Americans Start Peace Walk Across Iraq

national | miscellaneous | news report Friday May 24, 2002 08:34 by .

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Americans Walk for Peace Across Iraq Desert

Sanctions-Defying Walk To Raise Funds For Cancer-Stricken Iraqi Children

Atlanta—On May 22nd 20 Americans will embark in a journey 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.

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, Director of Voices in the Wilderness.  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.

CONTACT: Compassion Iraq Coalition
May 15-20: Kathy Kelly, [email protected]
773-784-8065
cell 773-447-3964

After May 17th: Jennifer Horan, [email protected]
Cell  617-784-1785

OR

After May 20: Voices in the Wilderness Office: [email protected]
773-784-8065
For additional sanctions-related information go to:
http://www.nonviolence.org/vitw