Press release-Undercurrents productions. 07973 298359
SWANSEA FILM MAKER IMPRISONED
December 22 2004
A film maker from Swansea, Kelly Minio-Paluello (23) faces spending Christmas in an Israeli prison since her arrest eght days ago. The young woman was arrested by Israeli Border Policemen while filming a peaceful demonstration near Ramallah in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

Kelly and her husband spent this year raising funds across Swansea to supply Palestinian refugees with a video camera enabling them to tell their own stories.Her latest film was screened in November at the BeyondTV festival in the Patti Pavilion in November.Her talks about her experiences in Palestine raised funds as did a sponsered walk. around Gower.

Speaking today from Tsochar prison, 10 km from the Gaza Strip, Kelly said
"During this week I have been moved 3 times. I have been interrogated by the Ministry of the Interior, Police, Shabak and finally a judge, employed full-time at the deportation prison. Repeatedly I asked for my charges, my rights, and access to a lawyer but each time I was met with a blank stare."

Kellys husband Mika remains in Palestine. Both Kelly and Mika spent this summer being trained by and working with the Swansea based Undercurrents video production charity. On December 14th, eyewitness accounts say that while filming a peaceful demonstration over confiscated land, Israeli troops fired plastic-coated bullets, tear gas,sound bombs and used batons against the demonstrators. Five Palestinians were wounded, and three Internationals and four Israeli campaigners were beaten and arrested.

Speaking from her cell, Kelly added
"The kindness and strength of the women I have met in this prison system continues to amaze me. In a situation of dehumanization where we are called 'Mongolia', 'China', 'USA', 'English' instead of our names, where there are only a female prison is run only by male guards, where those same guards burst into our cells at any hour of day without knocking, where are cells have no doors to the shower or the rooms where we change, each the woman goes out of her way to help the others cope and survive."

Paul O'Connor, from award winning Swansea production company Undercurrents said
"It is imperitive that we learn of the situation from all sides in the Middle East. By arresting independent film makers, Israel is ensuring that only their side of the story is told. Minio-Paluellos arrest is illegal and the people of Swansea should condemn this blatent form of censourship."
END

Notes to Editors
To talk with Kelly call ++972 [0]54 6346923 (Kelly in prison)
 mika@balatacamp.net (Kelly's husband Mika)

Swansea based Undecurrents Paul O'Connor 07973 298359

The protestors obstructed the military surveyors.

Once the protestors start interfering with the operations of the government, that may be non-violent, but it's an incitment that triggers an almost inevitable response.

The Israeli government response may have included unnecessary brutality, but it's hard to judge the actual events, because the reporting is blatently biased. E.g. "illegal Israeli Apartheid Wall" is a pretty good indication of the editorial slant.

Bittorrents of videos, if available, would speak more clearly than words here.

"Illegal", yes it is says the UN.

"Israeli", no doubt about that one.

"Apartheid wall", well it is designed specifically to keep Palestinians out of Israeli society so it's hard to argue that one too.

So I'd hesitate to call it biased reporting. Even calling it a security barrier would be biased, in that it is more of an insecurity barrier.

Vik :v)