IRAQ UPDATE: 21 January – 3 February 2008
February 15th, 2008
in:
CPTnet
15 January 2008
IRAQ UPDATE: 21 January – 3 February 2008
21 January-3 February 2008
The team spent much time dealing with problems securing visas and NGO (Non-governmental organization) status in the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) area of Iraq. Each time they went to the Asaish (security police) to pick up the promised signed papers, officials gave excuses as to why the papers were not ready. On 23 January an Asaish official told the team that he could not give them visa extensions to stay and work. He said the papers were in the hands of people “higher up,” i.e. “the Americans.” A top Asaish official did authorize residency officials to grant CPTers a one-month visa extension to secure NGO status.
On 29 January, a Residency official gave each team member one-month visa cards. He said, however, that he could not issue entry visa papers for the team’s support person, Doug Pritchard, to come in February. The following day, the same official told the team that someone higher up ordered him to take away their visa cards and tell team members they must buy plane tickets and leave in a week’s time. He said he was very sorry. “We know you are good people. The Kurdish people have nothing against you.” Many Kurdish officials made statements that identified “Americans,” as the source of these orders, yet none would identify the U.S. agency with which the Americans were affiliated. When team members asked an Asaish official who might be able to facilitate CPT’s getting NGO status, he responded, “You can’t get that high.”
Team members bought tickets to fly on 10 February to Amman, Jordan. They contacted Kurdish friends and officials to help find the impediment to their remaining and for advice about how they could address this obstacle. They made an appointment with U.S. officials in the KRG and prepared an information packet of materials for CPTers in the U.S to use when visiting senators and a U.S. State Department representative in Washington, DC to advocate for the team.
On 31 January, the U.S. Embassy representative for the KRG told Michele Naar-Obed by phone that he was confused about the team’s visa problem and agreed to contact the embassy in Baghdad embassy to get information. When Naar-Obed asked a KRG representative about having someone from the KRG advocate to the U.S. on the team's behalf, he responded, “I’m sorry there is nothing that the KRG can do for you. Your government occupies our country and does not listen to our government, especially when it comes to US citizens. Your government is not listening too much these days.” He said he was sorry the team would not be able to work here.
On 2 February, a Kurdish friend reported from his talk with a contact in the KRG government that the obstacle to the team remaining in Iraq was coming from the U.S. Embassy in Kirkuk and that CPT was supposed to have notified U.S. officials, before returning, that the team was coming. Once here, they were to notify them whenever they traveled. He advised that CPT’s director call the Kirkuk Embassy to explain that the team did not know any of the above.
On 3 February, the team met with government officials in Erbil who told them the Asaish office in Suleimaniya was blocking their visa as well as with U.S. officials. He advised the team to try to work through the U.S. Embassy representative to the KRG to get a letter of support from US officials for CPT’s presence in the KRG.
Tuesday, 22 January
Anita David made color photos of the displaced families that the team visited in Qaludza and Rania and sent photos of the bombed village to contacts for distribution in the U.S.
Naar-Obed visited with a woman she met on the city bus whose sister has been abused by her husband and thrown out with her four children. An ICRC (International Committee of the Red Cross) worker gave her information about a women’s shelter in Erbil.
Saturday, 26 January
Naar-Obed, David and Peggy Gish went to a Kurdish women’s conference focused on educating people at all levels of society about domestic child abuse. A leader of the women’s organization hosting the conference told about going into school classrooms talking to students about their rights and how to deal with abuse. She said that the children asked them to hold similar workshops for their parents.
Sunday, 27 January
Naar-Obed and Gish met with the leader of the Genj/Lau, a youth movement that has had a tent encampment in a public park since September calling for greater involvement of youth in decisions of society and for an end to many forms of corruption and domination by political parties in the KRG. They suggested he contact a Kurdish NGO to show a Kurdish version of the film, “A Force More Powerful film” to their members. He asked to join CPT and CPTers explained that CPT is limited in its work in Kurdistan until the NGO status is granted. They also told him about the formation of the Muslim Peacemaker Teams in Kerbala and Najaf and CPT’s hopes to form a similar group in Kurdistan. The youth leader expressed a lot of interest in nonviolence.
Wednesday, 30 January
When discussing restrictions on the team during this time of trying to secure their NGO status, an assistant to the director of the Asaish advised Cliff Kindy and Gish to “keep distance” from the Genj/Lau and not to go to any areas of danger.
Thursday, 31 January
Team members spoke with Matt Chandler and Heidi Schramm to prepare them for their meetings with a U.S. State Department representative and Senators Lugar's and Durban’s aids. The team’s Kurdish teacher and his wife invited the team over for an exquisite meal.
Friday, 01 February
An independent journalist acquaintance of the team, who had received a death threat, contacted them after returning from a trip to Iran. He told CPTers the Swedish Embassy there denied him asylum in Sweden, but said he could visit friends there on a temporary visitor’s visa.
15 January 2008
IRAQ UPDATE: 21 January – 3 February 2008
21 January-3 February 2008
The team spent much time dealing with problems securing visas and NGO (Non-governmental organization) status in the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) area of Iraq. Each time they went to the Asaish (security police) to pick up the promised signed papers, officials gave excuses as to why the papers were not ready. On 23 January an Asaish official told the team that he could not give them visa extensions to stay and work. He said the papers were in the hands of people “higher up,” i.e. “the Americans.” A top Asaish official did authorize residency officials to grant CPTers a one-month visa extension to secure NGO status.
On 29 January, a Residency official gave each team member one-month visa cards. He said, however, that he could not issue entry visa papers for the team’s support person, Doug Pritchard, to come in February. The following day, the same official told the team that someone higher up ordered him to take away their visa cards and tell team members they must buy plane tickets and leave in a week’s time. He said he was very sorry. “We know you are good people. The Kurdish people have nothing against you.” Many Kurdish officials made statements that identified “Americans,” as the source of these orders, yet none would identify the U.S. agency with which the Americans were affiliated. When team members asked an Asaish official who might be able to facilitate CPT’s getting NGO status, he responded, “You can’t get that high.”
Team members bought tickets to fly on 10 February to Amman, Jordan. They contacted Kurdish friends and officials to help find the impediment to their remaining and for advice about how they could address this obstacle. They made an appointment with U.S. officials in the KRG and prepared an information packet of materials for CPTers in the U.S to use when visiting senators and a U.S. State Department representative in Washington, DC to advocate for the team.
On 31 January, the U.S. Embassy representative for the KRG told Michele Naar-Obed by phone that he was confused about the team’s visa problem and agreed to contact the embassy in Baghdad embassy to get information. When Naar-Obed asked a KRG representative about having someone from the KRG advocate to the U.S. on the team's behalf, he responded, “I’m sorry there is nothing that the KRG can do for you. Your government occupies our country and does not listen to our government, especially when it comes to US citizens. Your government is not listening too much these days.” He said he was sorry the team would not be able to work here.
On 2 February, a Kurdish friend reported from his talk with a contact in the KRG government that the obstacle to the team remaining in Iraq was coming from the U.S. Embassy in Kirkuk and that CPT was supposed to have notified U.S. officials, before returning, that the team was coming. Once here, they were to notify them whenever they traveled. He advised that CPT’s director call the Kirkuk Embassy to explain that the team did not know any of the above.
On 3 February, the team met with government officials in Erbil who told them the Asaish office in Suleimaniya was blocking their visa as well as with U.S. officials. He advised the team to try to work through the U.S. Embassy representative to the KRG to get a letter of support from US officials for CPT’s presence in the KRG.
Tuesday, 22 January
Anita David made color photos of the displaced families that the team visited in Qaludza and Rania and sent photos of the bombed village to contacts for distribution in the U.S.
Naar-Obed visited with a woman she met on the city bus whose sister has been abused by her husband and thrown out with her four children. An ICRC (International Committee of the Red Cross) worker gave her information about a women’s shelter in Erbil.
Saturday, 26 January
Naar-Obed, David and Peggy Gish went to a Kurdish women’s conference focused on educating people at all levels of society about domestic child abuse. A leader of the women’s organization hosting the conference told about going into school classrooms talking to students about their rights and how to deal with abuse. She said that the children asked them to hold similar workshops for their parents.
Sunday, 27 January
Naar-Obed and Gish met with the leader of the Genj/Lau, a youth movement that has had a tent encampment in a public park since September calling for greater involvement of youth in decisions of society and for an end to many forms of corruption and domination by political parties in the KRG. They suggested he contact a Kurdish NGO to show a Kurdish version of the film, “A Force More Powerful film” to their members. He asked to join CPT and CPTers explained that CPT is limited in its work in Kurdistan until the NGO status is granted. They also told him about the formation of the Muslim Peacemaker Teams in Kerbala and Najaf and CPT’s hopes to form a similar group in Kurdistan. The youth leader expressed a lot of interest in nonviolence.
Wednesday, 30 January
When discussing restrictions on the team during this time of trying to secure their NGO status, an assistant to the director of the Asaish advised Cliff Kindy and Gish to “keep distance” from the Genj/Lau and not to go to any areas of danger.
Thursday, 31 January
Team members spoke with Matt Chandler and Heidi Schramm to prepare them for their meetings with a U.S. State Department representative and Senators Lugar's and Durban’s aids. The team’s Kurdish teacher and his wife invited the team over for an exquisite meal.
Friday, 01 February
An independent journalist acquaintance of the team, who had received a death threat, contacted them after returning from a trip to Iran. He told CPTers the Swedish Embassy there denied him asylum in Sweden, but said he could visit friends there on a temporary visitor’s visa.