FROM BAGHDAD: THE LATEST ... UNCENSORED (from WAYNE C-J and ROSEMARIE GILLESPIE)
MAX WATTS | 19.03.2003 17:27
Dial: 964 - Iraq - Country code: 1 - for Baghdad - and his Hotel, 717 2788;
And hear, a loud, clear, and ? American ?? recorded voice:
"Calls to this country are NOT PERMITTED - Message 22"
I guess: too late ! they've pulled the plug !
And hear, a loud, clear, and ? American ?? recorded voice:
"Calls to this country are NOT PERMITTED - Message 22"
I guess: too late ! they've pulled the plug !
[RN3280DRBAGHDADLATESTUNCENSORED]
FROM BAGHDAD: THE LATEST …UNCENSORED
MAX: I had a bad nite - this am. In the small hours - between midnite and 1:30 am - we received emails from Baghdad, both from Rosemarie with the Human Shields and from Wayne, still working at making films under… - difficult conditions.
Here is his - what I then feared - would be his last email:
From Wayne Coles-Janess
To: Max Watts
Tue, 18 Mar 2003 22:01:06
Sent a few emails over the last couple of days, a letter to the editor, etc.... not sure whether they have got through or not? Anyway, things don't look too good!
I'll wait to see if you have got them or not?
MAX: If anyone needs an ulcer, try sending emails to tell people YES WE HAVE GOT YOUR EMS - AND REALISE THEY ARE NOT GETTING YOUR REPLIES..
My new hotel number is 717 2788, or 718 2407; room 506, if you wanna - need to call. All the aussie media has pulled out!
MW: Some in fact are still around, but the ABC high-tailed it to Jordan. When I asked why, "we don't want our people to get killed". Of course. The Iraqis, Peace Teams (see below) and Human shields… are, I guess, used to it. Being killed.
I was hoping to borrow some cash and stock?
==========
MAX: Wayne and Rosemarie have, on several recent occasions, had to choose between "getting the news out" (costs some money..) and eating. They chose the first.
WAYNE IS LOOKING FOR WORK, PAID WORK, AS A CAMERA-PERSON… IN BAGHDAD…
==========
WAYNE: Maybe the US or European broadcasters might be interested in the land that they are going to bomb??
Hope that things are going well? - I need some sleep....
MAX: me too !! (I'm too old for this… I thought I had retired !)
Hope to hear from you soon.
Take care
Wayne!
MAX: So, it is after 1 am, I picks up the phone and calls Wayne. His new Hotel Andalus Number, tell him, before the bombs fall, blow up the phones, that we are getting his ems.
Dial:
964 - Iraq - Country code: 1 - for Baghdad - and his Hotel, 717 2788;
And hear, a loud, clear, and ? American ?? recorded voice:
"Calls to this country are NOT PERMITTED - Message 22"
I guess: too late ! they've pulled the plug ! poor wayne won't know we are hanging on his every word…
Call Telstra. "Yes, we have had this since the 17th…" What ? there's something wrong there, I have talked to Baghdad on the 18th, and just got this em… I insist. The operator tries it, gets the same "Calls to this country are not permitted". Such a nice way of putting it !
I try various end runs, get thru - won't mention how - to Baghdad, but not to Wayne….
TOO LATE ?
Wayne had just written:
"Thought I would take this opportunity, maybe the last opportunity for a while, to give you a very brief update on our filming in Iraq.. …
Our Subject: In the Shadow of the Palms - Iraq
Over the past four to five weeks we have had the unfettered opportunity to film a wide variety of situations and characters across Iraq. We feel that this will form an intimate and comprehensive insight into people and nature of Iraqi society.
As the world heads towards war, we will continue to document life as the machinations of this highly contraversal war unfolds against the society and people of Iraq.
We have filmed some excellent scenes and have a diversity of characters and situations. We plan to call this program, "In the shadow of the Palms - Iraq".
It still will be possible to produce the proposed (separate film) Shaking the Chador, but due to the nature of what is happening here, we believe the priority will be given to "In the shadow of the Palms - Iraq", a more comprehensive documentary on Iraq.
I look forward in hearing your feedback via the Sydney office.
We will continue to film as Baghdad prepares for this controversial war.
Sincerely
Wayne Coles-Janess
Producer
Baghdad
Well, after several hard hours, I did get thru, did get Wayne, it was 2 a.m. for him, he intends to stay. That message, that calls to Iraq are 'NOT PERMITTED", was, it turned out, premature… Today Telstra called me and said it wasn't them. They couldn't tell me who it was, "privacy policy" - but they insisted that they have not pulled the plug.
Even if H Downer et all have been doing their best to cut that country off, tell the media, the monitors, the Australians, Human Shields, Peace Teamniks, to "get out, or (we will) kill you."
No witnesses - to the killing - are required. For the Adolfs, Mussos, Francos and Hermanns, it is obvious that communications should be cut, silence shall be golden….
================
BUT … THERE ARE STILL WITNESSES… GOOD PEOPLE IN IRAQ:
WEDNESDAY 19 MARCH 2003-03-19
LATEST: AFTERNOON SYDNEY TIME, EARLY MORNING IN BAGHDAD
I was able to reach Rosemarie Gillespie at the 7th April Water Purification plant - still unbombed, still treating Tigris water for the hospitals of Baghdad.
Question MW: Can you, the Human Shields, leave - if you want to ? (as the Australian Government has been pressing you to):
A: We can. But we won't. The Border is, or at least was yesterday (on Tuesday) open. The Iraqis have to stay… (see below, for the earlier statement of the 5 Australian human shields..)
Q: Bush and Co say the Iraqis should surrender, will probably surrender…
A: The problem is that Bush believes his own bullshit. It is a fantasy that the people here are so dissatisfied with the government… If the US (and OZ) proceed the the same tactics there will be a fight, a war, that will make the Bay of Pigs (for young readers: the attempted invasion of Cuba in April 1961, by an American/Cuban exile (gusano) force, which ended in utter defeat for the invaders_) - that will make the Bay of Pigs liook like a Teddy Bear's picnick.
The US, and Oz, are making a very serious, very dangerous, miscalculation. They will cause terrible suffering…
Q: How are you, you all ?
A: Very good. We are ten here now, one more Japanese, and two more Brits.
Q: What about the Iraq Peace Team, Neville Watson, the pastor from Perth… where is he ?
A: He's at the Hotel AlFanak, room 205, tel 718 8007 or 717 2833.
Q: How many ? Are they staying ?
A: About 26. Yes, they will stay, whatever the escalation. I think he's the only Australian, (most are apparently US Americans). The Iraq Peace Team is from the Project: "Voices in the Wilderness", their headquarters are in Chicago..
Q: Some of the Warniks, trying to put these efforts down, say you are "hostages" to Saddam, have to go where told.
A: Utter nonsense. As usual. We chose where we want to go, our sites.
(in an earlier conversation Rosemarie explained the terrible effects of the 1991 bombing, destroying water purification plants and the necessary electric power stations, in killing many children drinking polluted river water. I believe this led her to chose the 7th April Water Purification Plant on the Tigris…)
Q: Rosemarie: Dr. Gillian Deakin, (of MAPW - Medical Association for the Prevention of War) has called and written …:"As Rosemarie is an old friend of mine, I was shocked to read her piece from Iraq. Howver, I would dearly like her to get a direct quote from one of the doctors there who treat patients suffering from war trauma (landmines, cluster bomb, or simply infectious diseases due to sabotage of water/sewerage).
I need a concise, scientifically accurate quote.
Would you be able to eiterh give me Rosemary's address or pass this on to her?
Peace,
Gillian Deakin
MAPW
A: I did visit a hospital in Basra, and wrote about their problems, about 2 weeks ago. (mw: article can be found, send, if necessary). But it is a very good point, I'll try and work on it today.
FROM BAGHDAD: THE LATEST …UNCENSORED
MAX: I had a bad nite - this am. In the small hours - between midnite and 1:30 am - we received emails from Baghdad, both from Rosemarie with the Human Shields and from Wayne, still working at making films under… - difficult conditions.
Here is his - what I then feared - would be his last email:
From Wayne Coles-Janess
To: Max Watts
Tue, 18 Mar 2003 22:01:06
Sent a few emails over the last couple of days, a letter to the editor, etc.... not sure whether they have got through or not? Anyway, things don't look too good!
I'll wait to see if you have got them or not?
MAX: If anyone needs an ulcer, try sending emails to tell people YES WE HAVE GOT YOUR EMS - AND REALISE THEY ARE NOT GETTING YOUR REPLIES..
My new hotel number is 717 2788, or 718 2407; room 506, if you wanna - need to call. All the aussie media has pulled out!
MW: Some in fact are still around, but the ABC high-tailed it to Jordan. When I asked why, "we don't want our people to get killed". Of course. The Iraqis, Peace Teams (see below) and Human shields… are, I guess, used to it. Being killed.
I was hoping to borrow some cash and stock?
==========
MAX: Wayne and Rosemarie have, on several recent occasions, had to choose between "getting the news out" (costs some money..) and eating. They chose the first.
WAYNE IS LOOKING FOR WORK, PAID WORK, AS A CAMERA-PERSON… IN BAGHDAD…
==========
WAYNE: Maybe the US or European broadcasters might be interested in the land that they are going to bomb??
Hope that things are going well? - I need some sleep....
MAX: me too !! (I'm too old for this… I thought I had retired !)
Hope to hear from you soon.
Take care
Wayne!
MAX: So, it is after 1 am, I picks up the phone and calls Wayne. His new Hotel Andalus Number, tell him, before the bombs fall, blow up the phones, that we are getting his ems.
Dial:
964 - Iraq - Country code: 1 - for Baghdad - and his Hotel, 717 2788;
And hear, a loud, clear, and ? American ?? recorded voice:
"Calls to this country are NOT PERMITTED - Message 22"
I guess: too late ! they've pulled the plug ! poor wayne won't know we are hanging on his every word…
Call Telstra. "Yes, we have had this since the 17th…" What ? there's something wrong there, I have talked to Baghdad on the 18th, and just got this em… I insist. The operator tries it, gets the same "Calls to this country are not permitted". Such a nice way of putting it !
I try various end runs, get thru - won't mention how - to Baghdad, but not to Wayne….
TOO LATE ?
Wayne had just written:
"Thought I would take this opportunity, maybe the last opportunity for a while, to give you a very brief update on our filming in Iraq.. …
Our Subject: In the Shadow of the Palms - Iraq
Over the past four to five weeks we have had the unfettered opportunity to film a wide variety of situations and characters across Iraq. We feel that this will form an intimate and comprehensive insight into people and nature of Iraqi society.
As the world heads towards war, we will continue to document life as the machinations of this highly contraversal war unfolds against the society and people of Iraq.
We have filmed some excellent scenes and have a diversity of characters and situations. We plan to call this program, "In the shadow of the Palms - Iraq".
It still will be possible to produce the proposed (separate film) Shaking the Chador, but due to the nature of what is happening here, we believe the priority will be given to "In the shadow of the Palms - Iraq", a more comprehensive documentary on Iraq.
I look forward in hearing your feedback via the Sydney office.
We will continue to film as Baghdad prepares for this controversial war.
Sincerely
Wayne Coles-Janess
Producer
Baghdad
Well, after several hard hours, I did get thru, did get Wayne, it was 2 a.m. for him, he intends to stay. That message, that calls to Iraq are 'NOT PERMITTED", was, it turned out, premature… Today Telstra called me and said it wasn't them. They couldn't tell me who it was, "privacy policy" - but they insisted that they have not pulled the plug.
Even if H Downer et all have been doing their best to cut that country off, tell the media, the monitors, the Australians, Human Shields, Peace Teamniks, to "get out, or (we will) kill you."
No witnesses - to the killing - are required. For the Adolfs, Mussos, Francos and Hermanns, it is obvious that communications should be cut, silence shall be golden….
================
BUT … THERE ARE STILL WITNESSES… GOOD PEOPLE IN IRAQ:
WEDNESDAY 19 MARCH 2003-03-19
LATEST: AFTERNOON SYDNEY TIME, EARLY MORNING IN BAGHDAD
I was able to reach Rosemarie Gillespie at the 7th April Water Purification plant - still unbombed, still treating Tigris water for the hospitals of Baghdad.
Question MW: Can you, the Human Shields, leave - if you want to ? (as the Australian Government has been pressing you to):
A: We can. But we won't. The Border is, or at least was yesterday (on Tuesday) open. The Iraqis have to stay… (see below, for the earlier statement of the 5 Australian human shields..)
Q: Bush and Co say the Iraqis should surrender, will probably surrender…
A: The problem is that Bush believes his own bullshit. It is a fantasy that the people here are so dissatisfied with the government… If the US (and OZ) proceed the the same tactics there will be a fight, a war, that will make the Bay of Pigs (for young readers: the attempted invasion of Cuba in April 1961, by an American/Cuban exile (gusano) force, which ended in utter defeat for the invaders_) - that will make the Bay of Pigs liook like a Teddy Bear's picnick.
The US, and Oz, are making a very serious, very dangerous, miscalculation. They will cause terrible suffering…
Q: How are you, you all ?
A: Very good. We are ten here now, one more Japanese, and two more Brits.
Q: What about the Iraq Peace Team, Neville Watson, the pastor from Perth… where is he ?
A: He's at the Hotel AlFanak, room 205, tel 718 8007 or 717 2833.
Q: How many ? Are they staying ?
A: About 26. Yes, they will stay, whatever the escalation. I think he's the only Australian, (most are apparently US Americans). The Iraq Peace Team is from the Project: "Voices in the Wilderness", their headquarters are in Chicago..
Q: Some of the Warniks, trying to put these efforts down, say you are "hostages" to Saddam, have to go where told.
A: Utter nonsense. As usual. We chose where we want to go, our sites.
(in an earlier conversation Rosemarie explained the terrible effects of the 1991 bombing, destroying water purification plants and the necessary electric power stations, in killing many children drinking polluted river water. I believe this led her to chose the 7th April Water Purification Plant on the Tigris…)
Q: Rosemarie: Dr. Gillian Deakin, (of MAPW - Medical Association for the Prevention of War) has called and written …:"As Rosemarie is an old friend of mine, I was shocked to read her piece from Iraq. Howver, I would dearly like her to get a direct quote from one of the doctors there who treat patients suffering from war trauma (landmines, cluster bomb, or simply infectious diseases due to sabotage of water/sewerage).
I need a concise, scientifically accurate quote.
Would you be able to eiterh give me Rosemary's address or pass this on to her?
Peace,
Gillian Deakin
MAPW
A: I did visit a hospital in Basra, and wrote about their problems, about 2 weeks ago. (mw: article can be found, send, if necessary). But it is a very good point, I'll try and work on it today.
MAX WATTS
e-mail:
vua RosieK@bigpond.com
Comments
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BAGHDAD: NO BUSH - NO WAY ! (just in from RG)
19.03.2003 19:57
[RN3280DSBAGHDADNOBUSHNO!]
BAGHDAD: NO BUSH - NO WAY !
Thursday 20 March 2003 - 3:40 am
I have been on tel and email to/from Baghdad. The consensus of what I'm getting is that Bush Blair Howard et.al (who is their all ?) are totally off the planet. Wrong. Nuts.
1/ just in from rosemarie:
Sent: Thursday, March 20, 2003 2:47 AM
Subject: AS THE TIME DRAWS NIGH
Dear Max, …
This morning I was asked on radio live, what is the mood of the people. I was cut off as I was telling how the people were preparing calmly for the expected attack.
It seems that the architects of this war think that the Iraqis will be knocked over like a row of skittles - or that people will rise up against Saddam Hussein.
It is like expecting the English people to rise up against Winston Churchill during the Battle of Britain. Now doubt Hitler wished they would!
(well, there was, Lord Halifax, who would have made deals with Hitler. But he had no support outside of the the Cliveden set, their lordly halls..)
The Bush camp seems to think the Shi'ites will rise up and work the "regime change" for them - or that they, or other Iraqis will welcome American soldiers as "liberators". Nothing could be farther from the truth. Have they learnt nothing from Vietnam?
The Shi'ites do not want a government which will just be a puppet of the United States either. All the Iraqis I have spoken to want the sanctions lifted, because they have caused great suffering, and none of us savours the prospect of being bombed to bits. Bombing is no way to win friends and influence people!
As for the Human Shields, our mood is one of facing the expected onslaught and preparing for it. The bombing could start any time.
People are buying up stores of food and bottled water to last us through the bombing. Most people are calm and quietly determined. A spirit of camaraderie is growing where once there was dissension. With more than twenty nations represented we are a united nations of peoples, working together,speaking many different languages. We have made many friends. They have become our comrades, our sisters and brothers.
Together we face the dangers of an unjust war and a fearful bombing blitz. We might get blasted to bits. But our spirits are strong, because we know, with truth and courage, we will prevail in the end.
--- ….who knows how long the bombing blits will last?
Bye for now - let's hope the bombing does not start tonight! Waratah (Rosemarie)
Rosemarie - Re Australian doctor: GD
As for your request, I am going to visit a Paediatric hospital tomorrow morning. In the meantime, I have the following to contribute. This is about the medical effects of the sanctions:
From an interview with Dr Murtadha Hassan, Haematologist, Paediatric Hospital, Saddam Medical City.
The paediatric hospital is a specialist hospital taking in children with sever, chronic or complicated illnesses. It is a teaching hospital.
"The incidence of child leukaemia has increased in the last 10 years due to the use (by America) of depleted uranium in warheads"
NB mw: US ARMY SPOKESPERSON EX KUWAIT: "we shall use depleted uranium shell in the coming "regime change". It is quite harmless, not radio-active…. (sorry, I don't have the exact quote) if anyone disbelieves, check it out for yourself !
Dr Murtadha said. Child mortality rates from leukaemia have also increased, he said, because the medicines required for the treatment of leukaemia are not available, as a result of the sanctions.
"The treatment of leukaemia is very sophisticated and involves many courses of treatment. Each course of treatment requires three to four different types of medicines. If one of the medicines is not available, the course of treatment will not work, so the rate of relapse is high." Dr Murtadha said.
At an earlier visit to the hospital, I saw a young mother weeping silently over her daughter lying listless in her bed. Shahad, who is only seven years old, has been diagnosed with acute leukaemia. She has only weeks to live. Her mother could not hold back her tears.
Soon Shahad will become another victim of the sanctions.
===============
SUMMARY (slightly edited) of several tel conversations with Baghdad, particularly with Wayne Coles-Janess:
The people I (Wayne) have been talking to - during the past 5 weeks in Iraq - in Baghdad, Basra, other places, have changed quite remarkably in the past week or so.
MW: Contrary to much of the "media information" received here, Wayne is not accompanied by a "regime minder". He has moved freely at all times, in all places, filming as he went. Nor have any of his (or Rosemarie's) transmissions, ems or phone calls been "censored
Wayne: People are used to living under a dictatorship, but this is not their big problem. Before it was just "getting on with of daily life", many problems due to the sanctions… But I have noted a big change in the past few days. Previously quite ordinary People have been "galvanised", politicised.
I can't give you percentages, numbers but the impression I get is that it's great majority are now against the Americans. Even if some are unhappy with Saddam, the feeling now is: "He is our President".
"We don't want a new President delivered on an American tank !"
The Western media, the "choco journos", here for 10 days.. have no understanding of the History, the pride, of the people. When the Iraqis are told, by Bush, the Americans, they "can't have this president" (Saddam) they get very annoyed, upset. Before they may not have been happy about Saddam, but thanks to Bush he has gained much popularity, "he is our president." Not Bush'es.
Wayne: Above all, I'd say the Western media, the Americans, have no idea… of the coming war. They seem to think they can bomb for a few days, and then walk in. No way. There would be a very vicious fight here, in Baghdad. With horrendous losses. People feel it is their country which is being invaded. No, I don't think there will be a "mass revolt" against the regime, against the Saddam government. And it won't be over in two days. Not in two weeks, not in two months… There will be years of fighting.
The people here, not just the army, the police, the militia, the ordinary people, are armed. Like, they say: "I have my Kalashnikov, my brother has his Kalashnikov, we will defend our city if it is invaded.."
These people, the men, have all been in the army. Well trained. Some for three, others for 6, or 9, years.
And they insist on their proud heritage. Our government is, will be, our own choice. Not imposed by some Western invader.
Two weeks ago people worried about peace, about getting the embargo lifted. Now it's our "Integrity". Our "Pride".
I asked Wayne if these remarks were conditioned by him being - as many western sources say - "under the supervision of "Minders". Wayne: That is absolute garbage. I have never been "minded", in the five weeks I' travelled all over, filmed, spoken with whom I want, met, looked for. I walk around town at 5 am, with my bags, camera, near a machine-gun nest… in Sydney, if I was "Arab" looking, I'd be jumped by the cops… here no one pays any attention.
I asked about the human shields, if many have left. "one group, pretty far out… I called them the "Human Tissue Shields". They left. The others, no. I've met with them, Rosemarie..
Q: what about the Shiites, the Kurds ? A: here there seems no such difference, between different people. They don't bring this out… They are just … people. And they have guns, whoever.. they are..
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