Egyptians confiscate convoy members' passports, but Viva Palestina win airport battle

international | rights, freedoms and repression | news report

Tuesday January 05, 2010 12:29

by Freda H - IPSC

Info from Gareth Nicholas and Alice Howard on Viva Palestina convoy

In the past hour 157 Viva Palestina convoy members passports were taken away at Al-Arish airport by the Egyptian authorities. The Egyptians also removed the passport's of British MP George Galloway and convoy leader Kevin Ovenden.

All passports were stamped in on entry but also received an exit stamp too. The Egyptian's wanted 157 convoy members to drive tonight to Gaza and forget about the other 400 Viva Palestina volunteers that were yet to fly into Al-Arish tonight

The convoy split into four groups this morning to travel by plane from Lataika, Syria to join the vehicles in El-Arish, Egypt. The first group successfully landed and the plane returned to Lataika. On the second flight, there was an engine failure around 20 minutes outside El-Arish causing a diversion to Damascus. They will be stuck there until a replacement is found.

The third and fourth groups stayed in Lataika and returned to the Palestinian refugee camp.

The first group had their passports confiscated by the Egyptian authorities and staged a sit-in at El-Arish airport. The Egyptians are demanding that they go straight to Gaza. They are waiting to be joined by the other three groups. All passports have been returned back to their rightful owners and exit stamps have been removed. Now convoy members are scouting for hotels for tonight and will return tomorrow to be reunited with all convoy members, before moving on, to pick up their vehicles and head for their final destination, Gaza!

Additionally, Egypt have said that some 60 vehicles may not proceed - including all 4x4s - and have levied a port handling fee of $27,000 which would not have been necessary had they let the convoy travel on the original route.

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2,000 Egyptian riot police besiege Viva Palestina aid convoy in the port of Al-Arish

by TD - Free Palestine Campaign

Tue Jan 05, 2010 20:18

Viva Palestina convoy leader,Kevin Ovenden has put out an appeal for help.

To all friends of Palestine

Our situation is now at a crisis point! Riot has broken out in the port of Al- Arish.

This late afternoon we were negotiating with a senior official from Cairo who left negotiations some two hours ago and did not return. Our negotiations with the official was regarding taking our aid vehicles into Gaza.

He left two hours ago and did not come back. Egyptian authorities called over 2,000 riot police who then moved towards our camp at the port.

We have now blocked the entrance to the port and we are now faced with riot police and water cannons and are determined to defend our vehicles and aid.

The Egyptian authorities have by their stubbornness and hostility towards the convoy, brought us to a crisis point.

We are now calling upon all friends of palestine to mount protests in person where possible, but by any means available to Egyptian representatives, consulates and Embassy's and demand that the convoy are allowed a safe passage into Gaza tomorrow!

Kevin Ovenden
Viva Palestina Convoy Leader

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Egyptians confiscate convoy members' passports, but Viva Palestina win airport battle

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