[antiwar-van] ISM-Vancouver press release on killing of ISM activist Rachel Corrie

[Macdonald Stainsby]

For Immediate release:

March 16, 2003.



            The International Solidarity Movement-Vancouver condemns in the
strongest possible terms the recent murder of Rachel Corrie, 23 year-old
female ISM activist killed in the Gaza Strip by the Israeli Defense Forces.



            This 23 year old American citizen and student of Evergreen
College from Olympia, Washington was deliberately run over by a bulldozer
that she and other activists had been trying desperately to prevent from
destroying yet another home in the Gaza Strip. This is not an isolated
incident, as ISM activists have been shot at while trying to help
Palestinian farmers gather their crops, had been taken captive and beaten by
Settlers in the West Bank and had had their lives threatened at gun point by
IDF soldiers at military checkpoints. The ISM-Vancouver calls on the
American government to hold the Israeli government accountable for the
murder of one of an American citizen by the Israeli Defense Forces. We also
demand that the Canadian government take action in regards to this
horrendous crime immediately. The ISM-Vancouver condemns the silence of all
governments thus far concerning this cowardly act of murder by the IDF in
Gaza.



            No action taken by the Israeli, American or Canadian governments
can undo this tragic killing of Rachel Corrie, however she died trying to
help end the illegal occupation and daily humiliation of the Palestinian
people in the West Bank, Gaza Strip and Jerusalem. We call for the immediate
end of the occupation and for full justice for Rachel Corrie through the
fulfillment of, among others, UN resolutions 242 and 194.



We in the ISM-Vancouver currently have three people working on the ground
with the ISM: Drew Penland, Carel Moiseiwitsch and Gordon Murray. They have
been eyewitness to many other crimes, including the on-going daily killing
of Palestinians deemed unworthy all-too often for media attention. They are
alive still, and Gordon and Carel can be reached at: 011-972-52-812-649, or
gordon at ism-vancouver.org

Drew Penland is available at: drewpenland at hotmail.com



and local Vancouver ISM spokespeople can be contacted at:

INTERNATIONAL SOLIDARITY MOVEMENT (ISM-VANCOUVER)
16 West Hastings Street - Box 38; Vancouver, BC V6B 1G4
Voice mail: (604) 682-3269 Ext. 6197



Reem Alnuweiri (ISM-Vancouver Coordinator)

604-461-8409

Macdonald Stainsby (spokesperson)

604-525-9171