Words from Palestine

The other night I met with the archbishop of Iraq, Fr. Kasalb. What a wonderful man! Very down to earth. Before sanctions, people had free access to medical care and medications, so the church was not involved in medical assistance. Now, most people cannot purchase even the most basic medicines. Voices in the Wilderness assisted Fr. Kasalb in establishing a small pharmacy-free to any in need-with medicines brought in by VitW delegates willing to break the sanctions. Today it is the largest dispensary of medications in Southern Iraq. Most of the people assisted are Muslim. Fr. Kasalb said a strong bond exists between Muslims and Catholics in Iraq.

When asked what we can share with our communities back in American to strengthen the call for peace, he said, “If someone wants to know the meaning of war, have them come to Basra.” (As you know, the bombing has never stopped in Southern Iraq since the Persian Gulf War and more than 20 million tons of depleted uranium munitions have left the land toxic-cancers and birth defects have skyrocketed.) Fr Kasalb continued: “Mothers used to ask as soon as their child was delivered, ‘Is it a boy or girl?’” He chuckled saying, “We Iraqis want boys, you know.” Then he said, “Now they ask , ‘is my baby OK, is it normal?’ That is the meaning of war.”

Fr. Kasalb was not exaggerating about the query of mothers who have just given birth. At the turn of the century, 90% of persons killed in war were of the military. Today, 90% of war fatalities are civilian. This percentage does not include the indirect fatalities, such as the children who die from congenital birth defects or develop cancer from the exposure they or their parents have had to chemical, biological or nuclear warfare. The hospitals of Iraq are filled with these “uncounted” casualties of war.