Exiles' 'liberate Iraq' plea

Exiles' 'liberate Iraq' plea

By David Green
BBC News Online

Iraqi exile Hammeed Hussein says he still bears the scars of torture

One week ago an estimated one million people took to the streets of London to demonstrate against a possible war with Iraq.

Thousands more across the country held their own protests as the anti-war mood in the country grew.

But as the pictures were beamed onto television screens one set of UK residents say they could only watch with a mixture of anger and frustration.

They are Iraqi nationals living in exile in Manchester who have fled Saddam Hussein's regime.

"We had a sense of frustration, really. We obviously respected the protesters' feelings, but we felt they had been misled," said Ali Albayati.

"They were saying no to war, but at the same time they should have been saying no to Saddam Hussein."

The regime must go. If it is not removed, that's it, we give up

Iraqi exile

He added: "There are more than 300,000 Iraqis living in the UK. The question is how many Iraqis actually joined that demonstration?

"This will be used by Saddam as propaganda. Every night he is showing the demonstration on Iraqi TV."

All of the exiles said they knew people who had been killed or tortured by Saddam's Baath Party regime.

One who got away, Hameed Hussein, still bears the scars on his wrist from the torture he says was inflicted by the secret police.

He said: "They arrested me in Baghdad in 1987 because I am a Kurd and tortured me by cutting my wrist.

"The nerves of my hand were damaged and I cannot use it properly anymore.

Iraqi exiles said they felt anti-war protesters had been "misled"

"They then dumped me at the Iranian border and told me to leave. I didn't see my daughters for three years."

Another, who did not want his identity revealed for fear his relatives in Iraq would be persecuted, said he had fled in 1980 after his brother was executed.

He said: "He disappeared and they returned the body six months afterwards - no trial, no charge.

"Twenty-three years on and I still don't know the real reason why they killed him.

"I met a man a year later in Syria whose brother was executed on the same day and he said 576 people had been executed on that day alone.

"I destroyed all my graduation photographs because I couldn't find any without someone who was executed."

He added: "We have had so much suffering from this regime - if we don't die now getting rid of him we will die later because this leader will not stop.

Ali Albayati wants Iraqi voices to be heard

"He has had two major wars. He has two sons who are worse than him.

"The regime must go. If it is not removed, that's it, we give up."

After witnessing the anti-war demonstrations on 15 February the group wrote to Tony Blair asking him to help "liberate" their country.

The letter, from Iraqi Exiles in the UK, was subsequently used by the prime minister to justify his stance against Saddam Hussein but the exiles insist they do not want war.

Mr Albayati said: "When the Iraqi people felt the regime had lost its power after the gulf war in 1991 they revolted, every city apart from Baghdad.

"We receive messages every day that, when the moment comes, the people will rise up against him again."