Falluga updates from eye witnesses currently in Iraq
(please also see
http://www.urban75.net/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=1673825#post1673825 )
***************************************
[3] APPEAL FROM EWA JASIEWICZ
Iraq Solidarity Action Resist the Massacre in Falluga
Urgent information and appeal from Ewa Jasiewicz, who worked with Voices
in the Wilderness and Occupation Watch in Iraq, lived there for 8 months
(Basra and Baghdad) and in Palestine, mainly Jenin camp for 6 months,
speaks Arabic, and who got back from Iraq 2 months ago. She is in regular
contact with her friends in Basra and Baghdad.
I just spoke to friends in Baghdad - Paola Gaspiroli, Italian, from
Occupation watch and Bridges to Baghdad, Journalist Leigh Gordon,
England, (NUJ, Tribune, Mail on Sunday) and a Palestinian friend with
family in Falluja and friends in the Iraqi Islamic Party. Both he and
Leigh have been ferrying out the injured from Falluja to Baghdad for the
past three days. Ambulances have been barred from entry into the
blood-drenched city.
Here is their news, which they told me over the telephone tonight
(Friday)
PAOLA:
There has been a massacre in Falluga. Falluga is under siege. 470 people
have been killed, and 1700 injured. There has been no ceasefire. They
(Americans) told people to leave, said they have 8 hours to leave and
people began to leave but they're trapped in the Desert. The Americans
have been bombing with B52s (Confirmed also by Leigh in an email three
days ago). Bridges to Baghdad are pulling out. We have flights booked out
of Amman. Tomorow a team will go to Sadr City to deliver medicines. 50
people have been killed there. ?? (Forgotten name) the 'elastic' shiekh
in Sadr City (I've met him, young, brilliant guy, describes himself as
'elastic' because he is so flexible when it comes to his interpretations
of Islam and moral conduct definitions etc, he's pretty liberal) he has
told me I should leave. He says that even he can't control his people.
Foreigners are going to be targeted. 6 new foreigners have been taken
hostage. Four of them are Italian security firm employees - they were
kidnapped from their car, which was found to be full of weapons, and
there were black uniforms. Baghdad was quiet today except for Abu Ghraib
(West Baghdad, where a vast prison is located and is bursting at the
seams with 12,000 prisoners) an American convoy was attacked there and 9
soldiers were injured and 27 were kidnapped. Thats right 27. None of the
newswires are reporting it though. And I heard this from (*name best not
to supply without permission). Its really really bad. They (Americans)
have been firing on Ambulances, snipers are following the ambulances,
they cannot get in.
Falluga, there are people in the Desert, they've left Falluga but they're
not being allowed into Baghdad, they're trapped in the Dessert, they're
like refugees, its terrible but the people, Iraqi people are giving all
they can; theyre bringing supplies, everybody is giving all their help
and support to Falluga.
I want to stay but I have to go, if I want to come back and be useful,
you know I think its best to leave, Bridges to Baghdad has decided this.
Its getting really dangerous for Italians. We feel like were being
targeted now. (Italy has a 2500+ force including Carabinieri occupying
Nassiriyah which has been subject to a number of resistance attacks
including the devastating attack on the Police station which claimed the
lives of 4 soldiers, one civilian, one documentary film maker, 12
Carabinieri police and 8 Iraqis).
() and Leigh have been great. Theyve been driving into Falluga and
bringing out people, going back and forth. They know whats going on,
really they have been great. They want more people to help them but we
couldnt from here. Its getting much much worse.
EWA: My friend whos been in Falluga today and for the past few days:
Weve been seeing it with our own eyes. People were told to leave Falluga
and now there are thousands trapped in the Desert. There is a 13 km long
convoy of people trying to reach Baghdad. The Americans are firing bombs,
everything, everything they have on them. They are firing on Families!
They are all children, old men and women in the dessert. Other Iraqi
people are trying to help them. In Falluga they (Americans) have been
bombing hospitals. Children are being evacuated to Baghdad. There is a
child now, a baby, he had 25 members of his family killed, hes in the
hospital and someone needs to be with him, why isnt anyone there to stay
with him, he just lost 25 from his family!??? The Americans are dropping
cluster bombs and new mortars, which jump 3-4 metres. They are bombing
from the air. There are people lying dead in the streets. They said
thered be a ceasefire and then they flew in, I saw them, and they began
to bomb. They are fighting back and they are fighting well in Falluga.
But we are expecting the big attack in 24-48 hours. It will be the main
attack. They will be taking the town street by street and searching and
attacking. They did this already in a village near-by, I forget the name,
but they will be doing this in Falluja. Please get help, get people to
protest, get them to go to the Embassies, get them out, get them to do
something. There is a massacre. And we need foreigners, the foreigners
can do something. We are having a protest, Jo (Jo Wilding
www.wildfirejo.org.uk) and the others from her group are coming to the
American checkpoint tomorrow. We havent slept in 3 or 4 days. We need
attention. I have photos, film, weve given it to Al jazeera, Al Arabiya
but get it out too. Do everything you can. We are going back in tomorrow.
LEIGH GORDON: Its kicking off. Come by all means but me and (..)
probably wont be around. I mean theyre going to crazy. () is saying
for foreigners to come but its not safe. Sheikh . from Falluga said he
couldnt guarantee my safety. I mean its going to go crazy, I think
foreigners will start getting killed soon I mean people are going to
start getting desperate, when theyve seen their mother father, house,
cat, dog, everything bombed theyre going to start to attack. They
(Americans) have said this operations only going to last 5 days its
drawing to an end. They need to free up troops on other fronts breaking
out all over the country. Theyre going to go in for the kill. Theres no
way of guaranteeing anybodys safety. I think you can be useful but its
not like you can just not tell your mum and think youll be back in a
week. Were probably going to get killed tomorrow. Come, but we might not
be here.
EWA:
What to Do
This is an appeal to the anti-war movement, to the peace movement,
eco-action movement, animal rights movement, anti-fascists, everybody
active, everybody who can respond, can call a demo, can organise a
protest, an office occupation, an embassy storming, a road blockade, mass
civil disobedience, industrial shut-down, work-place occupation,
solidarity work stoppage, blockade the US Embassy, Fairford Military Base
action campaign whats taking off at Fairford? Are B52s being deployed?
Shannon Peace Camp protestors are there new movements at Shannon? We
need to address this, we need to resist this. We become the solidarity
resistance in Iraq by taking action in our neighbourhoods and in our
cities. Print up a leaflet. Paint up a banner. Take to the streets. Only
a small group can make a change. Show people in Iraq that we are standing
by them. 700 more British troops have been flown in to quell the uprising
in the South. No Pasaran. Take to the embassies, the bases, the US
interests, the streets.
http://www.usembassy.org.uk/ukaddres.html - addresses of US Embassies in
London, Belfast, Edinburgh and Cardiff
http://cndyorks.gn.apc.org/caab/ - Campaign for the Accountability of
American Bases this site has a list of the locations of all the main US
air bases used in the UK
http://www.caat.org.uk/links/companies.php - full list of arms companies.
BAE Systems, and Lockheed Martin have been principal supplies of weapons
of mass destruction for the war on Iraq
http://www.caat.org.uk/support/confronting-companies.php - tips on
confronting arms companies by Campaign Against the Arms Trade
Hearts and minds boys, hearts and minds......
