The following is an archived copy of a message sent to a Discussion List run by the Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq.
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COMPASSION IRAQ COALITION PEACE WALK TO BAGHDAD For Immediate Release—May 16, 2002 AMERICANS PLAN ‘WALK FOR PEACE’ ACROSS IRAQ DESERT Sanctions-Defying Walk To Raise Funds For Cancer-Stricken Iraqi Children “It’s Time To End The War Against The Iraqi People—Not Escalate It” Atlanta—On May 22nd, sixteen Americans will journey to Iraq to begin a six day walk across the desert to dramatize the need for the US and the international community to ‘go the extra mile’ in averting the all-out war threatened by the Bush Administration. “The 23 million people of Iraq have suffered cruelly for a dozen years under US bombing and sanctions. It is time to end this failed policy, not to start a new war,” says Dr. James. E. Jennings of the Compassion Iraq Coalition, which is organizing the Walk for Peace. “Washington readily spends millions on defense, but not one cent for diplomacy. Why not talk?” The Walk begins May 24th when the delegation will cross the desert into Iraq at the Jordanian border carrying signs calling for an end to the sanctions. For the next six days they will walk from the Euphrates River to Baghdad, stopping to meet and talk with people in the towns of Rutba, Ramadi and Falluja. Each walker has received pledges for every mile walked, with proceeds going to the Pediatric Oncology ward at the Basra Children’s Hospital. According to press reports, the Basra region has experienced a 242% increase in childhood cancers and leukemia that many experts link to depleted uranium (DU) contamination resulting from US bombing during the Gulf War. -more- page 2 PEACE WALK to Baghdad The Compassion Iraq Coalition is comprised of volunteers from a dozen US cities, including Seattle, Denver, Chicago, Atlanta, Washington, Philadelphia, New York and Boston. The PEACE WALK is co-led by Jennings and Kathy Kelly, a Coordinator of Voices in the Wilderness U.S. Jennings, President of Conscience International, led the 2001 Baghdad Airlift, the first American civilian delegation to fly to Iraq in defiance of the US/UK imposed so-called “No-Fly Zone.” Kelly is widely known as a leader of the anti-sanctions movement and has led several humanitarian missions to Iraq. -end- CONTACT: Compassion Iraq Coalition After May 17th: Jennifer Horan, jenniferhoran22@hotmail.com Cell 617-784-1785 OR After May 22: Voices in the Wilderness Office: info@vitw.org 773-784-8065 For additional sanctions-related information go to: http://www.nonviolence.org/vitw --------------------- I suppose the best help we can provide is to verify that this walk takes place and to then disperse the information. Lisa __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? LAUNCH - Your Yahoo! Music Experience http://launch.yahoo.com _______________________________________________ Sent via the discussion list of the Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq. To unsubscribe, visit http://lists.casi.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/casi-discuss To contact the list manager, email casi-discuss-admin@lists.casi.org.uk All postings are archived on CASI's website: http://www.casi.org.uk