DUSHANBE, January 15, 2009, Asia-Plus — The Dushanbe mayor’s office has refused an application by the Islamic Revival Party (IRPT) for permission to organize in Dushanbe a large-scale action of protest against Israel’s Gaza attacks, Asia-Plus ahs learned from the IRPT spokesman Hikmatullo Saygullozoda.
According to him, they received a letter from the deputy Dushanbe mayor, Abdusattor Sulyamonov, recently. “The municipal authorities justified the refusal by saying that the party allegedly did not meet some requirements of the country’s law on holding demonstrations and similar events,” he said, noting that the party board is currently discussing the letter.
As it had been reported earlier, the IRPT board applied to the Dushanbe mayor’s office on January 7 for permission to organize in Dushanbe a large-scale action of protest against Israel’s military operations in the Gaza Strip. They were going to hold the action on January 23.
We will recall that the IRPT board organized the inner-Party action of protest in Dushanbe on December 31 to condemn military actions of Israel in the Gaza Strip. More than 1,000 activists of the IRPT participated in the action. The action of protest resulted in adoption of resolution condemning Israel’s military actions in the Gaza Strip.
In the meantime, international media report Israeli tanks have pushed deep into Gaza City, prompting fierce exchanges of gunfire with fighters of the Palestinian militant group Hamas. According to BBC News, the UN”s relief agency, UNRWA, says part of its HQ in the city is on fire after being shelled by the Israelis. Diplomatic efforts to reach a truce continue, with Israel”s head negotiator due in Cairo to discuss an Egyptian ceasefire plan. Hamas said the talks had made progress, but did not elaborate.
According to media, more than 1,000 Gazans and 13 Israelis have reportedly died so far in the conflict Palestinian deaths in the Gaza Strip reach 1,028 according to Gaza medical sources. Nearly a third of the dead are said to be children.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon is meeting regional leaders as part of intensive diplomatic efforts to end the fighting.
Israel launched its offensive on the coastal enclave on December 27, 2008 and has refused to allow international journalists to enter Gaza, making it impossible to independently confirm casualty figures. The offensive has provoked widespread international condemnation at the cost in civilian casualties and the ongoing humanitarian crisis in the coastal enclave.
