Recent CPTnet stories

IRAQ: Boom, boom, boom bangs the war drum

January 30th, 2012
in:

We have learned that some of our reporting on the conflict here in Kurdistan could be used to justify military action against Iran.

Our  team in recent months has included Canadian, European, Kurdish, and U.S. members. From our CPT family and from world news, we are aware that no one beats the drum of war louder and with such zeal as the U.S. media and their allies, including Israel and certain members of the European Union. 

We do not wish to be a part of this.

IRAQ REFLECTION : It takes a village

January 27th, 2012
in:

The multicolored van wove its way along the rocky dirt road, and gently up a hill. Looking ahead I could see them -- twenty five or so young children dressed in their school uniforms, standing in front of the building, swarming about their two teachers. As they spied our vehicle (not terribly hard to do), they began to jump up and down, jog in place, and wave to us.

IRAQ UPDATE: December 2011

January 19th, 2012
in:

Bombing of the border areas and completion of the opinion survey.

The team completed its survey of public opinion regarding Turkish and Iranian bombing of the border with the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) area, and distributed it to media, government officials, political groups, universities, non-governmental organizations, the Suleimaniya mayor’s office, and the embassies of Iran, Turkey, France and the USA. On 5 December, Thiessen, Firla and Mohammed Salah held a news conference at the Culture Café to publicize the survey, which then received considerable attention in local media. The team also held vigils outside the KRG parliament in Hawler (Erbil) to highlight the bombings. On 21 December, the team, border villagers Mr. Bapir and Mr. Khidr, and the Federation of NGOs, met with the parliament’s Human Rights Committee (HRC) to present the survey and a detailed report done by the Federation on the damage to life and property from the bombing. The HRC promised to visit the villages to see the damage, and the villagers asked CPT to join them to witness the visit if it happens.

IRAQ REFLECTION: Christmas in Kirkuk.

January 14th, 2012
in:

Sun, clear sky and a little mild weather made it seem like spring in the winter. The situation in the streets was normal; traffic was light, making for an ordinary day!! This was the situation on 26 Dec. 2011 when the CPT team arrived in Kirkuk to accompany the Christian community for the day. 

IRAQ REFLECTION: From Here to Where?

January 11th, 2012
in:

 It is late afternoon. The sun has disappeared. It is fairly cold. We are seated on benches in front of a home in the Makhmoud refugee camp in northern Iraq, speaking with Josef and Armeena. About two years ago, they were part of a delegation of about forty-six persons who formed a Peace Brigade. They had intended to meet with Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan and deliver a letter to him simply explaining that this group, and the Kurdish people, were not terrorists. They wanted peace. They wanted what all of us want (and many of us expect) -- our basic human rights. Mr. Erdogan refused to meet with them. Instead, the group was arrested, tried and sentenced to ten to fifteen years in prison. Josef and Armeena fled. Ten of the group remain in prison today.