Exclusive Interview by MINA correspondent in Gaza
He dropped into Israeli prison without obvious reason, without trial and without defense. It is common things for Palestinian fighters in the struggle for the liberation of Al-Aqsa and the independence of Palestine.
The space of his jail was 1,5 x 2 m2 with only one small window of 50 x 100 cm2, with no light, no ventilation, and no toilet, it is inhumane.
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One of the thousands prisoners was Ayman Sharawna (38), which can survive the longest hunger strike, 261 days in jail !!
Ayman Sharawna, he was born in Hebron, West Bank, finally realeased by Israel, with some notes that he is not returned to his house, but was sent to the Gaza Strip for 10 years.
Sharawna, who was jailed since July 1st 2012, finally arrived at the Erez, near the border of the Gaza Strip, Sunday (17/3), and immediately transported in an ambulance to one of hospitals in Gaza Strip. Thousands of local residents welcomed his freedom along the path.
Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA) correspondent Muhammad Husain with photographer Muqorrobin al-Fikri, interviewed exclusively in Gaza City on Tuesday evening (19/03/2013). Here are the interview:
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After completion of the hunger strike for so long, how is your current condition?
Thank God, now I feel better than ever. Before this time, I felt intense pain all over my body because of deadly hunger. Now after treatment by doctors, the pain began to disappear and my body getting better. The doctor said Insha Allah my condition will get better soon. I also hope that by next week I’m no longer lying in the hospital and I want to start the activity like before.
You are now being deported out from your home land and your family in Khalil, the West Bank, then how is the family situation and your children there?
Indeed, the Israeli action is very bad, and it takes place every day until today. Zionist Israel thought that by deporting me from my homeland family to distant places can make me feel tortured and imprisoned. However, on the contrary, I am here with my brothers are very happy and feel free.
Insha Allah I will be back soon to the West Bank in the future, to come as a liberator of Baitul Maqdis.
And for my family there, they currently in the process to be brought into the Gaza Strip, settled with me. Their conditions are good, thank God. My Family and my relatives are also very happy to hear I was free, I was tormented after a hunger strike in a long time. But I strongly deplore the arrest of my younger brother by the Zionist Israel, when I celebrate my release.
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When was your brother arrested?
Along with the day of my release from the Israeli prison two days ago (17 March 2013)
I heard you have two wives?
Alhamdulillah (with a smile). Insha Allah, in recent time, my first wife will come here. My second wife Insha Allah will follow in some other times.
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Would not you have been released in 2011 with more than 1,000 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for Corporal Ghilat Shalith? How do you get back in prison?
Yes, I was one of 1,000 Palestinian prisoners who released on the occasion of “Wafa ‘Al-Ahrar”. Some of the prisoners were sent to the Gaza Strip, and the others were returned to the West Bank, one of them was me. The swap made the Israeli government furious. As a result, the next three months the Israeli conducted an operations to arrest back to all detainees who reside around the West Bank without any charges. At that time, I was among the first to catch.
When you were imprisoned again, you were on a hunger strike in prison, how can you survive (over eight months)?
Subhanallah. I started a hunger strike on August 1, 2012 up to 261 days. This is the longest hunger strike in the history of Palestinian prisoners. Everything is only with God’s permission so I can survive. I’m trying to survive by extending reciting Holy Quran, prayer, and always ask God’s help. Alhamdulillah, Allah gave me the strength and patience.
In the first 200 days of hunger strike, I was allowed to drink water mixed salts, vitamins and infusion, and was allowed to be examined by a doctor. However, 61 days after that, I was not allowed to consume anything. This caused very painful, for now I lost 50 kg of my weight. Finally, the Zionists Israel released me out of jail and deport me here.
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However, before they released me, they tried to stop the hunger strike that I do by psychological torture. I was taken into a dark room and isolated from world. I am not allowed to see my lawyer. I’m only allowed to use the bathroom once in 12 hours.
They then brought the most delicious and tasty food in my room. They know that I am very like of sweet food. So they brought the best sweets. But all was not for me. They eat delicious food and sweets in front of me, with the hope that I would quit the hunger strike.
However, with the permission of Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala, I can face this struggle. My persistence finally able to beat their arrogance.
Who else did the long last hunger?
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A lot of my friends actually were on a hunger strike. However, most of them do the hunger strike due to various reasons, among of them made an agreement with Israeli military that they would be released in the near future.
There were also among those who are on a hunger strike for a long time. As my friend, Samir Al-‘Isawi who is still in his fight hunger strike until day 220.
Now you are free from jail, what do you feel and what are your expectations?
Alhamdulillah, I am very happy and proud that my struggle paid off. I can’t describe my feeling, now I’m very happy and sad. I’m Happy because I’m free from the Zionist tyranny. But also sad considering the fact there are many brothers and sisters who I loved, who is still languishing in the prisons.
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My hope, in the near future my dear friends who are still oppressed in the Israeli prisons could be free and felt like my freedom. I’m set free all Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails.
What is your message to your brothers and sisters in Indonesia, society, and government?
First of all I would like to thank my brothers and sisters whom I love in Indonesia, to governments, to the leaders and all the elements there.
I hope soon I can visit to Indonesia to meet them all, the good, honorable and always stand with the Palestinian people and also continue to provide support to us here.
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Indonesian people who always pay attention to the rights of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails. I once again convey thousands gratitude and thanks to the entire Indonesian society. May God grant my wish to visit Indonesia to see my brothers, Insha Allah. (L/K9/P05/R1).
Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)
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