Gaza Flotilla survivor runs for KPFA's board

by Daniel Borgström

Janet Kobren, a Gaza Freedom Flotilla survivor, is running for KPFA's Local Station Board (LSB) in the current 2010 election.

Many of us in the East Bay know Janet Kobren from the numerous causes and organizations she's been active in, such as: the weekly Sunday peace walk around Lake Merritt, EcoVillage's Middle East Study Group, picket lines in the Port of Oakland, the Oakland Tenants Union, and public meetings of KPFA's LSB.

This spring Janet sailed with the Gaza Freedom Flotilla which the Israelis attacked on May 31, killing nine activists and wounding dozens. Janet wasn't harmed, but she and about 700 others were abducted, taken to Israel and held in a prison at Be'er Sheva. Their belongings including camera equipment and all footage taken by independent journalists were confiscated. After three days Janet and the rest of the passengers were released due to pressure from the international community. Janet returned to Oakland, and became a candidate for KPFA's LSB.

The ten LSB candidates on Janet's slate, the ICR (Independents for Community Radio), are:

Janet Kobren
Tracy Rosenberg
Hyun-Mi Kim
Gina Szeto
Stephen Astourian
Cynthia Johnson
Naeem Deskins
Georgia Frazier
Monadel Herzallah
Kate Tanaka

While in Turkey, just after her release from the Israeli prison, Janet was interviewed by the Oakland Tribune; that article is below:

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The TRIBUNE ARTICLE

http://www.contracostatimes.com/news/ci_15222235?nclick_check=1

OAKLAND ACTIVIST, CARRYING AID TO GAZA, DESCRIBES ORDEAL
by Cecily Burt
Oakland Tribune
June 3, 2010

After surviving an assault by Israeli troops, three days imprisoned in Israel, and nearly 26 hours without sleep, Janet Kobren, an activist and co-founder of the Free Palestine Movement, is resting in a Turkish hotel and looking forward to returning home to Oakland today or Saturday.

Kobren, 67, spoke by phone Thursday from the Akgun Hotel in Istanbul, Turkey, where she is resting after the ordeal that began early Monday when Israeli commandos boarded six ships headed to Gaza to deliver humanitarian supplies. Nine aide activists aboard the Miva Marmara were killed, and several others were wounded. Kobren, Gene St. Onge, 63, of Oakland, and Paul Larudee of El Cerrito were aboard the Sfendoni, a ship that departed from Greece. [Larudee], who is also at the Akgun Hotel, has a black eye and bruises, Kobren said.

"Israel attacked us on international waters with U.S. weapons," Kobren said. "We expected there to be some sort of challenge. Our plan was to go from international waters into Gaza territory, not Israel."

Kobren said she did not fear for her life, but said "I never want to go (to Israel) again."

Kobren said she and the rest of the women from the ships were held for three days in Ella Prison in Be'er Sheva, Israel. Kobren said the women were housed several to a room, given minimal food and water. There were allowed to shower, but they were not given access to phones calls for "quite a long time," Kobren said. They had no contact with the men, but she has since learned that they were treated much less humanely. She said they were harassed, prevented from making telephone calls, and awakened every couple of hours.

After an international outcry, the Israeli government deported the activists. Five Americans from the Bay Area-based Free Palestine Movement were put on one of three Turkish Airways planes at 12:30 p.m., then they waited 12 hours while more than 400 other detainees were accounted for by Turkish authorities and put aboard the planes. The flight to Istanbul took two hours.

"It was a long ordeal, very uncomfortable waiting," said Kobren, who said she occasionally saw passengers beaten by the Israelis before they were put on the planes.

"Everybody was happy to leave Israel," she said They were greeted by crowds of people in Turkey who helped them with services and accommodations. They were never able to retrieve their luggage or personal belongings such as cell phones that the Israelis confiscated.

The travelers were also tested for carcinogens that might have been in the prison food and water, Kobren said, adding that she did not feel ill. Those test results will not be know for a week, she said.

Kobren said while the attention given to the aide groups is understandable, she said that people should not forget that the mission, to deliver humanitarian supplies to the people of Gaza, has not been fulfilled.

OAKLAND TRIBUNE, JUNE 3, 2010

http://www.contracostatimes.com/news/ci_15222235?nclick_check=1

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On June 4, the day after the Tribune article was published, Janet Kobren returned to Oakland.

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JANET KOBREN'S CANDIDATE STATEMENT

Listener Candidate for the KPFA Local Station Board
Statement

My name is Janet Kobren. I have been a listener member of KPFA and a media activist for over 20 years. I owe much of my political consciousness as well as my understanding of the influence of the media on our lives to KPFA and I learn something new every day from listening.

I have worked behind-the-scenes for years with the Coalition for a Democratic Pacifica (CdP) to promote a democratically-run Pacifica network and a community-oriented KPFA radio station. I am affiliated with Independents for Community Radio www.voteindyradio.org.

You might recognize my name because I was one of the over 700 unarmed civilians on the recent Freedom Flotilla to Gaza whose mission was to deliver humanitarian aid by sea to the people of Gaza, something that could only be done by breaking Israel's illegal blockade. The six sea vessels were boarded in International waters by Israeli navy commandos, another illegal act, and they took over all the ships by force. I returned home to Oakland after having been kidnapped, robbed, imprisoned and deported by Israel. The six ships along with all the cargo were confiscated by Israel as well.

One of the flotilla's planning strategies was to have the eyes of the world witness the action through the media. I organized a media team to focus on getting U.S. media coverage of the flotilla. Numerous independent journalists and camera persons were on all of the ships, including 14 of the 45 passengers on mine, the Sfendonh (Greek for slingshot). In addition to their personal belongings, all of their camera equipment, photos, and film footage was confiscated by Israel in an effort to control the media messages about what had happened. This experience re-reinforced to me the crucial role the media plays in our lives and why it is so important for me to continue supporting KPFA.

Only recently have I primarily focused on the struggle of Palestinians, however I am conscious of how certain groups and people in our society, including some KPFA listeners, are oppressed and ignored. Certain issues are marginalized as well and being an eclectic activist ("organizing" is my middle name) I have worked on a wide range of unpopular issues.

I have been part of the Nonviolent CommunicationSM (NVC) community and believe in the value of a respectful approach to conflict resolution. I also believe in the tactics of nonviolent direct action.

I live in Oakland and have been active locally and in my community. I am a former public high school math teacher and was an information technology professional and a quality assurance manager.

I am well organized, willing to work hard, a team player, able to compromise, dependable, and fun.

Please consider voting for me to represent you on the KPFA Local Station Board.

My endorsers include:
Cynthia McKinney
Cindy Sheehan
Laura Wells
James Vann
Carol Spooner

( DISCLAIMER: The Coalition for Democratic Pacifica named as part of this statement, is not an official Pacifica Foundation institution nor an official website of any of the five Pacifica Radio Stations (KPFA Radio, KPFK Radio, KPFT Radio, WBAI Radio, WPFW Radio). Opinions and facts alleged on this site belong to the author(s) of the website only and should NOT be assumed to be true or to reflect the editorial stance or policy of the Pacifica Foundation, or any of the five Pacifica Radio Stations (KPFA Radio, KPFK Radio, KPFT Radio, WBAI Radio, WPFW Radio), or the opinions of its management, Pacifica National Board, station staff, or other listener members.)

The ten LSB candidates on Janet's slate, the ICR (Independents for Community Radio), are:

Janet Kobren
Tracy Rosenberg
Hyun-Mi Kim
Gina Szeto
Stephen Astourian
Cynthia Johnson
Naeem Deskins
Georgia Frazier
Monadel Herzallah
Kate Tanaka






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