Gaza Freedom Flotilla 2

PRESS RELEASE – 22 May 2010

DUTCH PARTICIPANT ON FLOTILLA TO GAZA: "SILENCE IS COMPLICITY"

Anne de Jong, 29, from Amsterdam in The Netherlands, has today joined the Free Gaza Flotilla, stating that "silence is complicity".

Anne, who is a PhD researcher at the School of Oriental and Africa Studies (SOAS) focusing on joint Palestinian and Israeli nonviolent activism, took this decision because of her firm belief that academic work should not be restricted to writing journal papers and attending conferences. Sometimes real world action is needed to make a difference.

As the only Dutch participant in the Flotilla, Anne hopes that her presence will elevate the media interest in her home country. It is an historic journey, of internationals, Israelis and Palestinians, who want to let the world know that there are people, who regardless of race, gender or religion, strive for international human rights, peace and justice.

The Gaza Flotilla consists of 8 ships departing from all regions in the world, carrying 5000 tons of medical supplies and building equipment to besieged Gaza arriving on the 25th of May. Anne will be one of around 500 international passengers accompanying the goods in order to break the illegal siege on Gaza. Ships are on their way from Ireland, Sweden, Turkey and Greece to Gaza, amongst others. Their hope is, with this Flotilla, which follows several earlier attempts to reach Gaza by sea by the Free Gaza Movement, "to open the sea on our way to Gaza, on our way to a just world".

Background information

Since 2007, 1.5 million Palestinians have been cut off from the rest of the world because of the Israeli blockade. They have no freedom of movement, no access to medical care, and for their daily food and water depend on a list of 81 products that Israel irregularly allows into the, 41 kilometers (25 mile) long and between 6 and 12 kilometers (4–7.5 mile) wide, Gaza strip.

The siege on Gaza is not a matter of Israeli self-defence, it is a collective punishment which denies 1.5 million people their basic human rights. In the past, crimes against humanity have happened with the International Community watching and claiming ignorance.

Anne emphasises: "This is happening now, and we can no longer claim ‘wir haben es nicht gewußt’ (we didn’t know): Silence is Complicity! It is time to stand up. To stand up in solidarity with the Palestinian people and with the believe in International Human Rights."

###

Contact information

You can follow Anne on my journey through Facebook and Twitter:

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=120945827938242&ref=ts & http://twitter.com/anne2gaza

Anne de Jong:

SOAS Profile: http://www.soas.ac.uk/staff/staff44133.php

United Kingdom: +44 (0) 77 680 56 448

Israel/Palestine: +972 (0) 524888049

Contact person in Gaza:

Vivian Korsten +972 (0) 597919020

Contact person in Europe:

Grietje Baars (Berlijn) - 004917666552651

For more information on the Free Gaza Movement, see:

http://www.freegaza.org/