Excellent!! My first question was how many signatories, but by looking at the website, it appears that there are stories on a dozen or so names. I do hope that they get a petition or something going, to give this powerful letter and it's meaning as much effect as possible!!
[names and mini-bio's of women on webpage follows]
Iraqi Women Speak
Maha AlattarSh’ia from Baghdad. Fled Iraq in 1993 to escape the fate of her relatives who were being imprisoned, “disappeared” or deported to the mine-filled border with Iran.
Safia Al SouhailShi’a from central Iraq. Represented her one million-strong Bani Tamim tribe the recent Iraqi opposition conferences in London and the Kurdish safe haven; led a delegation of Iraqi women who met with British Prime Minister Tony Blair in December 2002.
Zainab Al-SuwaijShi'a from Southern Iraq. Executive director of the American Islamic Congress (
www.aicongress.org); fled after the 1991 uprising in which she participated.
Tamara DarweeshBorn in Baghdad of Shi'a and Kurdish parents. Fled Iraq as a child in 1979 with her parents who were targeted by the Ba'ath regime for their opposition activities; participated in the recent Iraqi opposition conferences in London and Kurdish areas to plan the post-Saddam transition.
Rend Rahim FranckeExecutive Director of the Iraq Foundation, (
www.iraqfoundation.org); active in democracy planning for Iraq.
Tanya GillyKurd from northern Iraq. Daughter of prominent anti-Saddam activists; democracy activist advocating for a federal, pluralistic Iraq.
Maha HussainMuslim Arab from Baghdad. Witnessed Iraqi government brutality at a young age; President of the Iraqi Forum for Democracy (
www.iraqifd.org), a Michigan-based organization of Iraqis worldwide working to promote constitutional democracy in Iraq.
Katrin MichaelChaldean Christian, from northern Iraq. Joined the anti-Saddam resistance 1982 and was injured in chemical attacks in 1987; an advocate on behalf of Iraqi women.
Esra NaamaShi'a from Southern Iraq. Daughter of a leader of the 1991 uprising following the Gulf War; fled with her mother and siblings, crossing the desert by foot into Saudi Arabia.
Raz RasoolKurd from Baghdad. Daughter of a prominent Iraqi dissident, now a member of the Kurdish parliament and head of the Kurdish Writers Union; member of the Iraqi National Congress (
www.inc.org.uk) an umbrella organization of Iraqi opposition groups.
Kanar SarrajKurd from Northern Iraq. Worked with victims of Saddam's genocidal campaign until she was forced to flee in 1996 under threats by the regime.