CPT Iraq Team Report May 21, 2003
The team visited a secondary school for boys in the Mansour district of
Baghdad. The school has 1100 students and 54 teachers who have so far
received only a one-time salary payment of $20. The Principal said, "I am
not sad to see the fall of Saddam Hussein. But I am depressed by the U.S.
policies against Iraq. They could help us rebuild but that is not happening
because all they want is our oil."
At a meeting hosted by UNICEF, aid workers said Iraqi school staff
everywhere are very angry about the lack of pay and electricity. The U.S.
military counters that it has made many $20 payments, and salaries and
back-pay are coming. The teachers say that $20 hardly covers their travel
to school let alone providing food for their families. They also say that
the U.S. military is still not responding to the school's security
concerns, especially the fears of female students. Other aid workers noted
that Iraqi Muslims and Christians continue to cooperate, but that this
could be jeopardized if Christian aid agencies are perceived to be
favouring Iraqi Christians.
The team found a small pile of unexploded ordnance in a park in the
Al-Wathag Square commercial area. There were eight pieces of ordnance
including unexploded cluster bomblets in the open with nothing to cordon
them off. When they reported it to Sgt. Coultrey at U.S. Command, he said
it was not in his jurisdiction.
Graffiti is appearing saying, "We want Saddam back."
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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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