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Letter from the Road, Baghdad Iraq.
12 February 2003
A wonderful thing happened this morning at our vigil in a field
across from U.N. headquarters here in Baghdad. We’ve made an encampment
there with an open-sided tent and several large banners that read
"Let the Inspections Continue" and "Inspections, Yes. Invasions,
No" and "Let There Be Peace On Earth." There are TV and newspaper
crews from around the world who interview us each day.
This morning while we were standing silently I read aloud the preamble
to the U.N. Charter. "We the peoples of the United Nations determined
to save succeeding generations from the scourge of wars." When I
finished we stood silently again. After a few minutes a man came
out of the U.N. compound and crossed the road. He was a U.N. inspector.
He approached us, rather shyly, and called out, "We, over there,
just want to thank you all. You are a real encouragement to us.
Your being here has greatly helped our morale. Well, that’s all
- thank you." And he turned and crossed back over the road. We applauded
as he left.
There was something so human and generous about that particular
encounter in a dusty field in Baghdad, with the tensions of the
entire world bearing down on it. On each side of the road the people
of the United Nations worked to end the scourge of war. We helped
their morale, and they in turn helped ours. Even Hans Blix took
part. At his news conference the other day he was asked if there
was much support here for the continuation of the inspections. He
said he believed there was, and described the "large demonstration
at the airport" (ours) he saw upon his arrival. He said, "They had
a banner saying "Inspections Yes, Invasion No." This is just what
we want." But I begin to wonder what’s the use of all these actions
and appeals for peace. "Bush will have his war." It may come very
soon. We are scheduled to leave in a week and the idea of leaving,
as well as the idea of staying, fills us with dread. How can we
save our own skins while the Iraqi people around us, and our fellow
Peace Team members, remain facing such peril?
Of the 50 of us here, about 18 members of the Peace Team intend
to stay. I’ve been asking them why they are staying. Their answers
suggest they are moved by a force more powerful than fear and violence.
Here are a few examples.
Lisa, a 32 year-old woman from Rwanda, now living in Toronto, told
me, "This is the first time in my life I’ve settled down. Here in
Baghdad I fit in at last. It’s like my people in the refugee camps
in Rwanda — we have to go home and get what’s ours. We have to get
what belongs to us. And what is that? That’s the question. Here,
in Baghdad, I’ve found what it is. It is the power I have. The power
I have to say ‘this is unacceptable.’ It’s like people say ‘land
mines are unacceptable.’ How can you unaccept something that is
there? You can. This is the power I have here. I won’t stand for
this war. I stand for something else. You have to position yourself
in one way or another."
Mike, a Vietnam vet, said something similar: "You know, most things
in life are defined for us. We fit into somebody else’s definitions.
The reasons for my staying here is something I can define myself.
If I say my intention is for peace, it is. No one can say otherwise.
I’m here to put my life where my truth is."
Or Cathy, a 50-year old Catholic Worker: "I don’t want to be in
the country that’s dropping the bombs. And if I’m here and am killed
under those bombs, what difference does it make if it’s me or the
Iraqis?" As she talks I feel her echo an early Christian ideal of
self-sacrifice. I ask her if this is not her own "imitation of Christ."
She answers plainly, "I try to live a surrendered life."
Or Cynthia, a 73-year old librarian from upstate New York: "I will
stay because it’s the place for me to be. You know, we are one family
on earth, no matter what. The Iraqi part of my family is in danger
now. I must be with them. If you ask anybody in the world what they
would do if their family was in danger, they would say they’d want
to go be with them. That’s all I’m doing. I’m here to be with my
family in their hour of danger. It’s simple. You act because your
conscience tells you to act. Anyway, I’ve already had my three score
years and ten. Every day now is a bonus for me."
A full day has now passed since writing the last paragraph. Things
have gotten very intense and busy. The press is paying a lot of
attention to our actions and vigils — we’ve held dozens of interviews.
Everyone awaits the inspectors’ report to the U.N. tonight. Some
say the bombing could start in two days, others say not for another
week, and a very few still say the war will be called off. There
are more prayers, and deeper ones.
Last night Cardinal Roger Etchegaray, the special envoy from Pope
John Paul II, celebrated Mass in St. Joseph’s Cathedral here in
Baghdad. During his homily he said the following:
"Peace? Who doesn’t talk about it today everywhere in the world
without thinking about the huge threats that weigh on Iraq? Who
does not desire peace? But how many among them think that peace
is still possible? How many truly want it with all their weal? How
many see in prayer something other than a refuge during hours of
panic? Something other than a simple alibi from human engagement?"
Today, tonight, here, we pray for peace in Iraq and in the entire
Middle East. It is most certainly a test of faith and the harder
for those of us who take seriously both prayer and peace. They go
hand in hand.
Elias Amidon
I Marched, Not
I went to the Peace March today with some sense of foreboding. I
hadn’t been to a peace march for a decade. I had a feeling that
what I would find would be the universality of peace overwhelmed
by rhetoric and agendas and that is exactly what I saw. I didn’t
march and I heard of others who felt the same as me.
Peace is universal; it is the absence of hate and war. Peace is
inclusive and belongs to all equally. As one of my friends said,
"It is an incredibly complicated time right now. Everyone seems
drunk, unable to see clearly, weaving all over the place and banging
up against things in their thoughts. Given our experiences on this
earth so far, we all see what is happening right now through our
different lenses. These various standpoints inform how we construct
our understanding of what is happening. It is very sad that in trying
to stand united against war people’s various standpoints themselves
create further animosity. What a sad and ironic travesty."
When I see a sign that reads "USA, UK, Israel - Real Axis of Evil"
I am saddened because that protester is missing the point. Using
the rhetoric of warmongers doesn’t work. Don’t use the hate-filled
language of war when you protest for peace!
I saw a sign that read "Bush, the new Hitler," same fill-in-the-blank
blanket useless insult. Why not the "new Pinochet", or Idi Amin,
or Stalin. Same old tired hate-mongering! Leave that rhetoric to
them. Comparing Bush to symbols of universal evil does not promote
or encourage peace. Hate is hate, no matter your stripe. One sign
that encouraged me was directly related to the current crisis and
seemed to say it all, peacefully "No war on Iraq, down with Saddam’s
regime."
I felt uncomfortable seeing Palestinian flags flying all over the
march. Nationalism invoked by flags is the cause of many of the
world’s conflicts. No countries’ flag will ever signify peace. When
the "enemies" and "good guys" get peace in equal portions. I think
signs should tell our leaders what we want and what they should
do. I appreciate singling out the leaders who perpetrate the violence
and rhetoric, Sharon, Bush, Osama and Blair but not whole nations.
War is the enemy, not the USA, Iraq or Israel. Disarm now. Bread
and medicine not bombs. Bikes not bombs.
I saw so few signs encouraging peace and so many strange messages
like "NDP, the alternative" (to what? War?) to "Palestine the connector
of eurasiafrica" (what the hell does that mean?). End all war! Peace
for the Congo...
I understand that this was an anti-war demonstration and not necessarily
a peace march. The world is a strange place now, and there is a
lot to be "anti" to, from globalization to the war on drugs, but
I find it healthier to be "pro." I will march when it’s positive
and loving, not when I am scared by the mixed messages. I respect
that this war is a catalyst for people to protest and I am heartened
to see people inspired again.
In the olden days it was the Vietnam War or the Cold War. I didn’t
see that many signs saying that nuclear weapons (i.e., weapons of
mass destruction) should be disarmed...Is it just me or is that
weird? USA, Iraq, Korea, India, Pakistan, China, France, etc. disarm
now and let us live in peace!
Weapons and the people who believe in them and invoke any agenda
from freedom to God to use them are the problem. My favourite sign
was "3200 block east 2nd, united for Peace" (or something along
those lines). Peace starts in your home. No hate.
Peace,
Maili, Vancouver
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