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Friday, February 27, 2004
Update Aida Feb 27, 2004 They came in the night, Covered by the darkness colours Whispering their hate to every corner Of the streets and the houses, in Aida camp They came at one o’clock in the morning Thinking that conscious eyes are sleeping They came with their last edition arms and war machines They came to awaken the hidden emotions They came as they come every time Demolish a shelter where every family hide Its pain, misery and dream of freedom Dream of an awakening justice and the silence of the silence They came as only occupation army knows how to come Sneaking like thieves of the lost kingdoms No barriers, no limits to the ugliness of their violence All humanity seem handicapped before them Justice closes its eyes, as well as humane looks No environmental concerns for all the uprooted trees and destroyed stolen lands No laws apply, no resolutions, no protected heritages No life for the weak, for the abandoned victims, Occupiers have no shame… The house of AbdelRahman Jundeyya, a school teacher in Beit Jala, and living in Aida camp, whose son (a student in second year at Bethlehem university) is in prison since almost 2 years now, with no judgement, and only an accusation of belonging to Hamas, has been demolished. Israeli occupation soldiers came at 1:00 a.m. this morning, 27th of February, and this time in silence…No shooting and waking up of sleeping people. They dynamited the 2 floors’ house corners, and pressed on a button at around 4:00 a.m. The smoke of the destroyed house embraced the tears of the parents, sisters, brother and nephews of the prisoner, who were evacuated in during this “beautiful Palestinian dark morning”… The house is about 15 meters from Alrowwad Centre…. Let us teach our children how to love the Israeli occupier, and how to bow before its democracy and how to write beautiful poems about love, peace, justice and dreams of simple humans…. May your days be more beautiful than our days and most importantly than our nights… PS 1. In the same time, another house of Hassan Abu Sheira, who was killed last year after killing two soldiers has been demolish in the neighbouring Beit Jibrin Camp. PS2. After the Friday prayer, the Israeli occupation soldiers where around the camp, and inundated the streets of the camp and the mosque with tear gas... If you do not cry on the violence practiced by soldiers, you shall be given a dose of tear gas to force you to cry... what great care? Abdelfattah Abu-Srour, PhD
posted by AbdelFattah at 9:54 AM
Monday, September 22, 2003
On Spetmber 17th, 2003, a delegation from Finland has visited Aida camp and Al-Rowwad Center. This second visit came after a previous visit 2 weeks earlier 2 weeks ago by the Minister of External Affairs of Finland to Aida camp and Al-Rowwad Center, accompanied by UNRWA director Mr. Richard Cook and other UNRWA responsibles. The Minister of External Affairs listened to the introduction about the center made by Mr. Cook as well as by the director of Al-Rowwad Center, Abdelfattah Abu-Srour. Both delegations have shown shown a lot of interest about the quality of work done by Al-Rowwad administration ad the activities offered to the children despite the lack of space and equipment. They expressed their appreciation for the hope and the beauty of our pacific resistance, despite the hard times the children and the people in the camp, as well as the different palestinian regions, are facing with the frequent Israeli incursions and continuous attacks against the civilians.
posted by AbdelFattah at 10:34 AM
On Spetember 17th, a delegation from Finland visited Al-Rowwad Center. This visit came after a visit 2 weeks earlier by the Minister of Exterieur with a delegation from the UNRWA, with home we have done a lot of collaboration during the hard times of the current Intifada. Mr. Richard Cook, UNRWA Director in Jerusalem has introduced ower center and both delegations from Finland have shown a lot of interest in our work and what we do to help our children and work with them on a better futur despite the incredibly hard time we are facing due to the continuous Israeli aggressions.
posted by AbdelFattah at 10:17 AM
Wednesday, August 20, 2003
A short notice to tell you that we are back to Palestine after an absence of more than two months. Alrowwad theatre group have been in a tour in Egypt and France. The tour was a great success and the children performance was extraordinary. Ten days in Egypt, invited by Faculty for Palestine in the American University in Cairo, performances in the Falaki Theatre in the American University and in Al Hanaguer Theatre, and the extraordinary presence in the first performance of the great Faten Hamamah, the first lady of the Arab Cinema, created a lot of emotion for the children as well. The Egyptian team was great, and the students who shared with us their time despite the exams were also great. May these words be our greatest and deepest thanks to them. The tour in France, about 2 months, where the group performed about 30 performances. It created a lot of "noise" and a lot has been written in the newspapers and in Journals and local TVs and Radios. Meetings with officials, municipality representatives, mayors, senators, General councils. What was also extraordinary is the time given by our ambassador, Mme Laila Shahid, who took a whole day to spend with the children visiting Paris. And one day before our return, reception by the ''Hotel de Ville" The main municipality in Paris, By Mr. Delanoe... What was also great the meetings with different cultural representatives, theatres, and the workshops with different theatre groups in the different cities and the exchanges that took place. The reception, the generosity of the people who received and invited us, not only activists, but people who also wanted to meet the children and to see what they have to say and to transmit and to exchange via the culture, despite the occupation and all its violence on them... People were listening. We performed in theatres and festivals outside... in multipurpose halls and in schools. We had public according to places from, modest to famous (like the Theatre of Epee de Bois - la Cartoucherie de Vincennes) small to big from 60 persons to 10000 people (Festival Quartier d'ete at Rennes). I think, with all what has been written in the some major newspapers and journals, this play, these children, this tour have made a difference... and that was great. And what was also great was the presence of the great Artist Marcel Khalifa in our first representation in the great theatre of Epee du Bois – La Cartoucherie de Vincennes… WHICH WAS A BEAUTIFUL SURPRISE FOR THE CHILDREN AT THE END OF THE PLAY where we invited him on stage. Now we are back and hopefully, this will not be the end. We hope that the bridge we started will be the place for a long term exchange and the starting point for the creation of a cultural and theatre center in Aida, instead of the 2 rooms house we are renting. We hope also that donations will be given for the students who finished the high school, where we are now under the challenge of providing scholarships for these students but with not a lot to start with. Our tour in France and Egypt, with contributions from , Canada Fund, Ford Foundations, UNDP, European Commission, French consulate in Jerusalem, Société des amis du theatre AlRowwad, Cultural Exchange Bretagne Palestine, and France-Palestine Paris 18 et 19 and in the different cities where we performed: Juvisy, Lille, Avion, Hem, Voiron, Grenoble, Figeac, Limoge, Tour, Angers, Quimper, Douarnenez, Thorigne, Laval, Rennes, Paris, Festival Avignon, Festival Quartiers d'été at Rennes, Festival Vieilles Charrues at Carhaix, Trémargat...., and general councils, municipalities receive our deepest thanks for the help they provided us with. I will be joining some of the articles and scans of photos on our web site in this month... Love to all... AbdelFattah and the team of Alrowwad
posted by AbdelFattah at 3:05 PM
Tuesday, May 06, 2003
New Update – Aida April 30, 2003 It seems as a great end of the month of April to end the day and begin the celebration for May 1st by a noisy game, with a lot of hide and find stuff. The Israeli polite military jeeps (about 7 that we have seen) entered the camp around 17:15, though uninvited, and wanted to show the people in Aida camp, how an occupation could be concerned with small details in the life of people. They came in, and started with the sound bombs to disperse the children who started to gather in the streets wondering whether to allow them to pass or prepare them a ‘hot’ welcome. With the sound bombs being fired, the celebrations began and the sky of Aida was raining stones. These uninvited invaders couldn’t believe what happened. After all, they try hard to pass in peace, arrest people in peace, assassinate people in peace, destroy our infrastructures -or rearrange the use of space- in peace, re-decorate our houses in peace, create a physically handicapped -and if possible mentally handicapped as well- and completely ignorant generation in peace, reshape history in peace, and scatter the remaining of our dignity in peace, change our priorities in peace, remain in our land in peace… in peace… in peace… The international community, diplomacy, politics, justice, and law die in peace… So the result of these celebrations, is that 6 of our young players were tattooed with rubber and live bullets in different parts of their bodies, 3 young men and a girl were arrested. Al-Rowwad lived the days he was living exactly one year ago. The first aid kits and emergency team gathered rapidly and there we were again. Fortunately, 6 internationals were present in Aida. They helped in evacuating some of Al-Rowwad children living outside the camp in Beit Jala and Beit-Jibrin nearby refugee camp. After a match of almost 3 hours, the jeeps withdrew with some traces of stones on there glass and body. Then about one hour and a half later (around 22:00 o’clock), it is a tank which entered the camp, for the “Bouquet final” with a noise of untalented orchestra. Trying to force its way in the narrow street, it stuck in one the streets and walked on some cars and hit an electric post which was practically cut from the middle and bent to salute the courageous army of occupation. Of course, we had something to talk about for the rest of the night, and eventually to dream about… The young girls and boys in Al-Rowwad would also have many things to remember and many nightmares to live after seeing the injured kids with their blood running on the ground and the floor of the center for a brief first aid, before taken to the hospital… Yes, our children and adults will continue to live and talk about these things… how about you? What will you be doing? PS. By the way, this game is not a one time, one day game… it renews every week or twice a week or every day depending on the humor and mood of a unique and democratic soldiers of an occupation army… I wish you all a very good night sleep…. In peace. AbdelFattah Abu-Srour
posted by AbdelFattah at 1:21 PM
Tuesday, April 08, 2003
Update Aida Camp April 4th, 2003 The French General Council in Jerusalem Visits Al-Rowwad Center in Aida Camp Responding to an invitation by the administration of Al-Rowwad Center, Mr Régis Koetschet, Consul Général de France in Jerusalem visited Aida camp today. After a short briefing about the activities and policy of Al-Rowwad and the history of Aida Camp, the children of Al-Rowwad have prepared a short performance of dances and songs, and finished with a compilation of “Frère Jacques” and “Alouette gentille Alouette”. The short performance was followed by a “photos session”. Mr the General Council accompanied by Al-Rowwad team made a general tour in the camp. Al-Rowwad will be performing in different French cities this summer between June 3rd and July 20th, 2003. The French consulate will be contributing in funding part of budget for the trip. Al-Rowwad offered the General council the emblem of Al-Rowwad and a double French-Palestinian flag as a sign of friendship and admiration for the political position of France in which concerns the Palestinian struggle and the American-British war against Iraq. After the departure of Mr Koetschet, the children expressed their admiration and respect for Mr the General Council because “he is very modest” May Mr Koetschet find in these words the expression of our deep acknowledgment for his visit to our Center and our camp.
posted by AbdelFattah at 3:38 PM
Dear Friends, Chers amis During the last semester and this semester, helped by donators from different parts of the world, Alrowwad was able to provide scholarships for more than 50 University students in Aida and the neighbourhood. Our thanks to all those who participated directly and indirectly in donating and make this help possible I hope that with your continuous help, we will be able to continue helping our students to accomplish their studies Pendant les deux semestres de l'année scholaire 2002-2003, aidé par des donateurs de différents partis à travers le monde, Al-Rowwad a pu fournir des bourses pour les étudiants des univeristés au camp Aida et dans les environs. Nos profonds remerciements à tous ceux qui ont participé directement ou indirectement dans l'aide à réaliser ce projet. J'espère que nous puissions, avec votre aide, continuer d'aider les étudiants à poursuivre leurs études... ** Financial Contributions - Contributions Financières** Riad Hamad, PCW Fund , WWW.pcwfund.org, 5600 US$ Jimmy Hanna (donation to PCWF) Eric Algers 315 US$ Monya Galbi 277 US$ Avi Glezerman 800 US$ (Total of 1500 US$) Association Fraternité International et Association Carrefour 4000 euro (Total of 12000 euro) Daniel Ouanès and friends 1124 US$ (Total of 1324 US$) Rita Janssen and friends 750 Euro Liz Yates, Claire Theret, Einion 580 US$ (Total of 1580) Gale Courey Toensing 500 US$ (Total of 800) Group de Lille-Roubaix 100 euro Paola Cilloco 550 US$ (Total of 1000) Others 52 US$ Total Donations for students project 14648 US$ Total Scholarships Offered 14648 US$ Our thanks also go to- nos remerciements vont également à Marlyn Tadros Holy Land Trust Fernande Delaby JC Ponsin et l'Association Solidarité Paris 18 Antoinette Lioidice et le Collectif pour la paix à St Martin D'hères All our friends and groups of solidarty who helped us continuously with our other projects AbdelFattah Abu-Srour, PhD Director of Al-Rowwad Cultural and Theatre Training Center __________________________________________________ Resist with beauty, culture and art the ugliness of the occupation and its violence forced on our children Résister avec de la beauté, de la culture et de l'art à la laideur de l'occupation et à sa violence imposées à nos enfants Email: alrowwad@p-ol.com Website: http://alrowwad.virtualactivism.net Tel. +972 2 275 00 30 Al-Rowwad Scholarships for students in Aida Camp and the Neigbourhood - Les bourses du centre Al-Rowwad aux étudiants du camp Aida et le Voisinage Al-Rowwad Scholarship ($) No. Student Name Place University 1st semester 2nd semester Other scholarships for second semester 1. Mohammad Nazeih Bleibla Beit Jibrin camp 6 October-Egypt 800 0 2. Ahmad Mohammad Hajajlah Aida Neighbourhood Bethlehem 600 600 3. Rania Hosni Elammash Deheisha Bethlehem 500 0 4. Suzan Fathi Radi Aida Bethlehem 400 115 5. Nariman Ahmad Darwish Aida Bethlehem 400 0 Saodi scholarship 6. Walid Hussein Musa Al-Khader Bethlehem 400 0 7. Ruba As’ad Abusrour Aida Al Quds 2000 0 8. Salsabeel Abedrabo Bdeir Al duha Bethlehem 500 0 AED scholarship 9. Malakot Abedrabo Bdeir Al duha Bethlehem 500 0 Saodi scholarship 10. Fatma Yahya Abusrour/Abusalem Aida Bethlehem 600 300 Partial scholarship 11. Rasha Ahmad Karkor Aida Bethlehem 500 0 Saodi scholarship 12. AbdelHaq Ahmad Odetallah Aida Bethlehem 400 0 Bethlehem Association Scholarship 13. Lo’ay Ibrahim Malash Aida Alquds Open 300 0 14. Zeinat Mohammad Al Akhras Dheisha Alquds Open 200 115 University 70 $ 15. Majdi Munir Elkurdi Aida Alquds open 100 115 60 $ 16. Inas Mohammad Hajajlah Aida neigbourhood Birzeit 600 0 Saodi scholarship 17. Mohammad Taha Abusrour Al duha Bethlehem 0 500 18. Hala Jibreen DarKhawaja Aida Bethlehem 200 180$ university work 19. Rabei Ahmad Odetallah Aida Alquds Open 115 50% from university 20. Hiba Jibreen Darkhawaja Aida Alquds open 140 21. Basim AbdelMajid Abusrour Aida Alquds open 115 22. Hamuda Yassin Abusrour Aida Alquds open 115 23. Lama Fahmi Al Araj Aida Alquds open 115 24. Hanin Musa Abusrour Aida Alquds open 115 25. Abdelkader Jamal Abuhamad Aida Alquds open 115 26. Safa’ Ibrahim Oweis Aida Alquds open 115 27. Fida Hussein Amarna Aida Alquds open 115 28. Iman Mahmoud Yussif Aida Alquds open 115 29. Iman Mohammad Barak’a Aida Alquds open 115 30. Mahmoud Hussein Abedrabo Aida Alquds open 115 31. Mohammad AbdelFattah AbuOda Aida Alquds open 115 32. Ismael Mohammad Algruz Aida Alquds open 115 33. Samer Issa Al Barbari Beit Jibrin Alquds open 115 34. Rami Ishaq Katamesh Aida Alquds open 60 60$ university 35. Warda Yussif Saker Aida Alquds open 60 36. Abla Yussif Saker Aida Alquds open 60 37. Suha Sleiman Radi Aida Alquds open 60 38. Kifah Atteya Al S’eidi Aida Alquds open 60 39. Ruqaya Mohmmad Malash Aida Bethlehem 215 40. Khawla Ahmad Ajarma Aida Beirzeit 115 41. Adam Faisal Abuhamad Aida Alquds open 115 42. Fakher Mohammad Nasrallah Aida Alquds open 85 43. Samar Mussa Al Massaeed Aida Alquds open 60 44. Huda Jibreen Khawaja Aida Alquds open 60 45. Niveen Ahmad Karkor Aida Alquds open 115 46. Bilal Musa Almasaeed Aida Alquds open 60 47. Sadeya Hamid ElJabri Al Aroub Bethlehem 185 48. Murad Sabri Darwish Aida Bethlehem 423 49. Ashraf Ghawanma Al Aroub Bethlehem 220 50. Ala' AbdelRahman Jundeya Aida Bethlehem 115 51. Huda Khalil Kanan Aida Alquds open 85
posted by AbdelFattah at 12:09 PM
Dear Friends, It seems like yesterday When you made your way And came to Aida camp It seems so close, that I remember the days and nights we passed in Al-Rowwad Everyone holding his mobile phone talking to everypart of the world, writing a new message, a new update... Taking a message from the president compound in Ramallah, or the besieged in the Nativity Or those who accompanied the ambullances and sick people, or went to search medicaments for our modest clinic It seems like today where the Israeli jeeps control the streets, where the Israeli soldiers continue to train on the bodies of our people and their drivers continue to test the resistance of our houses and infra structures... It seems not like today, because most of you are not here physically, but you are with us in your souls... We do remember all of you, all of you who were with us, sleeping in our houses the short times we were able to sleep We remember all of you who were with us on the other side of the phone line, or the computer link - email We remember all of you who chose to suspend your travel till the situation becomes calmer than the days you were here... We remember you all who despite the worries of members of your families, you chose to stay and stay and stay despite everything... We remember you all... We love you all You are part of us... part of our history and memories You are always welcome back home Love from Al-Rowwad team and the people in Aida Camp AbdelFattah Abu-Srour, PhD
posted by AbdelFattah at 11:38 AM
Saturday, April 05, 2003
Update April 5, 2003 Dear friends, Tonight at around 7 p.m., the heroic soldiers of the army of occupation entered the camp peacefully, very peacefully of course, as they know how to do, went in different houses searching of so called dangerous wanted terrorists. This continous provocation forced the children in the street, not to throw flowers, because we don't have any green space in the camp, so the children threw stones instead... to return the favor, the happy soldiers fired rubber bullets. Seven children made an emergency walk to the hospital and are still there till now... Hopfeully, all will be back in the home... because that was only part of a game that continues eternally...
posted by AbdelFattah at 1:59 PM
Thursday, April 03, 2003
Update from Bethlehem march 25, 2003 The Israeli super powerful army of occupation demonstrates its surgical power by shooting on three vehicles in Bethlehem this afternoon. Four people killed, one of whom is my classmate Mouafaq AbdelRazik Badawna 39 years from Aida camp. The other two, from Aida camp as well, who were in the car with him are Nader Jawarish and Ala' Ayyad. Christine Sa'ada (10 years old) as the 2 others (Nader and Ala') bodies were taken by the Israeli super army, where also assassinated in super cold blood, by the special forces of the occupation army. Christine father Georges Sa'ada, who is a teacher, and her mother and sister were also injured and the father is in a very serious condition: Israelis said that Hamas leaders where neutralized. By the way, Christine and her parents are christians... Aida camp have been visited afterwards, and the occupation army have lifts few minutes ago. The region where the assassination happened in Bethlehem was under full curfew and heavy presence of the israeli oppressive army... The region was also out of electricity until late that night.... Many arrest took place in the camp, and 10 people are still in the prison,,, vive the democracy
posted by AbdelFattah at 10:41 AM
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