Things are happening fast here, and we are all thinking on our feet. We decided, after receiving an unfavourable response from the UN in Cairo, that we would leave their property on our own accord, rather than risk detention and deportation when there are other actions we could take. It became clear that the police force was going to become more and more determined to enclose us. We were able to leave peacefully, however 11 remain at this moment, peacefully and determinedly occupying the square in front of the building.
In the meantime, another freedom marcher was assaulted by the police in a completely unrelated event near her hotel. This unprovoked attack which left her bloody and shocked has reinforced the fact that we are clearly not wanted here, yet they refuse to allow us to move on to Gaza.
The French Embassy has been more heavily fortified, and one Canadian has already been either detained or deported...we're not sure which at this point. The Egyptian officials are clearly upping the anty as we consider our next steps. Always at the fore of this discussion are the children of Gaza, who are still hoping we will arrive to support them in their grief as they commemmorate one year after a brutal assault that left more than 1400 Palestinians living in Gaza, dead. As our prospects of actually entering Gaza decrease, our conviction and hope that the world will wake up burns on and on.
Links:
[1] http://rabble.ca/taxonomy/term/8728
[2] http://rabble.ca/print/blogs/bloggers/gazadelegation/2009/12/another-marcher-assaulted-egyptian-authorities#comment-1096645
[3] http://rabble.ca/user
[4] http://rabble.ca/user/register
Sandra Ruch has sent a message to the members of Gaza Freedom March - Ontario
Supporters:
Subject: latest update from Cairo
Just finished a Skype call with Wendy Goldsmith, Canadian Delegate to GFM in
Cairo.
Tonight - Tuesday, Dec. 29, 6pm- there was a large rally of GFM delegates
with lots of enthusiasm and a strong sense of group unity. During this time
the announcement came that 100 delegates would be allowed to go. Canada was
allotted 7 delegates and 1 would include a young man from Gaza who had not
seen his father in 8 years. All 57 members of the Canadian delegation have
agreed that they will not go. They will remain in Cairo until all delegates
are given clearance to go to Gaza. Wendy reports that the delegation from
New York and from Sweden have made the same decision.
It is reported that this decision to let in 100 delegates was given to the
Gaza Freedom March from Madame Suzanne Mubarak because of her respect for
CodePink.
We should have more information in about 10 hours when it is morning in
Cairo.