October 25th 1990. The news reported that Iraq had mined nearly half of Kuwait’s 1,000 oil wells on the day that I received an unexpected telephone call from Sarah in Cairo. I had been trying to find out what had happened to her and the children. Fortunately, someone had read my story in a local newspaper, near John’s home, and eventually John’s mother contacted me to say that Sarah had finally managed to get to Egypt. We both cried as we talked, and Sarah was desperate for news about John. She wanted to come to England and leave the children with her family in Cairo. Within a few days she was on her way. * As my father and I drove to Heathrow to wait for Sarah’s flight from Egypt, I was very excited at the prospect of seeing her after our parting in Kuwait. Sarah walked through the arrivals lounge, looking as gorgeous as ever in her brown leather trouser suit, with enough luggage for a couple of months. We hugged and cried, talking incessantly. ”What on earth did they do to you?” she cried. “You look awful!” I was not quite a picture of my former self and she was surprised by how thin I had become. As we drove back to my parents’, I told Sarah that I had written to Edward Heath, Mr Neil Kinnock, Margaret Thatcher, Cardinal Basil Hume and the Archbishop of Westminster, asking the latter to join us on a visit to Iraq on humanitarian grounds to represent peace. I received very politically correct replies. The Cardinal felt that, as a Roman Catholic, he might not be accepted, although he had given the matter a lot of thought and prayer. At the house, I showed Sarah the letter: I am writing having just returned from Iraq, after being held as a British ‘guest’ since the invasion of Kuwait on August 2, 1990. I spent 64 days being transferred to various installation points. During this time our only source of information on the political situation in the Gulf was the BBC World Service News. Fortunately, most people will never have to contemplate the anguish of myself, my husband and the other fellow ‘“guests” whom I left behind. The Iraqi authorities granted me permission, eight days after my original request, to go home. The men and women remaining are hoping and praying that with public support the Gulf crisis shall conclude peacefully. It is easy for the Government to state that it will not tolerate terrorist aggression. Would Mrs Thatcher and her colleagues encourage the same tactics if their families were held in an Iraqi installation? We all realise this is an international situation, but we must ask ourselves: Will sanctions be effective? Who will they deprive? The answer is, not only Iraqi women and children, but also our own country folk. It may take years before any drastic effect descends on Iraq. I plead with the people of the UK not to forget our men in Kuwait and Iraq. Thanks to the visit of Edward Heath, many of the sick hostages have been released. What he has achieved is admirable on humanitarian grounds, not political. Edward Heath deserves respect and the support of the Government, regardless of their political grievances. It may take months, possibly longer, for the hostages to return home. All the people who remain in Iraq have put their faith in those fortunate to have returned to the UK to make everyone aware of their plight, and not to become complacent with the issue. Innocent people do not deserve to suffer for the financial gains of other nations. Caroline Hughes Myers. Sarah and I were both frustrated by the lack of support from the government. Saddam Hussein had issued a public invitation for women to visit their husbands in Iraq for Christmas, and we had convinced ourselves that war would be avoided if women accepted this invitation; how could the British Government justify war, with innocent women travelling back to Iraq on humanitarian grounds? Sarah and I had both discussed this at length with our families, who thought that we must be suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome, and not be fully aware of our actions. As my family had never even met Chris, they thought that I had totally lost the plot. It took a while for them to understand just how strongly we felt about what we were about to do. We sat for hours around the kitchen table, trying to convince my parents. Sarah and I travelled to London to the Iraqi Embassy where we met with a Mr Ibrahim, an Iraqi diplomat responsible for granting entry visas for Baghdad. Sarah and I discussed the situation with him and explained that we would enter Iraq as women delivering a message of peace. “If you write a letter to President Saddam Hussein,” Mr Ibrahim told us, “accepting his kind invitation to return to Iraq and give the letter to me, I will liaise with Iraq on your behalf.” 3rd November 1990. I penned the following letter for delivery to Mr Ibrahim: To President Saddam Hussein. I am writing to you in response to your invitation to visit our husbands in Baghdad for Christmas. As I’m sure you are well aware, there is great controversy over this issue. The British Government, Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and the foreign office totally oppose the suggestion as propaganda tactics and are advising families not to accept this offer. Regardless of their views and controversial policies, I and two other women would like to accept your offer to travel to Baghdad in the hope that you will consider meeting with us to discuss the release of our husbands. I am British, one woman is American, and the other is Egyptian, whose husband is a British Muslim. We are not politicians and would be doing this on humanitarian grounds. I was one of your early guests, and stayed in various strategic sites before returning to the United Kingdom. Since arriving back on 4th October 1990, I have publicly stated that, during my stay in Iraq, we were all very well treated by the Iraqi authorities and could not criticise the treatment. The three men in question were some of the early guests, taken two days after the invasion. Would you please consider releasing them? The governments will be angry, and although we are not politically involved, we feel that as the governments are doing so little, it is up to us as women to voice our opinions. This will embarrass our governments, especially if the visit proves successful. I was one of the fortunate ladies who received a telephone call from my husband, from one of the installations. We will have television and national newspaper coverage to aggravate the government more. Mr Edward Heath has written to me personally. He still maintains that a diplomatic solution, through negotiations, must be discussed. Mr Heath is against the government opposing our visit. He believes that we live in a free country, where no one has the authority to dissuade any of the families from going to Baghdad. Please find enclosed letters that I have sent to: Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. Mr Douglas Hurd. Mr Neil Kinnock. Mr William Walgrave. Cardinal Basil Hume. Local Members of Parliament. National Newspapers. Also enclosed is a photograph of my husband Chris, and myself, which was taken by the Iraqi authorities before we appeared on guest news on August 26th 1990. This was shown on national television. In the name of God and Peace, please consider our request. The men in question are. Mr Christian Mark Myers. British. Mr John. British. Mr BJ. American. If we do visit, can you please guarantee our safe return home? In anticipation, Mrs Caroline Hughes Myers. |
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