May 27, 2006
Peace movement supporters turned out in their hundreds
to public meetings around the country last week featuring US anti-war
activist Cindy Sheehan and founding member of Doctors of Iraq Salaam
Ismael.
Ismael witnesses the carnage day after day, desperately trying
to cope with few resources. "The health system has been destroyed after
three years of occupation", he told the 500-strong meeting in Sydney on
May 23, organised by the Stop the War Coalition, Sydney University’s
Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies and the Medical Association for
Prevention of War.
The Iraqi people have become death statistics on the Internet:
100,000, 150,000, numbers with no names, he said. The wholesale
destruction of Iraq’s health infrastructure involves more than
buildings — there is little food and hardly any medicine. Eleven of the
18 hospitals have been completely looted and the water supply is 40%
less this year than last.
"Where is the money going?", Ismael asked, before explaining
how corruption and profiteering had followed the privatisation imposed
by the Coalition Provisional Authority. During the second siege of
Fallujah, he said, general anaesthetic ran out and he had to perform
amputations under local anaesthetic, with the patients being held down.
Since 2003, 3000 doctors have left Iraq and many specialist
departments are being closed down. Last year, 61 doctors were
assassinated, some for treating resistance fighters. Ismael’s
65-year-old father was beaten when Ismael was accused of treating
insurgents.
Ismael described the horrific effects of the enhanced napalm
and cluster bombs used by the US military, including on children, who
have lost not only their limbs, but also sometimes 16, 17 or 18 family
members.
In conclusion, Ismael echoed Sheehan’s words earlier in the
meeting: "If we want to stop terrorism, we must know the reason. The
reason is the arrogance of US foreign policy. Our responsibility is to
take action."
More than 300 people attended the meetings with Sheehan and Ismael in Brisbane on May 24 and Melbourne on May 25.
From Green Left Weekly, May 31, 2006.
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