ID :
98227
Tue, 01/05/2010 - 09:12
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/98227
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VIVA PALESTINA CARGO SHIP ARRIVES SAFELY AT EL-ARISH PORT IN EGYPT
FROM KUZAIMAH IDRIS
LATTAKIA PORT (Syria), Jan 5 (Bernama) -- The Ulosoy-6, a Turkish private cargo ship loaded with Viva Palestina's 220 vehicles packed with relief material which left this port yesterday, has arrived safely at El-arish port in Egypt's Sinai peninsula.
Viva Palestina convoy leader Kevin Ovenden said the good news was that the
Egyptian custom authorities had cleared all materials and aid worth more than a
million dollars after cursory checks and that the convoy was set to be on its
way to Rafah, once all the contingent members had reunited.
Meanwhile, the first batch of the Viva Palestina humanitarian convoy members
is scheduled to leave Lattakia's Al-Ladhagiva Airport at 4 pm local time Monday,
signalling that the convoy has secured landing permission from the Egyptian
authorities.
The members had earlier been scheduled leave at 4am local time Monday to
coincide with the arrival of the ship.
A small plane has been chartered by the Malaysian government's
representatives in Viva Palestina and the Turkish authorities and it will make
four trips in order to fly everyone to Egypt.
The second batch will leave at 8 pm, the subsequent one at midnight while
the last trip is scheduled to depart at 4am Tuesday.
The convoy hopes to arrive at the Rafah border on Tuesday morning. The
border is a 40km drive from El-arish.
The convoy has been on the road for four weeks now, having left London on
Dec 6, but faced numerous difficulties and obstacles from the Egyptian
government.
It travelled throught Europe, Turkey, Syria, Jordan and had to detour back
to Syria due to Egypt's refusal to grant permission to proceed to Gaza.
Egypt's demands forced the convoy to take the ship and re-route further
west of the Mediterranean coast to reach El-arish.
No one is sure how things will turn up once all the members of the convoy
are in Egypt, but they fear further delays before they achieve their objective
of reaching Gaza.
The convoy's leader cautioned that it was likely the group would be held up
for sometime upon arrival in El-arish.
"In this battle, our weapon is politeness and firmness," Ovenden said in
warning the convoy's members not to get into arguments with the Egyptian
authorities and must at all times be disciplined so as not to jeopardise the
mission.
On the other hand, after five days being stranded at the Hamas-run
Palestinian refugee camp in Lattakia, many members of the convoy suffered
diarrhoea and dehydration due to the weather and contaminated water.
Ovenden added that the team's leaders would bring in rehydration sachets
and clean water for everyone later Monday and seek medical advice as well.
-- BERNAMA
LATTAKIA PORT (Syria), Jan 5 (Bernama) -- The Ulosoy-6, a Turkish private cargo ship loaded with Viva Palestina's 220 vehicles packed with relief material which left this port yesterday, has arrived safely at El-arish port in Egypt's Sinai peninsula.
Viva Palestina convoy leader Kevin Ovenden said the good news was that the
Egyptian custom authorities had cleared all materials and aid worth more than a
million dollars after cursory checks and that the convoy was set to be on its
way to Rafah, once all the contingent members had reunited.
Meanwhile, the first batch of the Viva Palestina humanitarian convoy members
is scheduled to leave Lattakia's Al-Ladhagiva Airport at 4 pm local time Monday,
signalling that the convoy has secured landing permission from the Egyptian
authorities.
The members had earlier been scheduled leave at 4am local time Monday to
coincide with the arrival of the ship.
A small plane has been chartered by the Malaysian government's
representatives in Viva Palestina and the Turkish authorities and it will make
four trips in order to fly everyone to Egypt.
The second batch will leave at 8 pm, the subsequent one at midnight while
the last trip is scheduled to depart at 4am Tuesday.
The convoy hopes to arrive at the Rafah border on Tuesday morning. The
border is a 40km drive from El-arish.
The convoy has been on the road for four weeks now, having left London on
Dec 6, but faced numerous difficulties and obstacles from the Egyptian
government.
It travelled throught Europe, Turkey, Syria, Jordan and had to detour back
to Syria due to Egypt's refusal to grant permission to proceed to Gaza.
Egypt's demands forced the convoy to take the ship and re-route further
west of the Mediterranean coast to reach El-arish.
No one is sure how things will turn up once all the members of the convoy
are in Egypt, but they fear further delays before they achieve their objective
of reaching Gaza.
The convoy's leader cautioned that it was likely the group would be held up
for sometime upon arrival in El-arish.
"In this battle, our weapon is politeness and firmness," Ovenden said in
warning the convoy's members not to get into arguments with the Egyptian
authorities and must at all times be disciplined so as not to jeopardise the
mission.
On the other hand, after five days being stranded at the Hamas-run
Palestinian refugee camp in Lattakia, many members of the convoy suffered
diarrhoea and dehydration due to the weather and contaminated water.
Ovenden added that the team's leaders would bring in rehydration sachets
and clean water for everyone later Monday and seek medical advice as well.
-- BERNAMA
