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by Regina Birchen
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| Regina Birchem |
Weeks ago, on the 13th of March I returned from Gaza via Cairo, Egypt. Two small hostels in Cairo were the meeting point of the 59-member CodePink Women for Peace delegation to Gaza via the Rafah (Egypt/Gaza) entry point. The delegation from 7 countries consisted of 49 women and 10 men some of whom were students in Cairo.
I was happy to meet Sandee Scott, WILPF member from Monterey County, who works mainly with the Cuba Pastors for Peace project and Hannah Hadikin, of Canada, who was a member of our November 2006 delegation to Cuba -- both were on the Gaza Delegation.
We did not expect to easily enter Gaza as the border at Rafah is essentially closed; all entrances into Gaza are severely restricted and essentially closed. I was prepared, after the 6-7 hour bus ride from Cairo across the Suez Canal and the Sinai desert, with an overnight stay in El Arish, to camp out with others in the delegation in protest at the Rafah entry point into Gaza.
Easy Entrance, Difficult Exit
Due to a combination of circumstances not clear to us, we were allowed to enter Gaza on March 7 after a few hours of processing and waiting. First Lady Suzanne Mubarak, in her role as president of the Egyptian Red Crescent, assisted by having the Red Crescent facilitate passage in Egypt and in Gaza. A group of 50 before us were denied entrance for two days and on the third day camped overnight at the gate much to the consternation of the authorities. They were finally allowed entry to Gaza.
Also, coming soon after our CodePink-lead delegation was the international 200-plus vehicle convoy from London led by UK MP George Galloway. We planned to pass into Gaza on March 7. Galloway's convoy was scheduled for March 9. The amassing of a large number of international activists at Rafah would be a scene the Egyptian border authorities would want to avoid.
UNRWA (United Nations Relief and Works Agency) arranged the program in Gaza, provided translators, home stays for many delegates, and transport within the Gaza Strip. On International Women's Day we divided into 13 groups and met with more than a 1000 women in their local community and cultural centers.
I went to the Malwasi Agricultural Cooperative near Rafah where the women had prepared a program of small group discussions, poetry, dances, modeling their beautiful handiwork and dresses, put on a play, served us delicious food of traditional bread, kabobs, and yogurt. On other days we went to the bombed and devastated areas, a refugee camp (Beach), devastated schools, hospitals, and met with psychologists, teachers, doctors, human rights officials and many others.
Regina Birchem, past International president of WILPF, came to Portland on May 5, to speak about her recent trip to Gaza.
Birchem spoke to a crowd of roughly 30 at First Unitarian Church. Speaking with accompanying slides, Birchem related the preceding tale:
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