Captive in Cairo: A hunger strike, embassy protests ... and prayer

The young Egyptian soldiers who arrive by buses to whatever site where we convene, bear no guns or batons and are quick to smile, though their superiors try to keep them somber and reserved. Passing out yellow pens labeled in English and Arabic with the logo of the Gaza Freedom March (GFM), and greeting them with the traditional greeting, Salaam Aleikum, they whisper their names, ask where we are from, and even signal sympathies for our efforts. They are quick to smile, and despite their sympathies also have reservations about the Gaza situation based in their own political context.

A large part of the group (perhaps 250) spent five hours at the United Nations Headquarters seeking support in opening the Rafah Gate to Gaza to the GFM. The response by the Egyptian government has continued to be a rigid and final No, but here and there we gain some glimmers of encouragement. More than a dozen members joined a hunger strike beginning mid-afternoon on the plaza of the U.N. offices. Hedy Epstein, 85-year-old survivor of the Holocaust; Father John Dear and Father Louie Vitale; and other grandmothers, women, and youth (from Egypt, Libya, and Palestine) joined in the commitment. The announcement was in the world press within hours reflecting the presence of BBC, Press TV, and other independent media members through much of our activities.

The Interfaith Satyagraha has begun to convene periodically in prayer, reflection, support, and witness. The opening of the events at the U.N. offices yesterday began with a walking prayer circle stepping to the cadence of a tabla in the hands of Rabbi Lynn Gottlieb. The group also began a conversation about an Interfaith Satyagraha which would initiate a walk toward Gaza from Cairo and the proposal has been endorsed and embraced by other affinity groups. We will see what unfolds in the next few days.

FOR Executive Director Mark Johnson and members from the Nonviolent Peaceforce delegation which arrived yesterday from the West Bank by van and taxi through Taba crossing into Egypt, were called into service to make a peace line between the soliders and one group of delegates who were negotiating with travel agents about housing arrangements. Some older delegates also needed relief from the confines of the gathering place and their passage had to be negotiated. But basically the day was calm and focused.

Medea Benjamin of CodePink, one of the GFM organizers, Waldon Bello -- a parlimentarian from the Phillipines -- and retired U.S. Colonel Ann Wright negotiated with the U.N. staff and with Egyptian police and army officers through the afternoon. It became increasingly clear that the U.N. presence in Egypt has no influence beyond their willingness to convey requests and concerns for a change on the part of the Egyptian government.  The group voluntarily dispersed a bit after 5:00 p.m., though twelve members stayed to support a small encampment. By 10:00 p.m. the Arab members of the encampment were removed and it is not clear what has become of three Eyptians. A legal team from the GFM is working with Egyptian lawyers on their where abouts and possible charges.

Small contingents have tested the porousness of the passages to Al Arish where 30 delegates who arrived early last week are confined to the town’s borders. All groups have been stopped at the Mubarak Peace Bridge over the Suez Canal. Still smaller groups have been reported to be camping and making their way across the Sinai ahead of police forces, but reports are impossible to confirm.

The largest contigent in the entire march is from France and for three days over 300 have been camped outside the French Embassy insisting that France facilitate access to Gaza for all of us. Three lines of shield bearing soldiers have confined the group to a sidewalk in front of the Embassy (and across the street from the National Zoo). While delegates of oher nationalities have managed to approach the encampment with food, water, cellphones, and toiletries, none of the French members have been allowed to leave.

This afternoon we are scheduled to join, by invitation, local civil society groups protesting an anticipated meeting between Egyptian President Mubarak and Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu. Rumors of an imminent prisoners release of the Israeli soldier Shalit and numbers of Palesinians held in Israeli prisons circulate through the Middle East and are seen to also contribute to a root nervousness about the presence of 1,362 international peace makers gathered here in Cairo. We continue to pray for a miracle of an open way while also seeking a variety of additional paths by which we might be more ready for such a miracle waiting to manifest.

[Ed. Notes: (1) Many major international media have thus far refused to cover this headline story. Please contact editors and news directors at press, tv, and radio outlets to urge them to cover this breaking news from the Middle East. (2) Reports and blogs by other participants from the Gaza Freedom March are also online. Here are a few links to recent messages from FOR allies and members in Egypt: author & activist Starhawk; Pace e Bene leader Fr. Louie Vitale; Just Foreign Policy national coordinator Robert Naiman; Voices for Creative Nonviolence leader Joshua Brollier; and many more updates, Tweets, videos, and links are available through the GFM web site.]