VIVA PALESTINA CONVOY TAKES ANOTHER ROUTE TO GAZA

From Kuzaimah Idris

AQABA (Jordan), Dec 30 (Bernama) -- After almost five days stranded in this
port city, the 450 members of the Viva Palestina convoy of 220 trucks and
ambulances were forced to make a detour to Damascus after the Egyptian
authorities refused to let them use Nuweiba as a gateway to Gaza via Rafa.

The convoy which include eight Malaysians, four from the Perdana Global
Peace Organisation and four Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama) TV crew had
to reach the Syrian capital before continuing their journey to the Egyptian
Mediterranean port of El-Arish.

The journey from Aqaba to El-Arish is expected to take about 12 hours.

Perdana Global Peace Organisation is donating almost RM500,000 (US$145,581)
of humanitarian aid and an ambulance to the Palestinians in Gaza.

Turkey's IHH Humanitarian Relief Foundation Deputy President Huseyin Oruc
said the Egyptian government had insisted that the US$1 million medical,
humanitarian and educational aid be delivered through El-Arish.

He said reverting to Syria would require the convoy to make their way
around the Sinai Peninsula and through the Suez Canal.

"It is not important from which way or from which gate, the important thing
is reaching Gaza. Actually reaching Gaza from Aqaba is easier for all of us.

"But it is no problem to us, anywhere and anytime we can go. If they don't
allow us to go we are ready to wait for a long time and if they allow us from
another port we are also ready to pass from that side.

"It is important for us to be patient, to keep our peace, we are not here to
fight with people", he told Bernama

The Egyptian government's decision had been strongly criticised by members
of the convoy as they felt gaining entry through El Arish port was ridiculous.

The convoy which had been stranded in Aqabah since Christmas eve had
anticipated that the Egyptian government would allow them to use Nuweiba to get
to Rafa, prior to reaching Gaza on December 27.

According to a member of the Turkish delegation, Siamak Alimi who had
driven thousands of kilometers from London to Aqaba, traveling through the Suez
Canal was not a viable option.

This was because passengers were not allowed to travel by cargo ships and
that the port of El Arish was too shallow to support a ship transporting
humanitarian aid.

"We have spent many hours travelling thousand of miles to get here so it is
absolutely frustrating, it is absolutely disgraceful not to allow much needed
medical equipments and supplies to the people of Gaza. This is something that we
have been working for many months and not just me, all of us.

"People like me from Brussels have been working towards this and it is
absolutely disgraceful to see the Egyptian government behaving like that", he
said.


Another member of the convoy, Faruk Aktas said the Egyptian government
should give a helping hand in enabling them to deliver the humanitarian air
to Gaza.

"We come together in a convoy with all the passengers and aid. I don't think
it is just something about humanitarian, just about the money but it is to Gaza,
our brothers and sisters, we are with them, otherwise we could send them just
the money", he said.

Another vounteer, Munir Ahmad said despite the problem, the convoy would
proceed in any other way they could to deliver the aid.

"No matter what it takes. When last in Egypt, we were attacked with stones,
bricks, batons, sticks and people stole the aid from our vehicles. We had a hard
time the last time, but we won't stop we'll just keep coming, we'll keep coming
InsyaAllah."

The convoy which attempts to break Israel's three and a half year blockade
of Gaza by passing through Rafah to deliver the aid left London on December 6
before arriving in Aqaba, Jordan.

--BERNAMA