Human Shields General Meeting

Saturday February 22, 2003

Announcements

Edward announced a meeting of A.A. Anyone interested should see Edward after the meeting.

Winnie Mandella will be joining us as Human Shields. Also a man from the United Methodist Church.

A group will be gathering for prayer after the meeting.

Also suggestion to form a group to combat fear amongst us.

Info about ‘National Society’, which includes Red Crescent and other NGOs. A list will be posted on the noticeboard of these local NGOs .

We have permission to contact these NGOs and start working with them.

Godfrey expressed concern about getting mail out. People who are leaving should let others know so they can post them on the outside. Be careful about exit visas.

Bruce says he spoke to Dr Hashimi about exit visas and he said don’t worry about it. He will get a letter from the ‘residents office’ and get a copy for everyone. He will double check everything again.

Suggested that anyone planning to leave for Amman should announce it now.

Edward is considering it in the next few days.

Tolga regarding wanting an Iranian visa if you are non-Turkish, he said he spoke to the Embassy and they are wanting to be helpful. Need to make a list of interested people.

Iranian visas will be helpful in the event that bridges are blown up. Will provide another exit option.

Adele will make up a sheet for people to list their details for an Iranian visa.

Donna said a group are going to the Catholic Church for mass tomorrow morning. Anyone interested should see her.

Sergy from Japan said computers may be available for use by Human Shields.

Fe asked if everyone could refrain from smoking during the short time of the meeting.

Two successful demos today. One against the media. The other by the Turks with music and dance.

Propose that the UN action take place tomorrow at 10am to go to the UN with hands tied and ask which point has been violated.

The banner is ready, it’s very nice. Propose to carry it to the bridge tomorrow, but that may change. To be discussed outside meeting.

Received information that a new delegation will leave Austria next week.

Karl regarding having a newsletter. He has draft examples of ‘Truth in Iraq’, which were handed out. Karl said there would be sections in different languages. He would like to produce it daily. Proposed by Bruce that it be double-sided and printed on recycled paper.

Bruce spoke to Dr Hashimi again about e-mail access. He said no, it is not an option to access private e-mail accounts. Only option is through a satellite phone.

Aids test – it is our choice.

Tolga said there will be a date for donating blood. Will make a list.

Edward said we have disappeared in a black hole and that he will continue to pursue this with the State provider. Tolga said there is a Turkish provider which is accessible.

The discussion will continue outside this forum. See Edward for questions.

Office e-mail seems to working now. Office hours 8am to midnight, outside these hours you can get the key.

Where are the bloody pillows??????????????

Political Action committee

10am anti- Rumsfeld action tomorrow to the UN

3.30pm Al Safeeya will walk with a banner to the bridge.

11am – Press conference about going to the power plant

Rally being organized for Sat 5pm next week Will deliver a declaration to the press and all the embassies in Baghdad. Want to turn this into a big rally.

Tolga wants flags from different nations idea is for one person from each country will wash the flag with water and chlorine and it will come out as a white flag.

Who put the candlelight demo on the 28^th?. It will not be on the 28^th.

Site Selection committee

A busy day, looked at four new sites: Oil refinery, communications plant, power station and food storage.

Hosts preference is the oil refinery which was damaged in the Gulf War. Effect of the plant going off line is severe. It employs 2700 people.

They have accommodation have 25 shields, standard is good. Three caravans and two houses.

Will be possible to build community with the local area through crèche, schools etc.

They are ready for shields to move in. Will be looking to move 30 shields in on Tuesday.

Communications centre – Not happy with this site, will talk to Dr Baghdadi about it.

Water treatment Plant – Site not ready, will also raise with Dr B. If  rectified, can move 12 shields in on Thursday.

Food storage plant – stores grain and rice (and lots of pigeons), seems a fair site. Two houses and apartments. Facilities good here.  There is a school we can access and a small medical centre. Agreed tentatively to move shields in on Thursday.

Moving into power generation plant tomorrow. Godfrey read out list of those going at 11am tomorrow. 

Godfrey says its important to have a map of all these sites.

Italians have set up camp on two water treatment plants already.

Working on the archeological sites. Will fill priority sites and then move people to archeological sites.

New shields should register in room 505 at Andulus hotel.

Karl said all this info could be included in a special edition of Truth in Iraq.

Edward said would like site map for the web.

Talk of people being moved out of Cedar Hotel is not correct.   

Welcoming Committee

Met last night. Judith is getting lists of incoming people. Need a thorough data base of everyone here.

Each hotel should make a list of everyone there and their details.

Putting together a pack for new arrivals. Good info, resources and maps.

Any more ideas see Judith.

Concerns from someone who has lived in the Middle East. Need more understanding about cultural norms, eg: behaviour of women. Fe has offered herself as a resource if anyone has questions.

Money transactions – customary to refuse money, press upon them that you want to pay.

Suggestion that a time be set aside to talk about cultural issues.

Sue suggested that we should keep an eye on who are going out, so that we know people’s whereabouts. Mandate should also include welfare. The warm and fuzzy committee needs more volunteers.

Press Committee:

Will meet after the meeting.

Will make a list of all media and where they are staying. Encourage everyone to hone in on their own media.

Also working on a pamphlet.

Web committee:

Edward says young nerd is putting together new website, good progress on that.

Unresolved difficulty about the current website focusing on other action in Palestine etc. Support is not coming through for people in Iraq.

Other business:

Point made that people from different language groups should attend the meeting and report back to their people.

Set up language corners before each meeting in the future.

Karl has asked for estimate of how many copies of newsletter needed at each hotel.

For news on the noticeboard, leave in the folder at reception.

Suggestion that we have a general meeting to solve inter- nation problems and other problems. Suggestion that main issue go to web committee tomorrow at 5pm.

Suggested that someone be responsible for handling money. Any volunteers. Bruce is currently acting in that role and can continue.

Sue raised issue of being ‘paid for’ by our hosts. Sue suggested that some people may want to chip in for their bill.

Point made that if we are paying, than cheaper accommodation should be found or shields may have to go home.

Question asked about money coming in from website. Question for Ken to respond to.

Will address the issue of money tomorrow.

Karl suggested that we could pay for our own food.

Ryan said he is ‘acutely uncomfortable’ about being paid for, says it is creating problem with the image of the shields

Also issues about people who have donated to the website and where the money has gone.

Tolga proposed that every human shield should pay $5 a day to cover food no matter where we are staying (site or hotel).

Joe said it is a individual matter for each person. Said many among us have few resources, he would be happy to argue that we should be able accept hospitality from the government.

Alex suggested that we can collect money for the parents of the kids in the hospital who cannot afford transport home to families.

Gordon said that he is happy to use the resources of any government in order to get the job done, including the Iraqi government.

Karl said that Arab hospitality is very generous. It may be offensive to refuse the hospitality. He has no problem with being hosted, doesn’t care what the media think.

Bruce proposes that everyone could contribute an amount determined by themselves which could go into a kitty and distributed.

Judith disagreed said that the Iraqis will know best how resources could be distributed.

Ryan said we should go to Dr Hashimi about the problem.

Donna suggested that the issue of donating to charity and having accommodation paid for are two separate issues.

She said that everyone should make a decision according to their conscience.

Christian said he is not gonna allow his financial constraints to stop him participating and saving lives.

Jean Michel said we should learn to accept hospitality.

Bruce suggested that whoever wants to speak to their hotel to pay the room rate can do that and that we can also have a group collection for those who want to repay in some way the generosity we have received.

Grace said in her capacity as a counsellor that she is available to talk to anyone who is going to the power plant.

A meeting on cultural do’s and dont’s in Iraq at the Al Kahleej Hotel at 8pm tomorrow.    

Jean Michel read two beautiful poems.

Meeting closed at 8.20 pm