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Eyewitness in Gaza meeting with Caoimhe Butterly: Sandino's 4 P.M. Saturday 30th May 2009

Wednesday 27 May 2009

An Irish woman who has been prominently involved in relief operations in Gaza will speak about her experiences in Derry this weekend.

Caoimhe Butterly, who has spent the past year working with the ambulance service in the besieged Palestinian territory, will be speaking in Sandino's at 4pm on Saturday. The meeting has been organised by the Derry Anti-War Coalition.

Ms. Butterly is touring Ireland to give a first hand account of events and to gather support for the "Hope Fleet", a flotilla of cargo boats returning to Gaza next month. She is the Free Gaza coordinator in Gaza and has close links with a number of grassroots projects in the territory.

Among those returning to Gaza on the flotilla will be 1976 Nobel Peace Prize winner Mairead Corrigan. Says Ms. Corrigan: "I believe the Israeli government policies are against international law, against human rights, against the dignity of the Palestinian people."

It is almost four months since the end of "Operation Cast Lead" that saw 1,400 Palestinians killed, the majority civilians, more than 300 of them children, during 22 days of Israeli air, land and sea attacks. Irishman John Ging, coordinator of the UN relief agency in Gaza has explained: "Until we can get humanitarian assistance in, in an unfettered way, we can't begin the process of recovery. Gazan mothers and fathers call, not for retaliation, but for protection and accountability because they're concerned, not just for what has happened, but for what is coming."

In a statement, the DAWC says: "We echo the words of the Free Gaza Movement. The people of the territory need to rebuild their shattered lives and infrastructure---but Israel refuses to allow anything into the small enclave except for food and some medicine. This is a continuation by other means of the attack launched last December.

"The last delivery of cement was in November, which has left families living on the rubble of their homes with no hope of rebuilding their lives, their homes, schools, work places as long as Israel controls their borders.

"The Palestinians don't want hand-outs from the international community. They want their lives back. They want their human and civil rights. They have a great labour force wanting to rebuild their communities. They are perfectly capable of that if their borders, including the sea border, were open.

"The purpose of Caoimhe's visit is to give an eye-witness account of what is happening in Gaza today and to appeal for support for the Free Gaza Movement. Governments, including the Irish and British Governments have failed to act. It is up to the people to rally to the cause of the Palestinians."





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