CALL TO ACTION: Israel has boarded the Dignité - Canadian Stephan Corriveau
on board
by Canada Boat to Gaza
We Will Not Let Israel Control Palestinian or International
Waters.
It is imperative that we mobilize in order to ensure that Israeli
and the Canadian governments know that the world is watching, and that
we demand that all passengers and crew of the Dignité be released so
as to continue their legal travel to Gaza.
Supporters of the Flotilla
and the Palestinians of Gaza need to press for the Dignité
delegation and the boat to be freed. There is no legal reason for
Israel to stop the Dignité and detain its crew and passengers.
The
Dignité was in international waters when boarded in which Israel has
no legal jurisdiction.
We are calling on supporters and all concerned people to hold
public demonstrations and to contact Israeli and Canadian government
representatives.
1.
We ask people to write Canadian MPs, the Minister of FOreign
Affairs and Opposition critics to demand that Canada condemn Israel's
illegal actions and to remind them of Canada's Consular obligations
with regards to Canadians in international environments. Tell them
that the obligations are clearly established in international law and,
more specifically, under the terms of the Vienna Convention on
Consular Relations
<http://untreaty.un.org/ilc/texts/instruments/english/conventions/9_2_1963.pdf> , to which Canada is a signatory.
TEMPLATES for letters below.
2. Keep up local actions, which might include vigils,
demonstrations at consulates or embassies or governement offices, or
other creative actions aimed at drawing public attention to the
situation.
3. Continue tweeting and using social networking to spread
messages and images far and wide.
Here are some of the things that you can do to help:
1 The content of our messages
- The Israeli government needs to know that we know what they are
doing and we won't be silent. We know and the world knows that their
actions are illegal.
- The Canadian Government needs to know that we know they are
complicit in these illegal acts. And that they have a responsibility
by international convention, to protect Canadians involved in legal
actions, such as the Flotilla and specifically the journey of the
Dignité. Included in the letter is a note of disgust that Canadian
government is giving in to pressure by the Israeli government. Below,
there is a template letter to Canadian MPs and a link for their
contact information.
2 ACTIONS
- Public rallies, vigils, etc: Please, do whatever and wherever
you are able. We need this to be big. We need to be visible.
- Letter to our Canadian MPs: We have a letter template for you
to use to send to MPs reminding them that the Canadian government has
obligations under the Geneva Convention.
Le français suivra sous peu
TEMPLATE LETTERS AND CONTACT INFORMATION
1. Letter to Canadian MPs
[feel free to edit using your own words]
[MP for your RIDING]
[DATE -- do it today!]
Dear [NAME of MP in your riding]:
I am writing to you as a concerned Canadian about the alarming
news that vessel "The Dignité" bound for the Gaza Strip
has been boarded in international waters and the passengers and crew
have been detained by the Israeli government. One of the passengers,
Stéphan Corriveau is Canadian and was on that boat.
The Dignité, along with the other boats, such as Canada's
Tahrir, are part of the Freedom Flotilla, which is an international
initiative with the goal of challenging the illegal blockade of Gaza,
and bringing humanitarian aid to the civilian population of Gaza in
the spirit of the U.N. Security Council Resolution 1860 (2009). The
Dignité and the Flotilla in general, are not breaking the law but
are actively upholding international law. Respected organizations such
as the International Committee of the Red Cross have stated clearly
that all states have an obligation to facilitate all humanitarian
convoys to the Gaza Strip.
I am deeply concerned that the Canadian government is giving in
to pressures from the Israeli government in preventing the Flotilla
from sailing to Gaza by referring to this action as "provocative".
By doing so, the Canadian government is implying that the Israeli
government is acting within its right when imposing an inhumane siege
on 1.5 million Palestinians in Gaza and seeking to control
international waters.
As the MP of my riding I urge you to speak out publicly and
without delay for the legitimate right of Canadians on the Flotilla to
actively express their solidarity with the Palestinians of Gaza, as
well as
- to demand the Government to uphold its responsibility for the
safety of all Canadians including Stephan Corriveau, a passenger on
the Dignité;
- to demand the Israeli government immediately release the
Dignité and implement all necessary measures for the safety of the
its passengers and to allow, as is their legal right, the Dignité to
continue, unhindered, its journey to Gaza;
- to condemn this act of illegal agression or state piracy by the
Israeli military
- to demand the Israeli government to abide to international law
by removing the illegal blockade of Gaza
I look forward to hearing from you what actions you have taken on
the above.
Sincerely,
[name]
[contact information]
2. LETTER TO ISRAELI OFFICIALS IN CANADA AND IN
ISRAEL
Sample letter addressed to Israeli authorities (consular and
government)
[ADDRESS]
DateŠŠ.
Dear Sir/Madam:
I am writing to you as a concerned Canadian citizen who has just
learned that the Dignité, one of the boats that is part of the
Freedom Flotilla, has been illegally boarded - and the passengers and
crew detained in international waters. As you well know, Israel has no
legal jurisdiction in international waters, and thus has committed
what is understood in international law as an act of illegal agression
or state piracy.
The Freedom Flotilla is an international initiative with the goal
of ending the illegal blockade of Gaza and to bring humanitarian aid
to the civilian population of Gaza in the spirit of the U.N. Security
Council Resolution 1860 (2009).
All participants on the Dignité are committed to peaceful and
non-violent action. Their intention is to break your illegal blockade
of Gaza. Their intention is not to break the law but to uphold
international law, something which the Israeli government - as it
purports to be a democracy - ought to be embracing.
I look forward to hearing what steps you will take to hold your
government accountable for its illegal actions. I also expect to have
impartial confirmation that all passengers and crew of the Dignité
are receiving the proper treatment as is directed in the Vienna and
Geneva conventions, to which your government is a signatory.
Sincerely,
[your contact information]
Some Israel contact emails & phone numbers:
Canada Montreal
1.416.640.8500
Ministry for Foreign Affairs:
You have received this message from the Canadian Boat to
Gaza.
www.canadaboatgaza.org
info@canadaboatgaza.org
