I arrived here in Haris in the West Bank , more than 2 weeks ago and it has been one crisis after another - life of an international volunteer in general is quite intense and hectic. Day or night we get calls from the villagers: the settlers have set trees on fire or the army is throwing stones at the Palestinians, etc.. sometimes we stay overnight with the families.
A full account of my travel and of goings on here will have to wait to wait for another time. here is a brief description of day to day activities.
September 16: travel from Pakistan to Amman via Doha ; crossing the border to Israel . spent a night with Dorothy and Eric, an Israeli family in Nof Yam, Herzeleah near Tel Aviv.
9/17 - Visited Eric's father, a holocaust survivor, in the cemetery. They drop me in Haris, Ellen from the US is home. Miriam from Germany is in Nil'in for a protest against building the electric fence (wall).
9/18 attend a Women for Life' (Palestinian women activists) meeting in Bidya, a town/village, not too far from Haris. Walk around a bit do some grocery and other shopping (things are very expensive; all transactions are in shaqals-the israeli currency).
9/19. demonstration against the wall in Bil'in (Bil'een). about 100 Palestinians and internationals walk to the electric wall, open the gate and wave Palestinian flag. Israeli army told people to disperse the spray water mixed with pepper spray from a truck, throw tear gas canisters all around.
9/20. Get a call there is a problem with settlers in Asira Al-Qibrya. On the way get another call there was a shooting. Abdullah meets us as we come in. briefly stop by his house to meet his mother and wife. Meet Israeli 'anarchists against the apartheid wall' in Jamal's house. Find out a boy of 14 - 15 was shot and died in the hospital. Details are sketchy and conflicting: he tried to stab a settler with a knife; was carrying a Molotov cocktail; he was going for a walk after the morning prayer; he was shot in the settlement; he was shot in the village, etc. Doctors for Human Rights are in town; go to the city council to attend their meeting. They are busy seeing the patients.
We are late for a prior appointment to meet with Burin mayor and other officials to discuss the olive harvest. They think presence of internationals aggravates the situation. So don't come to Burin.
9/21. Meeting in house about the goals and projects of iwps (International Women for Peace Service- the organization I am with). Miriam is Jewish from Germany . I say some thing casually about Zionists and Jewish lobby in the US . There is a big difference between her views and mine. Situation gets a little touchy - the meeting is a disaster, an uneasy truce.
9/22.a series of meetings with individuals and other organizations to plan for olive harvest - which farmer needs how many volunteers and when, etc.
A typical story:
Harb Suleiman and Walid Suleiman are Bedouin brothers we met at the Al-Hamra check point on Tuesday September 23, 2008. They live near the check point. Harb told us that about 15 days ago in the morning the Israeli soldiers came to their house and took their two water storage tanks. The reason they gave them was that their house is in the army closed area. Now the soldiers tell them they have to pay 11,000 shaqals to get their tanks back. The brothers do not have running water in or near their house. They have to haul water from some distance and store it in the thanks for the household consumption.
Fathy Khdairat belongs to Jordan Valley Solidarity. According to him OCHA will provide water on a temporary and emergency basis but will not allow a more permanent solution. According to Fathy there is enough money to pipe the water from Tammun to Atoof and Al-Hadiddya, the two Bedouin areas
(الطوف و الحديددية)
According Fathy Khdairat there are 36 settlements in Jordan Valley. They have all the water and electricity they need. But the Bedouins living in the area are not allowed to have water or electricity even when water is piped pass under and electric wires over their villages.
Michigan Peace team has written on the subject here
other sources of information on Palestine are Ma'an; ISM;
more later. I have posted some pictures of the events here, if you want to take a look.
ps. the Palestinians love me here because i am a Muslim and more because I am from Pakistan, perhaps the only one in this area
Sunday, October 5, 2008
Monday, July 14, 2008
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Looking for street kids!
Dear Friends,
Many of you wrote about child labor issue, thank you! The verdict is unanimous - it is child abuse! I accept your chiding humbly, be it implicit or explicit. The matter does not end there though. The question is what can we do as individuals to change the situation, and do the poor bear any responsibility for their condition?
My grandmother was unlettered and a poor person but she knew the value of education and took pains to educate my father and his two younger brothers. Most of their children now are educated. If we are not rich, it is not due to a lack of education.
Looking for street kids.
Tarbela colony, about hundred kilometers west of Islamabad , was established by Italians when they built the Tarbela Dam on the Indus River during 60s and 70s. After completion of the dam the Italian left and the colony came under the control of Pakistani WAPDA – Water And Power Development Authority.
Now populated by the employees of WAPDA, the colony is a very quiet place with wide roads and secluded generally single family one story houses. Because my sister, Khalida, teaches in a WAPDA high school, she inherited the house when my father retired from his WAPDA job. The point I am trying to make here is that only employees of WAPDA live here and there are no slums inside the colony where you could find street kids. To find children who don’t go to school, you have to go to the neighboring areas outside the colony.
A few months prior to my coming to Tarbela Khalida had accompanied a friend to a nearby slum in search of a baby. Because she couldn’t have her own, she thought she could just walk in a poor house and buy a baby. Needless to say, no mother or father parted with their baby because they were poor.
During their visit Khalida spotted some kids who weren’t in school. One boy name Salah wanted to learn to read and write and was keen on going to school but one girl did not want to go to school, the rest were too young to know. Before returning Khalida had managed to get cell # of someone from Salah.
Khalida and her friend did not know where they were going. They had gotten on a bus and got off when they saw some tents near the road, they don’t even know the name of the place. Khalida did get in touch with cell owner and gave him some money from the childless friend for the children.
When I was in Tarbela we got in touch with the cell owner again. He had moved away but promised to find out if the children are still there and if there is some one we could talk with. Since it is a far away place that involves going to Ghazi - a town outside Tarbela, getting on the bus and going for half hour ride, we need some one local who could take charge of day to day activity. We are still working on it.
Meanwhile, Seemab, Noshi – khalida’s daughter in law and I came to Lahore to see my brother who was on a very short leave from his navy job. Khalida joined us later for summer holidays
June 13.
There was quite an excitement this morning. An eight year old boy came to our house and asked for some food, Khalida asked him to come in and do some chores and earn his keep. After hesitating a bit he not only came in but brought three other boys ranging in age from 5 – 7. They said they were related but the exact relationship was not clear. I was called to talk to boys in order to find out where they lived and if they go to school.
It turned out that they were professional beggars, lived by the ganda nala (dirty creek a kinda big open sewer) and none went to school, except the oldest boy went to mosque to learn to read the Qur’an. We wanted to go to their homes and speak with parents and explore the possibility of starting some kind of education program. But they were hesitant, probably because it would interfere with their full days earning which comes to 400 – 500 rupees and they divide it among themselves. One boy’s mother also begged and another’s worked as a cleaner in people’s houses.
After conferring with each other the boys promised to comeback in the evening and show us where they live. We are still waiting for them.
In the evening Khalida along with Seemab went to Walton to see her in-laws. Asma, my youngest sister and her daughter, Nayab, and I decided to go to ganda nala and look for huts or tents where we might find those or other poor kids.
Asma took us through inside streets that I had never seen before except one area called kakkay zayi, looked familiar. I remembered that area from my previous visit to Lahore . While walking through the Awan Town bazaar I stepped into a side street and after a block or so away ended up in a place that seemed to belong to another era. There was a big empty lot where children were playing in and around garbage with fly infested stagnant water in the middle of the lot. Walking a little further I ended up what seemed like a quant little town with mud huts and multiple houses in a compound.
I remembered I was quite disturbed to see all that filth just a block away from the bustling and rather affluent Awan Town . I tried to enquire from a seemingly educated adult who that land belonged to and what if any thing can be done about cleaning it. He was sympathetic and promised to look into it. I don’t know what became of it.
On one side there was a tent, I don’t recall how I ended up inside it. The family man was sick but he did put up a snake charming show for me which I have some where reorded on my camcorder. Any way, we walked for at least 45 minute to get to ganda nala; we found no huts, tents or kids.
The quest to find the street kids continues....
p.s. i'd have like to respond to each of your comments individually but the internet and power supply is such that it is not possible. even now i am afraid whether this message will go thru before the power goes off
Many of you wrote about child labor issue, thank you! The verdict is unanimous - it is child abuse! I accept your chiding humbly, be it implicit or explicit. The matter does not end there though. The question is what can we do as individuals to change the situation, and do the poor bear any responsibility for their condition?
My grandmother was unlettered and a poor person but she knew the value of education and took pains to educate my father and his two younger brothers. Most of their children now are educated. If we are not rich, it is not due to a lack of education.
Looking for street kids.
Tarbela colony, about hundred kilometers west of Islamabad , was established by Italians when they built the Tarbela Dam on the Indus River during 60s and 70s. After completion of the dam the Italian left and the colony came under the control of Pakistani WAPDA – Water And Power Development Authority.
Now populated by the employees of WAPDA, the colony is a very quiet place with wide roads and secluded generally single family one story houses. Because my sister, Khalida, teaches in a WAPDA high school, she inherited the house when my father retired from his WAPDA job. The point I am trying to make here is that only employees of WAPDA live here and there are no slums inside the colony where you could find street kids. To find children who don’t go to school, you have to go to the neighboring areas outside the colony.
A few months prior to my coming to Tarbela Khalida had accompanied a friend to a nearby slum in search of a baby. Because she couldn’t have her own, she thought she could just walk in a poor house and buy a baby. Needless to say, no mother or father parted with their baby because they were poor.
During their visit Khalida spotted some kids who weren’t in school. One boy name Salah wanted to learn to read and write and was keen on going to school but one girl did not want to go to school, the rest were too young to know. Before returning Khalida had managed to get cell # of someone from Salah.
Khalida and her friend did not know where they were going. They had gotten on a bus and got off when they saw some tents near the road, they don’t even know the name of the place. Khalida did get in touch with cell owner and gave him some money from the childless friend for the children.
When I was in Tarbela we got in touch with the cell owner again. He had moved away but promised to find out if the children are still there and if there is some one we could talk with. Since it is a far away place that involves going to Ghazi - a town outside Tarbela, getting on the bus and going for half hour ride, we need some one local who could take charge of day to day activity. We are still working on it.
Meanwhile, Seemab, Noshi – khalida’s daughter in law and I came to Lahore to see my brother who was on a very short leave from his navy job. Khalida joined us later for summer holidays
June 13.
There was quite an excitement this morning. An eight year old boy came to our house and asked for some food, Khalida asked him to come in and do some chores and earn his keep. After hesitating a bit he not only came in but brought three other boys ranging in age from 5 – 7. They said they were related but the exact relationship was not clear. I was called to talk to boys in order to find out where they lived and if they go to school.
It turned out that they were professional beggars, lived by the ganda nala (dirty creek a kinda big open sewer) and none went to school, except the oldest boy went to mosque to learn to read the Qur’an. We wanted to go to their homes and speak with parents and explore the possibility of starting some kind of education program. But they were hesitant, probably because it would interfere with their full days earning which comes to 400 – 500 rupees and they divide it among themselves. One boy’s mother also begged and another’s worked as a cleaner in people’s houses.
After conferring with each other the boys promised to comeback in the evening and show us where they live. We are still waiting for them.
In the evening Khalida along with Seemab went to Walton to see her in-laws. Asma, my youngest sister and her daughter, Nayab, and I decided to go to ganda nala and look for huts or tents where we might find those or other poor kids.
Asma took us through inside streets that I had never seen before except one area called kakkay zayi, looked familiar. I remembered that area from my previous visit to Lahore . While walking through the Awan Town bazaar I stepped into a side street and after a block or so away ended up in a place that seemed to belong to another era. There was a big empty lot where children were playing in and around garbage with fly infested stagnant water in the middle of the lot. Walking a little further I ended up what seemed like a quant little town with mud huts and multiple houses in a compound.
I remembered I was quite disturbed to see all that filth just a block away from the bustling and rather affluent Awan Town . I tried to enquire from a seemingly educated adult who that land belonged to and what if any thing can be done about cleaning it. He was sympathetic and promised to look into it. I don’t know what became of it.
On one side there was a tent, I don’t recall how I ended up inside it. The family man was sick but he did put up a snake charming show for me which I have some where reorded on my camcorder. Any way, we walked for at least 45 minute to get to ganda nala; we found no huts, tents or kids.
The quest to find the street kids continues....
p.s. i'd have like to respond to each of your comments individually but the internet and power supply is such that it is not possible. even now i am afraid whether this message will go thru before the power goes off
Sunday, June 22, 2008
My Week in Pakistan
June 1, 2008
It has only been a week since I landed at Islamabad airport but it feels as if I have been here forever.
After spending Sunday and Monday in Islamabad at my aunt’s house I came to Tarbela, about 120 km from Islamabad, accompanied by Farrukh, my cousin and Akif, my nephew.
My aunt has two live in maids/servants; one is just a child of 9 or 10. I kept thinking of all the discussions we had in Peoria about child labor and sweat shops. Is this a kind of child abuse?
The child, Sanya, does not go to school, but it is not so unusual in this country. I asked my aunt if any attempt is being made to educate her. I was told the girl is not interested in education. She did not go to school before coming to Islamabad . But my aunt is trying to teach her to read the Qur’an. Even that is a struggle.
I am also told that two of Sanya’s sisters – one younger and one older – are in my aunt’s older daughter’s employ. Before we pass any judgment whether this is a child abuse, lets look at the situation.. The parents are poor and uneducated. the girls are provided room and board and parents receive monthly stipend for their wages. If these girls were not employed at my aunt’s house they probably would end up in some other household. It is unlikely they’ll be better off.
In Tarbela Khalida, my sister and her daughter, Seemab, are winding down their school year. On Friday evening we all went to their last of weekly women’s Qur’anic session. There were three of them, my sister, her daughter and another woman, taking turns reciting the ayas and explaining what they meant to about 20 women of all ages to an audience of 25 women ranging in age from ~12 to 50+. It was quite impressive how keen the women were interested in listening to a different kind of interpretation of the Qur'an.
Today, sunday Khalida, Farrukh and i are going to Peshawar, the big city closest to Afghanistan border. Seemab could not join us. I'll write about our visit to Peshawar another time
It has only been a week since I landed at Islamabad airport but it feels as if I have been here forever.
After spending Sunday and Monday in Islamabad at my aunt’s house I came to Tarbela, about 120 km from Islamabad, accompanied by Farrukh, my cousin and Akif, my nephew.
My aunt has two live in maids/servants; one is just a child of 9 or 10. I kept thinking of all the discussions we had in Peoria about child labor and sweat shops. Is this a kind of child abuse?
The child, Sanya, does not go to school, but it is not so unusual in this country. I asked my aunt if any attempt is being made to educate her. I was told the girl is not interested in education. She did not go to school before coming to Islamabad . But my aunt is trying to teach her to read the Qur’an. Even that is a struggle.
I am also told that two of Sanya’s sisters – one younger and one older – are in my aunt’s older daughter’s employ. Before we pass any judgment whether this is a child abuse, lets look at the situation.. The parents are poor and uneducated. the girls are provided room and board and parents receive monthly stipend for their wages. If these girls were not employed at my aunt’s house they probably would end up in some other household. It is unlikely they’ll be better off.
In Tarbela Khalida, my sister and her daughter, Seemab, are winding down their school year. On Friday evening we all went to their last of weekly women’s Qur’anic session. There were three of them, my sister, her daughter and another woman, taking turns reciting the ayas and explaining what they meant to about 20 women of all ages to an audience of 25 women ranging in age from ~12 to 50+. It was quite impressive how keen the women were interested in listening to a different kind of interpretation of the Qur'an.
Today, sunday Khalida, Farrukh and i are going to Peshawar, the big city closest to Afghanistan border. Seemab could not join us. I'll write about our visit to Peshawar another time
Friday, May 16, 2008
Friday, May 2, 2008
Pakistan/Palestine
Dear Friends,
Some of you already know that I have been accepted by the International Women for Peace Services to serve as witness in Palestine during the olive harvest.
It is the same organization that Anna Baltzer works for. I will know more about it when I am there, my preliminary understanding of the function of a volunteer is to document human rights violations by the Israeli government and/or act as a support person for the mission and publicize as much as possible
In case you were wondering I have to finance my trip myself. I expect to be in Palestine for about 3 months from September to December.
Before going to Palestine I have decided to go to Pakistan. I'll be leaving on May 23rd and expect to be back in the US next March. This is the first time I'll be in Pakistan for that long since I came to this country 30 some years ago.
In addition to helping my sister in educating women about their rights in Islam, I hope to start some education program in villages where there are no schools or street kids. i have been thinking along these lines for quite some time and at the moment these are just ideas, what come to fruition and what form it takes remains to be seen.
I'll try to keep you updated as much as possible.
Thank you for listening
Some of you already know that I have been accepted by the International Women for Peace Services to serve as witness in Palestine during the olive harvest.
It is the same organization that Anna Baltzer works for. I will know more about it when I am there, my preliminary understanding of the function of a volunteer is to document human rights violations by the Israeli government and/or act as a support person for the mission and publicize as much as possible
In case you were wondering I have to finance my trip myself. I expect to be in Palestine for about 3 months from September to December.
Before going to Palestine I have decided to go to Pakistan. I'll be leaving on May 23rd and expect to be back in the US next March. This is the first time I'll be in Pakistan for that long since I came to this country 30 some years ago.
In addition to helping my sister in educating women about their rights in Islam, I hope to start some education program in villages where there are no schools or street kids. i have been thinking along these lines for quite some time and at the moment these are just ideas, what come to fruition and what form it takes remains to be seen.
I'll try to keep you updated as much as possible.
Thank you for listening
Monday, March 24, 2008
Kathy Kelly, Nobel Peace Prize Nominee, in Peoria
Kathy Kelly is a cofounder and co-coordinator of Voices for Creative Nonviolence. She was actively involved in a campaign to end the US/UN sanctions in Iraq; has made 24 trips to Iraq since 1996; was in Baghdad in March of 2003 for a peaceful protest during our "Shock and Awe" campaign; has been arrested 60+ times for nonviolent protest, most recently for a March 20th, 2008 action calling for an end to funding war in Iraq.
In 1988 she was sentenced to one year in prison for planting corn on nuclear missile silo sites.
Kelly served nine months of the sentence in Lexington KY maximum security prison.
Kelly, an author and a storyteller par-excellence, has been nominated as a candidate for the Noble Peace Prize.
Kathy Kelly at Bradley - Olin 168
Mon. April 7th; 7:00-9:00 p.m.
Eyewitness Stories of the ravages of war
Sponsored by: Muslim Student Association
Contact:
Rabia 339-2906; rzahid@mail.bradley.edu or Razia 868-4218; raziaha@gmail.com
In 1988 she was sentenced to one year in prison for planting corn on nuclear missile silo sites.
Kelly served nine months of the sentence in Lexington KY maximum security prison.
Kelly, an author and a storyteller par-excellence, has been nominated as a candidate for the Noble Peace Prize.
Kathy Kelly at Bradley - Olin 168
Mon. April 7th; 7:00-9:00 p.m.
Eyewitness Stories of the ravages of war
Sponsored by: Muslim Student Association
Contact:
Rabia 339-2906; rzahid@mail.bradley.edu or Razia 868-4218; raziaha@gmail.com
Sunday, February 3, 2008
occupation SODaPOP
Des Moines Catholic Worker community asks U.S. Presidential candidate Mike Huckabee "Who Would Jesus Bomb?" at his Des Moines campaingn office days before the Iowa caucus. Huckabee did not respond.
In a day-before-the-caucus effort to obtain from Senator Barack Obama a pledge of withdrawal from Iraq, nonviolent actors representing "Voices for Creative Nonviolence" and the Des Moines Catholic Worker community witness a spurned media and turned backs at the Senator's Des Moines campaign office.
www.atlanticfreepress.com/content/view/3 169/81/
In a day-before-the-caucus effort to obtain from Governor Mitt Romney a pledge to withdraw all U.S. troops from Iraq by April 2009 if he is elected President, nonviolent actors representing Voices for Creative Nonviolence and the Des Moines Catholic Worker community converse with campaign staff, display photos of Iraqis, and chant the names of Iraqis and Americans who have died in the Iraq War. Four are arrested.
For more information on this action, visit:
http://vcnv.org/category/sodapop
http://www.desmoinescatholicworker.org (less)
In a day-before-the-caucus effort to obtain from Senator Barack Obama a pledge of withdrawal from Iraq, nonviolent actors representing "Voices for Creative Nonviolence" and the Des Moines Catholic Worker community witness a spurned media and turned backs at the Senator's Des Moines campaign office.
www.atlanticfreepress.com/content/view/3 169/81/
In a day-before-the-caucus effort to obtain from Governor Mitt Romney a pledge to withdraw all U.S. troops from Iraq by April 2009 if he is elected President, nonviolent actors representing Voices for Creative Nonviolence and the Des Moines Catholic Worker community converse with campaign staff, display photos of Iraqis, and chant the names of Iraqis and Americans who have died in the Iraq War. Four are arrested.
For more information on this action, visit:
http://vcnv.org/category/sodapop
http://www.desmoinescatholicworker.org (less)
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Stephen Kinzer
When: Saturday February 16 at 4 pm
Where: Gateway Building, 200 NE Water Street, Peoria, IL
An award-winning veteran New York Times correspondent who has reported from more than fifty countries on five continents and author of several books including All the Shah's Men: An American Coup and the Roots of Middle East Terror and Overthrow: America's Century of Regime Change from Hawaii to Iraq Stephen Kinzer is joined by retired US generals, Iranian dissidents and university professors in a national tour to promote diplomacy with and oppose pre-emptive attack on Iran. The tour is designed to appeal to the American people and elected officials through events and news media in support of serious and effective diplomacy to resolve all issues between the U.S. and Iran without military conflict or threats of military conflict.
For more information contact Lisa Offutt, 579-3715 or l.offutt@insightbb.com.
Tour website: http://www.justforeignpolicy.org/iran/index.php
Illinois Tour Endorsers:
Bradley Chapter Amnesty International Peoria Area Peace Network
Bradley University Muslim Students Association Peoria Chapter of NOW
Network of Spiritual Progressives Peoria Chapter Peoria Code Pink
Peoria Area Green Party Veterans for Peace
National Tour Endorsers:
Americans for Informed Democracy Colombe Foundation
Center for Arms Control and Nonproliferation Just Foreign Policy
Fellowship of Reconciliation National Iranian American Council
Peace Majority Report Physicians for Social Responsibility
United for Peace and Justice Iran Working Group The Pluralism Fund
Women’s Action for New Directions Cultures of Resistance Network
Cathleen D. Stone & James M. Stone Fndtn. American Friends Service Committee
Peace Action
Where: Gateway Building, 200 NE Water Street, Peoria, IL
An award-winning veteran New York Times correspondent who has reported from more than fifty countries on five continents and author of several books including All the Shah's Men: An American Coup and the Roots of Middle East Terror and Overthrow: America's Century of Regime Change from Hawaii to Iraq Stephen Kinzer is joined by retired US generals, Iranian dissidents and university professors in a national tour to promote diplomacy with and oppose pre-emptive attack on Iran. The tour is designed to appeal to the American people and elected officials through events and news media in support of serious and effective diplomacy to resolve all issues between the U.S. and Iran without military conflict or threats of military conflict.
For more information contact Lisa Offutt, 579-3715 or l.offutt@insightbb.com.
Tour website: http://www.justforeignpolicy.org/iran/index.php
Illinois Tour Endorsers:
Bradley Chapter Amnesty International Peoria Area Peace Network
Bradley University Muslim Students Association Peoria Chapter of NOW
Network of Spiritual Progressives Peoria Chapter Peoria Code Pink
Peoria Area Green Party Veterans for Peace
National Tour Endorsers:
Americans for Informed Democracy Colombe Foundation
Center for Arms Control and Nonproliferation Just Foreign Policy
Fellowship of Reconciliation National Iranian American Council
Peace Majority Report Physicians for Social Responsibility
United for Peace and Justice Iran Working Group The Pluralism Fund
Women’s Action for New Directions Cultures of Resistance Network
Cathleen D. Stone & James M. Stone Fndtn. American Friends Service Committee
Peace Action
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Saturday, January 26, 2008
How the Markets Really Work
Yes, it really is this bad
Another example of humor that is deadly accurate.
I worked on Wall Street for a few years, elbow to elbow with "top" investment bankers.
It was one big casino with the saps in pensions funds and savings and loans (and us) being used to finance the game and cover the losses.
Brasscheck TV
2380 California St.
San Francisco, CA 94115
Saturday, January 19, 2008
Seasons of Discontent: A Presidential Occupation Project
Earlier this year I spent an incredible week with amazing peace activists/war protesters in Des Moines, Iowa, Chicago and Springfield, Illinois. It all started with Kathy Kelly’s coming to Peoria on Friday December 21, 2007, to see the Iraqi refugee family.
I had heard about Kathy Kelly from Tonya but had never met her before or knew too much about her. Sometimes I feel I am going through life in a fog, I seem to hear things but not really hear, if you know what I mean. Any way during her brief visit Kathy mentioned about going to Iowa to protest the war to various presidential candidate who were gathering in Iowa for the caucuses. I had been feeling restless to do some thing, that I jumped at the opportunity to join Kathy in the SODAPOP – Seasons Of Discontent: A Presidential Occupation Project.
before Kathy came to Peoria my car was partially repaired and was waiting for a part to complete the repair. The part was expected to arrive after Christmas with plenty of time to finish repair before the sodapop operation in Iowa.
But i feel more comfortable with a newer car that also gives better mileage. In the shop, I had to after deliberating and back and forth vacillation I se
Anyway I decided to take a chance and headed to Des Moines on Sunday December 30, 2007. I cruised all the way just about 20 miles from des-Moines when suddenly the car slowed down considerably. According to my calculations I should have easily reached iowa on the gas tank I had filled couple of days before leaving for Iowa. In a panic I took the first exit hoping to find a gas station. I have to drive all over Altoona before finding a gas station that carried diesel by then the guage was showing empty tank. Normally on a full tank I can go 330 – 400 miles. The odometer reading had barely reached 300 miles. It was getting late and was bitterly cold, nervously I got on the highway again and made it to Dingman – catholic worker house safely.
I had no idea that there will be so many people, apparently waiting for dinner. I got some curious glances as, timidly, I made my way to the back of the house. In the kitchen I was told the dinner would be served at 6 pm. Apparently any one can drop in for meals. Kathy and bob had not arrived yet from Chicago, I introduced myself and was promptly taken to the attic where most of the activists from all over would sleep for the next few days.
By the dinnertime Kathy and Bob had arrived from Chicago.
At the meeting next morning I learned the nuts and bolts of sodapop. It was decided in advance who is willing to risk arrest and how to avoid it you do not want to go to jail. Before the 1 hr meeting ended Lee from Louisville, KY had looked up on the internet and found that Mike Huckabee was going to be in his des Moines office at 12:30 pm.
what followed was just amazing, the whole team went into action. Since Huckabee was a priest in his past life it was suggested that the banner/poster should say some thing with Jesus in it. It is all a blur, at least to me, who did or suggest what. some people went shopping for markers and other needs others drew words with pencil on white sheet.
Here are Kathy, Bob and Mona holding the result at mike Huckabee’s office before being hauled to the city jail.
other pictures and videos of the protests can be seen here and here
All three were released shortly afterwards.
The protests and meetings continued for next three days as more people joined in. at every protest people were arrested except on Thursday at Clinton’s office no one got arrested despite the best efforts of some people. If you look closely you’ll see people blocking the Clinton’s office door from inside by the staff and by protesters from the outside.
Kathy Kelly, the young Jesuit priest, whose name regrettably I cannot recall, and I left for Chicago at about 3:30 pm, I hear the stand off ended when the office was closed at 5 pm.
I had heard about Kathy Kelly from Tonya but had never met her before or knew too much about her. Sometimes I feel I am going through life in a fog, I seem to hear things but not really hear, if you know what I mean. Any way during her brief visit Kathy mentioned about going to Iowa to protest the war to various presidential candidate who were gathering in Iowa for the caucuses. I had been feeling restless to do some thing, that I jumped at the opportunity to join Kathy in the SODAPOP – Seasons Of Discontent: A Presidential Occupation Project.
before Kathy came to Peoria my car was partially repaired and was waiting for a part to complete the repair. The part was expected to arrive after Christmas with plenty of time to finish repair before the sodapop operation in Iowa.
But i feel more comfortable with a newer car that also gives better mileage. In the shop, I had to after deliberating and back and forth vacillation I se
Anyway I decided to take a chance and headed to Des Moines on Sunday December 30, 2007. I cruised all the way just about 20 miles from des-Moines when suddenly the car slowed down considerably. According to my calculations I should have easily reached iowa on the gas tank I had filled couple of days before leaving for Iowa. In a panic I took the first exit hoping to find a gas station. I have to drive all over Altoona before finding a gas station that carried diesel by then the guage was showing empty tank. Normally on a full tank I can go 330 – 400 miles. The odometer reading had barely reached 300 miles. It was getting late and was bitterly cold, nervously I got on the highway again and made it to Dingman – catholic worker house safely.
I had no idea that there will be so many people, apparently waiting for dinner. I got some curious glances as, timidly, I made my way to the back of the house. In the kitchen I was told the dinner would be served at 6 pm. Apparently any one can drop in for meals. Kathy and bob had not arrived yet from Chicago, I introduced myself and was promptly taken to the attic where most of the activists from all over would sleep for the next few days.
By the dinnertime Kathy and Bob had arrived from Chicago.
At the meeting next morning I learned the nuts and bolts of sodapop. It was decided in advance who is willing to risk arrest and how to avoid it you do not want to go to jail. Before the 1 hr meeting ended Lee from Louisville, KY had looked up on the internet and found that Mike Huckabee was going to be in his des Moines office at 12:30 pm.
what followed was just amazing, the whole team went into action. Since Huckabee was a priest in his past life it was suggested that the banner/poster should say some thing with Jesus in it. It is all a blur, at least to me, who did or suggest what. some people went shopping for markers and other needs others drew words with pencil on white sheet.
Here are Kathy, Bob and Mona holding the result at mike Huckabee’s office before being hauled to the city jail.
other pictures and videos of the protests can be seen here and here
All three were released shortly afterwards.
The protests and meetings continued for next three days as more people joined in. at every protest people were arrested except on Thursday at Clinton’s office no one got arrested despite the best efforts of some people. If you look closely you’ll see people blocking the Clinton’s office door from inside by the staff and by protesters from the outside.
Kathy Kelly, the young Jesuit priest, whose name regrettably I cannot recall, and I left for Chicago at about 3:30 pm, I hear the stand off ended when the office was closed at 5 pm.
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israeli gunman
palestinian in class at the check point
Israeli gunman
palestinian children
Musician!
My heart will go on
Urdu Bazaar, Lahore, Pakistan
LAHORE - March 24, 2006: No way-out to avoid a traffic jam near Urdu Bazaar. — Dawn
poor animal!
MULTAN - March 24, 2006: A camel performance at the spring festival organised by the City District Government to mark the Pakistan Day
beast of burden
LAHORE - March 20: BEAST OF BURDEN: A damaged vehicle being taken to a workshop.—APP
Communing with pigeons
KARACHI - March 20: A child enjoys the company of pigeons, whom he feeds, at Hyderi on Tuesday.—APP
Waiting for drinking water
HYDERABAD (India) - March 20: People stand in a line as they wait to fill containers with drinking water supplied by a mobile water vehicle in a slum area in the Saidabad colony here on Tuesday. More than 500 families living in this slum area depend on water supplied by a mobile vehicle and provided by the Metro water works once in three days. 'Coping with Water Scarcity' is the theme for the World Water Day 2007, which is celebrated each year on March 22.—AFP
Mud slide in Kashmir
BAGH - March 20: A man marooned in an area of Azad Kashmir affected by hill torrents following heavy downpour over the past few days is being rescued by local people on Tuesday.—AFP
Palestinians
BETHLEHEM - March 22: Palestinian students wear traditional clothing during a cultural event taking place at the Bethlehem University here on Thursday. The event, which included a mock wedding, is to promote the education of traditional ideals of Palestinian culture.�AFP
The World Water Day,
HYDERABAD - March 22: Peasant women make their way to a distant place in order to fetch water. The World Water Day, being observed on Friday, is intended to highlight the need for reducing wastage of this precious commodity. � Photo by Yousuf Nagori
