Freedom Flotilla - Jul 3, 2011 - 14:36

DELEGATIONS ON THE DUTCH-ITALIAN BOAT TO GAZA

Open letter to:
Georgios A. Papandreou
Prime Minister of Greece

Corfu, 3^rd of July
 
Dear Mr. Papandreou,
 
We, members of the Gaza Freedom Flotilla II, are outraged by your government’s decision to close the ports of Greece to our humanitarian initiative, even by force if needed. From all parts of the world we have come to the shores of Greece, leaving behind our work places and families, in order to peacefully put into practice our solidarity with the oppressed people of Gaza.
 
This decision not only violates the consecrated principle within international law of the freedom of the seas and the ancient tradition of freedom of the Mediterranean, but also disregards the claims for democracy and self-determination of the people of Palestine as well as of the non-governmental organizations we represent.
 
It is totally incomprehensible to us and fills us with just wrath that the Greek government closes the ports to our ships at the very moment in which you, Mr. Papandreou, have been constantly expressing the need for solidarity with the Greek people. You and your government acting as an ally of Israel in the Palestinian question means you also seem to have forgotten the struggle against the military dictatorship in your own country.
 
The members of this international peace mission therefore demand, on behalf of the people of Gaza, for us the same right to move that has been granted for centuries to the Greek people in our countries.
 
MR. PAPANDREOU, LET US SAIL!
 
Immad Kareem - Delegation from AUSTRALIA

Leo Gabriel - Delegation from AUSTRIA

Monder Nemri - Delegation from BELGIUM

Ines Mizic - Delegation from BOSNIA

Antonio Padron - Delegation from CUBA

Dr. Samir Kazkaz - Delegation from GERMANY

Ewa Jasiewicz - Delegation from GREAT BRITAIN, POLAND

Fintan Lane - Delegation from IRELAND

Vauro Senesi - Delegation from ITALY

Nooravman Samsuddin - Delegation from MALAYSIA

Nourdin el Ouali - Delegation from The NETHERLANDS

Gunnar Rutle - Delegation from NORWAY

Nadia Kevorkova - Delegation from RUSSIA

Fernando Jose Forsthuber - Delegation from SPAIN

Giovanni Esposito - Delegation from SWITZERLAND

Khalid Tuhraani from UNITED STATES OF AMERICA