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 U.S. Dominican Delegations to Iraq
BACKGROUND: Ten years after Iraq was forced out of Kuwait, sanctions have remained in place, causing the Iraqi people to suffer poverty, malnutrition, and a collapsed infrastructure. The hardest hit are the most vulnerable, the Iraqi children as well as the elderly. The economic sanctions are a failed policy and thousands of innocent people are suffering and dying, especially children. According to UNICEF and WHO reports, 5000+ children are dying every month due to the impact of the sanctions.
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Voices for Veritas III
Third Delegation to Iraq March 5 - 19, 2001
Dominicans seek unity with Iraqi sisters and brothers;
First U.S. group to travel to Iraq under Bush Administration
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Dominican Lobby Days June 14-15, 2000
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Some of the thirty-four Dominicans who went to Washington, D.C. June 14-15, 2000 to talk with legislators about the effects of the sanctions on the Iraqi people. The Dominicans asked that legislation be signed or introduced which would lift the sanctions. We are grateful to NETWORK which facilitated the lobby process. |
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Jane Abell, OP, JoAnn Niehaus, OP, and Mariana Wood, OP met with Stanley Allen, Legislative Aide to Rep. Nick Lampson. The sisters also met with aides to Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, Sen. Phil Gramm, Sen Kaye Bailey Hutchinson and delivered letters to other representatives from some of the sisters who live in their congressional districts. |
Voices for Veritas II
Second Delegation to Iraq February 19 - March 3, 2000
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Iraq Food Baskets Project
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In November of 1999 U.S. Dominicans participated in a Mennonite-sponsored project which involved packing food baskets which contained the weekly allotment of food to each Iraqi as part of the UN oil for food program. The baskets contained:
- 1 oz. tea . . . . . . . . This amount of food lasts only 20 days.
- 2 oz. lentils . . . . . . and is far below the amount needed for
- 1/2 oz. cheese . . . . a healthy diet for adult or child.
- 8 oz. oil . . . . . . . . . One out of every four Iraqi children is malnourished.
- 1 lb. sugar . . . . . . .The right to adequate food is a basic human right.
- 5 lb. flour . . . . . . . .The sanctions policy violates this most basic right
- 1 lb. rice . . . . . . . . .and causes the greatest suffering to the most
- 1 oz. salt . . . . . . . . .vulnerable.
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Our sisters prepared 14 baskets and delivered them to
congressional representatives so that they might be aware of the plight of the Iraqi people. The representatives were also asked to sign the Campbell/Conyers letter to President Clinton urging him to lift the economic sanctions against Iraq.
The baskets were packed within the context of a specially prepared prayer service which was used by Dominicans across the United States.
Siena Schmitt, O.P., Fran Boddeker, O.P. and Charles Anne Solomon, O.P. at the prayer service at St. Dominic Villa |
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Voices for Veritas I Delegation to Iraq
April 18 - 30, l999
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We joined in prayer each day at 5:00 p.m. CST, April 18 - 30, l999
A Prayer for the People of Iraq
and the Voices for Truth Delegation
May God shepherd you along your way and be your constant companion
in your journey of justice and of mercy. AMEN.
May you bring hope and receive hope from God's holy people to whom
you are called. AMEN.
May your be for them a renewed sign of God's love and consolation. AMEN.
May you return in safety and in peace, strengthened in faith and determination
to continue to work in compassion for justice for all people. AMEN.
May God's peace be with you all and with the suffering people of Iraq. AMEN.
For more information on the human and environmental tragedy in Iraq see:
Voices in the Wilderness
Statement on The Human Rights Situation of Children in Iraq
Iraq Action Coalition
For more information on the Dominican delegations see: www.op.org/dlc/justiceop/iraq
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