CPTnet
22 August 2006

IRAQ UPDATE: 1-7 August 2006

Tuesday, 01 August

Anita David and Jan Benvie went to the government ministry responsible for
registering non governmental organizations (NGOs.) Ministry staff told them
that the ministry was not functioning because the government is in the
process of combining under the two main political parties, Kurdistan
Democratic Party (KDP) and the People's Union of Kurdistan (PUK.)

Maxine Nash and Peggy Gish went to a housing agency to pursue renting an
apartment. The agent informed them they would have to apply for and get
permission from the Asaish security police before they could rent, because
they were foreigners.

Wednesday, 02 August

CPTers began the process of applying for permission from the Asaish for
renting an apartment, taking signed forms to various security offices. A
security official told them to come back the following day to pick up the
permission forms.

Thursday, 03 August

Benvie and Gish went to the Residency Office in Sulaimaniya to start the
process for extending Benvie's visa. Benvie had a file at the Residency
Office in Baghdad, since she spent six weeks there last summer. After going
to many different offices and waiting a long time, an official told them she
could complete the process without having to bring her files from the
Baghdad Residency Office.

Nash met with an Iraqi friend whose life had been threatened to discuss
steps for seeking asylum in another country.

Nash went to the Asaish office, to get the permission for renting the
apartment, but it was not there yet. While she was in the office however,
she learned about the security agencies in the Kurdish Regional Government
(KRG) area. The traffic police and regular police report to the Ministry
of Interior. The Asaish report directly to the Prime Minister (currently
Nechirvan Barizani) and the Peshmerga report to the Ministry of Defense.

An Iraqi friend invited the team to a Ministry of Culture-sponsored concert
given by a group who played and sung traditional Iraqi music.

Saturday, 05 August

Benvie and Gish met with the director of a women's NGO based in Suliamaniya
and Erbil that combats violence against women. It is an umbrella
organization that provides training and resources to eight local woman's
groups. Projects in this network include a shelter for women fleeing
violence, providing legal and medical care for women prisoners, and helping
women who are internally displaced persons (IDPs.)

Sunday, 06 August

Benvie returned to the Residency office, but after she went to three
different offices, officials told her that extending her visa was not
possible without bringing her file from Baghdad. She hired a driver, who
regularly travels to Baghdad for the Residency Office in Suliamaniya, to
bring back the files.

Because of plans for the team to return to the US for the CPT retreat, the
team decided not to rent the apartment. They informed the housing agent and
the Asaish.

Monday, 07 August

In the morning, Gish began a security-training for Benvie. The team planned
visits to organizations and did team office work.

A team friend came for an evening visit and talked about the difficulties he
was experiencing, including the separation from his family and the process
of seeking political asylum.