[Imc-chicago-audio] [Imc-chicago-editorial] We should tape Pal journo Mohammed Omer April 5

Sat Mar 27 22:42:41 PDT 2010

Christine,

I'm copying Andrew in on this.  Andrew: What do you think?

In any event, we've got two weeks to rally the troops.  Perhaps we can 
get the CAN TV Community Partners to record video (they would definitely 
be in to this, if we can get them advance notice).  Video folks: Anyone 
interested in recording portions of this for a segment?

Dale, Kelly, Don, Rita, I'm also copying you in on this: Would you be 
interested and available in recording audio of this for From The 
Trenches and Chicago Indymedia? 

Thanks.
-- Mitchell

Christine Geovanis wrote:
> Mitchell, Andrew, Groot, et al, we should tape this and pull audio for 
> the radio show. Big deal that Omer was able to get into the US. Also, 
> Mitchell, we're supposed to be coteaching on 4-5; possible to 
> reschedule or get out early? It would be very unfortunate to miss this.
>
> c
>
> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> From: <ISMinChicago at aol.com <mailto:ISMinChicago at aol.com>>
> Subject: April 5: Palestinian Journalist Mohammed Omer to Visit 
> Chicago!!!!
>
>
> *
> _***please forward widely*** _
>
>
> Following Public Pressure Campaign, Award-winning Palestinian 
> Journalist Allowed Entry to the U.S. for Chicago Event 
> *
>
> *"Reflections on Life and War in Gaza," Featuring Mohammed Omer, April 
> 5th*
>
>
> *Organizers Protested Visa Hold, Enabling Speaking Tour on Conditions 
> in Palestine as Debate Between U.S. and Israel over Expanded 
> Settlements Continues*
> *
> *
> *
> 7:00 pm, Monday, April 5th at the Newberry Library, 60 W. Walton
> *MOHAMMED OMER* and *A**LI ABUNIMAH*, 
> author, /One Country/, and founder, Electronic Intifada.net
> *
> *
> *
> *CHICAGO, IL*— Back from the brink of censorship, a presentation on 
> conditions in Palestine will take place April 5th with award-winning 
> journalist and photographer Mohammed Omer. Subjected to an extended, 
> and unexplained, hold on his visa, Omer and supporters launched a 
> public pressure campaign, winning his entry from the U.S. consulate today.
>
> In 2008, *Omer became the youngest recipient of the prestigious Martha 
> Gellhorn Prize for Journalism*, for his firsthand reportage of life in 
> the besieged Gaza strip. As his prize citation explained, “Everyday, 
> he reports from a war zone, where he is also a prisoner. He is a 
> profoundly humane witness to one of the great injustices of our time. 
> He is the voice of the voiceless… Working alone in extremely difficult 
> and often dangerous circumstances, [Omer has] reported unpalatable 
> truths validated by powerful facts.” *Upon attempting to return to 
> Gaza following his acceptance of the Gellhorn award in London, Omer 
> was detained, interrogated, and beaten* by the Shin Bet Israeli 
> security force for hours; and eventually hospitalized with cracked 
> ribs and respiratory problems (For the full story, visit /Haaret/z 
> <http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/999330.html>). He has since 
> resided in the Netherlands and continues to undergo medical treatment 
> there for his subsequent health problems.  
>
> Nearly canceling his planned speaking tour, the U.S. consulate held 
> his visa application without explanation. Organizers decided to 
> protest, as *i**n recent years, numerous foreign scholars and experts 
> have been subject to visa delays and denials that have prohibited them 
> from speaking and teaching in the U.S.—a process the American Civil 
> Liberties Union describes as “**Ideological Exclusion 
> <http://www.aclu.org/national-security/ideological-exclusion>.**” *
> *
> *
> As his hosts at Haymarket Books commented, "The issue of Palestine, 
> and particularly the voice of Palestinians is so frequently 
> side-stepped and marginalized in mainstream political discourse. Yet 
> the Israeli-Palestinian conflict plays a huge role in American foreign 
> policy, as we can see in the ongoing debate between the U.S. and 
> Israel over expanded settlements. We believe that the conditions in 
> Palestine represent one of the great humanitarian catastrophes of our 
> time; and *we were simply not willing to accept that Mohammed did not 
> have the right to travel to the U.S. to share his reportage—and that 
> Chicagoans did not have the right to hear what he has to say**."*
>
> Omer will visit Houston, Santa Fe, and *Chicago, as planned, where 
> local publisher Haymarket Books will host his Newberry Library event, 
> “Reflections on Life and War in Gaza,” alongside a broad set of 
> interfaith religious, community, and political organizations*. Omer 
> will discuss, with Ali Abunimah, Chicago-based author of /One Country: 
> A Bold Proposal to End the Israeli-Palestinian Impasse/, his 
> reportage, personal experience, and the struggle for Palestinian rights:
>
> Reflections on Life and War in Gaza: A Discussion with Palestinian 
> Journalist Mohammed Omer
> In conversation with Ali Abunimah, author /One Country/ and founder 
> Electronic Intifada
> Monday, April 5th at 7:00 pm at the Newberry Library, 60 W. Walton, Free
> Train: Chicago Red and Brown, Clark/Division Red. Bus: #66 Chicago, 
> #29 State
> Funded by the LANNAN FOUNDATION. Sponsored by HAYMARKET BOOKS
> In cooperation with: American Friends Service Committee-Chicago, 
> Committee for a Just Peace in Palestine and Israel, Episcopal Diocese 
> of Chicago-Peace and Justice Committee, the International Jewish 
> Anti-Zionist Network, International Socialist Organization, 
> International Solidarity Movement-Chicago, Islamic Medical Association 
> of Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Jewish Voice 
> for Peace, Middle East Task Force of Chicago Presbytery, National 
> Lawyers Guild-Loyola, Neighbors For Peace, Students for Justice in 
> Palestine-DePaul and UIC chapters, and Ta'anit Tzedek—Jewish Fast for 
> Gaza.
> Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/#!/ 
> <http://www.facebook.com/#%21/>event.php?eid=10150127461370195&ref=ts
> *
> *
> *Background on Mohammed Omer: *
> Mohammed Omer was born and raised in the Rafah refugee camp in the 
> Gaza strip. He maintains the website Rafah Today 
> <http://www.rafahtoday.org/> and is a correspondent for 
> the /Washington Report on Middle East Affairs/. His home in Rafah was 
> crushed by an Israeli bulldozer while the family was inside, seriously 
> injuring his mother. Yet, as Omer explained in an article he wrote 
> upon winning the award, “My ambition was to get the truth out, not as 
> pro-Palestinian or anti-Israeli, but as an independent voice and 
> witness.” His reportage features interviews with regular Gazans 
> attempting to survive amidst bombing, home demolitions, and the 
> crippling economic blockade, which has created devastating shortages 
> of electricity, water, fuel, and other necessities for survival.
>
> ***Mohammed Omer and Ali Abunimah are available for select 
> interviews.* To request, contact: Sarah Macaraeg, 
> 312-315-8476, sarah at haymarketbooks.org <mailto:sarah at haymarketbooks.org>
>
> *Additional background:*
> /Haaretz/: http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/999330.html
> ACLU: http://www.aclu.org/national-security/ideological-exclusion
> /Chronicle of Higher 
> Educatio//n/: http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2007/09/25/lasso
> Rafah Today: http://www.rafahtoday.org/
> Ali Abunimah, CNN 
> Editorial: http://www.cnn.com/2010/OPINION/03/17/abunimah.settlements.israel/index.html?iref=allsearch
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
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