WHO SPEAKS FOR THEM? The kidnapped of Baghdad.

From the first day of our invasion of Iraq political violence came to innocent victims; civilian casualties. Men, women, and children who thought little of politics are being caught by the reality of armed conflict. Some died. Some are wounded. Some suffer the pain of living through the death and destruction that deliver, on a daily basis, a harsh reality unknown within the USA. And some are kidnapped for money. This practice has spread with the lawlessness resulting from of our dismantling of the police and army of Iraq. The kidnapped suffer, their families suffer, and the little ones cry for their parents…

Here is part of a recent email from a high school teacher in Baghdad to a high school teacher in Brooklyn that illustrates this human side of our war in Iraq:

Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2006

Dear Brother

It is hard so hard to utter any word …I am speechless …your words are deeply effected me…all of you are soooo dear to me…who says that muslims can not love and who says that you are bad people…who says that we are terrorists…and who says that you are monsters looking for power…that one is totally wrong…there must be some people like you and Marilyn and me in this world, if there is then it will be a great world…I am sure there is…

The other day I was informed later that one of my best friends was kidnapped (a mother of 3 boys) from her school in …a group of masked men came and asked about her by name …she no one else…some said she was kidnapped because her father (who was a military man) and some said because her beauty and others said because she has a big mouth and dare…she used to speek freely…roamers here and there and no one knows the true.

My kidnapped returned home today but his family gave 20,000 000 dinars in return.He was crying when he told me that inside the kidnappers’ house he heard childrens’ crying who were kidnapped too but he could not see them because his eyes were tightened and they were shouting and calling there fathers and mothers in the other room all the time.

I am writing to you from the net cafe and I am trying to hide my sadness about all that because it is full with people (most of them are men!).

Kiss M on behalf of me and tell her that I pray to see her with good health and happiness.

Keep strong and hopefull dear Bruce.

sister

N

The full letter, and more, can be accessed on the blog: : 121Contact.typepad.com