Thursday, February 5, 2009
Goodbye Gaza - till we meet again!
GOODBYE GAZA! After 10 days in Gaza, and meeting all sorts of people, my team and I left Gaza with a heavy heart. We had befriended many people during that time, from our chain-smoking driver to officials who guided as throughout the mission. There were seven of us in the team, and each of us have fond memories of Gaza and its people. When we got word that foreigners were advised to leave Gaza, the team agonised whether to leave or stay. Staying would mean facing all sorts of risks. My team argued that the risks would be the same as when we first entered, except that the possibility of an escalation in the attacks seemed more probable now. I'll be writing more in the next few days, especially when Internet line is better once outside Gaza. We made our way to the Rafah Gate and onwards to Cairo for more meetings with friendly NGOs to plan for a more sustainable humanitarian work in the coming months. I recall the words of the Christian priest, Father Mussalman, who said: "No one is free until Gaza is free..." Truly, Gaza has touched many a foreigner's heart.
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8 comments:
Dear Dato',
I'm sure you left Gaza with a heavy heart. By reading your regular posts from Gaza, I can feel how it has touched you. Hope you have a safe journey back to Malaysia.
Herewith, I've enclosed a poem for the children of Gaza.
"To the children of Gaza,
my heart beats for you.
Tears and sorrow accompany your despair,
Nothing will change, nothing changes.
Have courage, dear children.
You're innocent.
Your smile, your laughter,
Now all gone forever".
Salam.
zazaland
Salam, we do hope that you and your team arrive home safely. We just hope that what we provide to the Gazans is sufficient and the money have gone to the rightful.
terima kasih datuk atas komen tu...gembira mendengar pemimpin yang d caci dan d hina d negara sendiri mendapat tempat d hati pejuang islam...smoga perjalanan datuk selamat sampai dan pulang..tapi saya masih hairan bagaimana mesir yang dulu merupakan seteru utama kepada penjajah bergelar israel ni boleh menjalinkan hubungan diplomatik.kalau boleh datuk tolong ulaskan mengenai Malaysia yang tiada hubungan diplomatik dengan penajajh israel boleh mennyebut nama Israel sedangan kan mereka adalah penjajah dan negara itu tetap negara palestin...merkea berjaya membuatkan semua iktiraf mereka secara tidak lansung dengan memaanggil mereka dengan nama negara palestin...british menjajah tanah melayu tapi tanah melayu tetap tanah melayu dan bukan british
dear sir,
i have fond memories of jabaliya refugee camp in 1988, a 10-day visit sponsored by UNHCR.
i still remember holding a 6-month old bleeding baby girl who later on succumbed to her injuries.
my heart is still with them. may Allah protect them...
Welcome back!
World need more ppl like u...
PLUS and other toll operators are doing their bid too by providing a small 'tabung' at the toll counter... today alone ive passed atleast 8 tolls... each i put a ringgit...hope Malaysians put more and continue to do that forever!
everytime saya jumpa tabung utk gaza...saya akan donate..and that the only way i can help them plus doa..welcome home..
p/s:makyong dah sibuk sangat nak p family day..we waiting for u..
aslm Datuk, saya nak bertanya mengenai bekas su dr mahathir, saudara mohd noor azam.pernah membaca tulisannya. sudah lama tidak mendengar mengenai tulisan bekas wartawan ini
gaza miss u and ur team too
iam monis the biotechnologist students do u remember me
it was a nice day whene we met here in gaza
i beleve u'll come back soon to celebrate whith us on freedome day
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