Across Borders Portal

We, the committees overseeing the implementation of the Across Borders project under the auspices of Birzeit University's Centre for Continuing Education, undertake to create a web page for each of the refugee camps we represent. This will constitute one of the activities that aim to foster communication and dialogue between residents of refugee camps in Palestine and the Arab world on the one hand, and the rest of the world on the other. The web page will also aim to raise awareness and mobilize the Palestinian, Arab and international public in favour of refugee issues, mainly the right of return for all Palestinian refugees, and to highlight the social and economic situation and needs of the people concerned.

We commit ourselves to a number of rules and principles that strengthen the project's noble objectives. We will monitor the implementation of, and support, these rules out of our belief in their importance for contributing towards the continuity of the web page in particular, and the Across Borders project in general.

We shall aim that the web page be a continuously updated tool reflecting, primarily, Palestinian refugees' right of return through a range of publicity items aimed at various sectors of society and dealing with the following areas:

The right of return for Palestinian refugees
Material will focus on the political, social, humanitarian and legal aspects of the right of return as supported by international resolutions. Included will also be different positions adopted by international political groups, parties and personalities in support of the right of return, as well as the relevant refugee camp's position on any political stance affecting or relating to the right of return.

To ensure that our message reaches the largest number of people possible with the maximum effect, and in order to enlist supporters for refugee causes and camps, we commit ourselves and all whom we supervise to ensuring that the web page focuses on the topics above, and to the principle that any divergence from the type of topics and articles listed above will cause the site to miss its aims.

We commit ourselves to working by the rules and principles that the Project Supervisory Committee agreed in its July 2004 meeting. This commitment includes the routine examination of web page contents and the maintenance of site contents so that material is renewed weekly.

To present true and accurate information, and to refrain from publishing anything the accuracy of which we are uncertain about. We will refrain vigilantly from being a source for rumours or wrongful information.
Sources for all pieces of information or articles shall be acknowledged; no material shall be published without due credit being given.
No official, popular or non-governmental organization, activity or committee operating in the camp shall be slandered, whether directly or indirectly.
No person from within or without the camp may be accused, slandered or disparaged for any reason as such action may subject us to a lawsuit.
No person not formally found guilty by a Palestinian or international court may be named and judged.
All articles and written pieces shall utilize appropriate language. No foul or dishonourable language going against the local culture and humanity in general may be used.
No language injurious or disrespectful to any religion, belief or sacred site may be used.
We shall not issue judgement on any international issue, or on any position adopted by another country or international body, not related to the right of return or the Palestinian cause in general.
No material failing to convey Palestinian dignity or the Palestinian people's attitudes towards national issues, such as publicity material presenting images of supplication and humiliation, shall be published.
No bias shall be shown when writing about general internal Palestinian matters on which no national consensus exists. Full objectivity must be maintained.
No material directly or indirectly promoting crime or the breaking of Palestinian law may be published.
No photographs or articles shall be published that fail to reflect the civilized face of Palestine, or that are considered to be unacceptable nationally or internationally, or that are not true to the history and traditions of the Palestinian people and especially of the camps.
All forms of discrimination shall be shunned, most notably discrimination on the basis of race, religion or gender.

We commit ourselves to working with all the parties concerned in order to activate the web site as one of the primary activities of the Across Borders project. In order to guarantee success for the project and for each camp's web site as well as the project's general web site, we shall work with all official and non-governmental organizations as well as all individuals who support the right of return either in word or deed. We shall also work towards enlisting the support of volunteers within and without our camps to assist us in highlighting and publicizing our cause so that it may be presented to the world in different languages and in an acceptable format.

Modifications to this document may be made only by the Project Supervisory Committee following approval by all of its members. We also authorise the project's management team to suspend publication of any material that is found to be in contravention of the above until the matter may be addressed by the Across Borders supervisory committee.

We, members of the Project Supervisory Committee, having each discussed this document with the project management committee of the relevant camp, have decided to sign it believing that its contents do not contradict our objectives but reinforce them, making the right of return the central issue for Across Borders.