[Imc-cyprus] I'm hoping you are safe / day 24 of the Israeli war of genocide, destruction and siege of Lebanon

[Petros Evdokas]

raida wrote:

> Dear Petros, Sue and Solon
> 
> I am so sorry for not being able to respond earlier to your emails. I
> hoped that you won't be worried, and that you would think about the
> electricity, the internet problems as potential reasons for the delay....


Raida,

Always a relief to hear from you!
Please don't worry about our worries ...just send an email when you have 
opportunities. As long as we hear even one word from you every once in a 
while, we'll know you are safe.

I came out of the bathroom yesterday and found Sue and Solon crying. I 
looked at them both questionigly in silence. Solon said "Raida is safe". 
Silence. "...But I don't know if you'll be able to withstand reading her 
letter".

He was right.
Sue remained speechless in tears.


And then we had an editorial work session, both Sue and Solon wanted us 
to edit your letter to publish as a Feature in the central column of the 
Cyprus IndyMedia page. It breaks my heart Raida that I have to agree 
with them.

You are pouring your heart out in those letters and we are amplifying 
and dispersing them to the whole world, it feels almost like a violation 
of your person, but the insanity of war brings on insane dilemmas. I 
know you agree.

 From what I understand from your previous letters you seemed to 
indicate that it's ok to do this. Bu please, when you see the finished 
article, if you want any changes for reasons of privacy, politics, 
personal reasons, anything, please tell me and I'll make them.

You express so much of what's on our minds and also in the hearts of 
most Peace activists. Anyone who cares for Peace who reads your lines 
with an open heart is forced to stop and think "what the hell are we 
doing on this planet? How did we allow the stuff of nightmares to become 
reality, to become the social 'normalcy' by which we measure gains and 
losses, profits and 'development'?" How can the machine be stopped?

Then we had another round of discussion again about the issue of the 
photos because we all want to show images of the atrocities to a numb 
and deaf world and yet a part of us feels that we're unsure of it. We 
want to keep showing them, but also we want to make sure it will be done 
in a way that helps to bring about the end of war and violence - to 
avoid sensationalizing the images but to help re-sensitize the 
populations which are locked in anaesthesia, and to humanize the 
feelings we generate with these publications.


I admire your courage Raida, helping the children retain sanity and a 
sense of continuity in the middle of a veritable hell, and then at work 
with the relief center and political activities ...the world needs a 
thousand more Raidas.

I embrace you and wish you well.
Petros
_________