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| PCHR Palestinian Centre for Human Rights PRESS RELEASE |
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Ref: 66/2005
Date: 05 June 2005
Time: 10:00 GMT
Director of PCHR Resigns from the National Commission for Reform
Mr. Raji Sourani, Director of PCHR, has resigned from the Palestinian National Commission for Reform (NCR). His resignation comes after he has not been able to attend any meetings of the NCR in the last two years due restrictions imposed on his movement between the Gaza Strip and the West Bank by the Israel Occupation Forces (IOF).
The NCR was established in the mid 2003 upon a decision by then Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas. It was formed of members of the government (Ministerial Committee for Reform and members of the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC)), representatives of the civil society, including Mr. Sourani, the private sector and academia. On 27 October 2003, the Palestinian cabinet reformed the NCR to be headed by the new Palestinian Prime Minister, Ahmed Qurai, and to be expanded to include 30 members representing the cabinet, the PLC, the civil society and the business sector. The mandate of the Commission was “as a priority, to identify aspects and causes of failures in various fields of performance, and shall make recommendations to reform them…”
Mr. Sourani sent his letter of resignation to the President of NCR last month detailing how he had hoped to be an active member and cooperate with his colleagues in the NCR to achieve its goals. However, like the other approximately 1.4 million Palestinians inside the Gaza Strip, Mr. Sourani movement has been severely restricted by the IOF. In the last two years, he has not been able to attend a single meeting of the NCR in Ramallah as the IOF have refused to grant him a permit to travel between the Gaza Strip and West Bank. Mr. Sourani has not been able to participate in the work of the NCR and consequently has resigned from the Commission.
For more information please contact PCHR Office in Gaza City: +972 (0)8 2824776 – 2825893.*
*Office Hours are between 08:00 – 16:00 hours (05:00 GMT – 13:00 GMT) Sun – Thurs.
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Palestinian Centre for Human Rights
29 Omer El Mukhtar St., El Remal, PO Box 1328 Gaza, Gaza Strip tel/fax: +972 (0)8 282 4776 – 282 5893
Email: [email protected] website: www.pchrgaza.org
