States rarely commit atrocities without putting out ‘feelers’ to see how they are going to go over. Israel, for example, has been putting out ‘feelers’ about assassinating Yasser Arafat for quite some time. The US has been putting out ‘feelers’ about attacking Syria and Iran since the invasion of Iraq. Likewise, plenty of ‘feelers’ are going out about getting Colombia to attack Venezuela. These things are tests: if the reaction suggests they can get away with it, they go for it.
So it is with Fallujah (See Andrea Schmidt’s latest report here). There is a note that came over the networks by various international organizations yesterday, with new estimates of the magnitude of the atrocity: “470 killed. 1200 injured, of which 243 are women and 200 are children. This is the first, underestimated body count from Falluja.” (The entire note is reproduced below).
This should actually be the sort of thing that our movement is good at: halting a dramatic massacre in progress against a civilian population, done directly by us, unfolding as we speak. And there have been emergency demonstrations and pickets all over North America. It is a major slaughter that will take place if the public response is inadequate. Here is the call for solidarity in its entirety:
End the Massacre in Falluja!
470 killed.
1200 injured, of which 243 are women and 200 are children.
This is the first, underestimated body count from Falluja.
April 9 2004
Occupied Baghdad
Since fighting escalated at the beginning of the week, Iraqi people, especially in the city of Falluja, are facing a humanitarian disaster. Occupation Forces have laid siege to the city. More than 470 people have been killed, 1200 injured. Dead bodies are lying in the streets.
Falluja is being mortared and bombed by F-16 fighter planes, helicopters dropping cluster bombs and rocket-propelled grenades.
Ambulances are being shot at by snipers. Medical aid and supplies have been stopped by US Occupation Forces. Aid workers delivering supplies have had to take secondary roads into the city; once they arrived, they found themselves under fire from US snipers.
No humanitarian corridor has been put in place.
A cease-fire was announced and people began trying flee, but US troops resumed their attacks. Many people remain trapped inside the city, and refugees trying to escape from Falluja to Baghdad are being prevented from reaching their destination by US military. They form a column that extends over 10 kilometers of highway.
The thousands of families who remain trapped in Falluja are running out of basic necessities like food and potable water. Hospitals and medical staff are overwhelmed, and are asking desperately for blood, oxygen and antiseptics.
Fighting is spreading all over the country, Al-Sadr City has been attacked and paid a high price with almost 100 casualties. The situation in Southern cities – Kerbala, Najaf, Kut – is unknown to us, but they are also feared to be the sights of humanitarian emergencies.
The international community, the United Nations and the European Community cannot remain spectators to the massacre in Falluja and the terrorization of Iraqi people all over the country.
The international community must take a firm position and demand that Coalition Forces stop these massacres and respect international conventions and allow for a humanitarian corridor through which refugees can safely escape, and medical supplies can reach Falluja.
Stop the massacre.
Stop attacking civilians.
End the siege of Falluja.
Signed:
Bridge to Baghdad/Italy (001 914 360 9080 in Baghdad)
CCIPPP/France (079 01 427 627 in Baghdad)
Italian Consortium of Solidarity/Italy
Iraq Solidarity Project/Canada (079 01 429 115 in Baghdad)
