|
Blackburn brothers are back on the road Seven men from Blackburn set off today to join the Viva Palestina aid convoy to Gaza. These men were wrongly arrested on Friday evening on the M65 motorway as they drove to rendezvous with the convoy in London as it prepared to move off. They are taking three vans full of donations of clothing, medical equipment, nappies and children’s toys. The men have fundraised to pay for their vans, travelling costs and all donations and intend to leave the vans in Gaza as further donations. Hailed as heroes for the efforts to join the convoy and their fundraising, the men met with Chris Chilvers, the North West organizer of the Viva Palestina aid convoy, before setting off for Dover at noon today. Dr Chilvers said, ‘They are very angry about their treatment at the hands of the police and concerned that, despite being released without charge, the police are still refusing to return donations from the vans, personal belongings and mobile phones. The police have offered no satisfactory reason for these violations’. ‘The seven expressed their determination to join the convoy and to keep the trust of all those that donated. Their effort is magnificent and reflects the power of this solidarity movement to support Palestine. By contrast, the police behaviour has been a disgrace’. Due to the intercession of local councillors, notably Salim Mulla, and the Lancashire Council of Mosques, the Lancashire Police has agreed to meet the costs of getting the group to Tunis and offered safe passage to Calais. The men will cross from Dover to Calais tonight in vans decorated with posters and salutations such as ‘from Blackburn with love’. They will drive through France to Marseille to join a 24 hour ferry crossing to Tunis in Tunisia. Here the group will meet the Viva Palestina convoy as it arrives from Algeria on Saturday morning. George Galloway is overjoyed that the group has set off and looks forward to uniting them with the convoy in Tunis.
Initially I was going on my own, shocking to my family, and friends. They thought I was crazy. But after explaining the situation that we are all Palestinians, we all should have a sense of responsibility to help those innocent children, mothers and brothers of Palestine, they have given me the strength and support to which I thank them abundantly. Alhamdolillah now I have my best friend Safraz Patel who will be joining me on this journey. We are financing ourselves for the journey, the cost, and the vehicle and with the funds and aid that we have collected from the generous people of Blackburn will be given directly for the deprived people of Palestine. I believe that if we are able to, and fit enough to, we should help in any way we can. This should be a duty on everyone, not jus the ones that care. We should join hands and show unity for the victims of the atrocities. Viva
Palestina has done a beautiful job in raising awareness and we should
all be a part of it. I thank everyone who has taken part in trying to make this a success in any way they have helped. We want to build relations with the oppressed people of Palestine, so that we may take a stance, and share our Love, and wealth and food with them, so that they may know that they are not alone. Enough is Enough!! We are aware of what is happening and we will try and do whatever we can in our power to help them. I also know that all the people who have supported this convoy will be with us in spirit every inch of the way. Never again will fences and walls or borer crossings separate us from you, people of Gaza, people of Palestine, you are no longer alone. Please pray so that we may get their safely and show them the love Britain has sent. Viva Palestina! Viva Palestina! Tahir
Gorji (Blackburn)
We will be adding content to these pages as we recieve it from the convoy. Please come back soon.
|
