UPDATE 31.4.97

Report on first four months of the campaign, September 1996 - January 1997.

Campaigners for the release of Sheikh Obaid and Mustafa Dirani, have sent hundreds of letters to various individuals, leaders and international organisations regarding the plight of Sheikh Obaid.

As a result there have been two breakthroughs in the situation.

1. The position of the Conservative Party has changed. Non-committal answers were received in September 1996 at the beginning of the campaign. By November 1996, this had changed, and the Foreign & Commonwealth Office had instructed Britain's Ambassador in Tel Aviv to "raise the plight of Sheikh Obaid with the Israelis."

2. To date, The Foreign & Commonwealth Office have written to the Ministry of Justice in Tel Aviv three times, requesting answers regarding the plight of Sheikh Obaid. So far the only answer they have had is that the matter has been "referred to the Israeli Defence Force (IDF), which has jurisdiction over the detention of Sheikh Obaid." For the first time, there has been written acknowledgement as to who infact actually holds the Sheikh.

These two breakthroughs have made it easier for the team of international lawyers who are seeking the release of the Sheikh. They were sent in January 1997 to try and meet their clients, Sheikh Obaid and Mustafa Dirani (kidnapped in 1994). No-one was willing to answer questions on responsibility or admit to knowing where the two were. This would make it extremely hard for the lawyers to bring a case for their release.

Even the International Committee of the Red Cross would not tell them where their clients were. They have managed to locate the two, in Sarafan Military Compass, in a high security detention centre. Thanks to the campaign, they know have confirmation that the IDF holds Sheikh Obaid, and public and political opinion is slowly but surely coming to their aid.

February - May 1997 Lord Avebury, the chairman of the Parliamentary Human Rights Committee has made a special visit to Lebanon on a mission to investigate the case of the Sheikh.

However there is still a long way to go!

We still need YOUR help!

How can you help?

If you haven't already sent us copies of the answers to your letters, please do so as soon as possible. The names and addresses of all campaigners are kept in the strictest confidence, and none are released. Please continue writing to as many people as possible to raise awareness. If you already have received answers from MPs etc., and would like advice on how to answer then please contact us.

We are now trying to campaign through Nelson Mandela as well as Helmut Kohl and his negotiation team.. Please contact the office for more details. If you haven't been involved and would like to help campaign, please contact us.

The families of Sheikh Obaid and Mustapha Dirani, has sent a message of thanks to all who have campaigned for them.

Please help free these victims of Israeli aggression.