Hi Shiv,
On Sun, Mar 8, 2009 at 9:35 AM, ss <[email protected]> wrote:
> On Sunday 08 Mar 2009 4:00:38 pm Zaheda Bhorat wrote:
> > The huge
> > offering of humanitarian aid leaving the shores of Britain was not a
> > response from the government, but the people of the UK so moved by the
> > suffering and distress of those trapped,
>
> I am a paranoid, suspicious person by nature, and I have lived in the UK,
> have
> a lot of friends there and feel I share a deepish personal relationship
> with
> that country.
I am a naturally curious, yet cautious person, who believes that there is
more good in the world than bad. I've lived in the UK since the age of 3
(growing up in the north of England) which I still consider home. And more
recently, I moved to the US through my work.
>
>
> The UK is definitely BOTH free and benevolent. And that is what gives rise
> to
> my suspicions. The Government of the United Kingdom is able to utilize
> public
> behavior for geo political games. What hapens amongst the public is totally
> good and legal by UK laws - but it is definitely possible for this cloak
> of
> benevolence to be utilised by the government to make political acts of
> omission and commission that affect other countries and lives.
>
> Let me not comment at all about the Palestinian problem. My main interest
> is
> in the Pakistani expatriates ("South Asians")living in the UK who have, by
> all accounts been just as kind and benevolent as these charitable people
> have
> been towards Palestinians. But the former benevolence has actually funded
> terrorism in Kashmir via Pakistan.
>
> So I will certtinly not spread this humanitarian news around until i am
> certain that this huge tomtomming of humanitarian aid is not yet another
> attempt to fund terrorism in the name of kindness and love.
You are absolutely right to express concern, and I can totally understand
the concern of funds or support being misdirected. Sure, four weeks back I
expressed the some concern the first time I heard of this effort and the
fund-raising. I was deeply unhappy that my nephew was going to a war-torn
place and a place to which he had no connection.
All I can speak for is the conclusions I reached. That the community
members, are ordinary hard working lads and lasses, who have raised the
money to make this happen and are doing so absolutely for the right
reasons. Rather than send money ( which could be miss-guided), they have
chosen to take the much needed aid themselves so it can be delivered
directly to those in need.
At the moment the aid convoy is doing their best at the Egyptian border to
stick together and complete the task they set out to accomplish, even though
they suffered an attack <http://gazaconvoy.com/> today. The world's media
and many governments along the way are attempting to ignore them and label
them. On the day the Aid convoy departed from the UK, the police arrested 9
people setting off to join the convoy under the terrorism act. Days later
they released all nine with no charges. So a group from this convoy has
already been put through the mill of investigations and the UK police found
nothing - only that this really was a genuine group of people trying to
help.
I considered, what if I were unfortunate enough to be a Palestinian woman in
this lifetime trying to reach out to the world for help ? An effort such as
this, would tell me there are people in the world who care. If we turn a
blind eye to pleas for help in a humanitarian situation for fear that our
support is misdirected, I feel we will continue to help little of the world.
Sure, there are extremists and terrorists in every country, especially
during a crisis be it natural or man-made. Even in Africa, much of the world
still turns a blind eye to the desperate needs of women and children for
fear of the aid going to terrorists.
The more I learn of the current crisis in Gaza (post January bombings) and
reports posted by the people on the ground, doctors visiting from the UK,
from the Red Cross International on this subject, I find there are far more
desperate civilians in Gaza trying to get the world to help them break this
siege. And a lack of help and love toward the needy will continue to lead to
more hatred and violence.
We all work in our own comfort levels. As I said earlier, I am cautious, yet
I know I have satisfied myself that this group delivering aid from the UK is
truly in the name of kindness and love. Their courage moved me sufficiently
to post my first ever blog entry and to do my small bit in show of support
for this amazing group.
Best
Zaheda
>
>
> shiv
>
>
>
>
