What are the goals of the trip?
We
want to reach out to people in Pakistan, especially
the areas hit by drone strikes, to show that we
care about their lives; we want to show the American
public how civilians are being targeted by drones;
we want delegates to come back to the US and use
their experiences to educate the public. Our larger
goal is to stop the drone strikes and get compensation
for the families of civilians killed by the strikes.
What are the trip dates?
They are October 3-10, with the Peace March
taking place on day 3. These dates are
now set.
What is the tentative schedule
Plan A and Plan B
Plan A Peace March in Waziristan: Travel
from Islamabad to tribal areas (200 mile trip).
We call it a Peace March, but it will be mostly
by vehicle. We will walk part of the way at the
end.
Oct 3: Arrive in Islamabad Oct 4: Orientation, meetings Oct 5: Rally in Islamabad Oct 6: Leave for Waziristan Oct 7: Peace march Oct 8: Return to Islamabad Oct 9: Visits/ meetings Oct 10: Visits/meeting Oct 11: Leave (either evening of Oct 10th or early morning of the 11th)
Departure: Evening of Oct 3 and return to US Oct 10 (unless you have decided to go on the earlier trip with Ann Wright).
Plan B: (If we don't get clearance to
go to Waziristan) -We will invite people from
north and south Waziristan (drone victim families)
to come join us, as well as people from civil
society and political parties, for a massive gathering
in Islamabad. We will also have an opportunity
to meet with a variety of Pakistanis—lawyers,
students, activists, elected officials.
How viable is Plan A?
Right now we are very hopeful; Shahzad says around
60% possible.
When exactly should we arrive?
Most people will meet in Islamabad by October 3. If people want to stay later that is perfectly
fine. (If you want to arrive early to help organize,
contact alli@codepink.org.) CODEPINK will gather
all the details of your arrival so we can have
people meet you at the airport.
How will the application process
work?
Applications are no longer being received.
What do you recommend re plane
tickets?
Delegates are responsible for their own airfare.
Airfare is about $1200 -$1400 via Emirates Airlines
for a roundtrip flight New York to Islamabad.
We will let you know the flights that other delegates
will be taking so that you can travel with others.
We advise you to wait to get the visa be before
buying your ticket, unless you can
get refundable/exchangeable tickets.
Is there a maximum # of people
on the delegation?
There is no maximum. We have around 35 people as of now.
What are the costs, separate from
the airfare and visa?
We are asking $1,000 to cover hotels, transportation
in Pakistan, 2 meals a day, staff, translators,
guides and a donation for the victims' families.
What about scholarships and other
help with fundraising?
We have tips for people who want to do their
own fundraising
and we encourage participants to get support from
their local community. For those who can't
afford the $1,000 and are having trouble fundraising,
you can request a reduced rate of $500. For those
who need further assistance, we hope to raise
additional scholarship money to help with airfare,
and priority will be given to young people (under
35) and people of color.
What groups are we working with
on the ground?
PTI, which is the political party of Imran Khan,
other anti-war groups with large networks in Waziristan
and the surrounding area, the legal group called
the Foundation for Fundamental Rights and the
local Pakistani chapter of the Women's International
League for Peace and Freedom.
Who are some of the US leaders
of the trip?
They include CODEPINK staff—cofounders Medea
Benjamin and Jodie Evans, Tighe Barry and Alli
McCracken, as well as Colonel Ann Wright and Robert
Naiman of Just Foreign Policy.
Will we have translators with us?
Yes, as well as guides and security people.
Where will we be staying?
Small hotels that are properly guarded and not
expensive. These are typical NGO stops. If we
get to the tribal areas in Waziristan we will
find other places for you to sleep.
What are the safety concerns?
We will only go to Waziristan if we are sure
we will be safe, and we are working with our local
liaisons on this. General safety precautions,
which we will give you when you arrive, include:
don't go off on your own and wander around,
you should be escorted all the time. If you need
to go to another city they will help give you
local contacts in the area. But we don't anticipate
a problem.
What do you think if, at the end
of the trip, some folks stayed behind and did
a hunger strike outside the US embassy?
Shahzad thinks this is a wonderful idea: they
will provide support for this if we decide to
do it. (A group of participants who are interested
will be formed to discuss this further. If you
want to be in that group, contact alli@codepink.org.)
What is appropriate dress?
Dress modestly (men and women). No shorts or
dresses. For the women, loose pants, tops that
cover your rear. In some places the women need
to use scarves. Be culturally sensitive, try not
to stand out in crowds.
Is it problematic if a non-US citizen
wants to come?
Not a problem unless they are an Israeli national
with no other passport.
If Israel is stamped in your passport
is that going to be a problem?
If you can get a second passport easily, that's
advisable, because it just might be faster. But
that's not a reason to deny a visa so it
is not a major problem.
What entities inside Pakistan might
be against us being there?
We will be very closely monitored by Pakistani
intelligence agencies to watch what we are doing.
And the CIA, directly and through their contractors.
No political party would be against us; on the
contrary. And we will be working with the most
popular person in Pakistan right now: Imran Khan.
Between now and October, and in
Pakistan, what role can the participants have
in planning?
CODEPINK will set up a planning committee in
the US that will liaise with our hosts in Pakistan.
If you have time and experience in similar delegations
and want to be on the planning committee, send
a note to alli@codepink.org.
If I am vegan or vegetarian, is
that problematic?
If we know in advance, we can plan accordingly.
Is it ok to bring a video camera?
Definitely and we are inviting a lot of journalists.
There might be restrictions in Waziristan, and
we will let you know about that when you are here.
Are there things we shouldn't
say about this trip to friends or media?
You can say this trip as a humanitarian mission
to meet with and help victims of drone strikes.
Will we address issues other than
drones on the trip?
We will focus on drones, but we will also have
some presentations that discuss other issues happening
in Pakistan. We will ask you in the application
form for any other interests you might have, and
we will try to accommodate them.
Will there be internet access?
Yes, in Islamabad there is no problem and there
should be good internet in your hotels. We can
also get little hard drives with internet access
that are available for about $20 for one month.
CODEPINK will work on getting information about
these so people can get them quickly on the ground.
There will not be internet in the tribal areas.
Are there things, in addition to
money, that we can bring for families, hospitals?
Medicine. Shahzad is going to look into this
and let us know what medicines and anything else
we can bring, such as gifts for families we meet.
What language phrases might be
useful?
If you want to learn a few things in Pashtu,
like “hello, how are you, I'm sorry
to hear about your loss”, those things go
a long way. CODEPINK will pass around some of
those phrases.
Any medical concerns about vaccinations?
Normally you don't need vaccinations for
any of the areas we're going to in Pakistan, but
it would be a good idea to consult your doctor.
What if I can't go on the
trip but I want to be supportive?
We welcome your help with many tasks like outreach,
fundraising or media, or organizing actions in
the US while the delegation is overseas. Also, please consider donating to our scholarship fund.
How do I get off the listserve?
If you can't go and want to get your name
off the list, contact alli@codepink.org.
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