Posted on 01/08/2003 6:12:43 AM PST by Lorenb420
A Canadian man killed when his truck rolled on an Iraqi highway had gone to the country to act as a human shield in the event of war against Saddam Hussein, the peace group that sent him there said yesterday.
George Weber, 73, was one of three Canadian and 14 U.S. peace activists who travelled to Baghdad on Boxing Day in an attempt to stave off a war with Iraq by placing themselves in the line of fire.
The activists were "prepared to put their bodies in the way," said Doug Pritchard, Canada co-ordinator for the Christian Peacemaker Teams, a church-based group dedicated to non-violent activism.
Mr. Weber, a retired high school history teacher from Chesley, Ont., was killed on Monday when the truck he was travelling in went out of control on a highway between Basra and Baghdad. Two U.S. activists were injured. A burst tire is being blamed.
"When he left here just after Christmas they were quite aware of the risks that were involved," said Edward Snider, his friend and neighbour, "although it's kind of ironic that the end came in a different kind of situation."
The Peacemaker group is to return to Canada tomorrow, but Mr. Weber's remains cannot be repatriated to Canada until the United Nations sanctions committee clears the transport of his body. Under Iraqi sanctions, anything shipped out of the country is considered cargo and subject to the same regulations as material goods.
Canadian officials are working to expedite the return of the body.
"It's a unique situation. His remains are considered subject to the sanctions regime and therefore an exemption has to be obtained," said Sameer Ahmed, a spokesman for the Department of Foreign Affairs.
Officials with Foreign Affairs have been telling Canadians since November not to travel to Iraq. But with war looming, peace activists from Canada and elsewhere have been heading to the country to serve as human shields.
Christian Peacemakers are encouraged to "get in the way of violence when they can," according to the group's mission statement. Peacemakers are active in such places as Colombia and Grassy Narrows, Ont., the scene of a native logging dispute. Mr. Weber is the first member to die in the field.
Mr. Weber taught in Ghana and Nigeria in the 1960s but later settled in Chesley, where he was a teacher and farmer and was active in the Mennonite church. He is married with two children and four grandchildren.
Following his retirement, he applied to take part in a Peacemakers mission to the West Bank. "I've always been interested in current events and I've always been aware that it's the poor and disadvantaged that end up suffering the most," he wrote in his application.
After spending a month in the West Bank, accompanying Palestinian children to school, Mr. Weber returned to Canada in October and signed up immediately for the mission to Iraq.
They were to "go to institutions in Iraq that support life, not death, places like marketplaces and hospitals and schools, to be present in the hopes that that might forestall the bombing," Mr. Pritchard said.
The delegation had been visiting hospitals and schools to talk to Iraqis about the Gulf War, United Nations sanctions and the possible U.S.-led war. Following a visit to the southern city of Basra, Mr. Weber was returning to Baghdad when his Iraqi driver lost control of the Chevrolet Suburban after its left rear tire burst.
"The vehicles were in excellent condition, brand new tires all around in the vehicle George was in certainly," Mr. Pritchard said. "Big six-lane highway, lightly travelled, clear day, straight road and the left rear tire blew out and George was sitting right over it in the back seat on the left.
The truck flipped on its roof. Mr. Weber was thrown from the vehicle and died of massive head injuries.
"We're quite convinced -- and the Iraqi police investigators have not found anything different -- that this is a very unfortunate, freak accident."
How appropriate.
Am I reading this correctly? This self-sacrificing willingness to put their bodies on the line for 'peace' was only during the holiday season, when the chances of war were nil, and they aren't going to be there for the actual war?
Maybe 2000 bodies stacked together might slow down a cruise missle.
A pity. I'm sure Baghdad would have had a parade in his honor. He'd have liked that.
I believe that during the Gulf War motor vehicle accidents were the leading cause of death of coalition forces.
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