24 December 2004 - According to figures compiled by the International Organisation on Migration (IOM) more than 200,000 refugees from Fallujah have yet to return and 'many are in desperate need of aid, with temperatures in Iraq heading towards freezing' (Reuters, 2 Dec). If and when they do return to their devastated city they will have their finger prints taken, their retinas scanned, be forced to wear special ID badges, and possibly be dragooned into 'work battalions' to clear the rubble created by the US assault.

We in the anti-war movement must try to highlight the plight of the Fallujah refugees: protesting against the Orwellian plans to turn Fallujah into a "model city" and demanding housing and compensation for the homeless and bereaved and war crimes prosecutions for Bush and Blair.

The press has reported that the first refugees are likely to be returned to Fallujah on Christmas Eve (24 Dec).

BRIEF REPORT

About 20 people gathered in relatively mild temperatures for the protest around 7pm. Eleven of these folk went the whole distance till 7am the next day, during which time they were showered with food, drink, support and kindness from members of the public.

Despite our best efforts (see below) the corporate media couldn't have been less interested. They had "real" news to cover, namely the ins and outs of the former Home Secretary's love life. Even Radio Five Live blew us out of an early morning (6.10am!) interview.

Nontheless, an Iraqi from Fallujah, who a friend of ours had spoken to recently, said that he was heartened by the fact that someone in the UK was trying to raise awareness about the plight of the Fallujah refugees and the Daily Telegraph (weekday readership 1.1 million) printed this letter which was basically a re-jigged version of the press release.


BACKGROUND INFO. ON FALLUJAH REFUGEES

According to figures compiled by the International Organisation on Migration (IOM) more than 200,000 refugees from Fallujah have yet to return and 'many are in desperate need of aid, with temperatures in Iraq heading towards freezing' (Reuters, 2 Dec). Despite statements from the US military that refugees will 'start returning in the next few days' (BBC, 14 Dec) the IOM has predicted that the return 'may take a matter of months.'

'At least we had a home'
'At nightfall, when temperatures [in Baghdad] drop into the 40s, Fallouja laborer Hatam Allawi and his veiled wife, Nadia, gather their seven small children into a 10-by-10-foot canvas tent, where the youngsters jostle for position close to a kerosene heater,' the LA Times reports (8 Dec). 'They sit on the ground under a naked lightbulb hanging from a cord that runs to a nearby mosque. The only chair is a red plastic child's seat reserved for their oldest son, 10, who has a disability that makes his arms and legs shake. Two other children, ages 5 and 2, have physical and mental disabilities that require their parents to constantly coddle them.

'Life was difficult enough a month ago, when the family shared an apartment in Fallouja and Allawi eked out a living making mattresses by hand. "At least we had a home," said Allawi, one of more than 500 people now living at a makeshift camp in Baghdad for displaced Falloujans. They left another encampment two weeks ago when food and supplies ran out. "Now we are refugees," he said.'

A "model city"
'US commanders and Iraqi leaders have declared their intention to make Fallujah a "model city"' (Boston Globe, 5 Dec), meaning that, if and when they do return, Fallujah's refugees will face an Orwellian existence. 'When the first of Fallujah's refugees return on Christmas Eve, they will be funnelled through five check points. Each will have their fingerprints taken, along with DNA samples and retina scans. Residents will be issued with badges with their home addresses on them, and it will be an offence not to wear it at all times. No civilian vehicle will be allowed in the city .... One idea floated by the US is for all males in Fallujah [to] be compelled to join work battalions in which they will be paid to clear rubble and rebuild houses' (Independent, 11 Dec).

Voices UK - working in solidarity with ordinary families in iraq
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