We know that major new attacks on Iraq's cities are imminent, with the prospect of thousands more killed and maimed civilians. Thursday's Naming the Dead and Die-In at 3.00pm in Cornmarket will give you a chance to express your sorrow and indignation over those already unjustly killed.
This letter was sent by representatives of the people of Fallujah to the UN
;secretary general Kofi Annan
IT IS more than evident that US forces are committing daily acts of
genocide in Iraq. As we write, these crimes are being perpetrated against
the city of Fallujah.;US war planes are launching their most powerful bombs
against the civilian population, killing and wounding hundreds of innocent
people. Their tanks are pounding the city with heavy artillery.
As you know, there is no military presence in the city. There have been no
actions by the resistance in Fallujah in the last few weeks because
negotiations are in progress between representatives of the city and the
Allawi government.
The new bombardment by the US has begun while the people are fasting during
the celebration of Ramadan. Now many of them are trapped in the ruins of
their homes and cut off from any outside assistance.
On the night of 13 October a single US bombardment destroyed 50 houses and
their inhabitants. Is this a crime of genocide or a lesson about
US;democracy? The US is committing acts of terror against the people of
Fallujah for only one reason-to force them to accept the occupation.
Your excellency and the whole world know that the US and their allies have
destroyed our country on the pretext of the threat of weapons of mass
destruction. Now, after their own mass destruction and the killing of
thousands of civilians, they have admitted that they have not found any.
But they have said nothing about the crimes they have committed. The whole
world is silent, and even the killing of Iraqi civilians is not condemned.
Will the US be paying compensation, as it made Iraq do after the 1991 Gulf
War?
We know that we live in a world of double standards. In Fallujah the US has
created a new and shadowy target-Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. Al-Zarqawi is a new
excuse to justify the US's criminal actions. A year has passed since this
new excuse was dreamed up, and every time they attack homes, mosques and
;restaurants, killing women and children, they say, ";We have launched a
successful operation against al-Zarqawi" They will never say they hav
killed him, because he does not exist.
The people of Fallujah assure you that this person is not in the city, nor
&grobably anywhere else in Iraq. Many times the people of Fallujah have
asked that if anyone sees al-Zarqawi they should kill him. We know now that
he is
nothing but a phantom created by the US.Our representatives have repeatedly
denounced kidnapping and killing of ;civilians. We have nothing to do with
any group that acts in an inhumane manner. We call on you and the leaders
of the world to exert the greatest
pressure on the Bush administration to end its crimes against Fallujah and
pull its army back from the city.
When they left a while ago, the city had peace and tranquillity. There was
no disorder in the city. The civil administration here functioned well,
despite the lack of resources. Our "offence" is simply that we did
notwelcome the forces of occupation. This is our right according to UN
Charter, according to international law and according to the norms of
humanity.
It is very urgent that you, along with other world leaders, intervene
immediately to prevent another massacre. We have tried to contact UN
representatives in Iraq to ask them to do this but, as you know, they are
sealed off in the maximum security Green Zone in Baghdad and we are not
allowed access to them. We want the UN to take a stand on the situation
in Fallujah.
Best wishes, in the name of the people of Fallujah, the shura council of
Fallujah, the trade union association, the teachers' union, and the council
;of tribal leaders ;Kassim Abdullsattar al-Jumaily: President
he Study Center of Human Rights & Democracy
On behalf of the people of Fallujah and for:
Al-Fallujah Shura Council
The Bar Association
The Teacher Union
Council of Tribes Leaders
The House of Fatwa and Religious Education
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
;secretary general Kofi Annan
IT IS more than evident that US forces are committing daily acts of
genocide in Iraq. As we write, these crimes are being perpetrated against
the city of Fallujah.;US war planes are launching their most powerful bombs
against the civilian population, killing and wounding hundreds of innocent
people. Their tanks are pounding the city with heavy artillery.
As you know, there is no military presence in the city. There have been no
actions by the resistance in Fallujah in the last few weeks because
negotiations are in progress between representatives of the city and the
Allawi government.
The new bombardment by the US has begun while the people are fasting during
the celebration of Ramadan. Now many of them are trapped in the ruins of
their homes and cut off from any outside assistance.
On the night of 13 October a single US bombardment destroyed 50 houses and
their inhabitants. Is this a crime of genocide or a lesson about
US;democracy? The US is committing acts of terror against the people of
Fallujah for only one reason-to force them to accept the occupation.
Your excellency and the whole world know that the US and their allies have
destroyed our country on the pretext of the threat of weapons of mass
destruction. Now, after their own mass destruction and the killing of
thousands of civilians, they have admitted that they have not found any.
But they have said nothing about the crimes they have committed. The whole
world is silent, and even the killing of Iraqi civilians is not condemned.
Will the US be paying compensation, as it made Iraq do after the 1991 Gulf
War?
We know that we live in a world of double standards. In Fallujah the US has
created a new and shadowy target-Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. Al-Zarqawi is a new
excuse to justify the US's criminal actions. A year has passed since this
new excuse was dreamed up, and every time they attack homes, mosques and
;restaurants, killing women and children, they say, ";We have launched a
successful operation against al-Zarqawi" They will never say they hav
killed him, because he does not exist.
The people of Fallujah assure you that this person is not in the city, nor
&grobably anywhere else in Iraq. Many times the people of Fallujah have
asked that if anyone sees al-Zarqawi they should kill him. We know now that
he is
nothing but a phantom created by the US.Our representatives have repeatedly
denounced kidnapping and killing of ;civilians. We have nothing to do with
any group that acts in an inhumane manner. We call on you and the leaders
of the world to exert the greatest
pressure on the Bush administration to end its crimes against Fallujah and
pull its army back from the city.
When they left a while ago, the city had peace and tranquillity. There was
no disorder in the city. The civil administration here functioned well,
despite the lack of resources. Our "offence" is simply that we did
notwelcome the forces of occupation. This is our right according to UN
Charter, according to international law and according to the norms of
humanity.
It is very urgent that you, along with other world leaders, intervene
immediately to prevent another massacre. We have tried to contact UN
representatives in Iraq to ask them to do this but, as you know, they are
sealed off in the maximum security Green Zone in Baghdad and we are not
allowed access to them. We want the UN to take a stand on the situation
in Fallujah.
Best wishes, in the name of the people of Fallujah, the shura council of
Fallujah, the trade union association, the teachers' union, and the council
;of tribal leaders ;Kassim Abdullsattar al-Jumaily: President
he Study Center of Human Rights & Democracy
On behalf of the people of Fallujah and for:
Al-Fallujah Shura Council
The Bar Association
The Teacher Union
Council of Tribes Leaders
The House of Fatwa and Religious Education
--------------------------------------------------------------------------