NEWS FEATURE: Waiting for Bombs in Baghdad

c. 2003 Beliefnet (BAGHDAD, Iraq _ beliefnet.com) Christian Peacemaker Teams, a program of Brethren, Quaker and Mennonite Churches, has posted volunteers in Iraq since Oct. 25, 2002. More recently, additional delegations have gone to Iraq to educate the public and “get in the way” of potential military attacks. This is a diary by American and […]

c. 2003 Beliefnet

(BAGHDAD, Iraq _ beliefnet.com) Christian Peacemaker Teams, a program of Brethren, Quaker and Mennonite Churches, has posted volunteers in Iraq since Oct. 25, 2002. More recently, additional delegations have gone to Iraq to educate the public and “get in the way” of potential military attacks. This is a diary by American and Canadian volunteers who are now in Iraq.

Thursday, March 20, 11:15 a.m. EST


This entry is written by CPT Canadian coordinator Doug Pritchard in Toronto, based on satellite phone conversations with volunteers.

A couple hours after the Wednesday night bombing, Peggy Gish and Betty Scholten visited the Sisters of Charity orphanage nearby. Many of the staff did not arrive for work, so Peggy and Betty helped bathe, dress and feed the children. As they returned through the streets they were greeted warmly by neighborhood women, men, soldiers, and the children playing soccer.

Peggy, Betty and Cliff Kindy relocated from the Al-Daar hotel to set up a new camp in a tent on the grounds of the Al-Wathba Water Treatment plant adjacent to a hospital complex called “Medical City.” The complex consists of eight hospitals and covers three city blocks. It is served by the water plant and a nearby power plant and two bridges over the Tigris River. The team plans to stay in the tent and visit the hospitals and neighboring residential areas. The corridors were lined with beds to receive civilian casualities in the future.

Scott Kerr, Lisa Martens and Stewart Vriesinga are remaining for now at the Al-Daar hotel, where they continue to have phone and Internet access and freedom to move about. They are being told by Iraqi authorities that this location is more dangerous than hotels where other Westerners are based. There was some anti-aircraft fire around other hotels last night but none around the Al-Daar. But the Al-Daar is adjacent to a building formerly used by the Iraqi Communications Ministry but now abandoned. CPT has contacted the Pentagon and some U.S. Senators with the information that this building is empty.

The team asks for your prayers that they make good decisions about whether to stay there or where to move. Scott Kerr said, “Humanity is being blown away with cruise missiles launched from thousands of miles away. The U.S. government says we should leave, that this is no place for peacemakers. But this is a good place to be.”

Thursday, March 20, 8:25 a.m. EST

This entry is written by Lisa Martens, 25, of Manitoba, Canada. She graduated from Canadian Mennonite Bible University and is a full-time member of CPT. She has been in Iraq since February:

There are seven of us at the Al-Daar Hotel. Father Jerry Zawada from Chicago is with us. At 2 a.m. Baghdad time (6 p.m. Wednesday EST), we heard that planes were already active. We went out of our rooms to the lowest floor at 4 a.m. (8 p.m. Wednesday EST) and had Mass led by Father Jerry. We sang and prayed.

About 5:30 a.m. (9:30 p.m. Wednesday EST), those team members who did not sleep through it heard aircraft. Then we all heard sirens. Shortly after, there was an hour-plus of sporadic explosions, some “BOOM,” and some “rat tat tat.” They were not very close to us. One rattled the windows slightly.


A couple of us stood outside in the hotel entrance for a few minutes. Scott Kerr reported seeing some anti-aircraft fire in the distance. The Iraqi staff at the small hotel here are very helpful and comforting. One is Ammar, who went home last night to stay with his wife who is expecting a baby any day. He called this morning today to tell us not to worry.

Now it’s 9:45 a.m. (1:45 a.m. EST), and it’s been quiet for a while. A few of us headed out to check on the orphanage nearby where some of us are regular visitors and helpers. Peggy Gish just called to say that as they walked to the orphanage, they saw kids playing soccer, and men out on the street, although there is much less activity on the streets and sidewalks. Peggy reported that some of the kids at the orphanage cried during bombing.

Some of us plan to head to the Al Wathba Water Treatment Plant today to stay there in tents for a few days, with hopes eventually to include nearby hospitals that we have visited, as well as the surrounding neighborhood.

Others of us tomorrow will stay at the Al-Daar with its staff. Phones, water and electricity are working.

Be outraged. Make peace.

Wednesday, March 19

The following entry is written by CPT staff member Gene Stoltzfus in Chicago after speaking with the Baghdad team Wednesday afternoon.

At midnight Baghdad time (5 p.m. EST), Scott Kerr (age 27, a full-time CPT member who has been in Iraq since February) called from Baghdad. The voice communication was better than I have experienced in weeks. We could understand each other. After substantial negotiations and discussions with Baghdad authorities, the team will set up a tent at Al Wathab Water Treatment Plant during the war. They will also be visiting the Al Mansour Pediatric Hospital.


There is a full moon over Baghdad, but the city is enveloped in a major wind/dust/sand storm. At 4 a.m. Baghdad time (8 p.m. EST) _ 48 hours after the President’s speech Monday evening _ the team will be celebrating communion together.

Tuesday, March 18

This entry is written by CPT Canadian coordinator Doug Pritchard in Toronto:

“It is a surreal time in history to be in Baghdad,” says Scott Kerr. “But if there’s a place in the world where the light of peace can’t shine, then the world is in big trouble.”

The volunteers reported they are strong and focused. They spent Tuesday making preparations _ ensuring everyone has water, water filters/treatment chemicals, and nonperishable food, and going over how to operate the walkie-talkies and satellite phone. They also purchased shovels and an acetylene torch to assist with rescue operations. They spent time doing a refresher course in first aid.

The team also received phone calls from loved ones asking about their plans and sharing encouragement and fears. Each phone call is precious and is another occasion _ usually a very emotional one _ for reviewing personal commitments, responsibilities, and calling. The team spends a lot of time together each day talking about their hopes, their fears, and praying together. Worship is important each day.

Monday, March 17

This entry is written by Cliff Kindy, 53, an organic farmer and full-time member of Christian Peacemaker Corps from North Manchester, Ind.:

We went to the United Nations headquarters with a sign: “Farewell U.N. Please Advise. Who will care for the Children?” The U.N. programs, funded by Iraqi oil, have been the infrastructure caring for the population of Iraq. When war breaks that net, the U.S. government’s preparations will not be able to carry the tremendous infrastructure in place.


Spaniards are here in a large group. They traveled to Basra and also initiated a vigil here at the Ameriyah Shelter for internationals to voice a common declaration of peace in the face of our governments’ plans for war. One would think that a war for democracy would take into account the will of the world’s people.

We did a prayer of blessing Friday at the Al Wathba Water Treatment Plant. Later we visited the Maternity Hospital operated by the Dominicans. On each of two days there were about 20 births, six each day Caesarian, as parents were pushing to get babies born before the war. One day there were five miscarriages, which the doctor blamed on the stress of war.

Walking to get the news I passed the Palestine Hotel, where two little brothers were shoveling food into their mouths from plates on the edge of the sidewalk. They jumped up, wiped their hands on their pants, shook my hand and made preparation for their next meal by begging.

I would be happy to go home to plant the garden, but war seems probable. So I’ll stay. When society goes mad, Christians should be where the consequences will be the worst.

Friday, March 14

This entry was written by Peggy Gish, an organic farmer and conflict management consultant. Her nonviolent activism extends from the civil rights movement of the 1960s through today. She has been in Iraq since October 2002:

We have been on a roller coaster here thinking that any day war may break out. Then we hear news of millions of people around the world protesting the war, countries ready to veto the U.S. resolution for war. We had a meeting in which some members of the team are pessimistic, while others of us are realistic, but still hopeful and active in resisting the war.


People ask me if I am afraid. I have to say “yes.” I don’t want to die. I want to come home to Art and the boys and all my family and friends. But I also am willing to risk dying if my being here can help to prevent thousands of people from dying and suffering war here or elsewhere, in the next countries on Bush’s agenda. I believe it is important that thousands of us be willing to die, not because dying is important, but so that we are able to say “no” to war.

It is especially important that people of conscience act boldly to declare a gospel of peaceor Christianity loses its soul. I have no doubt I was called here. In the meantime, we go on with our work, just as the Iraqi people go on as normally as they can. Spring has come and we have had beautiful warm days, flowering bushes and orange blossoms.

Thursday, March 13

This entry was written by Peggy Gish:

Many people here expect war to start in the next five days. Many embassy staff and United Nations agency staff have left the country. One of the families we know well just left to go to Syria.

The team is trying to be ready. We had a vigil at the U.N. this morning and one at a water treatment plant this afternoon. Many of our team (including me) still have hope that it can be averted. We asked to go to Basra to protest at the border, but we were not given permission.

If we are here, we have a proposal that we sleep in tents on a hospital grounds and have walking rounds in that neighborhood which includes the water treatment plant and an electrical plant. There is also a maternity hospital run by Dominican sisters some of us may stay and help at.

The sisters at the orphanage don’t want us to stay there at night, but we are welcome to help in the day. Also CARE International may call us for help delivering water and medical supplies.


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Saturday, March 8

I hurried to hail a taxi to take across town for a worship service. A beat-up car stopped for us, and we got in. A simple, “shlonik?” (“How are you?”) started the conversation. Our driver spoke English. We told him we were from America, that we wanted peace, and that we wanted to be friends. With his eyes glistening, he welcomed us warmly.

He started telling us about poverty here. “The ones that are too ashamed to beg, die.” We asked about his family, and learned he had been married three years and did not have children. He and his wife were too afraid now because of possible war.

“What about Bush?” he asked. “Isn’t he a Christian? How can a Christian do this?” We had to agree that Bush is not acting as a Christian. We can only be ashamed of what he, on behalf of our country, is doing here and around the world.

After the taxi stopped at our destination, we sat talking. I started to pay him. “It is enough to hear your voice,” he said as he at first refused our money. “It means so much to the Iraqi people for you to be here!”

After the worship service, we stood around for a half hour afterward talking to members of the congregation, feeling very little difference between us, sharing the same God, the same hope.

My heart was full at the end of the day. For me, the human contacts are the daily reminders of why I am here.


Thursday, March 6

This entry is written by Cliff Kindy:

More than 120 Human Shields have gathered from 34 countries to witness against the escalating war. They are a dedicated, creative lot of peacemakers.

Media and war advocates have denigrated the term “human shields” by focusing on times governments have forced persons to go to vulnerable sites, often military, as a barrier to an attack. Forgotten in this mindset is the mother who shields her child from an attacker or a friend who offers his life to save another. This present-day experiment is an offspring of the action of the mother and friend.

This experiment in peacemaking was complicated as the volunteers accepted the room and board hospitality of the Iraqi government. Problems escalated as the government tried to put the shields at certain sites. Some chose to leave; others wanted to work out some compromise. The dialogue continues in its stumbling fashion.

Since October, we have been visiting similar sites to remind the U.S. government that they promised not to target them. Deaths by our team would be a grim reminder that war usually targets the places where civilians are the ones that die.

DEA END BELIEFNET

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