I will be traveling to the Middle East on the 20th of February as part of the Union Aid Abroad – APHEDA Middle East study tour. The APHEDA tour will take ten union officials a politician (and me) to Lebanon, Jordan and the Occupied Palestinian Territories (including the Gaza Strip) to meet with APHEDA project partners, Unions and non government organisations. APHEDA has received the bulk of the funds from all the concerts of the last few years.
I have received some assistance from the Queensland Teachers Union but the majority of my trip is self funded. I will be having a tour fund raising concert and farewell party on the 19th of Feb at the CEPU Union Hall at 41 Peel St South Brisbane [the entrance is on Merivale Street] to help raise funds for the trip. I also hope to purchase a good quality video camera and digital camera to bring back some images and stories to use at my concerts.
There will be a cheap light meal and drinks available and your support would be greatly appreciated. Tickets $10 (see poster below)
I will also be using my facebook site to document he trip (see below if you want to be Friends)
You can also help by purchasing CDs or the new DVD – live at Ahimsa House that includes 15 songs and a 30 min documentary about the songs and related issues.
Other Gigs
The band will also be performing in acoustic mode at the Muddy Framer in Annerly on Thursday the 11th of Feb 7.30pm.
The $30 CD pack of Lies and silence and the Empires new clothes is now available on the website.
[Istanbul, Turkey, 28 January 2010] Today the Free Gaza Movement and
the Turkish Relief Foundation (IHH), announce a joint venture, sending
10 boats in the spring of 2010 to the besieged Gaza strip.
Organizations from Greece, Ireland and Sweden have also promised to
send boats to join the flotilla with the Free Gaza movement and
Turkey.
Mr. Bulent Yildirim, chairman of the IHH said, “We sail in the spring
to Gaza, and our last port is freedom; freedom for the 1.5 million
Palestinians denied the right to rebuild their society. We will never
stop sailing until Israel’s siege is lifted.”
Two cargo ships will be part of the flotilla, one donated by the
Malaysia-based Perdana Foundation and one from IHH. Both will be laden
with building supplies, generators and educational materials that
Israel prohibits from entering Gaza since their brutal attack on the
civilian population a year ago.
The many passenger boats accompanying the cargo ships will carry
members of Parliament from countries around the world as well as
high-profile journalists and human rights workers.
According to the chair of the Free Gaza Movement, Huwaida Arraf, “The
illegal blockade on Gaza and Israel’s continued intransigence make a
mockery of international law. If our governments will not take a
stance to stop Israel’s abuse of the Palestinian people, global civil
society is showing that we will.”
The Free Gaza movement, a human rights group, sent two boats to Gaza
in August 2008. These were the first international boats to land in
the port in 41 years. Since then, seven more voyages boarded
Parliamentarians, human rights workers, and other dignitaries to
witness the effects of Israel’s draconian policies on the civilians of
Gaza. The last three voyages were illegally stopped by the Israeli
navy when, in December, 2008, they rammed the DIGNITY in international
water, turned back the SPIRIT OF HUMANITY by threatening to shoot all
on board, then hijacking the SPIRT on July 1, 2009, kidnapping the
passengers and throwing them into prison for a week. http://www.freegaza.org.
Since 1992, the Turkish Relief Foundation (IHH) has provided
humanitarian assistance to civilians who have been victims of war or
natural disasters all over the world. One of IHH’s main objectives is
to take necessary steps to prevent any violations against civilian
basic rights and liberties. IHH aims at providing relief help so
communities can resume their daily life and stand on their own feet,
as well as strengthening leadership and institutions of communities
that have been made dependent on aid. http://www.ihh.org.tr
[Istanbul, Turkey, 28 January 2010] Today the Free Gaza Movement and
the Turkish Relief Foundation (IHH), announce a joint venture, sending
10 boats in the spring of 2010 to the besieged Gaza strip.
Organizations from Greece, Ireland and Sweden have also promised to
send boats to join the flotilla with the Free Gaza movement and
Turkey.
Mr. Bulent Yildirim, chairman of the IHH said, “We sail in the spring
to Gaza, and our last port is freedom; freedom for the 1.5 million
Palestinians denied the right to rebuild their society. We will never
stop sailing until Israel’s siege is lifted.”
Two cargo ships will be part of the flotilla, one donated by the
Malaysia-based Perdana Foundation and one from IHH. Both will be laden
with building supplies, generators and educational materials that
Israel prohibits from entering Gaza since their brutal attack on the
civilian population a year ago.
The many passenger boats accompanying the cargo ships will carry
members of Parliament from countries around the world as well as
high-profile journalists and human rights workers.
According to the chair of the Free Gaza Movement, Huwaida Arraf, “The
illegal blockade on Gaza and Israel’s continued intransigence make a
mockery of international law. If our governments will not take a
stance to stop Israel’s abuse of the Palestinian people, global civil
society is showing that we will.”
The Free Gaza movement, a human rights group, sent two boats to Gaza
in August 2008. These were the first international boats to land in
the port in 41 years. Since then, seven more voyages boarded
Parliamentarians, human rights workers, and other dignitaries to
witness the effects of Israel’s draconian policies on the civilians of
Gaza. The last three voyages were illegally stopped by the Israeli
navy when, in December, 2008, they rammed the DIGNITY in international
water, turned back the SPIRIT OF HUMANITY by threatening to shoot all
on board, then hijacking the SPIRT on July 1, 2009, kidnapping the
passengers and throwing them into prison for a week. http://www.freegaza.org.
Since 1992, the Turkish Relief Foundation (IHH) has provided
humanitarian assistance to civilians who have been victims of war or
natural disasters all over the world. One of IHH’s main objectives is
to take necessary steps to prevent any violations against civilian
basic rights and liberties. IHH aims at providing relief help so
communities can resume their daily life and stand on their own feet,
as well as strengthening leadership and institutions of communities
that have been made dependent on aid. http://www.ihh.org.tr
Hi all,
A reminder that there will be a Justice for Palestine meeting this Wednesday (Jan 27) at 6:30pm at the TLC Building, 16 Peel St, South Brisbane.
in solidarity,
Kathy