Istanbul. Thursday, 25 April.
Seventh day in Istanbul. The problems have been going on these days, and we have to say that the Freedom Flotilla will not be able to depart on Friday. We'll leave, but not now. We are under enormous pressure. The US, Germany, the UK and, of course, Israel. You know how these things tend to be. Technical and administrative reasons are laid down for not directly banning the departure of vessels. The Turkish government cannot say that we cannot go to Gaza, it does not seem good because there is a lot of movement for the Palestinian people in Turkey. They therefore make excuses.
"The Turkish Government does not want to ban the fleet, but does not authorise it. It accuses us of generating tension before Israel."
At first they said they were communication problems, then the mechanical issue is worth anything. The last thing is that there will be an inspectorate from Guinea-Bissau tomorrow to examine the boat, because the Akdeniz has its flag. They will put obstacles. We do not know exactly what the problem will be, but there will be something. Perhaps the United States threatened the Government of Guinea-Bissau with something, and they had to send inspectors.
"When technical excuses constantly reveal the political reasons behind"
We are fine, but it has been days of great uncertainty. In reality everything that had to be related to Turkey was done, and suddenly the issue of Guinea-Bissau has arrived. Then something else will come, that's your game. The attitude of the Turkish Government is difficult to explain, because too many things cross. It does not want to ban the fleet, but it does not authorise it. It accuses us of generating tension before Israel. It surprises how they criminalize activism. They are throwing bombs, but if we do something, we are the ones that generate tension.
This is always the case with this type of fleet. They do not forbid it strongly, so it becomes harder to fight it, because nobody has told him anything. But when technical excuses constantly reveal the political reasons behind it. They gradually wear you down so you go undoing. It's hard to keep so many people. But we're still strong here, all together.
"We will not return home yet, we don't know until when, but there is no lack of work. This doesn't end here."
The fleet will not leave on Friday but it will leave. We are preparing things. There are different ideas on the table, but it is too early to say anything. We have to prepare things well, taking into account the whole coalition and thinking carefully about the next steps. But the fleet must be resurrected. We will not return home yet, we do not know until when, but there is no lack of work. This does not end here, we will follow. The boats are there, we'll look for the way.
Pili Revilla, Agus Gorbea and Mikel Zuloaga 'Mikelon'