PHA-Exch> message from Dr Salam, Iraq

[Bert De Belder]

Hello,
Many of you may remember Dr Salam Ismael from Iraq, who was with us in
Cuenca and who also participated in the PHM India meeting last year. He
sent us a message for all anti-war protestors these days of the fifth
anniversary of Bush' and Blair's illegal war on Iraq. I thought I'd
share it with you.
Bert

Message from Dr Salam Ismael (Iraq) to the protestors around the world 
Dear all,

After five years, we are back here to the streets that unified us, to
say to the world that each one of you who went around the world
protesting against that illegal war was RIGHT.

I know it was costly. It was costly for us as Iraqis, it was costly of
our blood and tears. But it was for a bigger cause, a cause for our
country to be free and dignified. 

After five years we proved that everyone who was here in the streets was
right, and that everyone who was not listening to us was wrong. The
Iraqis were watching you and were proud that you were expressing the
lively consciousness of humanity, marching for one reason, to say NO to
evil, NO to war, Not In Our Name.

Last year I lost my uncle and my cousin, and then I lost my father. They
have been killed by militias. It was an attempt to shut our mouths. But
they could not understand that this made me more determined to tell the
truth.

Five years on, the 2003 US-led invasion and occupation of Iraq has left
a devastated country and people. While dictatorships always come with
their unique problems - and Iraq was no exception and neither was it
unique – prior to 2003, the majority of Iraqis had access to basic
facilities, ranging from education, health, food and other basic
infrastructure. Today, Iraqis have access to barely an hour of
electricity daily, if they are fortunate; the cost of fuel has
skyrocketed, despite Iraq being the second largest producer of oil in
the world; potable water is lacking, resulting in a variety of illnesses
through the consumption of untreated water; unemployment stands at
around 40-60%; there is a severe shortage of basic medicines and health
care; children's education has been severely disrupted, with an entire
generation of psychologically traumatised children; there is a sharp
increase in the number of widows, orphans and street children; and the
displacement of thousands upon thousands of families, both internally
and externally, is surely the greatest tragedy of the 21st century.

The new government - if its a real government - has proved that it is
incapable of protecting its citizens – the violence and bloodshed
continue unabated, despite all claims to the contrary. Sectarian tension
and distrust intiated by militias, which did not exist prior to 2003,
have affected the livelihood of Iraqi society. Freedom of movement is
impossible today. Bands of militia roam the streets, and safety and
security for Iraqis is but a haunting memory.

The perpetrators of this crime of such great magnitude, resulting in the
loss of innocent lives and the loss of livelihood of an entire sovereign
nation, must be held accountable and justice must be done. Contrary to
popular belief that Iraq would disintegrate further if the occupation
ended, as often stated by those who support this war of aggression, the
occupation of Iraq must end before any real reconstruction and
reconciliation can take place. Iraqis should be left to chart their own
destiny, while they take their rightful place among the other nations of
the world.

Dr Salam Ismael

Doctors for Iraq

March 2008
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