Ayesha Saldanha · January, 2009

Latest posts by Ayesha Saldanha from January, 2009

Palestine: “They used our clothes as a toilet”

Bloggers in Gaza are gathering information about what happened during the recent Israeli attacks. In this update, we hear from families whose homes were looted and left covered with faeces by Israeli soldiers, learn what the effects of DIME weapons are, and are told the story of a father whose baby daughter was shot, his wife breastfeeding the girl as she bled to death.

31 January 2009

Bahrain: Bloggers united against decision to block websites

Bloggers in Bahrain are fuming at a decision by the country's Minister of Information to block access to scores of websites, as well as prevent access to proxy sites which enable surfers to get to sites in a round about manner. Ayesha Saldanha reviews reactions from Bahrain.

28 January 2009

Saudi Arabia: Young activist faces social condemnation

Saudi Arabia is a conservative society, and when individuals act in ways that challenge convention, not only might they face harsh criticism, but so might their families. A young activist called Amna Fatani has experienced such condemnation recently, and some Saudi bloggers have offered her their moral support.

24 January 2009

Israel: A Plea to Obama

An Israeli human rights activist makes an impassioned plea to the new American president in a video: “Obama, take away the pain in my stomach.”

22 January 2009

Palestine: “In Gaza, only the dead have seen the end of this war”

The people of Gaza are discovering the extent of the destruction inflicted during three weeks of Israeli attacks, and are slowly starting to rebuild their lives. Some bloggers are wondering about the less visible psychological and emotional damage. One asks, "What will be the reward for getting up and going on, one more time?"

21 January 2009

Palestine: Assessing the Aftermath in Gaza

On Sunday evening the Israel Defense Forces began a troop withdrawal from Gaza, following three straight weeks of attacks. Israel's unilateral ceasefire was announced earlier in the day, and met with an offer for a one-week ceasefire from Hamas. Ayesha Saldanha shares blog reactions from Gaza.

19 January 2009

Palestine: Israeli Troops Enter Residential Areas of Gaza City

Thousands of Palestinians have been fleeing from Gaza City as IDF troops have entered residential areas. A number of the foreign activists in Gaza were helping at Al Quds hospital when it came under attack, and managed to get out reports of what was going on. We hear from them and other bloggers in this roundup of Gaza blogs by Ayesha Saldanha.

16 January 2009

Palestine: “Tell me, please God, tell me this is going to end soon”

The Israeli aerial attacks on Gaza show no sign of relenting, and in Gaza City there is now street fighting. In this post bloggers describe the fear experienced when Israeli soldiers arrive in the neighbourhood, explain how important prayer has become, and emphasise the need to keep telling the world what is going on.

13 January 2009

From Italy to Palestine: Vittorio Arrigoni writes from Gaza

Vittorio Arrigoni is an Italian human rights activist who is currently in Gaza, one of a number of activists who arrived with the Free Gaza movement. Vittorio (Vik) blogs at Guerrilla Radio [it], and also writes for the Italian newspaper Il Manifesto. His posts vividly describe what the people of Gaza are experiencing right now. In one, a doctor describes the effects of the white phosphorus shells Israel is accused of using: "He said that what was totally inexplicable was the total absence of eyeballs, which even in the case of trauma of that magnitude should stay in place, at least traces of them."

12 January 2009

Palestine: “How many deaths in Gaza is enough?”

As the Israeli attacks on Gaza continue, in this roundup of Gaza's blogs we hear about food shortages, the frustration of being stuck at home, the humour of medical workers - and a question from a young boy: "Mama – why don't the Israeli soldiers think before they shoot people?"

10 January 2009

Palestine: “In Gaza, we are subject to news but cannot see TVs”

Yesterday (6 January) a UN school in Jabaliya refugee camp which was being used as a shelter, was struck by Israeli shells and about 40 people killed. Today, the Israeli military suspended its military operations for three hours, to allow humanitarian aid to enter the Gaza Strip. In this post we hear the reactions of bloggers in Gaza.

8 January 2009

Palestine: “In Gaza our future is almost destroyed”

In this roundup of blogposts from Gaza we hear from a teenager who just lost her friend and is scared for her own life, about a medical worker who was killed as he went to save someone, and from a man who asserts his lack of political affiliation: "I'm not Fatah, not Hamas. I like vodka."

6 January 2009