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sunlit_musicFrom Iraq Veterans Against the War: In the past 48 hours, armed militants have taken over cities all across northern Iraq. Today, Navi Pillay, the top UN human rights official, expressed "extreme alarm at what she termed summary executions, rape, reprisal killings and shelling of civilians.
Hundreds of human lives have been lost, and thousands of people have been injured. More than 300,000 people have been displaced - in addition to the 500,000 that have already been displaced since January after fighting broke out in Anbar Province.
The Organization of Women's Freedom in Iraq (OWFI), one of IVAW's partners in the Right to Heal Initiative, has shelters for women fleeing domestic violence in many areas that are now under siege. They are rapidly mobilizing women and children to safer areas where they hope to relocate their shelters.
We have a responsibility to help. Yifat Sussikind of Right to Heal partner organization MADRE said today, "This surge of violence signals a return to the worst days of the sectarian fighting that was triggered by the US invasion. In fact, these divisions are directly traceable to policies advanced by the US that exacerbated distinctions between Sunni and Shia. These policies pushed Iraq away from a secular government in favor of distributing authority according to religious affiliation."
The Geneva-based International Organization for Migration has indicated that they do not have funding to respond to the humanitarian crisis in Iraq adequately. The United Nations and other global organizations are already stretched thin due to the humanitarian crisis in neighboring Syria. But you can help. MADRE is collecting emergency donations for OWFI to help them relocate the residents of their women's shelter to safer places.You can make an emergency donation now by clicking here: https://app.etapestry.com/hosted/Madre/OnlineDonation.html?fund=ContributionsIndividual&campaign=Emergency%20and%20Disaster%20Relief&approach=2014%20Iraq%20Emergency%20Eappeal&title=Support%20Women%20Facing%20Violence%20in%20Iraq&cc1=2080
This emergency relocation effort will cost $25,000; OWFI cannot help these women meet their immediate needs without your help. Please consider making a donation today, and please share this email with your contacts. The safety of these women and their children depends on people like us.
Thank you in advance for your generosity.
In Solidarity,
Joyce, Matt, Maggie, Julia
IVAW Staff
Hundreds of human lives have been lost, and thousands of people have been injured. More than 300,000 people have been displaced - in addition to the 500,000 that have already been displaced since January after fighting broke out in Anbar Province.
The Organization of Women's Freedom in Iraq (OWFI), one of IVAW's partners in the Right to Heal Initiative, has shelters for women fleeing domestic violence in many areas that are now under siege. They are rapidly mobilizing women and children to safer areas where they hope to relocate their shelters.
We have a responsibility to help. Yifat Sussikind of Right to Heal partner organization MADRE said today, "This surge of violence signals a return to the worst days of the sectarian fighting that was triggered by the US invasion. In fact, these divisions are directly traceable to policies advanced by the US that exacerbated distinctions between Sunni and Shia. These policies pushed Iraq away from a secular government in favor of distributing authority according to religious affiliation."
The Geneva-based International Organization for Migration has indicated that they do not have funding to respond to the humanitarian crisis in Iraq adequately. The United Nations and other global organizations are already stretched thin due to the humanitarian crisis in neighboring Syria. But you can help. MADRE is collecting emergency donations for OWFI to help them relocate the residents of their women's shelter to safer places.You can make an emergency donation now by clicking here: https://app.etapestry.com/hosted/Madre/OnlineDonation.html?fund=ContributionsIndividual&campaign=Emergency%20and%20Disaster%20Relief&approach=2014%20Iraq%20Emergency%20Eappeal&title=Support%20Women%20Facing%20Violence%20in%20Iraq&cc1=2080
This emergency relocation effort will cost $25,000; OWFI cannot help these women meet their immediate needs without your help. Please consider making a donation today, and please share this email with your contacts. The safety of these women and their children depends on people like us.
Thank you in advance for your generosity.
In Solidarity,
Joyce, Matt, Maggie, Julia
IVAW Staff
