CREDIT: Allen MacInnis, The Gazette
Posted on 02/15/2003 8:30:05 AM PST by Loyalist
CREDIT: Allen MacInnis, The Gazette
"My parents are very afraid" for her safety, Lisa Ndejuru says.
Her parents in Montreal are frantic and she is scared, too, but Canadian Lisa Ndejuru says she is determined to stay in Baghdad, despite the threat of war.
Ms. Ndejuru is part of a controversial group of Western peace activists trying to deter an attack on Iraq with their own presence in the country.
She was supposed to come home this week, but decided to stay on, and vowed in an interview from her Baghdad hotel not to leave even if war comes.
The Montreal university student admits it has been a "surreal" experience at times, as she watched Iraqi soldiers dance to an Arabic version of We Shall Overcome and started each day by greeting UN weapons inspectors.
"It's a lot frightening," she said about the possible conflict."We're not soldiers, right? We don't go through rigorous physical training. We're regular people who have decided to do this."
Such activists have been accused of naively playing into the hands of Iraqi President Sadam Hussein's ruthless regime and, potentially, obstructing their own nations' armed forces.
U.S. and British authorities have made it clear the presence of Western protesters in Baghdad will not change their tactics in the event of an invasion.
Ms. Ndejuru, 32, said she worries about Iraqi media misquoting her comments in their Arabic translations for propaganda purposes. But she said the possible downsides of the exercise are outweighed by the benefits of giving a voice to innocent Iraqi civilians.
"Whenever you move from analysis or contemplation into action, you're going to dirty your hands," she said. "Is that a bad thing? Personally, I don't think so, but it was the first thing I had to come to terms with."
Ms. Ndejuru belongs to a project called the Iraq Peace Team, organized by Voices in the Wilderness, a U.S. group that has deliberately violated international sanctions by bringing humanitarian supplies to the country.
The group denies its activists are acting as human shields, although they have spent time holding "vigils" outside water plants and other likely bombing targets. They say their aim is to draw attention to the plight of ordinary Iraqis and what might happen to them if there is an attack.
A few other Canadians have also spent time with the group in Iraq in recent weeks, but have all gone back home. Another group, Christian Peacemaker Teams, has sent a smattering of Canadians. One of them, George Weber, died in a car accident in Iraq last month.
A native of Rwanda who has lived in Canada for 20 years, Ms. Ndejuru is a student at the University of Montreal.
"My parents are very afraid," she said. "I was supposed to be back on Tuesday and I had decided the week before that I was going to stay on and that hurt, I think."
Her routine in Baghdad starts with daily vigils outside a UN compound as weapons inspectors head out on their daily rounds at 7:30 a.m. The Peace Team members hold up banners saying "Inspection Yes, Invasion No," and sing songs.
One day this week, an Iraqi man standing nearby broke into an Arabic version of We Shall Overcome.
"Across the street, the armed guards started dancing. So there are ties, people to people. That is something that is somewhat surreal, but it's beautiful."
Group members have also visited with local families, spoken to students at Baghdad university and visited utility buildings to underline the vulnerability of ordinary civilians to a bombing attack.
She said Iraq appears to be a "layered, complicated" country where many people oppose Saddam, but many seem to support him.
© Copyright 2003 National Post
Sheesh, I hope that this idiot has not been talking to other Iraqi's and naming names such as Mr. and Mrs. Abdul Doe on Jihad Ave, are against saddam, how come you are for him, Mr. uday hussein.
Unfortunately she probably has and those innocents are in prison or have been shot.
Yep useful idiots with blood on their hands.
Operation Enduring Freedom - Are We Alone? - Who's With Us (29/4) / Against Us? (14/1)
Research on the Forum / Made Possible by Those Who Posted Full Articles | 02/13/2003 | DoughtyOne
Posted on 02/13/2003 5:31 AM PST by DoughtyOne
Yes, notice the funny wording of her comments, not to mention the total lack of reality. She seriously needs help - but she picked the wrong side in this war, and is not likely to get any help there.
What is funny, but very sad, is that so many of these people think that there is a third side in a war. There isn't. She picked her side and will endure the consequences.
We are gonna have a slam dunk winner here in a week or so.
So9
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