Iraqi and American Reconciliation Project

By Sgt. Ben Hutto

CONTINGENCY OPERATING SITE KALSU, Iraq – Local artists displayed their work as part of an art fair in the Contingency Operating Site Kalsu dining facility, June 2 and 3.

Paintings by 15 artists from the Babil province were put on display and offered for sale.

“The art is beautiful,” said Spc. David Holcombe, a generator mechanic assigned to Headquarters Company, 203rd Brigade Support Battalion, 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division. “I thought the people around here were mostly farmers. I didn’t know they had so many creative artists.”

The event was put together by the 1411th Civil Affairs Company.

“We wanted to bring a little cultural experience to the [base],” said Capt. Kristen Brockman, the commander of the 1411th CA Company. “The artists in this area have a tough time selling their works to locals in the area, so this is an economic development project for them.”

In order to attract American soldiers, the artists kept their products affordable. Pieces ranged in price from 30 to 50 dollars.

“We felt this was a good opportunity for the soldiers here to carry home something meaningful,” said Brockman, a native of Jackson, N.J. “I think a lot of the art speaks so well about the environment here. The art really captures what the people of this area are like.”

Many of the artists whose work was represented at the event were happy so many soldiers were interested in their work.

“So far, we have sold between 65 or 70 pieces,” said Ali Ghason, a local artist. “We are very happy. This was our only outlet to express ourselves and show what we can do.”

Ghason was happy that American soldiers would be taking his work back to the United States with them.

“We hope our art is a good reflection of our culture to the U.S. people,” he said.
For Holcomb, a native of Leominster, Mass., the piece he purchased is a good way to remember the two deployments he served in Iraq.

“It is something to keep from Iraq to say I was there,” he said. “It will look really nice in my work room back home. Who knows? Some day it may be worth something.”

By Mika Thuening

Thirteen-year old Hassan Khalid was suffering from fever, headaches, and vomiting. He had drunk water from a tap and contracted typhoid. Unfortunately, Hassan is not alone in falling victim to the unsafe water of Iraq. In 2007, the World Health Organization confirmed over 3,300 cases of cholera, a disease that spreads through contaminated water, resulting in at least 14 deaths.[1] The number one killer of children under 5 years of age is water borne diseases such as diarrhea, typhoid, and hepatitis.[2] Although these diseases are preventable by treating water for human consumption, millions of Iraqis remain at risk due to the lack of access.  According to the Red Cross, 40% of Iraqis lack access to clean water.[3] More »

Students at Perpich Center Arts High School in Minneapolis, USA recently created postcards to send to students in Iraq as part of their “Women and Water” project. The students also wrote messages on the backs of the postcards. Below is a sample of what will be sent to Iraq.

If your school would like to be involved in the Iraqi Art Project, please contact us.

From the Assyrian International News Agency (March 27, 201o):

Baghdad (AINA) — The Iraqi High Electoral Commission (IHEC) issued today the official results of Iraq’s March 7 Parliamentary elections. Ayad Allawi won 91 seats, followed closely by Maliki with 89 seats. Prime Minister Maliki has contested the result and called for a recount. The Sadr affiliated Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq won 70 seats. The largest Kurdish party won 43 seats.

The Rafidain party, an Assyrian Christian party backed by the Assyrian Democratic Movement, won 3 seats, while the Kurdish backed Christian party, Assyrian/Chaldean/Syriac, won 2.

Below are some images of children at Al-Kufa Kindergarten in Kufa, Iraq, where a small water purifier unit was recently installed by the Iraqi and American Reconciliation Project and its partner in Iraq, the Muslim Peacemaker Teams. The school has 235 kids. Thanks to donor St. Augustine Church for providing clean water for these kids.

Visit the Peace, Justice, and Environment Project site, where you can use PJEP network sites to find plans near you to mark the 7^th anniversary of the U.S. led invasion of Iraq and to protest continued wars and occupations in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere.

The site contains a list of upcoming and ongoing actions/vigils that will take place across the country on March 12^th-21^st, as local activists protest the 7^th anniversary of the start of the Iraq War.

A commentary piece written by Sami Rasouli, Director of IARP’s partner organization the Muslim Peacemaker Teams, appeared in the Star Tribune on February 22, 2010. In the commentary, Sami writes, “In January, I returned to Iraq. I left Minneapolis with thanks for Americans’ commitment to peace and their generous spirit. I left, also, with a plea: Let us remember the people of my other homeland, Iraq. Let us remember our brothers and sisters.” To read the whole piece, click here.

Below is a story of a volunteer who has connected with an Iraqi Artist, Anwar Qamar.

From Iraq to Minnesota: Connecting through Art

Barb is a Minnesotan who recently heard Sami Rasouli, Director of MPT, speak about life in Iraq and the continuing consequences of war. After Sami’s talk, Barb wrote, “We were all devastated, and called to action, and also inspired by the potential that we people can reach across to each

other and simply create peace.” Barb bought a painting by Iraqi artist Anwar Qamar that Sami had brought with him. She emailed Anwar and, with some help in getting the email to Anwar from IARP’s partner in Iraq the Muslim Peacemaker Teams, talked with Anwar via their computers. Anwar showed Barb other pieces of his work and asked her to speak slowly so he could catch the English.

More »

Our friends at The Simple Way and filmmaker Jamie Moffett are creating a documentary called, “The Gospel of Rutbah.” The trailer is below. For more information, visit http://www.thesimpleway.org/rutba/.

Sami Rasouli, Director of the Muslim Peacemaker Teams and IARP Board Member, recently spoke at the University of Minnesota-Duluth about the work of IARP and MPT to build connections and peace between Iraqis and Americans. Sami also spoke about the current situation in Iraq and the challenges of rebuilding Iraqi society. Below are a few photos from the event: