Visit to Iraq

10.6.02

First, I want to let everyone know I am doing great and am enjoying Baghdad. Sorry I have not being sending frequent e-mails. I have been very busy and seen many things. It already seems like I have been here weeks and not in a bad way. The only bad thing is my luggage got lost and I still haven't received it. But I'll get it eventually get everything. If you know anyone who would still donate money for me to stay here, please see if they will do so. I want to stay as long as possible. This is pretty long since I haven't sent an update in awhile, so I hope you have time to read it all. This is an e-mail that I tried to send a week ago that somehow never got sent, so I'm sending it now, and will send an update later...

Wednesday, October 9th.
After the delegation I am with made it to Baghdad we gave blood in front of the US intersection at the Polish Embassy. The US no longer has an embassy in Iraq, all diplomatic ties ended in 1990. The Red Crescent took our blood. The message was "give blood, don't spill blood." There was tons of international media there and CNN, so hopefully someone in the US might have seen a clip of it. Then we watched Iraqi Symphony.


Thursday, October 10th.
Walked around the area of Baghdad where we are staying with Henry. We talked to people and showed them the magic sheet (will explain later so keep reading). There were groups of cars with honking and instrument playing galore driving around starting in the later afternoon. Thursday evening is when people marry, because Friday is the day off. There were a lot of people at a park in the middle of a roundabout in the road. We went and talked to people there. All twelve of us either walked around by ourselves or with one other person. Each person had a swarm of people around us asking us questions. It was an awing experience. Then we went to the two "ritziest" streets in Baghdad. A lot of stores with things on the shelves but they hardly anyone buying anything. We also saw the Baghdad McDonalds, which consisted of a lit up sign and a hot dog/hamburger cart. Then we went to a juice shop and drank some juice. Haven't got sick yet. And then ate at a restaurant on that street. It was a nice restaurant. It's where UN worked usually eats, but it's expensive to eat there. It cost 6000 Iraqi dinar for my meal or $3.50 US. That will be my last meal an upscale restaurant while here (there are only about two that are, but I don't want to waste money).


Friday, October 11th.
We went to the animal souk (market) to look around, and then went to the book souk to actually by some things. Seeing the souks is was a good experience in that you see and learn what the Iraqi people have to do to try to make money. At the end of the book souk is a coffee shot where Iraqi artist and actors, etc hang out. We went there and watched a play. After a few of us went to the press center and we introduced ourselves. It's where all the international and US press are located. We handed out press packs and spoke with people. Did some interviews and went back to the hotel. Went to café across from our hotel with Farah, Henry, Akmed and Ramie. Akmed and Ramie are our friends. They are street children who are shoe shiners. Then at the Iraqi wax museum basement there is live music every Friday. We were invited so went; it was really fun. We then went back to the hotel and then to a restaurant a block away from the hotel. You have to tell them you will pay for the food or not eat there or else they won't take any money for the food. After eating, we went to pay and they handed half the dinar back so we left what they gave back as a tip.


Saturday, October 12th.
We went to al-Monsour Hospital. We saw children with cancer. One child had very thin limbs, but a very swollen abdomen. One girl had an IV of her cancer treatment that went straight into her head. This was not easy to see, but we had to keep our composure until we were away from the patients and their families. Each patient's bed has another bed next to it. This bed is for the person who stays with that child pretty much 24/7. We saw way too much to even describe in this short overview, it will be a whole story itself. There were some Swedish tourists who were in Iraq to see Babylon and other historical places in Iraq. They planned a protest in from of the UNDP (United Nations Development Program). So after the hospital, Jon and I went to the UNDP to meet them. They all went inside the UNDP to deliver a signed letter. Francis Dubois met with them and us. He too is against the sanctions. After, they asked Jon and me if we would like to join them for lunch. Jon had to go to the hotel to do some things, but I joined them. I expected to go straight to lunch, but they went to the Saddam museum, Iran war museum, and a site were military marches are usually held. After seeing all of that it was off to lunch. Two of the Swedish group were journalists. They interviewed me during lunch. They were all really cool people. During lunch some people came up and said "hello." I gave them the magic sheet, and then they left but came back in, and started asking me more about what I was doing. They were from South Africa and were very happy to see an American opposed to the US policy in Iraq. They gave me their address, phone number and business phone and then another guy gave me his number, his business number and his brother's number. I ended up with 7 phone numbers from two people; it was hilarious, but touching. They said that if I ever go to South Africa, I can stay with them, even if I am calling from the airport they will pick me up. After all that, I said bye to the people from Sweden and walked the mile back to the hotel, stopping along the way to talk to people.


We are staying at the Al-Fanar Hotel and have been eating at restaurants here. We've been in busy markets and never felt threatened at all. You should feel the warmth coming from their eyes when they read our magic sheet. The magic sheet is a paper we have that explains in Arabic and English what Voices in the Wilderness is doing here, and how we feel about the sanctions and war.


Two days ago was the referendum and there were 4000 internationals, 2000 of whom were journalists. They could take buses to different cities to see the referendum in different places. We would go to these places and the journalists would be all stiff and just follow around Governors. I talked to the people and to the children. I got tons of pictures of children and some of adults. I also got some sound recordings of some kids. The bus I took I thought was going to Babylon, but got on the wrong bus and went to Najaf and Karbala. Then the whole group and I went there yesterday. Both times went to the mosques in both cities. Each is well over 1000 years old. Its crazy how ornate the decoration is on them. It had to take soo much time. There are huge parts of it that are solid gold.

Then two days ago the Iraqi government granted amnesty for all prisoners. I got to go to Abu Ghraib prison. Its the most notorious prison in Iraq. Words can't describe what I saw there. The celebration and the happiness. The US news reports of this were bad. No one was thanking Bush like the New York Times tried to say. The American government is not liked here at all. Its completely understandable that the US government is not liked here. It's not liked in most of the world, contrary to what most Americans think. It's even easier to understand when you are in a country which is directly effected every day by US policies. They go from being fully supported by the US to sanctions which are mainly controlled by the US, along with the continued bombing. But the people see the difference between the US government and the American people. They love Americans. Never have I felt threatened here. Even at the "voting stations" for the Referendum when the chants were "down down Bush, yes yes Saddam." I was interacting with the people the whole time I was at the voting places, and they welcomed me. To see what happened the watch the video on
www.iraqjounal.org.

Anyone you know who wants good coverage of the war tell, them to read www.iraqjournal.org. Jeremy Scahill who is posting most of the things on there, is here with the peace team and is an amazing journalist. He has won the Pulp Award for Journalism. Its the Academy Awards for journalist. And he has great integrity. Some of his stories show up on Yahoo News. And the Iraq Journal page was featured on Yahoo two days ago.


People can e-mail, but e-mail me at my Yahoo account like usual and the message will get forwarded to me. Be aware of what you are saying, remember where I am. Use good judgment on what you say and questions you ask.

Love, Eric

I'm back in the US, but am visiting my family in Illinois. I'll be in Indianapolis hopefully on Thursday and definitely on Friday. Then am leaving Friday evening for the SOA Protest in GA.

Going to Iraq was amareally I realy did not want to leave. But we were having visa problems so I had to come home. My passport was confiscated when I went through US immigration. So I had some problems getting through customs without a passport.

As soon as I have the money to get my film developed I'm going to start speaking. I want to thank everyone for all the help I have received through donations, media work, moral support, and prayers. All of it really means a lot to me. Without the support I received there wound have been no way I could have gone to Iraq with the Iraq Peace Team. As soon as I have the money to get my film developed I'm going to start speaking.

Love, Eric