Rabia Platform launches for a 'new world'

The Rabia Platform officially launched its initiative on Monday with a press conference in Istanbul detailing its founding principles and future projects. The platform takes its name from the Rabia al-Adawiya Square in Egypt, home to peaceful anti-coup sit-ins that were dispersed by the Egyptian military's violent crackdown on August 14. "Rabia platform aims to act as a common intellect, a common venue for discussion, and an announcement board," said journalist Abdurrahman Dilipak, who serves as the forum's spokesperson. "It remains open to all individuals and institutions who want to raise their voices against oppression, coups, injustice, unfairness and lawlessness." Dilipak said the non-profit organization would help coordinate a global network of individuals and groups willing to work towards "the creation of a new world that favors justice, peace, and freedom," one of the platform's stated goals. "All groups and organizations that hold R4BIA meetings anywhere globally will announce their activities over www.r4biaplatform.com," Dilipak said. "Humanity initiative" Since the beginning of a peaceful pro-democracy resistance against the July 3 coup d'etat which deposed Egypt's first democratically elected President Mohamed Morsi, protesters have been using and proliferating a hand gesture called the "Rabia sign" and its accompanying "R4BIA" logo. Dilipak said the sign and its logo have become the "new symbol of the Muslim world against oppression." "We have decided to establish the Rabia platform and launch the website www.r4biaplatform.com in order to stand with the oppressed and against the oppressor, no matter where injustice occurs and no matter whom it targets," he said. The platform, which has already attracted "hundreds of civil society organizations from all over the world," would work to "ensure the transformation of the R4BIA spirit into a humanity initiative," he said.