WFWP Women’s Peace Meeting in Birmingham, United Kingdom

T ‘so many beautiful faces’. She spoke of the he devastating crisis in the Middle situation in the Middle East as a war, but East, the subject of our most rejected the idea that it was simply recent Women’s Peace Meeting, caused by religion. “There are many brought an incredible response from factors involved, and one of the main women of all faiths and cultures. With ones is ‘business’. Also, scientists played a speakers from Iraq, Iran, Pakistan, the huge role in the development of all these UK, and a lady who had recently returned Our overflow, extension room was full weapons, but no-one blames scientists. from Jordan having visited a refugee Religion tends to be blamed, but camp there, the evening attracted our politicians are another major reason, largest gathering to date. Over 140 using the fear factor to convince people of women came together, bringing their the need to go to war.” heart of compassion, concern and generosity. Our house gradually filled to capacity, to the point where we ran out of chairs and several women had to sit on the floor to squeeze in. We ranged from doctors, Ph D’s, Our small television room (with a monitor) Christian ministers and NGO was full. representatives to several ladies who have After brief introductions, our first speaker just acquired citizenship in recent years, was Dr Shetha Al-Dargazelli. Having having arrived in Birmingham as refugees taught for 20 years at Baghdad The dining room beginning to fill up and asylum seekers. Thirty women were University, she completed an MA in attending the Peace Meeting for the first Religious Studies at Birmingham time, and we had roughly 40 nationalities University and is now resident in the UK. represented. Our very special guest was Referring humorously to the Sunni and the Pakistani mother of two boys who Shia sects within Islam, she described were attending the school in Peshawar, herself as a ‘Su-Shi’ Muslim! Growing up attacked with such brutal force by the in Iraq in former times, she explained Taliban in December 2014. One of her how people co-existed peacefully, side- sons was killed, and the other flown to by-side. Having a deep appreciation for Birmingham for special surgery at the those of other faiths, she looked out Black, white, brown, young, old, Christian, Queen Elizabeth Hospital. across the room as she spoke, and Muslim

Hanna a Mandaean, a follower of John the Baptist, from Iraq, then spoke movingly about women’s rights. “There are no women’s rights in the Middle East. For women and children, it is so difficult. Around Iraqi cities some women are forced into prostitution… they have no money to live, no life.” She reminded everyone of the Iran - Iraq war which, beginning in 1982, lasted 8 Aema speaking on behalf of Salina Marjorie Saunders years and cost more than a million lives, so many of them young lives. Lorna Archer, a member of the Women’s “There was no winner of that war, International League for Peace and except America, Russia, and those Freedom, then spoke about her efforts to countries who sold weapons and could support Palestinian people in Gaza. Seven experiment with their new weapons, as years ago, she helped to found the Dr Shetha has said”. She described the Worcester Palestine Friendship suffering of people under Saddam Association (WPFA), establishing a Hussein in Iraq, as a result of the twinning link with the people of conflict in Syria, and now with the Lorna Archer from Worcester Khanyounis in Gaza, developing advent of IS, or Daesh, who receive friendships using e-mail, Facebook, etc, Our next speaker was Aema, speaking much funding and support from Saudi and organising many meetings to on behalf of Salina who had recently Arabia and Qatar, believing that they highlight the plight of people’s suffering come from Pakistan to Birmingham will go to heaven for killing non- there. Since 2010, several Palestinians with her son, for surgery on his badly Muslims. Hanna said that where she and Israelis have been invited to speak at damaged left arm. She described how grew up in Iraq, Christians, Mandaeans WPFA meetings, and farmers, women Salina’s husband had received a phone and Muslims, both Shia and Sunni, and young people from the West Bank call, from a cousin in Dubai on would live side by side and not question have stayed with Lorna and her family in December 16th, asking if everything each others’ religions. Since coming to Worcester. was alright at their son’s school. Her the UK, she found people asking her husband soon realised that something In a brief talk, Dr Susan Noori shared her what religion she was. She would reply was terribly wrong, going outside and experience of attending the Commission that she goes to church, and to the seeing people running everywhere. His on the Status of Women meetings (CSW) mosque, and celebrates Eid and younger son telephoned him from in March at the United Nations. Every Christmas and other holy days and hospital where he was receiving year, government representatives from celebrations! “I don’t understand treatment for the wounds to his arm. around the world, as well as hundreds of what’s going on today, why people He did not know what had happened to NGO’s, attend the meetings to discuss discriminate among each other and his older brother. “Imagine the horror many issues and challenges facing exploit our differences. Maybe it’s a of the father running and searching women today. This includes inequality in ‘game’ for them.” among the bodies of dead children, all its aspects, violence against women, Hamsa, who has also lived in the UK trying to find his older son” Aema said. and access to resources, health and for many years, had just returned from She continued “One thing I am proud education. This year was especially visiting a refugee camp in Jordan. She of about Pakistan is its resilience in the important as it marked the 20th described the political and economic face of so much violence. The school re- anniversary of the 4th World Conference situation in Jordan, a relatively small, opened just a month or so after the on Women in Beijing, when a global but stable, country with no oil, and the massacre, in total defiance of the agenda for gender equality was set. This various waves of refugees who had fled violence of the Taliban”. [See year’s CSW59 agenda set out to review there, Palestinians, Iraqis, Syrians and Associated Press article at the end of governmental achievements during the now people fleeing for their lives from this report.] past 20 years in equality, development the brutal oppression of IS. She spoke and peace-building. In line with our of two camps which had arisen in evening’s theme, Susan mentioned a Jordan near its border, one hastily couple of examples of activities and NGO constructed for around 85,000 people support in the Middle East, such as a and another more purpose built for project for widows and orphaned 100,000 people, all with United children in Iraq, supporting them both Nations and international aid. Other financially and through skills refugee families have been development workshops. The latter accommodated by church communities empowers them to be able to work and in Jordan, and she visited one where 30 provide for themselves in the longer term. families were being cared for by 2 Mahmooda Qureshi Susan felt that empowering women is Catholic fathers. Most people are crucial for the peace-building and conflict simply grateful to be alive, but when resolution process, and equally important the opportunity comes along for some is the role of men in supporting women in to move on they will seize the chance, the fight against violence and inequality. sometimes helped out by relatives in Mahmooda Qureshi, Vice President of the other countries. Birmingham branch of the Islamic Society of Britain, and a coordinator of Islamic Awareness week, spoke about her work and some of the difficulties faced by Susan Noori Muslims like herself here in the UK, given

the current climate generated by events We invited comments from the floor, Taliban gunmen killed 150 of their taking place in the Middle East. after our main speakers and, while this classmates and teachers, wearing their Finally, Marjorie Saunders, a long-time was going on, we passed a donations green school blazers, Superman Jewish supporter of the Women’s Peace box around to collect money for a lunchboxes and hands clutched tightly Meeting and its associated activities in WFWP project in Jordan which is to their parents - a symbol of Birmingham, spoke movingly of the supporting women and children who perseverance despite the horrors they suffering of people on all sides, and her are living there as refugee families. had endured. and her daughter’s efforts, through a Altogether, we collected just over £400 connection to a school in Ramallah, to For many, attending school on which is a wonderful offering, coming Monday morning was an act of bring a small but significant contribution from all our collective faith and cultural defiance and proof that they would not to the process of peace, healing and reconciliation. Marjorie has always been backgrounds. be cowed in the face of Taliban threats prepared to take risks for peace and, even As always, we concluded with some to attack again. in this meeting, many Muslim women beautiful musical offerings from Julia Andleeb Aftab, a teacher at the Army were deeply touched by her example. McHugh, Swapna, Raginder, Swaran Public School, lost her 10th grade son, In fact, Marjorie passed away just a few and Inge, followed by a candle-lit Huzaifa, in the attack. She arrived days after this meeting, and we will prayer and time of meditation. With the Monday wearing a black dress and always remember her heart for peace meeting formally over, we then enjoyed black head scarf and walked briskly and her wonderful humanity. refreshments, an abundance of chatting toward the school, where she had last Ironically, just two days later, a Muslim and networking, making new friends seen her son alive. lady who had been at the meeting and acquaintances, and continuing the discussion with one another. “I have come here because the other called asking me for Marjorie’s kids are also my kids,” she said. “I will telephone number, wanting to meet … complete the dreams of my son, the and chat further with her, but I had to Monday January 12th 2015. dreams I had about my son, by inform her that Marjorie had sadly (Associated Press) teaching other students. I have chosen passed away. The memory of her will Pakistani children returned to the to get back to school instead of sitting linger long with us all. school where, just one month earlier, at home and keep mourning.”

Our speakers (from l to r) : Dr Shetha, Hanna, Patricia, Aema, Salina, Hamsa and Lorna