When the US bombed a hospital in Falluja and seized another, leveled virtually the entire city, killed hundreds of desperate civilians, refused to let humanitarian aid workers into the city, and left an estimated 50,000 civilians without water, electricity and food, we here at Global Exchange knew we had to do something—FAST—because Falluja is just one terrifying example of the escalating devastation in Iraq.
So we have put together a delegation of parents who lost loved ones in Iraq and on 9/11, as well as health care workers, to take a shipment of humanitarian aid to the people of Iraq. This delegation will take desperately needed medical supplies to the Iraqi/Jordanian border, where we will meet with Iraqi humanitarian aid organizations that will take the supplies to Falluja and to those in the most need.
These supplies will only get to those in need if each of us does our part. We need you to DONATE NOW
As Global Exchange was busily preparing for the year-end humanitarian mission to the Jordanian/Iraqi border, we received an urgent message. It was from our dear friend Dahr Jamail, an amazing American independent journalist who has been risking his life to get the true story of Fallujah to the American public:
I have just come from a refugee camp in Baghdad with families from Fallujah. The suffering is beyond description. It's worse than anything you've read or anything I've written so far.
This is a humanitarian crisis. They need medicines for their camp and the other camps immediately. We have an organization set up of doctors who can distribute the medicines and supplies. BUT WE NEED THEM NOW! THIS CANNOT WAIT!
While George Bush was on the campaign trail talking about moral values, his administration was busy preparing the assault on Fallujah that was launched immediately after the election. We MUST show the Iraqis and the world community that there are indeed kind, compassionate Americans who are appalled by the immoral behavior of our government and want to help—not kill—the Iraqi people.
PLEASE HELP US GET MEDICAL AID TO THE PEOPLE OF FALLUJAH. Your donation will directly support the purchase and distribution of vital medicines as well as educate the U.S. public about the the human toll of the war in Iraq.
DONATE NOW securely online and challenge your friends, family and co-workers to MEET or BEAT your donation.
Or send checks made out to "Help Iraqis/Global Exchange" to: 2017 Mission St. #303 San Francisco, CA 94110.
KEEP INFORMED and ACTIVE. Here are three links to update you on the current crisis:
Dahr Jamail reports on the assault on Fallujah and mounting casualties.
Children Pay Cost of Iraq's Chaos : Malnutrition Nearly Double What It Was Before Invasion.
Photographs of Fallujah under siege (Warning: Graphic)
Thank you for helping the people of Iraq.
In peace and solidarity,
Medea Benjamin, Global Exchange and CODEPINK
Amalia Avila, mother of Lance Cpl. Victor Gonzalez, died in Iraq on October 13, 2004
Nadia McCaffrey, mother of Army Spc. Patrick McCaffrey, died in Iraq on June 22, 2004
Fernando and Rosa Suarez del Solar, parents of Lance Cpl. Jesus Suarez del Solar, died in Iraq on March 27, 2003
Adele Welty, mother of New York City firefighter Tim Welty, died in The World Trade Center, September 11, 2001
Jeffrey Ritterman, M.D., Physicians for Social Responsibility
PS: Remember, your donation is tax-deductible. It is one way to transfer money from war to money for health, peace and justice.
Sponsored by: Global Exchange, CODEPINK, Voices in the Wilderness, and Physicians for Social Responsibility.