people of Palestine. 

Indonesia will host the conference as part of its efforts to create world peace and justice. During the colonial era, Indonesia in its struggle for independence also got support from other countries, including nations in the Middle East. 

"India provided food assistance. So was Egypt, a country which was the first to give its international recognition of the Indonesian Independence in 1945," Suripto said. 

Suripto who is also chairman of the National Committee for the Palestinian People (KNRP), said that a number of KNRP noted members would attend the conference, such as Permadi (of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle), Abdullah Toha (of the National Mandate Party-PAN), Khofifah Indar Parawansa (of the National Awakening Party -PKB) and women`s prominent figure Tuty Alawiyah. 

Sometime in the past a number of countries in Asia and Africa (beginning from Indonesia and South Africa) in turn hosted ministerial conferences on capacity building for Palestine. 

Various sides were able to play significant roles in the program, Suripto said.