Palestinian Prisoners Remembered in English
By Yousef M. Aljamal, CPDS, Gaza.
On Wednesday 2nd May the Gaza Center for Political and Development Studies (CPDS) held an award ceremony for writers
addressing prisoners' issues. The ceremony, sponsored by The Islamic Society-Jabalyia (ISJ) and Viva Palestina-Malaysia,
was attended by dozens of writers and activists at the prisoners' solidarity tent in the Square of the Unknown Solider
in Gaza City.
"This event takes place in order to support Palestinian political prisoners in their struggle for their inalienable
human rights. A year ago, CPDS announced a creative writing contest to promote prisoners rights. We received more than
20 submissions by activists from different countries. This competition is to encourage people to keep telling the story
of Palestinians' suffering. Today we are celebrating those activists and encouraging other young writers who can convey
the message of those who sacrificed their happiness, families and future to defend our collective rights as
Palestinians," said Dr Mahmoud Alhirthani, CPDS chairman.
"Without the support of different bodies, this effort would not have succeeded. Thanks to the Islamic Society in Jabalia
and thanks to Viva Palestina Malaysia, who help CPDS and provide us with the support necessary to stand by the
prisoners. This support is enabling an Arabic opera to be subtitled in English and a number of reports on the prisoners
to be translated into English," he added.
The event, the first of its kind in Gaza, was attended by ex-prisoner Chris Bandak, who was freed in the last swap which
took place in October 2011 and deported to Gaza. In his speech, Bandak highlighted the importance of supporting
prisoners.
"Palestinian prisoners expect us to stand by them. They have nothing to fight the armed soldiers with but their stomachs
and their resilience. If you fail them, you fail Palestine. They are the symbol of our eternal struggle," he noted.
Eng. Abdul-Reheem Shihab, ISJ chairman, stressed the importance of supporting prisoners who are subjected to humiliation
in the occupation jails. "The Society has been supporting prisoners-related activities, and will keep doing that," he
concluded.
The ceremony is one in a series CPDS has held to award young writers who write about Palestine. The center is set to
hold a course on Writing Press Releases for the Western Media to get the word about Palestine out to the English-speaking world through western media outlets.
Writers and activists at the award ceremony
Hanan Hashabi won the top prize
ENDS