Thanks to Fiona ……………….
http://journals.worldnomads.com/fthompson75/story/60757/Ireland/MV-Rachel-Corrie?sms_ss=email
Archive for July, 2010
Short film from onboard MV Rachel Corrie
Posted in Uncategorized on July 31, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
Report from MV Rachel Corrie
Posted in Uncategorized on July 31, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
Perdana Global Peace Organisation Conference 2010
Posted in Uncategorized on July 16, 2010 | 1 Comment »
Breaking the siege……..in the spirit of Rachel Corrie and Mavi Marmara
Posted in Uncategorized on July 15, 2010 | 1 Comment »
With thanks to Perdana Global Peace Organisation and to Matthias and Christopher in particular. Avery graphic but honest multi media presentation .
malay mail, july 12th 2010
Posted in Uncategorized on July 14, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
Conference honours martyrs,
sends message of hope
By Najiah
Created Monday, July 12th
Azreen Hani [1]
Monday, July 12th, 2010 13:27:00
Yesterday was unlike any ordinary Sunday as hundreds of visitors — locals or foreigners — thronged an international conference organised by Perdana Global Peace Organisation (PGPO) at the Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC).
The conference Breaking the Siege: In the Spirit of Rachel Corrie and Mavi Marmara began at 9am and drew many peace-loving people from all walks of life, many of whom stayed until it ended at 6pm.
PGPO chairman Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said: “We are gathered here not only to honour the Turkish martyrs, who were brutally slaughtered by Israeli commandos on the MV Mavi Marmara, but also to counter the lies and propaganda by Israel and the Zionist-controlled international mass media claiming the passengers, specifically the martyrs, were terrorists and the killings justified.
“More importantly, we must send a message of hope and solidarity to the Palestinians that the peace-loving people of the world will never abandon them, come what may, and we will stand shoulder-to-shoulder in their struggle for liberation.
“The Muslim world continues to be taken in by (the United States) President Obama’s rhetoric he is committed to change and he is for peace.
“His actions contradict his spoken words. Upon receiving the Nobel Peace Prize, Obama then escalated the war in Afghanistan, a war started by President George W. Bush. It is not surprising the UN chose not to allow a debate on Malaysia’s resolution condemning Israel for its dastardly acts.”
The conference was hosted by renowned television personality Wan Zaleha Radzi, and attracted several politicians, media practitioners, bloggers, students and representatives of non-governmental organisations (NGOs).
Among those present were Parit MP Mohd Nizar Zakaria, former Perlis Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Shahidan Kasim, Suhaimi Sulaiman of Bernama TV and film critic Mansor Puteh.
There were three sessions conducted with international and local panelists at the conference. The audience were initially exposed to the life of the Palestinians under the Israeli occupation with a multimedia presentation at the beginning of the conference.
During the first session “Freedom Flotilla — Eyewitness Accounts”, five of the panelists who participated in the Freedom Flotilla shared their views on what transpired during the tragedy of Mavi Marmara and MV Rachel Corrie mission.
They were former UN assistant secretary-general and PGPO international advisory panel member Denis J. Halliday, international activist onboard Rachel Corrie Jenny Graham, Turkish IHH’s (Insani Yardim Vakfi, Humanitarian Relief Fund, or IHH) Dr Hassan Huseyin Usyal who was onboard Mavi Marmara, Astro Awani broadcast journalist Ashwad Ismail and University of Ottawa Centre for Research on Globalisation Prof Michel Chossudovsky.
The first session was moderated by International Trade and Industry Deputy Minister Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir and it focused on Israeli plans to stop the Freedom Flotilla ships.
Also discussed was how the passengers of both Mavi Marmara and Rachel Corrie were determined to get the humanitarian aid across as well as to send the message to break the siege, demanding the blockade in Gaza to be lifted.
In the second session, the audience were again presented the daily account of the Palestinians. International activist and leader of Rachel Corrie Derek Graham and foreign relations officer of Gaza House of Parliament Mohammmed D. Radwan called for the international community to support the Palestinians.
“No one can forget the heroes of Mavi Marmara and Rachel Corrie. Gaza is a small place, full of meaning and colour, but it is all dark. Gaza is like a prison and the Israelis seem to have thrown the key away,” Mohammed said.
The final and third session of the conference was moderated by Dr Mahathir himself. The panelists were Datin Seri Paduka Rosmah Mansor, wife of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, ambassador of Turkey to Malaysia Serap Ataay, and deputy head of mission Embassy of Iran and Chief Representative of the League of Arab States Mission in New Delhi Dr Ahmed Salem Saleh Alwasihi.
The session, titled A Call to Action, saw various plans of actions and ideas being discussed to continue with the humanitarian effort by the Freedom Flotilla mission.
Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, who delivered the closing speech at the conference, said: “Malaysia will request the UN General Assembly to seek an Advisory Opinion from the International Court of Justice.”
He also reaffirmed Malaysia’s stand to strongly urge members of the UN to reconvene the 10th Emergency of the General Assembly to deliberate on the attack of the Israeli Defence Force on Freedom Flotilla.
What the panelists say
Michel Chossudovsky
“I can unequivocally say the US was also behind the attack. The president would be briefed daily about the military operations by the intelligence and Defence Secretary. The issue of Gaza is not only with regards to political but also economical matters. Many did not know Gaza has substantial reserves of natural gas and it is one of the reasons why Israel would not want to forgo this land.”
Dr Hassan Huseyin Usyal: “It is such an unacceptable situation to be in, for any peace activists to be attacked when we are only acting for a humanitarian cause. Of course, I have never thought it could happen to the Freedom Flotilla. But it did. It was the Israelis who attacked and killed us, and claimed we had weapons when we had none with us.”
Dennis J. Halliday
“The UN is a tragic embarrassment as it has failed the Palestinians and to highlight the plight of the oppressed. Our Freedom Flotilla mission is not only about humanitarian aid, it is also about breaking the siege which has brought the Palestinians to the worst state any human being can endure. If we can pressure the Americans to back off from supporting the Israelis, then the whole world would eventually listen. The Israelis have considered themselves to be exceptional just like the Americans, and we need to stop that.”
Jenny Graham
“To be actively aware and involved in the whole Palestinian issue, you have to do your own research. Do not take my words alone. Read, get yourself educated with the whole issue and the history of the matter. Do not just take whatever it is available in the mainstream media. If you do not know, ask.”
Datin Seri Paduka Rosmah Mansor
“The spirit of the Freedom Flotilla and the people who lost their lives should not be allowed to dissipate. Their spirit must live on and continue to inspire others to forge ahead through peaceful means to assist the people of Palestine. We have the moral obligation to say no to aggression, no to oppression, no to abuse and torture, and especially no to the mistreatment of women and children.”
Derek Graham
“It is not the government which is going to make the difference but the people of the world who are going to bring the Zionists to stop their mistreatment of the Palestinians. Thanks to all the Malaysians, because of the relentless support and reports on Rachel Corrie, it has managed to keep the people on the ship safe. We are getting closer towards our own victory in obtaining the world’s awareness.”
[2]INTENSE: Mukhriz (second from right) with other panelists and speakers at the first session of the conference at PWTC yesterday — Pic: RAZAK GHAZALI
malay mail july 9th 2010
Posted in Uncategorized on July 14, 2010 | 1 Comment »
Irish couple praise local heroes onboard ‘Rachel Corrie’ By Najiah Created Friday, July 9th
Prakash [1] Friday, July 9th, 2010
COURAGEOUS COUPLE: Derek and Jenny joined our volunteers aboard the ‘Rachel Corrie’. —
Not many can lay claim to having stared down the barrel of a gun. But that was what Irish couple, Jenny and Derek Graham, was confronted with when they were aboard the Rachel Corrie when the ship was commandeered by Israeli navy commandos.
The Rachel Corrie was part of the Freedom Flotilla carrying aid to Palestinian refugees in Gaza. The flotilla set sailed from Malta on May 20. The couple, married for 10 years, are here with Issa Barhoum, a 46-year-old Palestinian serving with the Malaysian Embassy in Jordan, for Sunday’s international conference, “Breaking the Siege” at the Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC).
Jenny and Derek are, in a sense, “accidental activists”. Their adventures started in 2007 when an advertisement in a newspaper caught Derek’s attention. There was an invitation to sail aboard the flotilla to Gaza to deliver supplies.
“I love sailing and that opportunity coincided with my upcoming three-week vacation. I thought it might be a good experience for me. But what I saw and experienced changed me totally.”
Although Derek, 42, an electrician, had participated in five Free Gaza sea journeys, he said the last one was most terrifying. The trip aboard the Rachel Corrie was Jenny’s first. “It was really scary but I’d do it all over again if given the opportunity,” said Derek.
Although all the activists and crew were adamant about entering Gaza despite the risks, they later became frantic upon hearing that several people aboard the Turkish aid ship Mavi Marmara were killed by the Israelis.
“We were worried, but still nothing was going to stop us from sending the aid to the Palestinian refugees.
The Malaysian activists, too, were steadfast that they complete the task they set out to do. They were truly brave,” said Derek.
The activists rejected a deal to unload its cargo in Israel and accompany it across the border. The Rachel Corrie was tracked by Israeli ships for two hours prior to the raid and the ship’s communications system was jammed.
That’s when about 35 Israeli commandos came aboard the Rachel Corrie.” Jenny said the Israelis were heavily armed. Though none of the activists or crew were harmed, the Israelis were not very compromising either. “The vessel, with all of us still on board, was taken to the Israeli port of Ashdod. There, they strip-searched me and started interrogating us numerous times,” she said. “We were asked to sign a testimony in which it was stated we had breached maritime rules by entering Israeli sea without permission. But it was not true as we were still 30 miles away from their perimeter.”
He said they had a lot of respect for the Malaysians onboard. This mission was only possible as the majority of contributors were Malaysians.”
The six Malaysian volunteers were veteran journalist Shamsul Akmar Musa Kamal, lawyer Matthias Chang, Parit parliamentarian Mohd Nizar Zakaria, activist Ahmad Faizal Azumu, and TV3 crew members Halim Mohamed and Mohd Jufri Judin. Derek also called upon all Malaysians to boycott Israeli goods as it was a peaceful way to help in the cause.
The 1,200-tonne cargo ship was acquired through a special fund set up by former Prime Minister and Perdana Global Peace Organisation chairman Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad. The ship was named after a 23-year-old American human rights worker, killed in 2003 when she was crushed by an Israeli military bulldozer in the Gaza Strip. Its cargo included hundreds of tonnes of medical equipment and cement, as well as paper from Norwegians for UN-run schools in Gaza.
