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Tue Dec 02 2008
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Departments International Issues
Give them ten minutes please!!!
by Mary Yoder
January 26, 2003
Mary Yoder is a Columbus native and member of the Columbus Mennonite Church. She currently serves as a member of the Christian Peacemaker Team (CPT) in Hebron. CPT reports from around the world are available on this website
School patrol is part of CPT’s daily routine. From 7-8 AM 2000 children from K-8th grade descend on Tariquibnziad Street, going to various schools. At 11:00 AM another 2000 students descend the streets. Since IDF (Israeli Defense Forces) took over 3 large schools, including a brand new, state the art facility, Palestinian children on “T” Street are crowded into small spaces and have a shortened day for split sessions.
The army closes these schools approximately twice a week We are never told the reason. Some soldiers will say its for “security”. This past Spring, 2000 school computers in the West Bank were either smashed or stolen by IDF.
This past Saturday’s school patrol started with two soldiers harassing teachers and telling them to go home. At 7:30AM, 2000 students were entering the school yards when the IDF drove down the street at neck breaking speed. Children started screaming and running in all directions. Loud sound grenades were detonated. The screams became louder.
Next, I watched in horror, as a thick white cloud moved down the street toward my “look out” post. (tear gas) Children were running in the school yard but teachers were frantically trying to get them to run home. They were screeaming and running in circles. Some were overcome by noxious fumes, since they had been gased from two different directions.
Minutes later, I spotted an army jeep close to the school intersection. I covered my nose with Kleenex and ran into the cloud of gas toward the jeep. I planted myself in the middle of the intersection with legs and arms spread out. The jeep revved its engine and came right at me but stopped short of hitting me.
CPTer, Christine Anderson, ran to the jeep and pleaded with the soldiers to give the children ten minutes to clear the streets. I waited several minutes, then walked to the drivers side of the jeep. I was shaking and overcome with anger so that I could hardly speak. Finally I screamed, “GIVE THEM TEN MINUTES!!!”
Flippantly the soldier who was driving replied, “OK, ten minutes and we’ll be back.”
The street was silent in just five minutes. When the soldiers did returned, the only children still lingering were the ones in my mind, eyes bright red from the gas and wet with many tears.
Geneva convention IV: Articles 63,69,72-79: The occupying power must not hinder the proper working of all institutions devoted to the care and education of children.
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Don't forget to check out articles from 2007 and 2008International Issues
"Wal-Mart Invades, and Mexico Gladly Surrenders" December 9, 2003 Tim Weiner
"Love, American Style" November 20, 2003 Daniel Patrick Welch
"U.S. Trade Officials Unlikely to Succeed at Miami Ministerial" November 19, 2003 IRC Americas Program
"Nobody wants this to happen" September 21, 2003 Mark Sashine, OpEdNews.com
"The WTO Must Be Reorganized to Meet Today's Global Challenges" September 10, 2003 IRC Staff Tom Barry and Laura Carlsen
"The World Is Waiting For Americans to Take Back America, To Rescue Her. But you Don't Enable Co-Dependents " August 27, 2003 Rob Kall
"Report from Palestine" August 17, 2003 Karl in Palestine
"Still Crazy" July 29, 2003 Daniel Patrick Welch
"An International Tribunal Must Be Established for East Timor: A Statement from U.S. Religious Leaders and Organizations" May 28, 2003 John M. Miller
"More than Ninety Religious Leaders and Organizations Representing 15 Faiths Call Indonesian Court on East Timor 'Not Acceptable'" May 27, 2003 John M. Miller
"India Pakistan Thaw: is peace possible in South Asia" May 15, 2003 Ali Ahmed Rind
"The Missing and the Right to Know" May 3, 2003 Neve Gordon
"Time to change the Israeli Government's Policies Against Palestinian Civilians" March 20, 2003 Dr. César Chelala
"Give them ten minutes please!!!" January 26, 2003 Mary Yoder
"Nigeria: President expresses remorse for army massacre" January 4, 2003 Global Information Network
"Government air attack condemned by French forces" January 4, 2003 Global Information Network
"Exiled Ugandan strongman Idi Amin wants to come home" January 4, 2003 Gabriel Packard
"Togo: Africa's longest-serving leader won't have to step down" January 4, 2003 Gabriel Packard
"Nestle drops $6 million demand from Ethiopia" January 4, 2003 Global Information Network
"South African broadcaster to keep CNN but may add Al-Jazeera" January 1, 2003 Global Information Network
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