Report from Iraq: Lessons Unlearned : 26 April 03
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news report
Friday May 02, 2003 13:16
by vitw
4/26/03 Lessons Unlearned by Caoimhe Butterly
“Traveling now…to Iraq? But the war is over – hallas – they’ve won,” responds
an Egyptian friend when she learns of my plans. My explanations, of which
she’s very aware, of the need for the continuation of independent witnessing to
give voice to the unspoken narratives, of the fact that there has never been a
benign occupation, that advocacy for Iraqi human rights – the right to live –
does not end with the ending of the sanctions or the bombing, of the need for
long-term accompaniment, of representing some sort of alternative face of the
West, fail to sway her skepticism of the possible efficacy of a continued
presence in Iraq.
Nawal’s resignation, reflected in many other conversations with other friends
and with people on the street, was heavy, but masks a corrosive sense of pain,
regret and anger – another violation, another occupation – which was evident in
the face of every demonstrator who took to the streets of Egypt, Syria,
Palestine, Lebanon, Yemen and Jordan. There was no equivalent in the images of
demonstrations in Europe and the United States. The bombing, the immediacy of
it, the images of warm, throbbing flesh, of life, shredded by shrapnel, of
grief, cut to the very marrow of Nawal’s bones. The pain, which she felt – the
anger, love, helplessness, has subsided somewhat. But scratch the surface and
it’s there. The reeling, shaking feeling of physical bombardment she describes
she felt while watching the news transcends empathy. It is something – almost
long-distance torture – that people all over the Middle East have suffered and
continue to suffer.
The steady cheapening of Arab blood by the West, the blatant racism, the
attempts to nullify the crime of war and continual violations of a people, a
culture, with token gestures of humanitarian aid – all expressed in a language
hijacked from the peace and social justice movement – and subsequently
bastardized. The re-writing of history – cloaking it in the palatable language
of emancipation; all of this is blatantly evident to a child here.
So, too, however, is the awareness of the deep ignorance of the Middle East –
of its past, present and future, its culture, its sophistication, its politics,
its complexities, its strength – present in the anti-war movement in the
West. There is recognition of the good will, of the courageous acts of
resistance, that many Westerner activists undertook. There is awareness of the
unprecedented numbers, of the fact that many people marched who had never
marched before; out of a vague sense that this war was wrong. And for these
demonstrations of solidarity, many friends here express gratitude. But there
is also awareness that the critical mass nearly reached - a fraction of a
second too late for Iraq – will not be sustained. And that it lacks the
cohesion, sophistication, strategy and real politicization to be able to
sustain the demoralization and doubt following the “liberation” of Iraq.
This war (which never really ended – and perhaps has no solidly fixed
beginnings – as is the ephemeral nature of slow-drip genocide) has shattered
communities and served as a grand example of a massive setback for humanity.
It has also highlighted a whole plethora of issues that the West tries to
ignore as we rush into condemnation of the more blatantly visible players. We –
the alternative – in our finger pointing, our doling out of blame to the
figureheads, the passing array of politicians “responsible” for how far astray
the human race has gone, have somehow missed one of the lessons so blatantly
obvious in all of this: That introspection and reflection, and admission of
our own complicity within this, is vitally important if we are to move forward
with any sort of cohesion as a movement. That in the “shaming,” in the blaming
of the other (who really aren’t like us at all, because we care), perhaps we
should be saying shame, too, on us – for twelve years of not managing to break
the sound barrier; shame for the suffocating silence surrounding genocidal
sanctions; shame for every victim of Israeli apartheid in occupied Palestine;
shame for the slow and painful or quick deaths and the lives never given voice,
never fought for, never honored; shame for every victim of state-sponsored
terrorism; and shame for the memory of every Iraqi man, woman and child who
lived with a virtual gun to their heads for far too long.
It is time – perhaps it has always been and always will be – to reclaim our
language, the silenced narratives, to re-inhabit the
words “dignity,” “solidarity,” “courage,” and “liberation.” It is time to take
the anti-war movement past the mantras; the absent and sterile reasoning
of “success” or “failure.” It is time to channel that passion into something
intensely more politicized and something able to accompany Iraqis and
Palestinians and Timorese and Chiapas with a commitment that runs deeper than
sympathy. With something that recognizes their tremendous strength and beauty
and capability and existence before our governments decisions to attempt to
annihilate them. We must, as a community, do this now – because if we fail to,
we die a collective death.
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Comments (11 of 11)
Jump To Comment: 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1and what seems to be a big jumper the kind your granny used to knit one day become something quite different another.
Quote: "...computer-programming alarm for me alone..."
It must be some all-powerful Microsoft conspiracy, right?
Even though none of the indymedia servers run on any Microsoft OS.
That just proves how powerful "they" are!
I donteven knowwhy I botherto type thisin because they alwayscensorme.
when you say 'they' put West Papua on as a front page story I can only assume you are talking about Indymedia - certainly, 'they' are the only people who have put something on West Papua as frontpage news. The rest of the world's media continues to ignore the ongoing Western sponsored genocide there. One of the reasons Indymedia put the article frontpage was because (a) I posted the story to the newswire (2) asked the collective to feature it and (3) formatted it with links etc. to make it easier for the editorial collective. - Perhaps you could try something similar for your story, whatever it is..
Absolutely right Dynamic.
I don't put my email in a computer recognizabled print on here anymore because [they will deny this - as they are inveterate israeli weasel liars] they now have a computer-programming alarm for me alone so when I put down my email up in standard form on here - my post is instantly erased. The israeli crew on here immediately takes off the page, anything well documented or well reasoned reporting crimes of likudniks.
They are particularly terrified of me - as when ever they Do attemt to refute logic or sources that I present - they have neither the ability to convincingly articulate their lies or the source facts to support them: hence they erase me - and others. I have a whole column of research done by a Seattle Indy contributer as to the webhosting computer companies that support these sites: each one that uses a certain one has been cited by many for this israeli supporting nepotistic bigotry.
They won't dare let debate or substantiations, evidence or complaints get published on these sites that they are So called running 'for free'[another joke -for this kind of lying one Has to paid - either overtly or covertly] - and running for the 'people'. They run Nothing for the 'people' - they run these sites as their own Private presses for the diversion of any bad publicity about israel to any other subject - like the great oppression in West Papua for instance. West Papua gets front page photos - the murders of palestinian supporters by the idf get nothing. Any how my email is (take it outof the print becauseif I print it plain thisgetsautodeleted) islanceatt nextwordgraffiti then the period and it's net not the usual com.
Theisraeli editorialstaff running this service have to go and we need to get honest noncensoring genuine people in here. So write me and we will get started on blasting them out of their cat-bird-seat on here. And if they dare take up my challenge to Debate them on here - Let them keep only one debate topic on here with censorshipin by irelandindymediocrities the title up on the newswire with the promise of no deletion - and I will prove that they are just what I know that they are. They won't dare. It has to be a topic with No restrictions of leaving a Link to that topic in other posts so other can know of it and read it. No question - inspite of the raft of inconsequential rubbish they Leave up on the newswire - they Don't dare leave a post begun my me calling for a debate on their likud supporting affiliation.
You know me, dynamic, I am Sir Gawaine's comrade. L
This declaration by delegates working for national unity in regard to our people in Iraq was adopted unanimously at a conference held in Driebergen, The Netherlands on April 2003. In attendance at the conference called and hosted by the Assyrian Universal Alliance (AUA), were observer activists, government dignitaries involved in the Assyrian Question, and the undersigned political parties, organizations, and federations. The Assyrian Nation includes Chaldean and Syriac … and are the indigenous people of Iraq and the remnants of the Assyrian Empire. The Assyrian numbers over four (4) million scattered throughout the world with two (2) million still in the homeland of Iraq. They are the second largest minority and as Christians the second largest religion of Iraq. The declaration points adopted are:
1. That we support the integrity of an undivided Iraq.
2. That the Iraqi Government must be democratic and secular.
3. That the constitution recognizes equally all Iraqi citizens.
4. That Assyrians receive all ethnic and religious rights (The terms ethnic minorities or religious minorities must be interpreted to have the same meaning in all languages).
5. That Assyrians be acknowledged as the indigenous people of Iraq.
6. That all living Assyrians and their descendant children be granted dual citizenship, thereby allowing a fair representation.
7. That Assyrians in any Iraqi government where autonomy is declared for any group or where a federal government established, then the Assyrians must be provided autonomy or given a state named Assyria accordingly. (See map).
8. That Assyrians must be able to freely exercise their customs, traditions, language and religion.
9. That Assyrians be entitled to representation and participation at all levels of Government.
10. That the homes and lands of Assyrians illegally removed be returned to all including those at home and abroad.
11. That any constitution for Iraq must include a bill of rights for all citizens.
12. That the statement of basic principles adopted at Ankara on March 19, 2003 by the governments of the United States and Turkey and by the Iraqi opposition groups be included in the interim Iraqi regime and any subsequent government.
13. That all Assyrians have the right and are entitled to resettle in their ancestral homeland, Iraq.
14. That we Assyrians support the inclusion of the Yezidies in our Assyrian nation.
Adopted unanimously this April 27, 2003 Driebergen, The Netherlands
R E S O L U T I O N S
1. To achieve the goal of unity to connect the divisions affecting our people, the Assyrian, Chaldean, Malachite, Syriac, and Maronite … church denominations through centuries. We call for an official invitation from this conference to be issued to all Church Leaders to begin a dialogue of understanding and unity to heal the wounds of all sects of our nation.
2. The conference acknowledges the historical unity between Assyrians and Yezidies and requests the rights of Yezidies be secured and implemented equally as outlined in the declaration statement adopted heretofore.
3. We ask that the appointed committee pursue immediately with the present legal government in IRAQ and with the governments of the coalition representatives and bring to justice the incident of the eight Assyrian men that reportedly have been imprisoned by the Kurdish Democratic Party, KDP.
4. We support Assyrian national effort for democracy, and the fulfillment of our national and human rights in the homeland.
5. This body is to create a temporary Leadership Committee to be composed of nine representatives for implementing the mandates and resolutions adopted here in a voice of unity agreed at this Amsterdam Conference.
6. The ten member temporary Leadership Committee to consist of the nine present political parties and the Assyrian Universal Alliance.
7. We resolve to thank and recognize the efforts and dedicated hard work of President Shlimon Haddad and the members of the Dutch Assyrian Society of Holland in organizing, preparing, and conducting this outstanding Amsterdam Conference.
Adopted unanimously this April 27, 2003 Driebergen, The Netherlands by
Assyrian Universal Alliance
Assyrian Democratic Party
Assyrian National Organization
Assyrian Liberation Party (GFA)
Assyrian Liberation Movement
Assyrian Patriotic Party
Bethnahrain Freedom Party
Bet Nahrain National Alliance
Patriotic Union of Bethnahrain
Shuraya Party
Assyrian-Chaldean-Syriac Union
Dutch Union of Christians of the Middle East
Syriac Assyrian Federation of Sweden (SARS)
Assyrian American National Federation
Assyrian Australian National Federation
Assyrian Federation of Russia
Assyrian Youth Federation of Middle Europe
Atour Assyrian Association of Armenia
Babylon – Institute for Assyrian Kultur – Eu
Dutch Assyrian Society
Syriac League of Lebanon
Assyrian Youth Federation of Sweden
Free Women of Bethnahrain (HNHB)
Svenska Kommitten for Assyrier (SKA)
Union of the Assyrian-Syriac Associations in Germany (UASD)
International Assyrian Congress of Georgia
CaldoAshor Organization Communist Party of Iraq
Union of Syriac Associations in Switzerland (HHS)
Why does Ray & Co leave this non-news item on Indymedia.ie yet censor other newsworthy items? Because they cannot bear criticism of Indymedia.ie and cannot bear anybody to express different views to their own.
Actually.
Who appointed you as literary critic, spent too much time reading the Daily Express perhaps
QUOTE: It is time – perhaps it has always been and always will be – to reclaim our
language, the silenced narratives, to re-inhabit the
words “dignity,” “solidarity,” “courage,” and “liberation.” It is time to take
the anti-war movement past the mantras; the absent and sterile reasoning
of “success” or “failure.” It is time to channel that passion into something
intensely more politicized and something able to accompany Iraqis and
Palestinians and Timorese and Chiapas with a commitment that runs deeper than
sympathy. With something that recognizes their tremendous strength and beauty
and capability and existence before our governments decisions to attempt to
annihilate them. We must, as a community, do this now – because if we fail to,
we die a collective death.
ENDQUOTE
Whatever it is this "something" is. What are you on about? What is the "something intensely more politicised". Eh?
She's spent too many afternoons reading the fucking Guardian.
They are coming to my inbox out of sequence which is why they are out of sequence on the wire.
http://www.indymedia.ie/cgi-bin/newswire.cgi?id=45942
Seeing as Chiapas gets mentioned people might be interested in the web page at http://struggle.ws/mexico/diez.html which records the Irish peace campe at Diez de Abril. Caoimhe was one of over 60 peace observers who spent time in that community, founded on an occupied ranch in 1995.