Reports & Photos from VITW Delegations to Iraq

August 2000

   On August 8, a Voices in the Wilderness delegation from the Northwest traveled to Iraq to break the U.N./U.S.-imposed trade embargo. Northwest delegation members were Larry Kerschner, Brian Mack, Philip Steger, and Bert Sacks. They brought food, seeds, antibiotics, medical journals, school supplies, and water purifiers to Iraq and visited the Voices In Basra Project, a group of Americans who are living in Basra for two months to witness and report on conditions there. The Northwest delegation returned home on August 19. Read their and other delegation members' reports here:

Report from D'Ann Johnson for The National Lawyers Guild
 
Poem and chapbook by Larry Kerschner new
 
Letter and Photos from Alan Pogue
 
An Op-Ed Submittal by Bert Sacks
 
Photos from Bert Sacks
 
More photos (from Summer 2000 Voices in Basra Project)

Photos from Bert Sacks

 


All of our delegation with Kathy Kelly, of the Voices In Basra Project, their host, and their Arab language teacher.
 
Pictured in front row, left to right: Mahasen Nasser-Eldin (Palestinian student journalist who joined our group), D'Ann Johnson, Alan Pogue, Basra host to Kathy, Kathy Kelly, and Adil (the Basra group's Arab language teacher);
 
Back row, left to right: Larry Kerschner, Brian Mack, Philip Steger, Tom Jackson (who traveled with us and is staying with the Voices in Basra Project), and Bert Sacks.

Mark McGuire, of the Voices In Basra Project, gives food seeds to the hostess-head of the household where Kathy Kelly is staying in Basra.


In a cancer ward in Baghdad, this boy, Kamal, has a very advanced case of leukemia. There is inadequate availability of the drugs, and the cure rate there is about zero. He looks so much like the images one sees from Auschwitz ... it is very hard to see.
 
We learned that he died 3 days after our visit with him.

In a cancer ward in Baghdad, this girl also has leukemia.


Water plant with no electricity.
 
South of Basra, this water plant is receiving pumped water but has no electricity to pump and process the water further, so the water is running out of the pipe onto the ground until it's the turn of this plant to receive electricity. This is one of four water treatment plants chosen by Veterans for Peace for their rehabilitation project in this region of southern Iraq.

Conductor of the Iraqi National Orchestra, Mr. Mohammed Amin Ezzat (right), and Bert Sacks after the giving of donated strings and reeds worth $600 from contributions by Denis Morrison, Richard Power, Mark Mills, and members of the Sammammish Congregational United Church of Christ (a Seattle-area church).

Three youngsters in Basra, in a very old part of town by the historical museum.

Brian Mack with kids in Basra as he entertains and enchants them with bubbles.

In Basra, Father Amad, Archbishop Kassab, and Sister Yvet look at photos of themselves taken by Alan Pogue.

 

Last updated on November 12, 2000.

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