"Egypt's Wall" -interesting article on Gaza Freedom March just published in MERIP. #GFM

Egypt’s Wall

Ursula Lindsey

February 1, 2010

(Ursula Lindsey is a Cairo-based reporter and writer.)

For background on Egyptian pro-Palestinian activism, see Ursula Lindsey, “Normalization Politics on the Nile,” Middle East Report 253 (Winter 2009).

See also Elliott Colla, “Solidarity in the Time of Anti-Normalization,” Middle East Report 224 (Fall 2002). Order the issue here.

In late December 2009, Arab TV channels aired footage of throngs of demonstrators, surrounded by the usual rows of riot police, on the streets of downtown Cairo and in front of foreign embassies. Street protests in Egypt have been sharply curtailed in the last few years, but the scene was familiar to anyone who had been in the country in 2005, when protests against President Husni Mubarak’s regime and in favor of judicial independence were a semi-regular occurrence. Yet there was something unusual about these protesters: They were all foreigners.

via merip.org

Free Gaza Movement announces Spring flotilla to Gaza

Sending a Flotilla in the Spring to Break the Siege of Gaza

[Istanbul, Turkey] Today the Free Gaza Movement and the Turkish Relief Foundation (IHH), announce a joint venture, sending 10 boats in the spring of 2010 to the besieged Gaza strip. Organizations from Greece, Ireland and Sweden have also promised to send boats to join the flotilla with the Free Gaza movement and Turkey.

Mr. Bulent Yildirim, chairman of the IHH said, “We sail in the spring to Gaza, and our last port is freedom; freedom for the 1.5 million Palestinians denied the right to rebuild their society. We will never stop sailing until Israel's siege is lifted.”

Two cargo ships will be part of the flotilla, one donated by the Malaysia-based Perdana Foundation and one from IHH. Both will be laden with building supplies, generators and educational materials that Israel prohibits from entering Gaza since their brutal attack on the civilian population a year ago.

via freegaza.org

Note: the Free Gaza Movement is distinct from the Gaza Freedom March and Viva Palestina.

Gaza Freedom Marcher missing in Egypt - please help #GFM

I received the following via Pam Rasmussen:

Kristen Coughlin Carr, the aunt of one of our dear GFMers, Shannon Hughes (who was staying at Select Hotel), has informed us that Shannon is missing in Egypt. It has been reported to the US embassy, and they have declared her 'missing or abducted' and described the situation as 'dire'. Here's the details as we know them:
Shannon was last in Jerusalem. She was traveling with a friend. Her friend returned home to the US. Shannon had planned on being on a
flight from Cairo to NY on Friday January 22. She did not get on that flight.

Earlier this week, Shannon called home from Taba, Egypt. She had planned on taking a bus from Taba back to Cairo to fly home. The next thing her family heard from her were a series of weird emails in which she said she said she was taking a cab to Dahab.

Her aunt has asked that anyone who is still in Egypt, or who might know anyone still in Egypt, contact her via Facebook, by adding her as a friend. They are hoping that Facebook/Twitter will greatly increase the chances of finding her. She can be contacted directly through email kristencar [at] gmail.com. We have attached a recent photo of Shannon. Please spread the word, especially to any media contacts in Egypt. The media was so good to us in Egypt, there is no reason why they wouldn't help us now.