Scritto da Free Gaza Team | 29 Maggio 2010

Dopo pesantissime pressioni da parte dei Greci Ciprioti, che sono venuti meno ai loro accordi con noi  http://www.cyprus-mail.com/cyprus/cyprus-stops-mps-joining-gaza-flotilla/20100529, siamo stati costretti a portare i nostri Parlamentari e attivisti a Famagusta, ieri, nella parte Turco/Cipriota di Cipro. Abbiamo trascorso l'intera giornata da un porto all'altro, circondati da elicotteri e polizia. Chiaramente, il nostro accordo con le autorità Cipriote era fallito, e noi siamo finti col ritrovarci prigionieri di una soap opera politica. I membri del Parlamento Cipriota che avevano lavorato così duramente per farci ottenere i permessi di partire, erano indignati. I Parlamentari Greci ci hanno finalmente detto di recarci a Nord.  Il Governo Cipriota dice di aver preso questa decisione perchè "La Repubblica di Cipro combatte per la propria sopravvivenza" ma non si è piegata alla pressione Israeliana. Mentre dicevano questo , piegavano le loro teste.
We made a deal with the Cypriot government that we would board our high-profile passengers and members of Parliament from Cyprus. We would board with no media coverage. We would not bring our boats into Cyprus. We would take small boats out to our own ships and board past the 12-mile territorial limit.

Authorities mandated that we couldn't even do that, essentially telling us that, even if we board small boats anywhere in Greek Cyprus from any port, we could not travel outside their territorial limits to go to Gaza. Twenty-seven people were supposed to board, including 9 Cypriots and two Greeks. None of them could come with us as we went North.

Then our two passenger boats mysteriously had mechanical problems at the same time, 3:30 pm. Challenger 2 was able to get 14 delivered to the IHH ship, then limped into the harbor in Limassol after being harassed by Cypriot helicoptershttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BjGoe3Gi-ns&feature=player_embedded, essentially forbidding us to bring our wounded boat into port. 

Our other boat, Challenger 1 headed toward Famagusta with 16 passengers. It, too, was wounded, something wrong with the steering.

By the time we were jerked around yesterday. We had started at 7:00 am.  By 10:00 pm, we had nowhere to board, and our boats were out of commission.

But we all have Gaza fever, and no one was giving up. 

It has taken us all day to find someone on the Turkish side to ferry some of our passengers out to the flotilla who have been patiently waiting five hours away from Cyprus. At 6:00 pm, 20 of our passengers left for the flotilla, and the Swedish MP and the three German MPs are on board. Hedy is not, and we are heartsick that, once again, she will not be able to go to Gaza. 

The flotilla leaves for Gaza early in the morning and should arrive tomorrow afternoon. We have persevered... Al Samoud.

< Prec.		Succ. >