Human Shields General Meeting

Sunday February 23, 2003

 
Announcements:

Two successful actions today, UN action went well. Also the bridge/banner action went realy, well. John said it was the most successful rally so far.

Tolga said the people staying at the Al Safeer Hotel will have a press conference at 10am on Tuesday before heading out to sites.

Nama reported an incident about boarding the bus to the power station. She is concerned about the behaviour of another Human Shield today as she tried to board the bus.

Discussion about the incident.

Gordon pointed out that the human shield concerned was worried about the amount of people on the bus and the efficient transport of the human shields to the site.

Ken says that tensions will increase as the threat of war gets closer. He wants to offer advice from his experiences of war. 

He says this is natural to have stress and conflict in this environment. He apologises for any mistakes he has made and says we should get beyond the bickering

Moral to the story: Everyone should try to behave nicely to each other.

Money issues: Ken says there is no money, we are in debt.

If anyone has any questions he invites them to go to him. Wishes there were more donations.

The master list for those wanting to go to Basara has disappeared. Does anyone know where it is?

People interested in the trip should put their name on the list tonight. The trip will leave on Tuesday.

Leadership: Some people want a leader, some don’t. Ken has stepped back at times in political situations and some people have been disappointed with that. He can’t be all things to all people.

Ken deeply moved by the deployment today. Wants to do anything to increase the safety of everyone, but there are some things out of his control, namely the Iraqi Government. There are some concerns.

Some people are staying a few days, some are staying longer. Those staying shorter time should be deployed to sites immediately.

So if you’re not gonna stay for the long haul, you need to get to a site straight away.

This could be a war zone. People need to look within themselves now and be sure that they are ready. If you crack, you could be a danger to yourself and to others.

If you have any doubts, it may be best to go, no one will look down on you.

People who have experience in situations of extreme stress should step forward now so that they can be distributed to sites.

The Black Bus is on its way and then Ken will deploy to a site in it. He will stay here for now in order to have better communications.

Ken encourages anyone to speak to him personally to get to know him.

He says it’s important to go out and visit sites.

Suggestion that we can have a large meeting with other groups. We should take part on March 8, International Women’s Day.

Tomorrow at 11am demo against the war in front of the UN

Egyptian group has organized a rally with a popular singer at 1.30pm at Estad. Encourage everyone to attend.

Rep from Japan spoke about peace teams. Said they are thinking of sending people here to participate as human shields.

He said the Japanese government is very important.

Question: Are there other things happening on Tuesday that we should stay for?

Answer: There will probably be movement into other sites. There may be an Iraqi artists demo on Tuesday. Pillow handing in on Tuesday.

Adele said new shields should go up to the office to fill in the forms.

Some Turkish HShields have changed hotel. They are keen to get to civic sites such as hospitals and schools.

Sites Committee

John reports: we have begun to do our work.

Lists were put up in two hotels, by Mr Bagdhadi, not the sites committee. John will put up a list in the third hotel.

Water treatment plant: 5 people have signed up.

Refinery site: 3 people have signed up

Communications site: 1 person signed up

Electricity site: 4 people signed up

Food storage site: 9 people signed up

There are more people here in this room than are signed up. It is v important that everyone sign up at a site.

In addition to these sites there are others, including power, water and communications sites.

Peter has volunteered to go out and take a look at these sites.

People should be ready to go to the food site on the outskirts of town on Tuesday. Site has 12 beds, nine people signed up. Will be able to shift people in and out.

Turkish people have wanted to go into a hospital site, but there is not a site available yet.

Spanish group wants to go to a hospital, have set up communication with Red Crescent.

Italians went into water plant, then went back to Italy. Another group went out there.

V important to sign up to sites.

Turkish group said they want to go to a water site, but were told it was full.

Question asked about rotation of HShields at sites. John said that people can rotate from site to site.

Ryan asked a question about what sites are close to military sites.

John said that power station has a military site close by. Food storage doesn’t. One water treatment site has a small military barracks close by.

Question about exit visas, can make the letter you need in 15 mins. Go to see Mr Thair? or Mr Bagdhadi.

Bruce expressed concern about not having the correct documentation when attempting to leave the country. Mr Thair said it will all be okay at the border.

Suggestion that anyone concerned should go to the Residents office tomorrow and get another 20-day visa.

Leo says we should make a list of people’s commitments, so we know who is leaving.

Turkish group expressed concern about communication regarding organizing a site.

Gordon asked why the oil refinery is a priority site. Peter answered saying the site is a key one in terms of heating, transport etc etc. UNDP also agreed it was a key site.

Question asked about schools and hospitals. Peter said that when he spoke to the managers of the sites, he spoke to them about being involved with the communities around the site.

Peter said he can’t get people into hospitals at the moment.

And school is out when there is war.

Other concerns were expressed about sites. Bruce suggested that questions should go to the site committee.

Christian suggested that the site committee approach those who are short term and ask them to deploy to a site or to start paying bills.

No dispute to this suggestion

This will also put pressure on the govt to open up new sites that people want to go to.

Peter asked for extra committee members

Spanish group said the majority of them think it is important to defend hospitals, that it is no point

Basara trip has now been moved to Thursday, depart 8am.

Website Committee:

Today discussed the issue of a new web and old web and the solicitation of funds of the old web. How the funds collected would be allocated.

Ken was at the meeting, he said he reserved explicit financial control over all the financial matter relating to humanshields.org. He also said there was a larger agenda that he had with Truth Justice and Peace organisation outside this Iraqi action.

Ken made the point that if we have specific needs then we should submit a list to him for approval.

Edward raised an analogy of Woodstock, the money came in in the end.

The two programmers who are making the website, did not attend the meeting.

Bruce said that the organization has about $200 that has been collected for office equipment.

Ken said there is no money. There is debt. Ken asked for a budget, but others didn’t want to do it.

Alex asked who is filming.

It is Marcus from Platform films making an independent documentary about the Human Shields since the buses left London.

Ken said any suggestion that he is trying to hoard money is ludicrous

Suggestion was made that we go back to discussing actions.

Question about web-cams. Edward said it would be impossible since we can’t even get e-mail.

Question asked if Ken could supply accounts. He said he would rather not spend time on doing accounting. But if anyone has questions he can show them.

Office Committee

Christian proposed that we start putting pressure for stuff such as printer, web access etc.

Also need to apply question about opening hours.

Welcome committee

30 people coming in tomorrow night from Amman

A welcome package has been made and feedback is welcomed

After tonight’s meeting - a forum on cultural issues to be held at this hotel.

The press office will contact the sites each day to keep up-to-date about who is at sites. V.important that site has the list ready.

Political Actions

Nothing new to report. Working on rally next Saturday.

Bruce said that it is very important that anyone planning a rally should notify the police for traffic arrangements.

Sonya said announced that three of them are leaving to go back to Damascus . Offered to be volunteers in Damascus to facilitate people coming in from Damascus.

Need people to replace the girls on the inter-office committee

Thank you to the girls!!!!

Meeting closed 8.30pm. Yay!