By Anna Bachmann
Voices in the Wilderness

The following is the best, most comprehensive, most complete (but maybe not exactly the last word) list of my people for the trip on Sunday that I sent to the Iraqi Police and US Military (I’ve removed part or all of their names in the list below). At the last second CNN was begging me to come to, but I was cruel to them and told them that unless they could find room in the police boat they were out of luck (hah, never thought I’d be in a position of saying ‘No’ to a major network!) … anyway, I guess they sweet talked the Iraqi Police into it. Cause I got the call that they were coming too.

Lastly, because the press came out in droves for this project (yippee) we’ve decided to end it with a press conference. I found this big house owned by Sheik Ayad Jamal Al-Din on the river in Jadriyah with a Mudhif (a traditional Arab house) in the back yard. That will be our drop off point and the location of the press conference, and then our boats (now empty) will return up-river.

As I’ll be up to my ears getting ready, I don’t know if you’ll here from me until after the trip is over. Wish me luck everyone!

Yahia (Boatman)
Nasser (Boatman)
Ammar Boatman)
Sophia(Organizer)
Firas (Min. of Env’t - MOE)
Sabah (MOE)
Salam (MOE)
Bara (MOE)
Saadia (Iraqi Human Rights Assoc. - go figure, she does enviro work)
Samir (Iraqi Green Peace Organization)
Someone from the Iraqi Free Observers Group (Iraqi NGO)
Azzam, Iraq Foundation’s Eden Again Project (Iraqi NGO)
Mazin (Translator)
Alaa (Translator)
Harb (Translator)
(Reuters reporter)
(Reuters photographer)
(Reuters Cameraman)
(Iraqiya TV Reporter … Iraqiya is the local station. It’s sponsored by the Americans but lots of people watch it)
(Iraqiya TV Cameraman)
(Al Jazerra reporter)
(Al Jazerra Cameraman)
(BBC reporter)
(CNN reporter)
(CNN Cameraman)

The press are really excited about this project … which I’m very happy about … but, thank the stars above, I’m glad this project will be over soon!!!

So again, if you don’t hear from me until Monday … don’t worry … I’m probably just catching up on some much needed sleep!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
You can check out my weblog “Sophia’s Peacework” at:
peacework.blogspot.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~