Re: [casi] raising the case of Huda Amashdr

["nermin" <nermin@DELETETHISburntmail.com>]

Hi Dirk and all
I could not say that Ghazwan, Nasra and me or any other real Iraqis are fine, every thing is going 
from bad to worse. Again I do not think that petitions can work.. I am not worring about Tariq Aziz 
but I do worry about Dr. Huda Ammash who was my friend. I knew her very well and she had nothing 
with anthrax or any other biological weapons.. Every body, here..the place was once Iraq, knows 
that she was forced to be a member in Baa'th party leadership in Iraq because she was very brave 
and critisize the exgovernment of Iraq.. in addition she suffers sever case of canser, she had 
operation where both breasts were removed. I was and still against Baa'thists and what they did 
against Iraq yet among them are some noble men and women like Huda. Every body in Iraq is paying 
for what S.H did, still I do not think that he was so valuble that whole Iraq be a price to get red 
of him.
Pray for Iraqis, for the families of the bodies found in mass graves and for Huda. Do you think 
that S.H was so strong without a support from foreign?!
best regards
Nermin Al-Mufti, occupied Baghdad

this a story from Basra I wrote, you can discover the real(liberaion)
   5 -11 June 2003
Issue No. 641
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Basra's tears
Once dubbed the Smile of the Gulf, Basra is struggling to regain its erstwhile identity. Nermeen 
Al-Mufti reports from southern Iraq
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The highway of death, which witnessed the demise of tens of thousands of Iraqis in 1991 when Iraqi 
forces withdrew without air cover, was the road which took me to Basra. This thoroughfare is still 
scarred from the most recent war, yet this was not the path taken by British Prime Minister Tony 
Blair, who flew to the city to visit his "victorious" troops.

Basra was once known as the "Smile of the Gulf" but today looks just like any other Iraqi city: 
weary of war and sanctions, not to mention the devastation caused by the bombardments of the last 
war. The signs of "liberation" are everywhere to be seen with burnt and looted buildings and public 
offices lining every street.

My first port of call in Basra was the Presidential Palace, which has since been turned into a 
British forces base. This compound comprises several palaces, all with various names, as well as 
dozens of small villas. A British soldier told me the largest of the palaces had been dubbed 
"Saddam's love nest", and which now enjoys the protection of dozens of British tanks.

Outside the compound, on the banks of the Shat Al-Arab river, Mushtaq Ali told me that Saddam did 
not visit this palace even once, and that it had been the residence of Saddam's cousin, Ali Hassan 
Al- Majeed, the infamous "chemical Ali", where he stayed several days at the beginning of the war. 
"These palaces are like all the others he [Saddam] built throughout Iraq but didn't see. The 
compound was built on a public park, and the special security forces prevented public access to the 
vicinity; we weren't even allowed to sail our boats along the walls. Tony Blair has Saddam Hussein 
to thank for providing such a magnificent base for his troops," he said.

At one time there were many statues lining the river. Many years ago Saddam Hussein commissioned 
images of more than 60 high-ranking officials who were martyred while defending Basra during the 
eight years of the Iran-Iraq war, but the only statues remaining now are those of Badr Shaker 
Al-Sayyab, the great Iraqi poet, and Adnan Khairullah, former Iraqi minister of defence and 
Saddam's brother-in-law. All the other figures were destroyed in the aftermath of the "liberation".

"We will keep the statue of Khairullah," commented Sabah Noor, a young fisherman, adding that 
Khairullah was a good man and always spoke out against Iraqi involvement in wars. "The main reason 
for keeping him is that Saddam Hussein killed him." added Noor.

Maan Najm, a former brigadier in the Iraqi navy, said he had been faced with two painful issues on 
the very day of Tony Blair's arrival. First he had to take his mother to the ta'limi (educational) 
hospital, but the guards prevented them from entering because the British prime minister was due to 
pay a visit. After this, Najm joined more than 2,000 of his colleagues, also former officers, to go 
and receive his last pay cheque. He and more than 300,000 officers were made redundant after the 
Iraqi defence forces were dissolved by the Americans. Najm said he experienced humiliation at the 
hands of the British troops, who divided the former officers into groups and wrote numbers on their 
hands.

"The future remains uncertain," he told me, "but the one thing which brought some satisfaction was 
the fact that the Americans ordered all ships passing through Shat Al-Arab to bear the Iraqi flag. 
For years they had been flying the Iranian flag, so there is hope yet," he added.

"Our wish now is for security," said Malik Abbas, a university student. "Nobody thinks about us in 
Basra or anywhere else. We want to survive, but nobody cares," he continued.

Sana Abid, a teacher, said that her husband, a former officer, was taking care of the children and 
that she had to work to help the family. She said she hoped the new administration would bring an 
increase in salary, as promised.

There is still no clean drinking water in Basra. The various organisations providing assistance for 
the poor are now occupying public buildings and writing slogans everywhere, employing the same 
words once used by Saddam.

"We don't care who is going to rule us. We simply want our rights back," commented Sana.

"But after nearly two months of 'occupation' or 'liberation' nothing positive has happened for us," 
she added.

Yet Basra is trying to be the city it once was before the wars. There is no longer a curfew and 
families can spend evenings on the banks of the river; the restaurant and shops on Jazeer street 
remain open until midnight.

In the early hours of the morning, fishermen cast their nets into the water; boats start their 
journeys; the date farmers are getting ready for the harvest. Their eyes retain the hope that 
tomorrow may be better, and that the highway of death may yet bear witness to the high way of life.



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>-----Original Message-----

>From: N. Martin [mailto:nm313@cam.ac.uk]
>Sent: Thursday, June 5, 2003 11:19 PM
>To: 'Dirk Adriaensens'
>Cc: 'pjw8', 'soc-casi-discuss'
>Subject: Re: [casi] raising the case of Huda Amashdr
>
>
>wait a moment... whilst tarik aziz certainly has the right to adequat
>medical attention he, as one of the highest ranking members of the ba'ath
>regime is clearly to be thought responsible, at least in part, for the
>regime's attrocious record. and for that he should held accountable, before
>an appropriate court. what is the case for releasing him? nicholas
>
>On Jun 5 2003, Dirk Adriaensens wrote:
>
>> Hello all, referring to the matter of missing Iraqi's, I received today
>> a petition that my friend Gilles Munier, secretary-general of the
>> french-Iraqi Friendship-Association has launched for the release (and
>> legal assistance) of the Iraqi's illegaly hold by the US occupation army,
>> and specially Tarik Aziz. Among the first endorsers of this petition, you
>> will find a.o. Hans Von Sponeck and George Galloway. I invite you all to
>> sign this petition. I know, it is yet another petition, but personelly
>> I'm glad that there are so many efforts worldwide against this illegal
>> war and illegal occupation. AI should indeed look closer into this
>> matter, as Philippa suggests. They are political prisoners, illegally
>> detained by an illegal military invasion force. Greetings. Dirk
>> Adriaensens. www.irak.be
>>
>> FRANCE-IRAQ FRIENDSHIP ORGANIZATION
>>
>>
>>
>> Support Group for the release of the Iraqis arraigned
>>
>> by the US occupation army in Iraq
>>
>>
>>
>> Appeal  for  the  release  of  Tarek Aziz
>>
>>
>> The war that the United States have waged in Iraq is utterly illegal with
>> regard to international law and so is the arraignment of the Iraqi
>> leadership, civilians and military men.
>>
>>
>>
>> US occupying forces are holding former Iraqi leaders and numerous
>> civilians in hidden places who are unaware of the motives of their arrest
>> and are deprived by the Americans of legal assistance . They can neither
>> be visited by members of theirs families or by a representative of the
>> Red Crescent Amnesty International has reported cases of tortures being
>> inflicted on Iraqi prisoners, military as well as civilians, by the US-UK
>> armed forces (AFP and AP May, 16, 2003, the Guardian, May, 31, 2003).
>>
>>
>>
>> We are calling for the application to the Iraqi leaders, civilians and
>> military men, imprisoned as early as the outbreak of the invasion, of the
>> international Conventions and the most basic human rights rules. We are
>> furthermore calling for their release.
>>
>>
>>
>> We are demanding that the Geneva Conventions be strictly respected so that
>> the CICR could inspect the war prisoners, the imprisoned civilians and see
>> to it that they are treated in an human way.
>>
>>
>>
>> We have also learnt that the Vice-Prime Minister, Mr. Tarek Aziz, has
>> suffered two heart failures leading most probably to a partial paralysis
>> and that his health is very poor. We therefore are demanding his instant
>> release.
>>
>>
>>
>> May, 19, 2003.
>>
>>
>>
>> France / First to have signed:
>>
>>
>>
>> Dirk Adriaensens (président SOS Irak- Belgique) - Jean-Marie Benjamin
>> (prêtre) - Paul Balta (journaliste et écrivain) - Pierre Bercis
>> (président Nouveaux Droits de l'Homme) - Pierre Biarnès (sénateur des
>> Français de l' étranger) - Marc Boureau d'Argonne (producteur de films) -
>> Yves Brandého (agriculteur) - Patrick Brunot (avocat) - Pierre-Henri
>> Bunel (écrivain) - Géo Chéron (SG du Comité International pour le
>> Développement et la Coopération - CIDEC) - Michel Collon (écrivain et
>> journaliste - Belgique) - Marc- Antoine Coppo (chargé de Recherche au
>> CNRS) - Amaury Couderc (ex-élu régional - maire) - Isabelle Coutant Peyre
>> (avocat) - Jean-Paul Cruse (journaliste et écrivain) -Michel Debray
>> (Vice- Amiral en 2ème section, conseiller municipal de Senlis, ancien
>> président de l'Institut Charles de Gaulle) - Sliman Doggui (neurologue) -
>> Jacqueline Forestier (retraitée de l' enseignement) - Jean- Claude
>> Fortuit (ancien député) - George Galloway (député britannique) - Général
>> Pierre Gallois (CR) - Michel Grimard (président du Mouvement Chrétien
>> Vème République) - Xavière Jardez (juriste) - Edmond Jouve (professeur à
>> l'Université René Descartes- Paris V) - Didier Julia (député de Seine et
>> Marne) - Philippe Le Moller (professeur) - Claude Karnoouh (chercheur
>> CNRS) - Charbel Kattar - Christian Lançon (journaliste) - Patricia Latour
>> (journaliste, écrivain) - Pierre Layssac (courtier d'art) - Pierre Lévy
>> (directeur de Bastille République Nation) - Jean-Pierre Lussan (avocat-
>> conseiller régional) - Marie Lussan (présidente de Fraternité irako-
>> française) - Maryvonne Mahmoud (enseignante) - Jean-Claude Manifacier
>> (professeur des universités) - Jean-François Marcellin - Narmi Michejda
>> (biochimiste - Pologne) - Gilles Munier (SG des Amitiés franco-
>> irakiennes) - Pierre-Alexandre Orsoni (président de la Maison d'Orient à
>> Marseille) - Pierre Pinta (écrivain) - Gérard Rouzade (consultant en
>> tourisme) - Charles Saint- Prot (écrivain) - Yannick Sauveur (directeur
>> d'établissement médico-social) - Elisabeth Schneider (membre du PDS /
>> Landes-und Kreisvorstand) / Allemagne) - Yves Stalla- Bourdillon (homme
>> de lettres) - Mondher Sfar (écrivain) - Hans von Sponeck (Coordinateur du
>> Programme « Pétrole contre nourriture » en Irak de 1998 à 2000) - Ouardia
>> Yahyiaoui (secrétaire) - Giuseppe Zambon (éditeur - Allemagne) ..
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> --------------------------------------------------Slip to
>> return----------------------------------------------
>>
>>
>>
>> Name:                        First name:
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> Position:
>>
>>
>>
>> Address:
>>
>>
>>
>> Date and signature:                        e-mail:
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> Correspondence:
>> Gilles Munier- AFI - 7, rue de Sarzeau, 35700 Rennes - France
>>
>> Fax 00 33 2 99 63 11 09/ e-mail : gilmun@club-internet.fr
>>
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "pjw8" <Philippa.Winkler@NAU.EDU>
>> To: "Dirk Adriaensens" <dirk.adriaensens@skynet.be>; "soc-casi-discuss"
>> <soc-casi-discuss@lists.cam.ac.uk>
>> Sent: Thursday, June 05, 2003 4:01 AM
>> Subject: [casi] raising the case of Huda Amashdr
>>
>>
>> > I don't want to sound naive, but isn't Huda Amashdr a
>> >  political prisoner, could Amnesty International ( and
>> > I know they are weird, but if one puts pressure on them
>> > they could respond, especially the Irish branch)
>> > adopt her as such? I also think there needs to a delegation
>> > to the UN Subcommission for the Protection and
>> > Promotion of Rights to raise this very important
>> > issue and others, this August, and meet the 26 legal
>> > experts on the SubCommission, Philippa
>> >
>> > > ===== Original Message From Dirk Adriaensens
>> > > <dirk.adriaensens@skynet.be>
>> > =====
>> > >[ Presenting plain-text part of multi-format email ]
>> > >
>> > >Hello all,
>> > >welcome to the "liberated and free" Iraq. And may only the "embedded"
>> press
>> > report us about what happens in Iraq and let the conquerors rewrite
>> history.
>> > >How come the US refuses to let delegations enter Iraq? How come they
>> assault
>> > visitors on their way to "the land of the free" (Iraq)?
>> > >Is this the "freedom" the US/UK promised? Chaos, Ethnic violence,
>> cholera,
>> > DU, Cluster bombs, stealing the oil, looting the heritage, burning all
>> public
>> > buildings etc.etc.. That's the price the Iraqi population pays for not
>> > submitting to the US and for defending their right to
>> > self-determination.
>> And
>> > I welcome the postings of Nermin and the letter of Ghazwan to AI. I
>> > wonder what happened to other list-members, like Nasra Al-Sadoon, who
>> > is a good friend of mine. Where is Huda Amash ("Mrs Anthrax"), a woman
>> > I respect
>> very
>> > much? Shouldn't we start asking questions to US/UK governments about
>> > the
>> sort
>> > of our dear friends in Iraq?
>> > >Greetings.
>> > >Dirk Adriaensens
>> > >www.irak.be
>> > >
>> > >
>> > > An italian caravan organized by association Ya Basta has been
>> > > physically
>> > assaulted while trying to cross the Iraqi border.
>> > >
>> > >FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
>> > >ITALIAN CARAVAN ASSAULTED BY AMERICAN MILITARY IN IRAQ
>> > >
>> > >A caravan organized by association Ya Basta departed Friday the 30th of
>> May
>> > to take a one week trip through Iraq and Palestine to organize and aid
>> > humanitarian projects in the two war torn areas.
>> > >
>> > >The caravan departed from Amman, Jordan to cross the Iraqi border to go
>> to
>> > Baghdad, the first stop schedualed by the caravan.
>> > >
>> > >However, upon reaching the Iraqi border, the caravan was stopped by the
>> > American military checkpoint. They were told that they needed to apply
>> > for entry visas to Iraq from the American command in Baghdad.
>> > >
>> > >After an entire day of waiting in the middle of the desert, the caravan
>> > returned back to Amman.
>> > >
>> > >Sunday the 1st of June, the 40 Italian activists occupied the Italian
>> > Embassy, refusing to leae untill the necessary procedures to obtain
>> permission
>> > to enter Iraq were undertaken.
>> > >
>> > >Sunday evening, official permission was granted by both the Italian
>> Embassy
>> > in Amman and Baghdad as wel as the American authorities in Baghdad.
>> > >
>> > >However, upon reaching the American checkpoint monday morning, the
>> > participants were informed that although their permission to enter Iraq
>> was
>> > valid, there were "communication" problems that prevented the American
>> check
>> > point from allowing them to enter.
>> > >
>> > >After waiting for another entire day, the caravan refused to leave the
>> border
>> > zone which provoked a violent response from the American military.
>> > >
>> > >As of 6pm Iraqi time, 6 participants have been injured as the american
>> > soldiers violently loaded them into cars.
>> > >
>> > > Live corrispondence including translation is availible from
>> > > GlobalRadio.
>> > >
>> > >CONTACT INFORMATION:
>> > >
>> > >Jason
>> > >GlobalRadio
>> > >Studio: +39 049 8752129
>> > >Cellular: +39 340 7270917
>> > >Fax: +39 049 664582
>> > >
>> > >www.globalradio.it
>> > >Email: info@globalradio.it
>> > >Email: tragicoptimist@hotmail.com
>> > >
>> > > update for the day 6/2/2003
>> > >
>> > >
>> > >After having occupied and negotiated with officials at the Italian
>> Embassy in
>> > Jordan, the delegation had got an 'ok' from embassies in Jordan,
>> > including from the American, to cross over to Iraq. They also obtained
>> > a written statement about wanting to cross over into Iraq which was
>> > approved by the
>> US
>> > command.
>> > > The delegation once again made its way to the border today. They got
>> > > past
>> the
>> > first checkpoint but were stopped at the second one, where they were
>> > told
>> to
>> > go back into Jordan. The activists then sat down on the ground. Six
>> activists
>> > were subsequently injured as American soldiers dragged the peaceful
>> sitters
>> > back onto their jeeps. The drivers did not want to get off the jeeps and
>> were
>> > persuaded to go back to Jordan. One activist speaking on the radio said
>> that
>> > they were the only ones refused entry into Iraq.
>> > >Back in Jordan, the Jordanian authorities wanted to take away their
>> cameras
>> > in order to keep the films.
>> > >Luca Casarini has been urging the Italian Foreign Ministry to get
>> involved.
>> > > The problems this delegation has met trying to enter into Iraq have
>> > > been
>> > published in the Italian press, in the Manifesto, on Sunday.
>> > >
>> > >There is a refugee camp in this stretch of no man's land, peopled by
>> > Palestinians. The delegation wanted to remain in the no man's land in
>> order to
>> > go and greet the people from the camps, which are run by the UN. The
>> American
>> > soldiers did not allow it. The delegation said that the refugees were
>> being
>> > treated badly, but we have no more details about this at the moment.
>> > >
>> > >For a complete coverage (in Italian ), go to www.yabasta.it
>> > >
>> > >report from yabasta delegation to Iraq 6/2/2003
>> > >
>> > >
>> > >i have just spoken with a member of the Ya Basta delegation, which is
>> still
>> > trapped in no-man's land between iraq and jordan. they arrived after
>> having
>> > gotten permission from Italian and even American officials to enter, but
>> once
>> > at the checkpoint, it was decided that they are subversive and a danger.
>> they
>> > have been beaten and assaulted, and they were at one point under
>> > threat of being shot by US troops if they didn't leave (though no one
>> > can be sure
>> how
>> > serious the threat was). they have also had problems with the Jordanian
>> > police, who wouldn't allow them contact with Iraqis in a nearby refugee
>> camp.
>> > >
>> > >www.yabasta.it
>> > >
>> > > have spoken to an activist from the delegation and has given me a
>> summary of
>> > the day... 3/6/2003
>> > >
>> > >
>> > >I have spoken with a member of the delegation, who reiterated in very
>> > frustrated tones how they were left standing for nine hours yesterday
>> before
>> > being told that they couldn't get through the checkpoint although they
>> > had
>> got
>> > an 'ok' from embassies in Jordan and the US high command to go through.
>> Guns
>> > were pointed at them and they were told to leave. They refused to do so,
>> and
>> > sat down. The people who were slightly injured whilst being forcibly
>> removed
>> > from their sit down protest by American soldiers back into the jeeps are
>> > alright.
>> > > Today, the delegation found out that the reason this 'ok' was
>> > > actually a
>> 'no'
>> > was that the US high command thought they were a delegation of anti
>> > globalisation activists, which tells a lot about the new and democratic
>> Iraq
>> > the US have pledged to build and given as one of their reasons for
>> invading
>> > and bombing the country, as part of freeing it of its undemocratic
>> > regime!
>> > > So the delegation has decided to thin down, leaving a subtantial core
>> > > of
>> > people, and is fighting to get a formal 'ok' from the Italian ambassador
>> to
>> > Jordan himself, De martino. He will only get this formal approval from
>> > the
>> Us
>> > Command in Bagdad, so in theory, if the delegation gets an approval,
>> > this
>> time
>> > they should be able to get through. They are now in Amman, waiting for a
>> > reply. Meanwhile they are liaising with many organizations working with
>> > Palestinians refugees in Jordan, and dealing with Palestinian issues, in
>> order
>> > to update them on the refugee camp they saw in the no man's land between
>> Iraq
>> > and Jordan, where many Palestinians who fled Iraq during the war but
>> > were refused entry into Jordan have been staying for some time now. The
>> > camp is
>> run
>> > by the UN, but members of the delegation have said that the refugees are
>> being
>> > mistreated by the US soldiers. The delegation had tried to make contact
>> with
>> > them but were prevented by the soldiers.
>> > >
>> > >add your own comments
>> > >
>> > >
>> > >
>> > >
>> > >_______________________________________________
>> > >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
>> >
>> >
>> > _______________________________________________
>> > 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
>> >
>>
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________ 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
>
>
>_______________________________________________
>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
>



_______________________________________________
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