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'Human shield' coordinator tells of war horrors in Iraq

04/07/03

DAMASCUS (Kyodo) Jamila Takahashi, who was in Baghdad to coordinate the activities of Japanese "human shields" protesting the U.S.-led war on Iraq, said Sunday she wants to tell the world about the horrors of war.

Takahashi, 62, left Iraq for Syria on Sunday evening.

"I fully realized the misery of war, as I saw children whose hands have been blown off and residents dying right before my eyes," she said. "I decided to leave the country to tell others about the situation in Iraq and the activities of the shields, and to call for peace."

Takahashi and the human shields made daily visits to Baghdad hospitals starting in late March, where they saw the wounded being treated, she said, adding that Iraqi authorities arranged transportation for their visits.

"I never felt my life was in danger," she said. "The facilities at which the shields are present were not attacked, and so I think we have been effective in protecting the people's lifelines."

Asked to respond to criticism that acting as human shields risks the lives of participants, Takahashi said, "Is there any other means to stop the war? We are calling only on those people who can take responsibility for risking their lives to take part."

Rei Shiba, a 27-year-old journalist who was also a human shield, departed Iraq for Syria along with Takahashi. Koshiro Tanaka, a 62-year-old martial artist, has also left the country.

There are about 50 to 60 human shields still in Iraq, including some Japanese, positioned at more than a dozen utility plants, according to Takahashi. The Japanese human shields are fine, she said.

Takahashi said she wants to return to Iraq after recruiting more people to act as shields.

She was planning to arrive at Narita airport Tuesday morning via Moscow.

Iraq told to give up

U.S. forces rolled into the capital Saturday, inflicting a heavy toll on Iraqi fighters, according to the U.S. Central Command.

Iraq should surrender soon before the number of casualties grows, Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi told reporters at his office, reiterating that Tokyo is prepared to do its utmost to help rehabilitate postwar Iraq.

"It would be better for Iraqi forces to make a decision early, as the situation has come to this point," Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuo Fukuda said, referring to the incursion. "I hope that damage will be contained to as little as possible."

Between 2,000 and 3,000 Iraqi fighters were reportedly killed in the weekend foray into Baghdad, the first since the start of the war March 20.

Toshimitsu Motegi, senior vice foreign minister, said Japan will consult with other countries over how to deal with postwar Iraq in line with its recently announced five-point policy, which includes a call for sufficient U.N. involvement.

But Motegi declined comment on recent calls by top U.S. officials for humanitarian assistance and an interim administration led by the United States and possibly Britain after they topple the government of Saddam Hussein.

A top bureaucrat at the Finance Ministry said separately that Japan has received no specific request from the U.S. in terms of aiding the reconstruction of postwar Iraq.

No request of this kind has been made "either formally or informally," Vice Finance Minister Masakazu Hayashi said.

Hayashi said that an international framework would have to be established before Japan could consider providing any financial assistance in this regard.

"I cannot say (what Japan will do) until we see how and when the Iraq war ends, and how an international framework for assistance is established," he said.

Hayashi said that although he expects the war to be a major topic at a meeting of the top financial officials of the Group of Seven economic powers later this week, he does not expect the officials to address any specifics.

The Japan Times: April 8, 2003

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