Gaza Community Mental Health Programme (GCMHP) strongly condemns the murder of the Italian human rights activist Vittorio Arrigoni who was murdered on Friday 15th of April 2011 in Gaza City. GCMHP calls on the government in Gaza to find the criminals and bring them to justice. GCMHP expresses its deep concern over any attack on international activists and friends of the Palestinian people.
GCMHP views this crime as a dangerous assault on the International Solidarity Movement and warns against its consequences; the murder may give a negative and false image of the Palestinian community and Islam. GCMHP also sees this crime as putting further pressure on the population of the Gaza Strip and obstructing the solidarity movements' support for the Palestinian people.
At Gaza Community Mental Health Programme, we view such acts as detrimental to the reputation of the Palestinian people. These acts are perpetrated by parties whose aim is to undermine Palestinian internal security.
GCMHP condemns in the strongest terms any attack on those who render important humanitarian and relief services to the Palestinian people through international organizations, embassies, consulates, cultural centers and developmental and solidarity organizations. We believe that these organizations and the people working for them are friends of the Palestinian people. They have come to Gaza to provide our people with aid, help and support through relief and developmental projects, and they deserve respect and protection. We call on the government in Gaza to abide by its obligations and assume active responsibility for protecting all international organizations and their nationals.
Gaza Community Mental Health Programme welcomes all international activists and friends of the Palestinian people, especially the International Solidarity Movement, and we thank them for their continued efforts to alleviate the suffering of our people under the siege.
