Dr
Mona Elfarra, author of the blog (http://fromgaza.blogspot.co.uk/ ) and the book FROM GAZA, WITH LOVE, was in Rochdale on
Thursday (23 August 2012) meeting members of Rochdale Palestine Solidarity
Campaign and Rochdale and Littleborough Peace Group.
Dr Elfarra
describes herself as “a physician by training, a human rights and women's rights activist by
practice”. She was born
and raised in Khan Yunis in Southern Gaza and has lived most of her life in Gaza
City. She trained as a physician in Egypt and in Cardiff and is a co-founder of
the Al Awda Hospital in Jabalia refugee camp. She is also deputy chair of the Red Crescent Society
of the Gaza Strip, Palestine and, since 2005, has been director of the Middle
East Children’s Alliance (http://www.mecaforpeace.org/
).
She was in
Rochdale visiting Pat Sanchez and other members of the Rochdale branch of the
Palestine Solidarity Campaign.
Dr Elfarra
said,
“Gaza
is a difficult place to live. We Palestinians and especially our children
continue to suffer the impact of war and of occupation and siege. The vicious
attacks by the Israeli Defence Force
in recent years have left our children without regular schooling, without
adequate medical care and often without food or clean water. Some have lost
their parents and many are still traumatised by the brutal attacks and
bombardment of their homes by the Israelis which they witnessed during operation
‘Cast Lead’. 20% of children under 15 are suffering post-traumatic stress
disorder. But Gaza is also history and civilization, the third largest city in
Palestine. It has survived many upheavals and will continue to do so. The
children of Gaza still have strength and resilience, despite all that they have
suffered and continue to suffer.
Even if their schools have been reduced to rubble by Israeli bombs and
bulldozers, they still want to learn. They still want to play and they are still
proud to be Palestinians. However, they also need food, medicines and many other
resources. The Middle East Children’s Alliance ships medicines, medical
supplies, powdered milk, fortified children’s cereal and art and school supplies
to Gaza. We have also supplied wheelchairs and an ambulance. We have provided
clean drinking water to children in Palestine and water purification and
desalination units for 38 schools and kindergartens in Gaza where very few
people have regular access to clean water and some areas have no water supply at
all.
We know that many
people in Rochdale and throughout Britain are keen to help in such work and we
very much welcome the support we receive from groups such as Rochdale Palestine
Solidarity Campaign. It is important that Palestinian children know that people
in Rochdale have heard about their situation and will support them in their
struggles for shelter, nutrition, education and a national identity. It is
important that people across the world know that children in Gaza cannot yet
rely on most of the things that others can take for granted, and it is essential
that we maintain solidarity across countries and across communities in our
common struggle against injustice and oppression.”
Pat Sanchez
said
“It
was a joy to meet Mona and to learn more about her work. Rochdale PSC will
continue to support the work of the Middle
East Children’s Alliance. Anyone who wants to hear more about this and our
campaigning in Rochdale should contact Rochdale PSC coordinator Jenny Turner on
07787
575 570 or jennyturner@phonecoop.coop
or join us
at Crescent Radio for our monthly meeting at 7.15pm on the second Monday of each
month.
For
more information about Dr Elfarra’s blog from Gaza, please see http://fromgaza.blogspot.co.uk/
For
more information about the Middle East Children’s Alliance, please see http://www.mecaforpeace.org/
For
more information about the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC), please see http://www.palestinecampaign.org/
