THE NATAL WITNESS, kwaZulu Natal, South Africa

Fred Kockott
BAGHDAD - A GROUP of thirty top Italian musicians yesterday jazzed it
up
in the streets of Baghdad in protest against America threats of
waging war
against Iraq.
The musicians, including (* see note), also livened up a month-long
vigil
being staged outside the United Nations offices by a group of
Americans
opposed to the United State?s policy on Iraq, as well as the UN?s
food-for-oil
programme.
Now in its third week, the ?Voices in the Wilderness? vigil is to
continue
to outside the UN head office in Iraq until the next sitting of UN
Security
Council.
?Depending on the outcome, we will then decide on most appropriate
action
to take,? said a spokesperson for the group, Peggy Gish, an organic
vegetable
farmer from Ohio.
Gish said more than 30 Americans had flown to Iraq to join the vigil
which
is being conducted in daily shifts. Holding a large banner: ?No Blood
for
Iraqi oil?, Gish said she believed US President George Bush would
pursue
Pentagon?s plans to launch military strikes in Iraq.
?Most people are predicting that this will happen in January, but we
think
it is possible the bombing could start soon,? said Gish.
She said in the event of war, members of Voices of Wilderness would
stay
in Iraq, staging group vigils at strategic and sensitive humanitarian
sites,
including electricity stations, bridges, water plants and other
expected
targets of air raids.
Gish?s counterpart, 72-year old Cynthia Beanas, a retired librarian
and
a former voluntary worker for the United Nations Children Fund
(UNICEF)
said UNICEF had done ?wonderful work all over the world? since its
inception
56 years ago, but that much of this good work was now being undone by
US
international policy and actions in Iraq.
?There are 4500 children dying here from preventable diseases each
month
as a direct result of America having destroyed basic infrastructure
in Iraq
and subsequent sanctions imposed on the country,? said Beanas,
delighted
to have been joined in the afternoon by the Italian musicians.
Following the afternoon?s impromptu jazz session outside the UN
offices,
the Italian musicians briefly met with UN information officer Ali
Hamati
who declined to comment on any political developments, but wished the
group
well in their efforts to promote world peace.
The musicians then moved on to host street performances at several
markets
in Baghdad. Having originally planned to stage a large outdoor
concert to
express solidarity with Iraqi people, permission to do so has since
been
declined by Iraqi authorities for security reasons. Instead, an
indoor concert
has been arranged at a Hotel venue at the weekend.

Kate/Robin ? the group includes some top Italian musos, but I have
not got
their names as yet. If I am able to contact them later, I will E-mail
details.

- Fred