Human shields wait for bombs to fall
-17/03/2003
As British nationals are being ordered to leave Kuwait, reports are emerging of the 150 human shields, including many Christians, who remain in Iraq as war rapidly approaches.
Whilst publicity was recently given to the departure of human shields from Iraq, many have decided to stay.
In an interview published by The Independent newspaper at the weekend, Karl Dallas, a 72-year-old Christian singer-songwriter from Bradford, West Yorkshire, talked about his decision to become one such human shield and how he was facing the prospect of death.
Describing how he spent the morning writing emails to family and friends, and realising when he had finished that they were actually probably farewell messages, he said. ìI get quite tearful, thinking of this, but they are tears of joy that I have known such wonderful people and had such a wonderful life.î
Like many peace activists, he has left behind a family at home, also working for peace.
His wife, Gloria, was recently on television, one of ten women who quizzed the Prime Minister about the decision to go to war.
But the cost being faced by many of the peace activists is not just whilst they remain in Iraq. Some of the US human shields face imprisonment when they return home under the Patriot Act.
Living in a temporary cabin at the Daura oil refinery in Baghdad, Mr Dallas outlined how he was spending time fasting and praying for peace as the threat of war grows ever closer.
The shields also spend their time working with the local children, teaching them songs and meeting their parents who live and work in the refinery.
As British nationals are being ordered to leave Kuwait, reports are emerging of the 150 human shields, including many Christians, who remain in Iraq as war rapidly approaches.
Whilst publicity was recently given to the departure of human shields from Iraq, many have decided to stay.
In an interview published by The Independent newspaper at the weekend, Karl Dallas, a 72-year-old Christian singer-songwriter from Bradford, West Yorkshire, talked about his decision to become one such human shield and how he was facing the prospect of death.
Describing how he spent the morning writing emails to family and friends, and realising when he had finished that they were actually probably farewell messages, he said. ìI get quite tearful, thinking of this, but they are tears of joy that I have known such wonderful people and had such a wonderful life.î
Like many peace activists, he has left behind a family at home, also working for peace.
His wife, Gloria, was recently on television, one of ten women who quizzed the Prime Minister about the decision to go to war.
But the cost being faced by many of the peace activists is not just whilst they remain in Iraq. Some of the US human shields face imprisonment when they return home under the Patriot Act.
Living in a temporary cabin at the Daura oil refinery in Baghdad, Mr Dallas outlined how he was spending time fasting and praying for peace as the threat of war grows ever closer.
The shields also spend their time working with the local children, teaching them songs and meeting their parents who live and work in the refinery.