A Thank You from Mordechai

From a letter written by Mordechai Vanunu (postmarked June 13, but written last November), in response to a report sent by Felice Cohen-Joppa on the conference, vigil and civil disobedience action that were part of the September, 2000 Washington Gathering to Free Vanunu, and the enclosed birthday card signed by people attending the gathering:

Thank you very much for the birthday greeting with many signatures, and also many thanks for your taking part in the protest in Washington. I deeply appreciate all those good people who traveled to Washington on behalf of my release. Every one is great and wonderful to continue, even after so long a time without succeeding to bring my release from prison. Yet I hope one day we will meet in Washington and celebrate. I will enjoy to be with all of you.

I am sorry that you needed to be in prison, and the others, too, even if you felt some solidarity and experienced the prison life. You and the others needed to receive an award, not to suffer. When politicians and journalists are celebrating in hotels and restaurants, you, the real people who have done good, are sent to suffer more.

That is the great paradox of this life. Many good people who are sacrificing on behalf of other human beings, they receive more suffering rather than get honors. That is the price for obeying your conscience and thinking of behalf of all humanity. Not much has been changed in this issue during centuries..."