“Our crew physically ok, sounded shaken. Started
whn Egypt said big vehicles & trucks had to b given to ISRAEL!
Galloway said no. Eg negotiator walked out. 5 mins later riot police
turned up. Trouble seemed 2 start wn plain clothed Egypt police in
compound started stirring things Thn riot police came in Mike &
others vouch …for this.
Galloway made a speech and calmed things down. Now everything is
quiet. Team have been using bandages etc from ambulance…. saw the
person stretchered off but doesn’t know more about this…. there is a
mosque in the port and that is where people are being treated” – @YorktoGaza

news from Mahathir’s niece. “All hell has broken lose at the port. Shit flying around and police spraying and gassing. We’re in the gates. Instigators
started moving in from within the police lines and moved on the inside
of the police side of the barricades. Convoy mbers were Sitting on the ground when shouts from polic…e lines started and then wham, hell. Just helped bandage a friend’s head. Some people are missing including a Msian student who came on his own from the UK. We are trying to find him. He may be arrested. For Gaza siege.
We have bend over backwards to come to Elarish cause EGY said we’d be
welcomed here, instead welcomed with violence” @juanajaafar

Our situation is now at a crisis point! Riot has broken out in the port of Al- Arish.

This late afternoon we were negotiating with a senior official from Cairo who left negotiations some two hours ago and did not return. Our negotiations with the official was regarding taking our aid vehicles into Gaza.

He left two hours ago and did not come back. Egyptian authorities called over 2,000 riot police who then moved towards our camp at the port.

We have now blocked the entrance to the port and we are now faced with riot police and water cannons and are determined to defend our vehicles and aid.

The Egyptian authorities have by their stubbornness and hostility towards the convoy, brought us to a crisis point.

We are now calling upon all friends of Palestine to mount protests in person where possible, but by any means available to Egyptian representatives, consulates and Embassy’s and demand that the convoy are allowed a safe passage into Gaza tomorrow!

Kevin Ovenden
Viva Palestina Convoy Leader

The convoy of hope from London to Gaza has been attacked. Members injured & hospitalised, also arrested, including a Malaysian student. This was because the convoy members protested against the Egyptian government’s refusal to allow some 50 trucks into Gaza. Bear in mind that the convoy complied with all of Egypt’s demands before this.

I spoke to Mr George Galloway via telephone Wed, 6th Jan at 7.36 am (M’sian time) & he said there was “massive violence” by the Egyptian police. Stones were thrown, beatings, tear gas. Some members have been hospitalised & some arrested. Those arrested include a Malaysian student studying in the UK. Currently 10 Turkish MPs are negotiating with top Egyptian officials. Egypt has just proven to the world that there is indeed a siege on Gaza.

Viva Palestina Malaysia is very concerned for our fellow Malaysians & all the rest in the convoy. Malaysia has 9 vehicles carrying aid to the people of Gaza.

VPM will be handing over a memorandum to the Egyptian ambassador this afternoon expressing our outrage at this latest incident and demanding that the Egyptian government ensures the safety of the convoy and the quick delivery of badly needed aid.

VPM calls on all our friends to join us this afternoon when we hand over the memo and bring about a conclusion to this journey which began a month ago over thousands of miles.

Date: Wed, 6th January, 2009
Time: 1.45 pm
Place: Outside Egyptian Embassy
12, Jalan Rhu, Off Jalan Ampang Hilir, 55000, KL.

See you there & do circulate this widely.

regards

Azra Banu
Secretary
Viva Palestina Malaysia
016 209 4500

PRESS RELEASE

VIVA PALESTINA MALAYSIA

APPEALS TO THE EGYPTIAN GOVERNMENT TO ALLOW

VIVA PALESTINA CONVOY INTO GAZA

On 28^th December 2009 , Viva Palestina Malaysia handed over a letter of appeal to the Egyptian Ambassador, asking for safe, easy and quick passage of all vehicles in the Viva Palestina convoy through Egypt into Gaza.

Sunday December 27th marks the anniversary of the attack on Gaza by Israel, which left over 1,400 people dead, and over 5,000 injured in 22 days. At 11 35 am, the time of the first attack, a group of humanitarians on the “Viva Palestina Convoy” embarked on an International Hunger Strike in the main square in Aqaba, Jordan.

The International Hunger Strike will aim to highlight the ongoing illegal siege imposed on Gaza, and to remember the victims of the attacks who died during the 22 day bombardment by Israel.

This International Hunger Strike will also highlight the refusal by Egypt, under Israeli pressure, to allow the humanitarian aid to reach the 1.5 million civilian people in Gaza who continue to be subjected to collective, sustained, and devastating punishment.

The convoy has been stranded in the city for 3 days now, having been refused permission to enter Egypt on their way to Gaza. There are 500 people from no less than 20 different countries in 250 vehicles loaded with charitable humanitarian aid. The convoy is being led by leading international politician George Galloway, having left London on December 6th.

Each day, 15 more people from the convoy will join in the International Hunger Strike, and they will go without food until the convoy is allowed to enter safely into Egypt, and through the Rafah border to Gaza.

For Egypt to prevent this compassionate and charitable aid, donated by ordinary caring people from all over the world, unnecessarily adds to the hardships currently endured on a daily basis, by the besieged and distressed people in Gaza.

The volunteers in the Viva Palestina Convoy are hopeful that the leaders of the West will exert their influence, put pressure on Egypt, the United States, and Israel to end this inhuman blockade forced upon Gaza, and allow for the safe passage of this essential humanitarian aid. Enough is enough, this has to end now, for the sake of humanity.

——————–

For more information please contact:

Azra 016 209 4500

Azian 012 211 5749

Yuzaidi 012 273 4353

Noraini 012 277 1710

Currently 250 vehicles laden with medical aid and foodstuff are on their way to Gaza. They started our their journey in early December from London, crossed Europe into Turkey, then Syria and now Jordan. In the convoy are 9 Malaysian vehicles – 4 from Viva Palestina Malaysia (formerly known as COMPLETE) and 5 from the Perdana Global Peace Foundation.

They are 4 hours away but are currently stuck at Aqaba, Jordan, as the Egyptian government wants them to travel 500 miles back to Syria so as to approach Egypt from a different route and ask Israel for permission to cross from Egypt into Gaza through the Egyptian controlled Rafah crossing.

Tomorrow Viva Palestina Malaysia will be handing over a letter of appeal to the Egyptian Ambassador, asking for safe, easy and quick passage of all vehicles through Egypt into Gaza.

Please show your support by joining us.

When – 12pm
Where – Outside Egyptian Embassy, 12 Jalan Ru, Off Jalan Ampang Hilir, 55000 KL

Please pass this on to as many people as possible. Let not our efforts be in vain.

For more information please contact Azra at 016 209 4500