Ed Kinane
Voices in The Wilderness
Baghdad
September 18, 2003

UN NGO MEETING
This morning Cathy and I head out to the UN compound for a weekly NGO meeting–our first appearance. About 30 of us crowd into an air-conditioned tent. The featured presentation is by Jean Luc on security. While in the UN compound, if bullets begin flying, head for the bunkers. If there’s a mortar attack, lie on the ground.

Regarding Iraq as a whole, the south is quiet. Though there are lots of car-jacking’s on the Kut/Basra road–a road we travelled not so long ago. Although there are ransom kidnappings, so far none have involved expats. (Around the kitchen table a few days ago we all agreed that we would not want ransoms paid if we were kidnapped.)

Things are hot in Mosul. A huge CPA troop presence there. Lots of IED [improvised explosive device] attacks in the cities near Baghdad, including attacks on civilian services. In Fallujah there are anti-personnel mines. The resistance is stepping up in preparedness and organization.

In Baghdad an IED was planted in a carcass. To avoid mines, etc, stay on firm ground. (So, no more walking across the piles of sand on the sidewalk in front of the building under construction next door.) Four men attacked the sentry post at the Baghdad hotel yesterday. There was an explosion at the CPA complex.

Someone asks, “Is there any place in particular to avoid?” Jean Luc: “There is no place to avoid. But I won’t be taking my lunch at the Sheraton; too many high profile people there. Avoid any unnecessary movement in Baghdad. You should have a bulletproof jacket when you drive. Avoid rush hour traffic; a car window can be broken and a grenade tossed inside. Walking in Baghdad entails deadly risk.

“If a bomb is detonated, don’t go to the site. Another bomb might go off as soon as a crowd gathers.”

The chair, Kevin Kennedy, then speaks: “Since August 19 the UN has been getting back on its feet. Security for nationals and internationals is on the same plane. Iraq is a warzone and will continue to be for the foreseeable future. The situation is very fluid. Our focus is now more internal than external. We’ve moved all inessential functions abroad, to Amman and elsewhere. We try to keep our numbers down as much as possible. If you’re not implementing programs now, get out of Iraq. This isn’t the time to be consulting.”

Kennedy then asks each NGO to say what its programming is, how many international and national staff it has, whether there have been any threatening incidents, and what security measures it is taking. Many of the NGO’s mention they are now using unmarked cars.