CPT Iraq Team Report May 4, 2003, noon EDT
When Lisa Martens phoned in today, there was very heavy automatic gunfire
close by and she had to retreat from the roof. When she returned to the
roof a few minutes later, she could see a large fire and plume of smoke
about 500 m away and heard a lot of shouting. Another night in Baghdad.
The team had lunch with a family in Kathamiya, a suburb of NW Baghdad.
Since the telephone exchange was bombed in March, the family been unable to
contact their relatives in the USA who were very worried about the extended
family's well-being. This is true for millions of Iraqis with relatives and
friends in other parts of Iraq or in other countries.
On the way to Kathamiya, the team visited the Amir Al-Momenin Mosque. The
team's guide said that 200 military and civilian casualties had been buried
there during the bombing. Relatives are now digging up the bodies trying to
identify loved ones. The team also stopped at a school. The U.S. military
had cleared it of unexploded ordnance but it was still too dirty to re-open
for classes. Passing the Palestine Hotel, the team saw a bright orange sign
announcing "Baghdad Tennis Championship (Men Only)."
Jerry Levin visited another school near the Art Museum, but it is not open
either. Next to it is an Anglican Church which was badly looted. There were
a lot of fears in the Christian community that such attacks on churches
would be widespread, but they were not. During the visit, Jerry's driver
pointed out people looting an adjacent building. They reported this to U.S.
soldiers nearby, but the soldiers took no action.
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-----------------------------------------------
Doug Pritchard
Canada Coordinator
Christian Peacemaker Teams
Tel (416) 423-5525
Fax (416) 423-9213
If your enemies are hungry, give them bread to eat;
and if they are thirsty, give them water to drink.
Proverbs 25:21
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