May 31st, 2010
Islamabad—Journalists and activists rallied today at the National Press Club in Islamabad to condemn the Israeli assault on the Free Gaza Flotilla which reportedly killed at least 19 people and injured dozens. The convoy of ships, which aimed to deliver over 10,000 tons of humanitarian aid to the besieged Gaza strip, was 65km from the Gaza coast in international waters when it was attacked. According to the Free Gaza Movement’s twitter feed at http://witnessgaza.com/,six of the casualties were Turkish activists and 10 were internationals aboard the Mavi Marmara ship, the flotilla’s lead vessel.
Participants in the protest in Islamabad included members of the Rawalpindi- Islamabad Union of Journalists, members of the People’s Party of Pakistan, TV anchors, newspaper staff and activists. Journalists in Pakistan are particularly distressed because two Pakistani journalists were on the convoy when it was attacked; Talat Hussain, the executive director of Aaj TV, and Raza Mahmood Agha, the producer for Aaj TV. Colleagues in Islamabad have lost contact with the journalists and their whereabouts are unknown. Two U.S. citizens, representing Voices for Creative Nonviolence, called on the US Embassy in Pakistan to publicly condemn the Israeli attacks and see that the U.S. provides immediate support to the Free Gaza convoy.
Demonstrators at the rally chanted “Wake up, wake up U.N.O.! (United Nations Organization)” and “Freedom of Journalism.” Mohammed Aslam Doggar, an editor at the Press Club said he worried about the way the incident could be covered. He feels that if the Free Gaza Flotilla would have been successful, it would have encouraged others to follow and attempt to break the blockade of Gaza. “Now, Israel seems to be sending a message to others that you cannot come anywhere near us without being attacked.” Mr. Doggar also said he thinks Israel will use the event to try to spin demonstrations condemning the attacks as anti-Semetic.
