memoirs of challenge delegates
In the camps and throughout Jordan, Palestinians told us about how their families were uprooted by the Israelis fifty years ago. It was easy to see why they have great sympathy for the people of Iraq. --from journey to baghdad: the advance team, Preston Wood
Although I had read extensively about the sanctions and their devastating toll, nothing prepared me for what I witnessed during my short stay in Iraq. My first visit to a children’s hospital in Baghdad—with 340 beds for over 1,200 children—left me drained and speechless with sorrow at the condition of the innocent children, who were being punished merely for being citizens of Iraq. --from a travesty of terrible proportions: seeing is believing, Manzoor Ghori
Visits and humanitarian missions may reduce the suffering or save lives for some time, but the devastation of Iraq is beyond comprehension and there is no solution but to end the sanctions.--from the power of solidarity: east meets west, Nabil Migalli
Sometimes news stories give the impression that Saddam Hussein is the only person living in Iraq. It is a nation of twenty-three million people, a million and a half of whom have died since the end of the Gulf War. --from my fears were groundless: a blind person goes to iraq, Edwin R. Lewinson
We can’t get over the horrible memory of the Amariyah bomb shelter. The imprint of the hands and hair washed against the walls by the boiling water haunts us. We remember the anger we felt when we saw pictures of the burnt bodies alongside photos taken when they were still healthy, happy children. We saw the anger in the face of our guide, and didn’t wonder. She had lost family there. We went away with heavy hearts. --from talking about genocide: how was your trip to iraq? Lee and Phil Booth
This is al-Qurna where the Tigris joins the Euphrates. It is the legendary spot of the Garden of Eden.
Basra had a prominent place in the history of Iraq and Islam. It was built by the Arabs in 636 a.d. on a site a few miles from the present city. It soon became an important commercial town as well as a great center of Islamic and Arabic culture.
Basra is sometimes called the Venice of the East because it is laced with canals. Sinbad, the sailor of Arabian Nights fame, is associated with Basra, whence he started each of his fabulous seven journeys. --from an iraqi returns to basra: venice of the east, Kadouri Al-Kaysi
For the love of all humanity we, too, can walk in the spirit of Gandhi’s message: "All of us are one. When we inflict suffering on others, we are bringing suffering on ourselves. When we weaken others, we are weakening ourselves, and weakening the whole [of life]." --from basra today: let the children live, Michelle Kimball
Locate the air ducts and the water tanks. Our boys are extremely talented and could certainly position a bomb to destroy both features. This takes care of three surefire methods of extinction: the impact of the bomb, suffocation due to air loss, and the liquefying of the human beings from water temperatures exceeding 2000 degrees Fahrenheit.
Shall we discuss the shadows of these ghosts permanently engraved on the walls? Women holding children, children embracing one another, children standing alone. Only thirteen survived. --from shadows of ghosts on the walls: how do you destroy a people? Melysha Sargis
I have to believe there is no widespread dissent regarding the sanctions because most Americans are not aware of what is happening. The mainstream media have largely neglected their duty to report the truth. ...In May I returned from a holocaust. The children I met have surely since perished..--from christians cannot remain silent: for these things i weep Christopher Allen-Douçot
This is not the prosperous Iraq where I grew up. Iraqis are a very proud people. With the little they have they are trying to rebuild after the devastating damage caused by U.S. "smart" bombs and missiles. They have been under siege since 1990. The most notable change is the devastation to the social structure and the breakdown of the ethical and moral values for which the Iraqis were well-known. --from an iraqi returns to baghdad: iraq past, present, future Saad Khadim
We met with Umm Reyda, a woman who lost nine family members when two smart bombs blasted the Amariyah bomb shelter. Exits were sealed when the bomb exploded and the temperature rose to 500 degrees centigrade. Overhead pipes burst, sending water cascading down on innocents who slept. My stomach turned as she pointed out skin and hair fragments remaining on the walls as well as the burn imprints of children’s bodies --from invitation to agony: go, you will see the truth Johanna Berrigan
On 18 February 1998, a vastly different cry was shouted by college students in Columbus, Ohio. They didn’t cheer the bombers, and they may well have prevented their deadly missions. "One, two, three, four, we don’t want your racist war," the chant that confronted Madeleine Albright, crackled across Baghdad. People on the streets smiled at me, an obvious Westerner, and counted, "One, two, three, four ..." --from journey to iraq, february 1998: banning child sacrifice: a difficult choice? Kathy Kelly
Incidents which remain embedded in my memory and heart include a woman sitting in an overcrowded emergency room with her dying infant child, tears streaming down her face as she looked up and said, "You come here and take pictures and go back home, but nothing changes." --from indelible images of iraq Dennis Apel
Even the liveried workers for Baghdad’s leading hotel asked us for food, and turned down a tip in U.S. money. It was useless to them. They signaled us by pushing away our hand and pointing to their mouth and stomach. --from indelible images of iraq Johann Christoph Arnold
The insane and life-destroying drive to rake in larger and larger margins of profit and wealth is making life on this planet virtually unbearable for those of us who desire only to live plain and simple lives. --from indelible images of iraq Walter Black
I will always remember her father’s desperation, how sick that little girl was, and knowing that it was preventable. The U.S. is killing those kids and we have to stop it. --from indelible images of iraq Patrick Carkin
Our doctor asked, "How many of these babies will die?" The Iraqi doctor threw up his hands and answered, "All of them." --from indelible images of iraq Edith Eckart
I was appalled to hear Dr. Souad Al-Azzawi speak of the long-term effects of depleted uranium bullets. --from indelible images of iraq Mary Ellen McDonagh, BVM
But sanctions made me remember Poland under German occupation: hospitals without medicine, children without milk, schools without paper and pencils. --from indelible images of iraq Maria Mohammed
To the American people, she said, "Enough is enough. Get your government out of this place." --from indelible images of iraq P. J. Park
It was truly empowering to challenge the most senseless and monstrously evil U.S. policy toward Iraq. I saw genocide in the mutilated bodies and anguished faces of Iraqi babies who were at the threshold of death because of U.S. sanctions. --from indelible images of iraq Rev. Lucius Walker
excerpts from CHALLENGE TO GENOCIDE
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