Truth Justice Peace Human Shields

Finally in Baghdad
20th February, 2003

Getting organised to go
17th January, 2003

Why a Small-town New Zealander is Heading for Iraq to be a Human Shield
1st January, 2003

Letter to Prime Minister
Thursday 6th March, 2003

Rt. Hon. Helen Clark
Prime Minister of Aotearoa New Zealand
pm@parliament.govt.nz

Wednesday, 6th March 2003

Christiaan Briggs
Truth Justice Peace
Human Shield Volunteer
Baghdad, Iraq

Dear Prime Minister,

Hundreds of Human Shield volunteers from over 30 countries are converging in Baghdad. This week we started deploying to strategic sites that are key to avoiding mass civilian casualties in the event of a US lead bombing campaign.

I am writing to inform you and the New Zealand government that I have voluntarily stationed myself at the Daura Electricity Plant in central Baghdad.

Under the Geneva Conventions it is a war crime to harm or destroy facilities that provide essential services to the civilian population. The US, in the 1991 Gulf War, targeted the site I have stationed myself at. If it is hit once again it will be the spreading of disease and lack of water that will so shamefully hit the children and poor yet again. It will also be my white Western body parts flying around with brown Arab ones.

I have not approached this situation naïvely. I’m aware of the risks in regard to the Iraqi government, just as I am aware of risks in regard to a US lead bombing campaign. But these are risks I am prepared to take because I’m not prepared to stand by while others are killed in my name when I have the ability to do something about it. The only crime these generous, friendly and gentle people have committed is to be born atop a large oil reserve and refuse to relinquish it to the elite of North American Capitalism.

I’m sure you know as well as I do that this potential full-scale war has nothing to do with humanitarian concerns or weapons of mass destruction and everything to do with oil and US hegemony. However I do acknowledge that you are in a difficult position because the US administration does not respect democracy and will happily strong-arm the New Zealand government by any means necessary.

In any case I believe that we are at a crossroads and the decisions we make now will decide in which direction the world is taken.

As a citizen of Aotearoa New Zealand and a person who is here in Baghdad meeting these wonderful people I plead with the New Zealand government that it does not support domination of or aggression towards the Iraqi people in any way, UN sanctioned or not.

Please find attached two pictures of Iraqi children who live where I have stationed myself. They are likely to die in the event of a bombing campaign.

I would like to take this chance to remind you that in 1996, Madeleine Albright, then the US secretary of state, was asked on national television what she felt about the fact that 500 000 Iraqi children had died as a result of US economic sanctions. She replied that it was ‘a very hard choice,’ but that, all things considered, ‘we think the price is worth it.’

How about, “I will never apologise for the United States of America–I don’t care what the facts are,” from President George Bush in 1988 (On the shooting down of an Iranian commercial airliner on July 3, 1988 by the US Navy warship Vincennes. All 290 civilian people in the aircraft were killed. The plane was on a routine flight in a commercial corridor in Iranian airspace.)

I’m sure you would not hesitate to agree that these are not the words of sane people. Somehow the world has allowed these deluded people to hold positions of massive power. These people need professional help and our pity, not power.

It seems to me the immediate challenge for the world is to find a face-saving way for the US to back out of this war. I like to think I know you pretty well Prime Minister, and if I’m right you have the ability to inspire and to be a part of the solution. Take the chance now to inspire, please.

Yours in Truth Justice and Peace,
Christiaan Briggs
Aotearoa New Zealand Citizen in Iraq