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Witnessing Palestine- Pgh Speaking Tour- U of PITT
by Jonas
Monday, Feb. 19, 2007 at 8:23 PM
joeskillet@riseup.net
For Pgh Indymedia: Witnessing Palestine: Report back from Jonas Moffat, from the International Solidarity Movement, co-founder of the Tel Rumeida Circus for Detained Palestinians
WITNESSING PALESTINE
Pittsburgh native, Jonas Moffat has been active in Palestine solidarity work since 2001 when he joined the Pittsburgh Palestine Solidarity Committee. Jonas first traveled to Palestine in 2003. After moving to San Francisco to work with the International Solidarity Movement, Jonas returned to Palestine for the summer of 2006, and lived in the Tel Rumeida neighborhood where Palestinians live beside some of the most violent, extremist Israeli settlers.
Jonas co-founded the Tel Rumeida Circus for Detained Palestinians with solidarity activist Katie Miranda. TRCDP was organized in response to the settler and soldier abuse of Palestinians at the checkpoints. Throughout the summer of 2006, TRCDP performed a circus routine at checkpoints in Tel Rumeida where Palestinians are routinely detained for hours by soldiers and border police. The performances were held to entertain the detained men and to add some humor to the situation which effectively lighted the soldiers’ moods, resulting in a less abusive environment for the Palestinian detainees.
The streets of Tel Rumeida are mostly empty of children too afraid to go out and play because of the violent settlers and soldiers. As a result of the circus, the children returned to the streets to play and learn to juggle and poi spin. Once a week, the TRCDP performed a nightly fire show for an audience of Tel Rumeida residents, children and families.
Jonas will present a slide and video show, and will perform a portion of the fire show that TRCDP brings to the checkpoints.
Jonas will be returning to Palestine in March to work with the Tel Rumeida Circus for Detained Palestinians (TRCDP). Your support and solidarity is appreciated.
Jonas's Palestine blog: http://joeskillet.livejournal.com
Tel Rumedia Circus: http://trcdp.livejournal.com
Tel Rumeida Circus for Detained Palestinians
by Jonas
Monday, Feb. 19, 2007 at 8:23 PM
joeskillet@riseup.net
Coming to a checkpoint near you!
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