It’s Christmas day and we are preparing to leave tomorrow for Cairo to participate in the Gaza Freedom March, along with nearly 1,400 other activists from 42 countries.
As of now, the Egyptian government has vowed not only to refuse us entry into Gaza but to prevent us from going to the Rafah border crossing into Gaza, and has “canceled our orientation space,” leaving us two days to find an alternate venue that can hold a group this size.
Undaunted, march organizers are moving ahead with contingency plans for activities against the Israeli blockade of Gaza whether or not we are allowed into the territory: “Our efforts and plans will not be altered at this point. We have set out to break the siege of Gaza and to march in Gaza on December 31 against the international blockade. We are continuing the journey,” according to a press release from the group.
From Cairo, retired U.S. Army Col. Ann Wright, one of the march organizers, says: “Keep flying to Cairo! The Gaza Freedom March is historic, even if the Egyptian government will not let us into Gaza! The people of Gaza and the world are watching. We are NOT silent about Gaza!!! See you in Cairo!”
Yes, see you in Cairo, Ann.
--Ellen Davidson and Judith Mahoney Pasternak
(also published in The Indypendent, www.indypendent.org/2009/12/25/gaza-freedom-marchers-undeterred-by-egyptian-government)
1 comment:
Travel safe!
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