From the Iraq Freedom Congress [1]:
To all libertarian forces in the world
To organizations and parties that support the Iraq Freedom Congress (IFC)
To people around the world who hope for an independent and prosperous Iraq
Despite the dangers, the IFC is determined to salvage Iraqi society from the violence of the occupation and sectarian gangs.
The killing of workers has become a daily occurrence. Al-Sadir militia, Badir brigade, and Al-Qaida have jailed women in their homes and cut off their legs if they wear any outfit other than the Islamic style. Individuals have committed abductions, rapes, and killings.
Killings based on religious and ethnic identity have increased drastically. In Yousifya, Latifya (south of Baghdad), and Ramadi, sectarian gangs have threatened to kill people to deter them from buying ice cubes they use for drinking, stating that the prophet Mohammad never had cold water when the temperature rose to 48C° (118.4F°).
Music bands and troupe members have been threatened or killed. Some members of the "Happy Family" troupe were killed and the rest fled the country to rescue themselves. The youth who wear shorts, T-shirts of a foreign brand, or grow western-style beards have become targets for the religious gangs.
Children suffer from abduction, sexual exploitation, and drug use. Moreover, the liquidating of university professors has increased outrageously in an attempt to destroy the educational and cultural systems in Iraq. Add to the ongoing violence the crimes committed by the occupying troops such as daily carnage, torture, insulting human dignity, and tearing down houses on top of their residents — all under the pretext of fighting terrorism.
"There is no hope in Iraq but the Iraq Freedom Congress."
This is what the oil workers' leaders and other industrial workers, students, women, and intellectuals are saying. Recently, many tribes' leaders have come forward to support the IFC stating that it is the only solution for building a democratic society free of hatred and sectarian conflict. Therefore, we accept the challenges of the risky conditions in order to salvage the society. We know that we are putting our lives on the line on a daily basis.
Thousands of people joining the IFC would expand our capability to open Peoples' Houses and IFC offices everywhere in Iraq. We need to recruit and train activists to educate people on issues of secularism, civility and humanity, and to denounce sectarianism. We need to publish a newspaper that can reach millions of people inside Iraq. We need to hold seminars and gatherings to promote brotherhood and humanity among people. We will attempt to get the electricity to the regions that are under IFC influence by providing power generators, supplying clean water, and building medical centers. All these activities and projects require financial capabilities.
We are not supported by the U.S. administration, Iran, or Gulf princes and kings, simply because we oppose their agenda. The only source we can rely on is you: freedom-loving people.
I am appealing to you to help us raise one million dollars. This is not a huge amount if we consider the many millions of anti-war and anti-occupation people who march the streets of the world on every occasion. It was on the basis of peace that our Japanese friends decided to finance the launch of the IFC satellite TV.
During my visit this spring to the U.S., I told my friend Joseph Ginza (a steering committee member of United for Peace and Justice, an umbrella group of more than 1,500 anti-war organizations), if we were able to have 10,000 members of IFC in every country giving $25 each a year, we would make a huge difference in Iraq.
Every dollar will take our movement one step closer toward saving the life of a worker, a woman, or a child.
On behalf of myself and the IFC Central Council, I promise (barring physical harm) that we will advance our movement for the betterment of all humanity. You will hear that the Iraqis were given another chance because of your support.
Samir Adil
Iraq Freedom Congress/ President
June 25, 2006
See our last posts on Iraq [2], and the Iraq Freedom Congress [3].
