SARAH LEAH WHITSON, via [email protected], @DAWNmenaorg
Whitson is executive director of DAWN. She said today: “The brave members of the Flotilla are doing the work that states around the world have failed to do: to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza and break the Israeli siege that the International Court of Justice has ordered ended. Allowing Israel’s rogue attacks on humanitarian aid deliveries is a gross abdication of legal and moral responsibility.” See statement from Brazilian Thiago Avila, a member of the steering committee of the Sumud Flotilla.
EMME CI, [email protected]
Now living and working in the U.S., Emme Ci was born and raised in Italy. He is very familiar with Italian unions and social movements, how they relate to each other and other forces and institutions in Italy and Europe, including the Catholic Church. He was active with student groups closely aligned with unions.
The dock workers have blocked ports across Italy. Hundreds of Italian priests and the Archbishop of Genoa Marco Tasca have come out in strong support of the Flotilla.
See his writing, as well as photos, at container.substack.comabout the successful Sept. 22 general strike. Another is set for Friday, Oct. 3.
His piece “ITA Ports Interrupted | Sep.22 General Strike 4 Gaza” begins: “We now have a verdict. Vox populi vox dei as the ancient Romans used to say (the voice of the people is the voice of God). … Will Italian popular masses start enacting a people’s embargo and drag their political class to institutionalize it? The answer is a resounding yes, at least for the People’s Embargo. The Italian General Strike for Gaza of Sept. 22 was a resounding success. It is hard to convey the quantity, quality and diversity of participation and the energy that is coming out of it.” The piece gives a city-by-city breakdown of actions of the dock workers and other unions, including photos. The piece notes: “Several ports and transport nodes were blocked and entire sectors affected. …
“But now that we have reviewed the latest from the Italian ports… and wait to see if Marseilles, if Piraeus chime in, etc. This begs the question of U.S. labor and its unions, and the U.S. Democratic Party they generally take as reference, and U.S. society more broadly. Will Baltimore take a stand? Or Chicago, the largest inland logistics center of the USA, will Newark? Will Savannah? Will L.A.?” Emme Ci is a pseudonym.