The Rachel Corries Mission: MV Finch Still Stranded, Water Supply Running Out
May 23, 2011 in Articles, Spotlight
May 23, 2011
It was reported by BERNAMA on May 22, 2011, that the humanitarian aid-bearing cargo ship, MV Finch, has been stranded for a week now outside El-Arish Port in Egyptian waters. Those onboard will only find out today whether the cargo can be unloaded and transported by land to Gaza.
Faizal Hassan, aBernama reporter who is onboard the ship, informed the Malaysian national news agency’s headquarters in Kuala Lumpur via SMS that the situation was getting critical as the port authorities had not sent medical aid and clean water to the ship.
“Our water supply will run out any time soon,” he lamented.
Faizal said the decision whether to allow MV Finch to enter and berth at El-Arish Port would depend on the meeting in Jakarta between Malaysia’s Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Anifah Aman and his Egyptian counterpart.
The passengers and crew members onboard are hoping the meeting would bring good news to enable the PVC pipes meant for the people of Gaza to be unloaded and sent there.
According to Faizal, lorries which were meant to transport the humanitarian aid to Gaza had been stranded at the port since last Friday.
Unfortunately, the port authorities, the ship’s agent, Perdana Global Peace Foundation (PGPF) which organised the mission or the Malaysian and Eqyption embassies could not do anything until a decision is finally reached between the foreign ministers from both countries, he said.
Matthias Chang, Leader of the humanitarian mission is keeping his hopes up because he believed that, usually a win-win situation could be reached through government-to-government discussion.
“If it fails, the NGOs, PGPF and other concerned parties can intervene to put pressure for a positive decision to be made,” he said.
The people onboard the ship could possibly be sent back to their respective countries, while the cargo could be handed over to such organisations as the Red Crescent Society to be delivered to the people of Gaza, added Chang.
Chang is still on a hunger strike which has entered the third day, in protest against the delay in granting permission for the ship to berth at El-Arish Port after week of waiting outside it.