[Peace-discuss] Fwd: [GushShalom] 'Not Again' testimony of an ISMer + what you
can do
Al Kagan
akagan at uiuc.edu
Sat Apr 12 22:37:15 CDT 2003
>From: "Gush Shalom (Israeli Peace Bloc)" <info at gush-shalom.org>
>Subject: [GushShalom] 'Not Again' testimony of an ISMer + what you can do
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>[We decided not to wait with sending you the moving words of ISM
>activist Joe Smith who was with Tom Hurndall
>when it happened yesterday, and had been with Rachel Corrie a few
>weeks ago. His report is followed by an email
>from Huwaida Arraf with concrete suggestions what you can do,
>wherever you are. We should not allow the shooting
>of manifestly non-violent human shield activists also to become
>routine. Our not stopping to talk about them, not
>stopping to ask questions, demand an independent investigation, and
>a clarification about shooting regulations is
>part of the struggle against the occupation for which extraordinary
>youngsters take the ultimate risk.
>This is the place to add what we forgot to mention earlier:
>Physicians for Human Rights-Israel and Palestinian
>Center for Human Rights-Gaza are jointly petitioning the Supreme
>Court today, Sunday April 13, at 11:30 am about
>the use of the flachette weapon.]
>
>
>"Not again":
>Eyewitness Joe Smith writes about the killing of Tom Hurndall
>The Electronic Intifada, 12 April 2003
>
>Please not again. We heard the shooting -- we always hear shooting
>-- but repeated sniper fire like that is especially
>disturbing. I heard the shot, I heard a scream, and turned to see
>the fluorescent orange lump lying on the ground,
>blood coming from his head. I moved back and forth a bit not knowing
>what to do, and within seconds my medical
>training clicked in. The Palestinians lifted him to move him from
>the area. "Set him down!"
>Alice, the other medic, and I screamed.
>
>Finally we got him down on the pavement, I had my safety pads out
>and was trying to stop the bleedi
>ng. One
>doesn't consider rubber gloves at times like these. Blood was poring
>out of the back of his head. I
> couldn't get
>it to stop. Seconds later he was lifted again and pulled into a
>taxi. "Wait for the ambulance!" We
>tried to
>convince them, but they were hysterical, and he was torn away from
>us and rushed to the hospital in
> a brown
>Mercedes. The ambulance arrived on the scene minutes later, but it
>was too late, he was gone.
>
>I looked down to find the bloody safety pad still in my hand. I had
>a brief instinct to throw it do
>wn, like one
>does any trash on these streets, but was unable to let go of it. I
>held onto it while in the taxi o
>n the way to the
>hospital, and still clutched it as I slouched on the ground against
>the stone walls surrounding his
> operation room.
>
>He was dead for me from the moment he was set on the ground for us
>to administer treatment. Alice t
>ried to do
>mouth to mouth, and I thought it pointless. He was dead for me when
>he was pulled from our hands an
>d put
>into the car. Even when he was wheeled out of Al-Najjar Hospital and
>taken to Europa Hospital in Kh
>an
>Younis, he was still not alive in my mind.
>
>Now he's on life support in Saroka Hospital in B'ersheva, brain dead
>but still breathing. No matter
> how
>constantly his heart still beats, I continue to speak of him in the
>past. It took me awhile to acce
>pt that Rachel
>was actually gone, and I think my mind is compensating for that loss
>by preparing itself for anothe
>r in advance.
>
>His name was Thomas Hurndall and he was from London. When he
>arrived, we already had an English guy
>
>named Tom so he chose the nickname "Tab", and that is how I knew
>him. Tab was incredibly passionate
> about
>protecting people when and where they needed it most. We were in
>Yibna, a Rafah refugee camp right
>on the
>Egyptian border, because he was aware of the constant Israeli
>gunfire to which this neighbourhood i
>s victim
>every day.
>
>He'd learned about the two brothers who'd been shot the previous
>morning, and was dedicated to main
>taining a
>presence there. He said that he'd gotten extremely angry and
>determined after listening to gunfire
>while lying in
>his bed at the doctor's house Rachel died protecting. He wanted to
>be in the most dangerous areas,
>not out of
>some martyr complex to die but simply because he knew that that is
>where internationals are most ne
>eded.
>
>He was prepared to stay in the house most targeted, and helped us
>hang large banners on it. He was
>all about
>placing a tent in an area in front of a mosque, used every night by
>an Israeli tank for terrorizing
> the
>neighborhood with gunfire. We were on our way to pitch the tent the
>day he was shot, but had abando
>ned the
>project due to the Palestinians' discomfort with the level of gunfire.
>
>The tank was already in its parking spot when we arrived, and was
>shooting into the area. A nearby
>security
>tower had also joined in, and was firing the scary sniper shots. We
>were positioned behind a large
>roadblock
>deciding what to do, and Laura had gone forward with some
>Palestinians to take a look. She was wear
>ing our
>trademarked florescent orange jacket with reflective stripes, and
>was clearly an international.
>
>Despite, or possibly because of this they shot around her. She said
>that shots were being fired on
>both sides of
>her, making it rather difficult for her to move. She had just
>rejoined us, when the sniper fire fro
>m the tower
>turned onto the roadblock behind which we were standing. There were
>children playing on the roadblo
>ck, as
>they often do, and many scattered due to the gunfire.
>
>There was one boy, however, that Tab noticed was too frightened to
>move. Instinctually, he quickly
>removed
>him from the area, as he observed shots land around the small and
>fragile innocent. After successfu
>lly
>evacuating him, he was about to leave when he noticed two small
>girls down in front of the roadbloc
>k, right in
>the line of fire.
>
>He was going to help them escape when the Israeli soldier in the
>tower took his aim, and fired a la
>rge calibre
>sniper bullet directly into Tab's head. He was in full view of the
>tower, and like Laura was wearin
>g the high
>visibility gear. Our embassies had been informed of our presence in
>the area, and they had informed
> the Israeli
>military.
>
>They knew who he was, they knew what he was, and they knew what he
>was doing. They knew that he was
>
>no threat to their physical safety, but they likely understood the
>international attention his pres
>ence was
>attracting, and knew how our human shield work had prevented them
>from adequately terrorizing the
>Palestinian civilians and demolishing their homes.
>
>In this way, he was a "threat" to them, a threat to the image of
>Israel it portrays to the world. H
>e was a threat to
>the validity of the occupation, and a threat to their unquestioned
>notion of these people as nothin
>g but inhuman
>terrorists. The sniper couldn't tolerate this kind of challenge, and
>took lethal measures to end it
>. We'll only have
>to see how such an act will backfire.
>
>I didn't know Tab all that well. He'd only been here a week, but
>planned to stay the full month of
>his visa. He'd
>just spent a week doing refugee work in Jordan, before which he'd
>spent two weeks in Iraq doing hum
>an shield
>and relief work. He was a brilliant photographer, and was passionate
>about documenting the immense
>human
>rights violations being perpetrated on the Arab people.
>
>It was his first trip to the Middle East, but his previous three
>weeks had made him rather well-ver
>sed in this
>type of work. He was mature and laid back about it all, but
>incredibly passionate and determined. I
> was quite
>surprised to learn that he was only 21 years old, born the same year as I.
>
>I had spent a few hours that day taking him around Rafah to take
>pictures. We were trying to compil
>e photo
>images of the city and our presence here for documentation and
>publicity purposes. The children her
>e love a
>camera, and would crowd us endlessly. This bothers and overwhelms
>most people, but Tab thought it a
> little
>funny, and would chuckle at the rambunctious children shouting
>"What's you're name" and "How are yo
>u". He
>mentioned that he'd learned some tricks already, like not pulling
>out his camera until the absolute
> last minute.
>
>We had even had a conversation that day about the dangers of this
>place, and how none of us really
>understood them or we wouldn't be here. I said that I still felt
>confident with my international st
>atus even after
>the recent violence against us. I believed that it was not a
>calculated targeting of internationals
>, just an increased
>amount of recklessness and hostility brought on by the increased
>effectiveness of our work. I said
>I wouldn't
>really be intimidated until they openly target an obvious
>international. Not until they very intent
>ionally kill one of
>us would I feel the terror experienced by Palestinians. Fate works
>in mysterious ways.
>
>I don't know if I can stay here now. I believe that internationals
>need to stay here, and that the
>Israeli military
>should not learn that they can intimidate ISM with such violence. I
>believe that it only shows how
>effective our
>work has become, and that now is the time to stay and establish an
>even stronger presence.
>
>But I only have so much energy left. Rachel's death took a lot out
>of me, but also inspired me to s
>tay longer and
>throw myself into the Olympia Sister City project and nonviolent
>direct action against the Israeli
>occupation of
>Rafah. I had planned to stay through the end of May to accomplish
>these goals, and knew that I had
>at least
>that left in me. But this incident has aged me quickly, and makes me
>question if I can now handle t
>his place and
>this type of work.
>
>Who knows what's going to happen to him now. It seems likely that
>his family will have to make that
> dreaded
>decision about whether or not to take him off life support. I have
>to leave here if he dies, I can'
>t do the whole
>shahid thing again. I also cannot participate in another military
>investigation. There were plenty
>of Palestinian
>and international witnesses willing to cooperate.
>
>I'll continue media and legal work regarding Rachel's death, but I
>can't handle two. I just can't.
>Learning my
>limits has been a crucial part of my personal development here. I
>have learned to say "no", and I'm
> saying it
>now. This statement may be used for any media or legal processes,
>but that's it, khallas!
>
>What a privilege it is for me to be able to say that. How lucky I am
>that I can just leave when I'v
>e had enough,
>and catalogue the event in my mental register of intense
>experiences. I can only leave on the condi
>tion that I
>return with a longer-term commitment, as my solidarity with these
>amazing people has only just begu
>n.
>
>[Joe Smith is an American activist from Kansas City, Missouri, based
>with the International Solidar
>ity
>Movement in Rafah, occupied Gaza. He was a friend of Rachel Corrie's
>and was with her when she was
>crushed by an Israeli bulldozer on 16 March 2003.]
>
>http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article1360.shtml
>
>
>------- Forwarded message follows -------
>From: "Huwaida Arraf" <huwaidaa at yahoo.com>
>Sent: Saturday, April 12, 2003 10:32 PM
>
>Friends,
>
>Our friend and colleague Tom Hurndall lies comatose - "clinically
>dead" in Saroka Hospital; Brian
>Avery has just undergone reconstructive surgery in his face, and
>will have to undergo a series of
>reconstructive surgeries over the next few months to repair his face
>from the bullet that
>shattered it; Rachel Corrie died almost instantly after being
>crushed by a gigantic bulldozer,
>but her memory lives on in all those working for peace and human rights.
>
>Three serious injuries and deaths in less than four weeks to
>nonviolent peace activists. Three
>individuals, clearly visible and identifiable, posing no threat to
>the security of Israeli
>soldiers in their tanks, bulldozers and military guard towers The
>kind of violence that we have
>been working to prevent and end, is now being directed at us. This
>is the kind of violence that
>anyone living or residing even temporarily in the Occupied
>Palestinian Territories is daily
>witness to. We know that we are operating in a racist system, not
>only within the Israeli
>military but also in the international community. We know that
>Palestinians that are beaten,
>randomly arrested and shot down are not paid attention to. Israeli
>soldiers have no problem
>disregarding Palestinian human rights and the international
>community has shown zero willingness
>to hold Israel accountable for the well-being of the Palestinian
>people and for violations of
>their basic rights. (...)
>
>People from around the world have given of their hearts and minds to
>be with us, knowing the
>danger involved yet believing in the justness of the cause. The
>international volunteers of the
>International Solidarity Movement count on their governments and on
>you not to stay silent when
>unarmed civilians are shot down - we are counting on you now..
>
>We have no plans to abandon our efforts and we renew our call for
>you to join us if you can. If
>you can't please consider one or more of the following actions to
>support our work:
>
>1) In the United States the Corrie family is asking for an
>independent US investigation into the
>killing of their daughter Rachel. So far the United States
>Government has refused to conduct
>this investigation, stating that they are confident that Israel will
>conduct a thorough
>investigation. Congressman Brian Baird (D-WA) introduced House
>Concurrent Resolution 111, which
>calls for a US investigation. However, unless this resolution gets
>more co-sponsors and
>widespread support, it will not go anywhere. Though the resolution
>does not condemn or otherwise
>address Israel's policy of home demolitions nor the Israeli
>occupation and US support for, the
>ISM hopes that a prompt and fair investigation into the
>circumstances of Rachel's killing will
>open the doors for these larger oppressive policies that Rachel was
>killed fighting, can be
>addressed. Please help us get H.Con.Res.111 passed by contacting
>your congressional
>representative and asking them to support this. For more informatio
>
>2) Please contact your State Departments or Foreign Ministries and
>ask that action be taken to
>stop Israel's targeting of innocent, unarmed civilians, whether
>Palestinian or international
>peace activists. Call on your foreign ministries to raise this
>issue with the Israeli Ambassador
>in your country. Rachel or Tom could have also been French,
>Belgian, Italian, Canadian, Swedish,
>South African, Japanese, or one of dozens of other nationalities
>that have stood with and
>protected Palestinians. The contact information for the US
>Department of State and the British
>Foreign Office who have an extra responsibility since their citizens
>have been seriously injured
>or killed from these policies and their failure to hold Israel
>accountable, are listed below.
>
>If you are Israeli, contact members of Knesset and demand an end to
>the violence of occupation.
>http://www.knesset.gov.il/mk/eng/telephones_eng.asp
>
>United Kingdom
>
>Human Rights Department
>Foreign & Commonwealth Office
>King Charles Street
>London SW1A 2AH
>
>By telephone: +44(0)207 008 3000 or use the following link:
>
>
>http://www.fco.gov.uk/servlet/Front?pagename=OpenMarket/Xcelerate/ShowPage&c=Page&cid=10070293905
>
>45 You can also access contact information for your Member of Parliament at:
>http://www.parliament.uk/commons/lib/alms.htm#s
>
>
>United States
>
>US Department of State
>Bureau of Near East Affairs
>Office of Public Affairs
>Tel: 202-647-5150
>Tel: 202-736-4995 ask for Kim Richter
>secretary at state.gov
>askpublicaffairs at state.gov or use the following link:
>
>http://contact-us.state.gov/ask_form_cat/ask_form_foreign.html
>
>3) The Christian Peacemaker Teams, partners in the International
>Solidarity Movement, have called
>on their supporters to wear bright orange vest for this week.
>Please consider wearing bright
>orange, and reflective vests if you can, to your work, school, and
>places of worship and inform
>others of the deliberate targeting by the Israeli military of
>innocent civilians and unarmed
>peace activists.
>
>We thank you for being with us, for your words of condolence, your
>encouragement and your
>support.
>
>In solidarity & struggle,
>INTERNATIONAL SOLIDARITY MOVEMENT
>info at palsolidarity.org
>www.palsolidarity.org
>
>=====================
>
>12 April, 2003
>
>Statement on the Shooting of Tom Hurndall
>ISM team in Rafah
>
>photos available at www.palsolidarity.org
>for video footage, please contact the Reuters News Agency
>
>On 11 April 2003, 10 members of the International Solidarity
>Movement in Rafah, Gaza Strip,
>Palestine, were planning to set up a tent in an area that an Israeli
>tank often uses to shoot
>into the houses and streets of a refugee camp called Yibna. Several
>Palestinian community
>members had initiated the project, gathered the supplies, and
>accompanied us to the area at
>around 4:30PM. When we arrived to the area, the tank was already
>there and had been shooting
>into the street. A nearby Israeli security tower had also joined in
>and was firing repeated,
>single, sniper shots.
>
>An American international was accompanied by two Palestinians to go
>closer and get a better look
>at the area, and was wearing our trademarked fluorescent orange
>jacket with reflective stripes.
>The tank and tower fired live rounds at the ground and buildings on
>both sides of her, making her
>movement difficult. She quickly returned to the rest of the group,
>that was positioned behind a
>large roadblock, but in view of the security tower. We made a
>consensus decision to call off the
>action, and return the next day as the Palestinians were
>uncomfortable with the gunfire.
>
>At about 4:45PM, Shots began to hit the buildings and street around
>us, and we became concerned
>for some children who were playing on the roadblock near us. Many
>had scattered, but a few were
>left. Thomas Hurndall, a 21 year old activist from London, UK
>noticed that one small boy was
>still on the mound and under fire. He quickly lifted the boy and
>moved him behind the roadblock.
>Tom was about to leave, when he noticed two small girls still in
>front of the roadblock and in
>the line of fire.
>
>He was moving to help them when an Israeli soldier in the tower,
>about 300 meters in front of him
>shot a high calibre sniper bullet directly into his head. He was
>wearing an orange fluorescent
>jacket with reflective stripes, and was in full body view of the
>tower. The British Embassy had
>been informed of his presence, who had in turn informed the Israeli Military.
>
>Palestinians lifted his body and moved him to the pavement about 5
>meters behind the roadblock.
>Two trained medics administered first-responder medical treatment,
>and used safety pads to try
>and stop the bleeding. Palestinians then lifted him into a nearby
>taxi and rushed him to Al N'gar
>Hospital. On the way, they took care to try and stop the bleeding.
>
>At around 5:15PM, he was transferred in an ambulance to Europa
>Hospital in Khanunis. It takes
>about 30 minutes for an ambulance to get there as there is an
>Israeli road block on the main
>road. Without this obstruction it would only take 7 minutes.
>
>After much negotiation with the British Embassy and the Israeli
>military, Tom was taken to a
>nearby Israeli settlement from which he was taken by helicopter to
>Saroka Hospital in B'er Sheva,
>Israel. He is currently on full life support and in a head cast.
>Several of his friends have
>joined his bedside, and his parents are on the way.
>
>END
>
>INTERNATIONAL SOLIDARITY MOVEMENT
>www.palsolidarity.org
>
>"It is from numberless diverse acts of courage and belief that human
>history is shaped. Each time
>a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others,
>or strikes out against
>injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope, and crossing each
>other from a million different
>centers of energy and daring, those ripples build a current that can
>sweep down the mightiest
>walls of oppression and resistance." Robert F. Kennedy
>
>--
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--
Al Kagan
African Studies Bibliographer and Professor of Library Administration
Africana Unit, Room 328
University of Illinois Library
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Urbana, IL 61801, USA
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