1.
GTV Marchers headed by band through Sidon
0.26

2.
SV Children carrying banners
0.45

3.
GVT Procession towards Crusaders' Castle
0.51

4.
SV PAN Mothers & children arrive at castle
1.05

5.
GV PAN FROM Marchers TO Crusaders' Castle & enter
1.28



Initials ESP/1201 ESP/1211



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: Some 750 people attended an Easter Sunday (22 April) service in an ancient Crusader Castle in Sidon, southern Lebanon following a two-day peace march organised by Americans living in Lebanon.

In addition to the 150 Americans who marched the 30 miles (45 kms) from Beirut to Sidon, were some 500 Sidon residents who attended the religious service. They joined the march in support of the Palestine Arabs and in protest against American policy in the Middle East which the marchers regard as pro-Israeli.

The march organisers distributed a statement saying it was a symbolic at in support of the right of the Palestine people to return to their homes.

The statement said the march was organised by Americans in The Middle East "to stir the conscience of the Jewish people around the world and American people especially to redress a wrong committed when more than one million Palestinian people were exiled from their homes following the ceasefire in the Middle East in 1948 and again in 1967".

The American marchers had been met at the entrance to the city of Sidon by the Governor of Souther Lebanon, M. Henri Lahoud, before going on to the Crusader fortress known as "The Castle of the Sea".

SYNOPSIS: Some 750 people marched through the streets of the ancient Lebanese city of Sidon on their way to Easter Sunday prayers at the Crusader fortress known as "The Castle of the Sea". One-hundred-and-fifty of the marchers were American men, women and children who had walked the 30-miles from Beirut. The Americans had organised the event as a peace march in support of Palestine Arabs and in protest at American Middle East policy which they regard as pro-Israeli. They were joined on the outskirts of Sidon by more than 500 city residents.

The march organisers, in a distributed statement, said they had undertaken the trek as a symbolic act in support of the right of the Palestine people to return to their homes. The statement added that the march was intended to stir the conscience of Jewish people around the world and also 'american people, especially to redress a wrong committed when more than one million Palestinian people were exiled from their homes following the ceasefire in the Middle East in 1948 and again in 1967. The American marchers had been met at the city entrance by Southern Lebanon governor, M. Henri Lahoud.