Iraq Report
By Pauline Tangiora
Trip to Iraq 3rd — 17th February 2003
One first needs to thank the many, many people who facilitated the funding for this trip to Iraq. The reason for going was a concern for women and children and what is happening with the threat of war from America and Britain on the Iraq people. My first statement would need to be that in 1991 depleted uranium was used by the allied forces on these people of Iraq. In my opinion this is classified as warheads of mass destruction and is a criminal and immoral usage on civilians or any other persons. It was from this perspective that I have looked at my visit to this country as an act of aggression that is bound to take place that again may use these depleted uranium warheads.
On arriving in Iraq, it was facilitated that a car and a driver and interpreter be available and at no time did I feel that I was being manipulated into doing anything that I was not happy with. I was free to visit where ever I wished and free to speak to whomever I wished and that was in the streets of Baghdad, both old and new, in the villages we passed by children and young people, male and female. One of the things that was clear in my mind was that I was not going to get caught up in the politics of the right and wrongs of this country. It behoves anybody that thinks they can walk in and make a judgment in a country after a few days. In fact that would be an arrogant expectation of anybody.
After doing the rounds of the mosques and invitations to attend different church services it was obvious there was a respect amongst the different denominations to work together. In fact whilst there, there seemed to be quite a few holidays and on my enquiry, I was shown a list and amazed to see that the country shuts down on major denominational holidays and it was not just that certain sector that celebrated that certain event, but the whole country. An overall view from talking with the age group 25-35 approximately, there was a positivity that things were going to change and they informed me when I asked about a beautiful mural I saw at an afternoon tea at one of the Governor’s residences in the south, they explained to me that it was painted to commemorate the Referendum in October 2002 where the people had asked for changes and advised me that there had been some movement or some process of movement in the area of political rights looking at an amendment to the constitution for a multi-party system an amnesty for political prisoners. There was also the desire to have back the exiles who were not linked to the intelligent services so that they may return to Iraq and participate in the day to day running of the country. The old rule of removing a hand of thieves was to be looked at. The other ideals which are currently in the pipeline.
To analyse and report about the realities of 26 million people thereabouts like you and I, is impossible to do in a short time but I observed their hopes and their visions, their fears and their frustrations but above all the desire to get on with sorting out their own country without the interference of President Bush and others. I was told this was not about an oil war but about colonisation, that England and America have nowhere else to go to colonise but the Middle East and if they could get their foot in the Middle East through Iraq, then they would have control over what happens in the Middle East.
These people were very educated, very aware even with the constrictions that they have lived with for many years of what was happening around them in other countries. The women told me that they have a choice of what to wear, of equal rights as they saw it was available. I spoke to some women who travel to Europe frequently but wish to remain in Iraq and dressed definitely like my own daughters here and when I questioned them about their mode of dress, they said they have their own right to dress the old way or in the new way.
Whilst many of the embassies do not have active offices in Iraq, it is imperative that they don’t always listen to other people before making their countries decisions. I would recommend that country’s that wish to participate in Iraq’s political world walk the talk and not be reliant on other peoples information. These people are not unaware of the injustices of the western world of what is happening in the Middle East.
In 1967, the Security Council’s resolution was the Gaza strip and the West Bank problems were to be sorted out. Why, they asked me, doesn’t the United Nations make sure that this wasn’t done after so many years? Because to have the pressure put on them at the moment to remove their weapons of mass destruction and be told that their country is not being run properly is hypocritical when they don’t attend to the other resolutions that are already on the table to be attended to by the UN. The living standard of the Iraqi people, healthwise prior to 1990 was some of the best in the world but on having read a health report that was done in 1999, one must be horrified to read of the high various cancer rates and the increase of other diseases that were not known in Iraq. The world says that this is a problem brought about by the sanctions (if the regime towed the line) then this wouldn’t happen. I believe this is the propaganda of us the Western world of not addressing the irresponsible use of the depleted uranium missiles which once they shattered, contaminated the air, the ground and the health of these people. The food source which comes, from mother Earth is contaminated from the uranium, goes through the whole food chain both animal and human being and is also the cause of destroying of vitamins of ordinary, everyday food chain. This is a responsibility of us, we are responsible for from 1991. In re-emphasising this, is because we in the Pacific have already been victims of the testing in Mururoa, Marshall Islands, the fallout of testing at Christmas Island affected their health and now we are awaiting a war and we have not been guaranteed that depleted missiles will not be used. In fact I’ve heard almost nothing mentioned of this war of mass warhead destruction not being used.
The visit to the Baghdad Children’s Hospital is a place that I think all politicians should spend two weeks so they can have a practical insight into what happens when they okay a war with these warheads. We are not talking about a sickness that we can cure, for these children and people will carry for generations to come the genetic malformity from irresponsible usage of DU. From seeing the sad faces of these children I had the privilege of seeing another side of Iraq and that of the historical country that goes back 7000 years before Christ. Seeing the stupidity of bombing of temples 1000 years old makes one wonder why we want to get out and destroy things that are a part of our past. Standing atop of this particular temple and overlooking the place that Abraham lived and offered his son and having a plane go overhead makes me wonder what values we do have in life, not only about human beings but archeological sites. Once destroyed can not be brought back.
Approximately 40 years ago OPEC, the oil cartel of the Middle East was founded in Baghdad. The Middle East countries have been able to keep reasonably ahead of the oil market for world oil consumption but should this be removed from the power of the Middle East leaders into the hands of western privatised oil companies, through a colonising power in the Middle East than I think we all stand to be held to ransom in the area of oil. The destruction I saw in Baghdad where a village had built a safety house that couldn’t possibly be destroyed because they cared so much for their elderly, women and children that on the early hours of 14 February 1991, the allied planes bombed this house of safety, not once but twice incarcerating 40.children, women and elderly with a heat of over 2000 centigrade.
Those of us who saw what happened during the second world war of the bombing of safe houses in England and the films and pictures that came out of that war as young people we didn’t think we would see it again and yet one stood there and saw the remains of this horrific attack. There was a French group called Children of the World who came to commemorate that day with readings, balloon and two doves. The Voices of the Wilderness brought their beautiful photos and stood with the community as we did by flying our rainbow. Let us remember that pushing computer buttons and sending our missiles is no excuse for making mistakes. It’s immoral and unacceptable that these sort of things happen in this day and age. We need to seek appropriate people in the world who have a sense of reasoning and compassion to guide us to be there to mediate in the conflicts that are arising around the world. Iraq is not the only one. We currently have many conflicts but if this attack on Iraq continues to go ahead, then it will not be to the benefit of those who believe in the UN and its charter which 200 countries have signed up too and they cannot resolve their differences across the UN table.
At this time it is hoped that we do find that person who is strong enough, and is trusted by both sides to diffuse the situation in Iraq. The NZ government has a very important role to play here. We hold up the flag of being nuclear free. Norman Kirk sent a warship to support the people of Mururoa during the testing and we do not allow nuclear powered warships in our ports. This country is very proud of this record and I know as I travel around the world the pride that other countries have in our strength in the above areas, however we need to clearly state at the UN level that we cannot align ourselves with any security council resolution that may direct war on Iraq because it would be immoral and unjust, in fact it would be hypocritical for us to be a part of this and must be assured unequivocally that there is no depleted uranium missiles going to be used or any other warheads of mass destruction? International relations is not strengthened by war. It is false to believe in such an ideal. All around us we are seeing the downfall of human relationships. We have seen US administration, funding Israel with high technology. They’re also the holders of nuclear weapons. Israel will not join in the comprehensive nuclear test ban treaty, the Biological convention or the Chemical Weapons convention. US has been withdrawing from some of the conventions and have gone in to recently Afghanistan with their missiles and the destruction that has been left behind is there for all to see. Their previous funding of Afghanistan and Pakistan for previous wars is known throughout the world. We are seeing the US holding up what they call ‘the Muslim Terrorists’. How can we stand and call them Muslim terrorists when they are people who may be Muslim by practice but have found no other way to show their anger. One cannot go around labelling people by religious names because they stand up and do something that is not acceptable. By doing this we are putting fear to people around the world against particular religious groups.
I note here, that we need to reflect that the word ‘Maori Wars’ was used negatively until a few years ago to give the impression that Maori were the aggressors in our own country where in actual fact Maori were standing up to defend their people and their land and it now known as the Colonising Wars. Thank goodness we’ve come of age for Europeans to realise they were the NZ Wars perpetuated by greed for land. Finally I‘d like to thank Doctor Hushimi, President of the Organisation of Peace and Solidarity and his staff for being concerned about my welfare whilst in Iraq and again all those who gave me the opportunity to see first hand of what is happening in Iraq.
As a final comment Iraq is a beautiful country. The shepherds, the shop keepers, those selling books on the side walks exchanging comments about why no text books could be printed since the late 1980’s because of the embargo, to the friendliness of the people, to the laughter watching the shepherds rushing across motor-ways with their sheep, the lovely lady at Babylon who explained to me why there was this beautiful smell who informed me of the Gardens of Babylon and the beautiful hanging gardens which were created hundreds of years ago for Nebuchadnezzar’s wife and was known as one of the seven wonders of the world. May we remember that amongst all this sadness there is still a lot of beauty and we need to take responsibility to see that these people may continue to treasure this land. You know one Professor told me who does Mr Bush think he is? We have been here 7000 years before Christ and he is only 300 years old’, interesting.
The General Federation of Iraqi Women seek the support of organisations around the world to submit letters to the Commissioner of Human Rights, United Nations, Geneva for the uplifting of the sanctions on Iraq. Please would you forward copies to: Foreign Relations General Federation of Iraqi Women Email Address: rel@uruklink.net Peace and justice will only arrive when we can learn to respect each other, to listen to each other and care enough for each other to accept that we each have something special to give and not be fearful for the differences that there are between the people of the world. Kia ora koutou.
Pauline Tangiora Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, Peace Foundation Aotearoa New Zealand Disarmament & Security Centre Otautahi, Maori Women’s Welfare League Indigenous Initiative for Peace, Rongomaiwahine Tribal Members.