Dear Friends:
I have joined a delegation of international community activists. We are in El-Arish (6/7/09), 1/2 hour from the Rafah, Egypt/Gaza border. I have been heavily monitored since I left Cleveland. I was searchedas I boarded the plane to JFK, NY. Two others were searched, as well:a random man, and a Muslim women in hijab, maybe 60-some years old. Itwas disturbing to me, as you can imagine. Palestinians go through thison a daily basis in Occupied Palestine. Since we arrived in El-Arish,our every move is being moitored by Egyptian security.
Don Bryant in El-Arish, Egypt
On June 4, 2009President Obama Greeted in Cairo by International Community ActivistsIn response to US President Barrack Obama's visit to Cairo, Egypt onJune 4, seven "international community activists" from theInternational Movement to Open the Rafah Border, and US anti-wargroups Code Pink and Raging Grannies began a day-long protest to endthe Siege of Gaza. The group began their protest at 9 am at the USembassy in Cairo. They unfurled a banner in front of the embassy withthe message, "End the Siege of Gaza." Code Pink co-founder, MedeaBenjamin carried a letter from the Palestinian government, Hamas, todeliver to the embassy and to President Obama. The letter had beenissued to Medea the day before coming from Gaza. The correspondencefrom Hamas stated their desire to negotiate with israel and the USwith no preconditions. "It was a very dignified letter," said Frenchdemonstrator, Christian. The group was also asking President Obama tovisit Gaza, Palestine on his Middle East tour. "If the president couldsee Gaza for himself, he would see the result of US tax dollars, thatsupport the Israeli war crimes in Gaza ," shouted the demonstrators."Obama, go to Gaza!" they continued.The international community activists (ICA) were diverted fromdelivering their message to the embassy, being directed from oneentrance to another. They were also told that cameras would beconfiscated if any pictures were taken. The group was joined bymembers of two student delegations that had been to Gaza. The studentshad scribed a letter to the president, protesting the Israeli siegeand war crimes in Gaza. Tigue from Code Pink had a contact within theembassy, whom he called to find out who was in control at the embassythat day. He was told that embassy security had the final say. Embassysecurity tried to contain the ICA in a barricade, which they crawledunder, and escaped.The demonstration was pure improvisation. After leaving the embassythe ICA had planned to display their banners from various bridges orbuildings. Instead they decided to see how close they could get to theCairo University, where the president would deliver his Middle Eastaddress.Being separated from the students, the seven travelled in two taxis,arriving 1 km from the university. The police stopped all trafficincluding their taxis. Exiting from the taxis, the demonstrators beganwalking freely, through the heavily secured area. Christian said itwas like the American movie, "Little Big Man," when Dustin Hoffmanescorted the blind native chief through a raging massacre. Thedemonstrators walked for one minute towards a monument thirty metersfrom the university and the security checkpoint. The plaza was crowdedwith spectators, security officers, and police dogs.In front of the monument the demonstrators unfurled the bright pinkbanners in English and Arabic. All the spectators had to pass by thedemonstrators on their way to the presidential address. While some ofthe ICA remained with one banner in front of the monument, the otherswandered among the crowd addressing the spectators by microphone,openly displaying the letter from Hamas. People took interest and tookpictures of the letter and the demonstration.The demonstrators saw about 1000 security officers; Egyptian officersin white and black, and many plain-clothes police from the US andEgypt. Security officers noticed the protestors and communicated onwalkie-talkies apparently trying to figure out how to handle thedemonstrators. The demonstration went on for nearly 1/2 hour beforesecurity finally approached them. Actually there were 30,000 securityofficers on duty, as was later revealed. Security told the ICA toleave but they said, "we are Americans. We are protesting. This is ourright of free speech." The only Egyptian protestor was told to leave,but others joined the demonstration, which now included, one Chineseand three American students, two Frenchmen, and four others from theUS....the Italian who tried to join them was searched and sent awaybecause security discovered a video camera in his back pack.Three of the ICA took a banner to another gate where the president wassupposed to pass by. They were told to leave this area. As they wentto rejoin the larger group, security tried to drive them with somephysical force, to no avail. Medea told them, "President Obamawouldn't like you do that."Finally, a full line of security officers faced the demonstrators. TheICA knew something was about to happen. Suddenly sirens blarred. TheObama motorcade was approaching. President Obama passed, as fast aspossible, by the demonstration in full view of the banners' messages"End the Gaza Siege," "Stop Funding Israeli War Crimes."When Obama had entered the university, the situation was calmer andEgyptian security warmed up to the protestors, serving them juice andcookies.When the president's speech was over, suddenly a huge crowd ofdiplomats, journalists, and Egyptian VIPS all left at the same time.In the hot sun an intensity resurged. The ICA met the masses withincreased vigor. and they were actually greeted by some of the crowd.Some of the demonstrators were engaged in interviews by thejournalists.The group decided it was a good time to exit when they noticed thatmost of the public had dissipated and that other security forces wereslowly enclosing the area around the monument. The InternationalCommunity Activists quickly packed their banners and slipped throughan opening in the security barrier, even while the police werefollowing and trying to grab them.The banners were later hung from a hotel on Independence Plaza.Upon later reflection of the intense deployment of security, RagingGrannie Paki, said, "what kind of a world is this that we have to havethis much security?"Christian answered, " it is an occupied world."
No comments:
Post a Comment