DATE=6/9/98
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
NUMBER=5-40637
TITLE=IRAQIS AGAINST SADDAM
BYLINE= ED WARNER
DATELINE= WASHINGTON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRODUCTION: IRAQIS WHO ARE OPPOSED TO SADDAM HUSSEIN HAVE BEEN
ORGANIZING PROTESTS IN VARIOUS U-S CITIES WITH THE AIM OF HIS
EVENTUAL OVERTHROW. THEY HAVE BEEN WELL RECEIVED AND HARDLY
ENCOUNTER ANY DISAGREEMENT, BUT AS V-O-A'S ED WARNER REPORTS,
ANALYSTS SAY THEY ARE A LONG WAY FROM REACHING THEIR GOAL.
TEXT: THERE ARE COUNTLESS GRIM STORIES OUT OF IRAQ -- WITH
COUNTLESS VICTIMS. ONE IS A YOUNG KURDISH MAN NOW IN THE UNITED
STATES WHO RECALLS THE DEATHS OF HIS PARENTS AND TWO SISTERS AT
THE HANDS OF IRAQI SECURITY FORCES. HE SAYS THE FAMILY WAS TAKEN
TO AN OPEN PIT, SHOT AND PUSHED IN. THE BOY, 11 YEARS OLD AT THE
TIME, WAS WOUNDED BUT SURVIVED. HE MANAGED TO REACH A HOUSE
WHOSE ARAB OCCUPANTS HID HIM AND NURSED HIM BACK TO HEALTH. IN
TIME, HE WAS TAKEN TO AMERICA.
WITH THIS AND OTHER ATROCITIES IN MIND, A GROUP OF IRAQIS HELD A
DEMONSTRATION RECENTLY AT THE LINCOLN MEMORIAL IN WASHINGTON. IT
WAS THE LAST STOP OF A BUS TOUR ACROSS THE UNITED STATES INTENDED
TO IMPRESS AMERICANS WITH THE CONTINUING BRUTAL OPPRESSION IN
IRAQ.
IN BRILLIANT SUNSHINE, WITH HELICOPTERS WHIRRING OVERHEAD, MAZIN
YOUSIF ASKED FOR AN INTERNATIONAL COURT TO PUT SADDAM HUSSEIN ON
TRIAL FOR HIS MANY ALLEGED CRIMES AGAINST HIS OWN PEOPLE:
// YOUSIF ACT //
WE ARE DEMANDING TO FREE IRAQ FROM SADDAM HUSSEIN. WE
ARE DEMANDING TO FREE IRAQ OF HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES. WE
ARE DEMANDING TO FREE IRAQ OF THE UNITED NATIONS
SANCTIONS THAT ARE ONLY CRIPPLING THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE
OF IRAQ, BUT NOT EVEN PUTTING A DENT INTO THE
GOVERNMENT OF SADDAM HUSSEIN.
// END ACT //
MR. YOUSIF, NATIONAL DIRECTOR OF THE FREE IRAQ CAMPAIGN, SAID ALL
OPPONENTS OF SADDAM HUSSEIN ARE UNITED IN AN EFFORT TO REMOVE HIM
-- CHRISTIANS, MUSLIMS, TURKMEN, SYRIANS, ARABS, KURDS.
THAT IS THE AIM, BUT IT IS NOT QUITE REALIZED, SAYS DANIEL
BYMAN, A POLICY ANALYST AT RAND, A WASHINGTON RESEARCH
ORGANIZATION. HE SAYS THERE ARE SERIOUS DIVISIONS AMONG THE
OPPOSITION, AS WAS THE CASE IN NORTHERN IRAQ WHEN TWO KURDISH
FACTIONS FOUGHT EACH OTHER, AND ONE ENLISTED HELP FROM SADDAM
HUSSEIN.
BUT MR. BYMAN SAYS MEMBERS OF THESE GROUPS COULD CONSTITUTE A
GOVERNMENT IN WAITING IF THE IRAQI LEADER BEGINS TO FALTER:
// BYMAN ACT //
THERE ARE CERTAINLY MANY IRAQIS BOTH IN THE UNITED
STATES AND IN THE REGION ITSELF THAT ARE SUITABLE IN
TERMS OF WHAT THE UNITED STATES IS LOOKING FOR. THEY
ARE SKILLED. THEY ARE WELL EDUCATED. THEY HAVE THE
RIGHT DEMOCRATIC AND HUMANITARIAN IMPULSES. BUT THEY
ARE NEITHER ORGANIZED, NOR DO THEY HAVE A LOT OF
SUPPPORT FRANKLY, AMONG PEOPLE WITH GUNS. AND RIGHT NOW
THAT IS THE FIRST STEP IN WEAKENING SADDAM'S CONTROL
OVER IRAQ ITSELF, AND THE OPPOSITION AT THE MOMENT IS
NOT CAPABLE OF DOING THAT.
// END ACT //
MR. BYMAN SAYS THE OPPOSITION GROUPS MUST OVERCOME PERSONAL
ANIMOSITIES, SINCE THEY ALL SHARE A COMMON AGENDA. (SIGNED)
NEB/EW/MMK
09-Jun-98 2:36 PM EDT (1836 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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