IRAQ: HUMAN SHIELDS WHO VISIT MARKET WHERE AS MANY AS 15 PEOPLE WERE KILLED ON WEDNESDAY

Record ID: 648816

  • Title: IRAQ: HUMAN SHIELDS WHO VISIT MARKET WHERE AS MANY AS 15 PEOPLE WERE KILLED ON WEDNESDAY
  • Date: 28th March 2003
  • Summary: (W4) AL-SHA'AB DISTRICT, BAGHDAD, IRAQ (MARCH 27, 2003)(REUTERS - NO ACCESS CNN) 1. SLV PAN GROUP OF HUMAN SHIELDS VISITING SHELLED AREA IN AL-SHA'AB DISTRICT IN BAGHDAD; SLV DAMAGE; LAS PEOPLE ON BALCONIES OF DAMAGED BUILDING; SLV WRECKAGE (7 SHOTS) 0.39 2. MV CRATER TILT UP HUMAN SHIELDS LOOKING AT CRATERS MADE BY MISSILES; SLV PEOPLE AT THE AREA (6 SHOTS) 1.21 3. (SOUNDBITE)(English) ROSA PENARROYA, SPANISH HUMAN SHIELD SAYING "We will only give our support to the Iraqi people, to tell them that they have to keep on fighting and having hope and we wish them all our love from Spain and from all over the country. Thank you very much." 1.37 4. SCU MEMBERSHIP CARD; AV VAPOUR TRAIL; LAS WOMAN ON BALCONY; ZOOM OUT DAMAGED BUILDING; SLV TRAFFIC ON STREETS (4 SHOTS) 2.19 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 12th April 2003 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: BAGHDAD, IRAQ
  • Country: Iraq
  • Reuters ID: LVADO9NKER491JP5RMHYRDFWZFUU
  • Story Text: Human Shields, who distribute themselves in various
    civilian facilities of Iraq's infrastructure in Baghdad, have
    visited the market where as many as 15 people were killed on
    Wednesday.

    Human shields in Iraq seeking to prevent the
    destruction of civilian infrastructure like power and water
    plants have so far been unhurt by U.S.-led bombing. On
    Thursday (March 27, 2003) a group of them visited the market place
    in the al-Sha'ab district of Baghdad where explosions on
    Wednesday (March 26) killed as many as 15 people and wrecking
    many buildings.

    A U.S. official said errant U.S. weapons might have been
    to blame for the blasts, which caused the highest known
    civilian casualty toll in a single incident in the war so far.

    The human shields looked at the craters wrecked buildings
    in the market place, Spanish human shield Rosa Penarroya said,
    "We will only give our support to the Iraqi people, to tell
    them that they have to keep on fighting and having hope and we
    wish them all our love from Spain and from all over the
    country."
    The Human Shield Action group said none of the eight
    shielded sites, which include an oil refinery and food silo
    near Baghdad, had been hit since the Iraq war began last week.

    The human shields hope their presence at the Iraqi sites
    will deter U.S.-led forces from destroying them and raise
    awareness of the cost to civilians of war.

    The United States and Britain have said they will do
    everything possible to minimise civilian casualties and
    suffering in the war to topple President Saddam Hussein.

    The number of human shields in and around Baghdad peaked
    at around 200 in mid March but fell to about 120 once war
    broke out and activists left Iraq to avoid being bombed.

    Richard Scrase, director of the London-based Human Shield
    Action said that the recent arrival of some 40 South African
    human shields has raised numbers to about 150. Around 500
    human shields from around the world have visited Iraq since
    January.

    Several volunteers, including former U.S. marine Ken
    O'Keefe who helped bring dozens of people from Britain, were
    expelled from Iraq after clashing with authorities over the
    sites where activists should be deployed.


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