Christian Peacemaker Teams

[TG123]

Greetings,

I am going to be going to Palestine next summer with Christian Peacemaker Teams. It is a human rights organization that sends its members into conflict zones. Currently CPT operates in the West Bank, Kurdistan and Colombia, as well as parts of Canada and the US which are by no means warzones but in which there are Aboriginal-white land claims disputes. I'm only going on a 2 week delegation, we will be meeting with Israelis and Palestinians working for justice for both peoples as well as hopefully taking part in actions that include escorting Palestinian villagers to their fields and children to school, because both are often assaulted on the way by settlers and sometimes the army. The international presence helps reduce the violence to an extent, attacks do happen but usually they are less severe when CPT is there.

Anyways I was wondering if anyone has ever served with the CPT and if so:

1) would you want to share your testimony? What was it like?
2) What advice would you give to someone going to the West Bank?
3) Have you ever been beaten up or teargassed or shot at?
4) CPT asks its members to be in contact with the media when they go. Although I already have newspaper and a radio station that wants to interview me before I get back, neither of them are mainstream. I have emailed the local press and CBC but have received no reply. How many media contacts do you need before you are allowed to go?
5) Would you go again?

For those who do not know about Christian Peacemaker Teams and would like to, here is their site: Christian Peacemaker Teams | Getting in the way.
Thanks and God bless.

 

[NIF]

I think this is a great opportunity, and I've always wanted to go myself but I haven't yet had the chance. I think all of the places you mentioned have their own challenges. I can't provide a very good answer to you questions since I haven't actually gone with CPT, but I know people who have.

2. Palestinians and people from the Arab culture in general are often very welcoming from what I hear. Be prepared to be invited to dinner at several places!

3. I know people who have been tear gassed, harassed etc. You might very well run into settler violence from what I've been told. I know of some people who were kicked and beaten up while walking kids to school.

4. I would try to get in touch with as many mainstream newspapers as possible. Try your local papers for a story if national one's don't work. Do not be shy about sending Op-Ed pieces to newspapers across the country.

 

[TG123]

I think this is a great opportunity, and I've always wanted to go myself but I haven't yet had the chance. I think all of the places you mentioned have their own challenges. I can't provide a very good answer to you questions since I haven't actually gone with CPT, but I know people who have.

2. Palestinians and people from the Arab culture in general are often very welcoming from what I hear. Be prepared to be invited to dinner at several places!

3. I know people who have been tear gassed, harassed etc. You might very well run into settler violence from what I've been told. I know of some people who were kicked and beaten up while walking kids to school.

4. I would try to get in touch with as many mainstream newspapers as possible. Try your local papers for a story if national one's don't work. Do not be shy about sending Op-Ed pieces to newspapers across the country.

Hi NIF,

Thank you for your insights, they are really great. I was wondering, have you ever invited your friends to this forum? I'm curious to learn as much as I can about CPT. If I emailed you my email address to you via PM would you pass these questions forward to them? I'm excited about this but quite nervous too, the more information I have the better. If you don't feel comfortable with that, that is OK too.

 

[NIF]

Hi TG123,

I've moved away from them and haven't been in contact with them for several years so I don't know their e-mail currently. I knew them casually when I was in the peace movement a few years back. I would try e-mailing CPT, you could probably find multiple sites, and I'm sure you'd find many people who would be willing to share their stories.

By the way, are you involved in a Mennonite congregation?