Korean Job Discussion Forums

[bacasper]

U.S. CITIZENS ATTACKED BY EGYPTIAN RIOT POLICE OUTSIDE U.S. EMBASSY

By Cindy Sheehan opednews.com


One of my friends, Joshua Smith, just texted me from Cairo and said that some U.S. citizens of the Gaza Freedom March went to the U.S. Embassy today there to try and implore the staff there to intercede on behalf of the March to help get them into Gaza--they were not so warmly welcomed.

Recently, almost 1400 people from around the globe met in Cairo to march into Gaza to join Gazans in solidarity and to help expose their plight after years of blockade and exactly a year after the violent attack in what Israel called "Operation Cast Lead" that killed hundreds of innocent Gazan civilians. So far the Marchers have been denied access (Egypt closed the Rafah crossing) and their gatherings have become increasingly and more violently suppressed.

In my understanding of world affairs, embassies are stationed in various countries so citizens who are traveling can seek help in times of trouble, but this doesn't appear to be so right at this moment in Cairo.

osh reports, and I also just got off the phone with my good friend and Veterans for Peace board member, Mike Hearington, that about 50 U.S. citizens were very roughly seized and thrown (in at least one case literally) into a detention cell at the U.S. embassy. We are talking about U.S. citizens here being manhandled by Egyptian riot police. According to Josh and Mike (who both just narrowly escaped), it appears that people with cameras are especially being targeted. Another good friend of mine, and good friend of peace, Fr. Louis Vitale is one of those being detained. Fr. Louis is well into his seventies!

Josh posted this on his Facebook wall about his near-detention experience:

We just got away. They were trying to drag me in but we kept moving... And most were dog piling another guy. Then they drug him into the parking lot barricaded riot police zone, lifted him up and threw him over the police and down into the zone. And attacking those taking pictures or attempting to.

When I was talking to Mike he said that an Egyptian told him that all Egyptians are in solidarity with the Marchers and with the people of Gaza/Palestine, of course, but the "Big Boss" (the U.S.) is calling the shots.

Egypt is third in line for U.S. foreign aid (behind Iraq and Israel) and its dictator for life, Hosni Mubarek, is a willing puppet for his masters: the US/Israeli cabal. Israel could not pursue its apartheid policies without the U.S. and it's equally important for this cabal to have a sold-out ally as its neighbor.

Today also happens to be the anniversary of the 1890 U.S. massacre of Native Americans (Lakota Sioux) at Wounded Knee, South Dakota. It is sad enough that we are also living on stolen land, but also that the Israeli government had good teachers in disposing of its indigenous population!

What are the Israeli settlements on the West Bank, if not stolen land from the indigenous population and what is Gaza if not a mega-reservation? As at Wounded Knee 119 years ago, the Israeli siege and attack on Gaza is nothing more than big bullies shooting fish in a barrel.

Call the U.S. Embassy to demand the release of those detained/that permission is granted for the March to cross into Gaza: Telephone: (20-2) 2797 3300.

Please re-post this alert and spread the word.

Weren't things supposed to "change" in the Age of Obama?

[mc_jc]

There are several things wrong with the Obama administration-

~ He made alot of promises, like many politicians before him, to make changes only to get himself elected.

~ Those changes he has the power to make are being railroaded by the Republican conservatives still seated in congress (watch- you will see a Republican majority after the next senate election).

As for the Middle East question, as long as there is a strong Jewish-Israeli lobby in Washington, don't expect the conflict to be resolved any time soon.

I once heard from a legislator say this statement when he came to Korea with Condoleezza Rice. It was regarding an American protestor who was killed protesting settlement building in the West Bank when a bulldozer ran her over- "She was in the wrong place at the wrong time protesting for the wrong cause..."

Here is an article of what he was talking about;

http://www.globalpolicy.org/component/content/article/189/38068.html

[bacasper]

mc_jc, while I agree with your post and appreciate your remembrance of Rachel Corrie, can you please relate it more specifically to my OP?

Thank you.

[mc_jc]

[bacasper]

Thanks for the exposition.

As embassies are part of the State Department, I guess you mean it would be better to contact Washington directly rather than the local embassy, right?

[mc_jc]

Consulates claim to work for the benefits of their citizens, but they are pretty much useless on local legal matters- even after a person gets arrested and detained, the only thing a consular official would do is to say "The US is aware of your detainment"- that's it.

Precisely!
If a person lodges a complaint directly with the DoS, there is a 'slight' chance something could be done.

Another, and excellent, tactic would be to alert one of the major media outlets about whats going on- such as ABC, NBC and CBS.
The massive amounts of reports about a woman in Laos by the BBC (she was British) helped her escape the death penalty there. But at the same time it could detrimental- like how the Chinese government executed the British man after the BBC and other news outlets vigorously reported the story.
Call up one of the news networks and see if they would run with it.