Students challenge U.S. embargo on Iraq

Post Office bombarded with Iraq care packages

Students armed with aspirin attempted to infiltrate the U.S. postal lines Tuesday to protest U.S. sanctions on Iraq. Oberlin students involved in the Coalition Against War in Iraq gathered at the Oberlin post office to begin their attempts to send children's aspirin to Iraq. Their attempt was part of a nation-wide effort to protest the ongoing U.S. sanctions imposed upon Iraqi citizens since the 1991 U.S. Gulf War.

Last February, after the US/UN threats to bomb Iraq, a few Oberlin students formed the Coalition to educate the public. "Initially it was to raise awareness of the threat of bombing Iraq and the political climate behind that and now it's switched to the effects of the sanctions," said Lendri Purcell.

Currently, the imposed U.S. humanitarian sanctions include a wide range of medicinal supplies, toys and food supplies. "We want to draw attention to the fact that Americans are forbidden to bring food, medical supplies and toys to Iraqi children who are suffering from a number of diseases," said junior Gillian Russom.

"Medicine is an important thing because people are dying. Without chlorine to clean the water they'll die of dysentery," said junior Angela Migally. "They are the most severe sanctions put on Iraq. Probably I think these sanctions are severe because the U.S. is pushing for them. It's believed that if you weaken a country so much then maybe they'll overthrow the government. But these sanctions have been going on since '91[and the people are only getting weaker]," she said.

For two hours members of the Coalition would enter the Oberlin post office every 15-20 minutes, attempt to deliver boxes of medicine addressed to Iraq aware that their boxes would be denied due to U.S. foreign policy.

"Letters can't go through. Nothing can go through because of the embargo. We're going to stand in line and they'll say no," Purcell said.

One by one, students approached the small postal windows to deliver their packages, and one by one were turned away. "We're obliged to follow [foreign] policy," said Victor Dubina, Postal Public Relations Representative.

Time for plan B. Knowing they would be denied, the Coalition prearranged to send their packages to Voices in the Wilderness, an independent organization based in Chicago campaigning to end the UN/US economic sanctions against Iraqi people. According to Purcell the organization currently uses chartered planes to fly the supplies to Iraq and has already had run-ins with the U.S. foreign policy.

"There is a federal lawsuit against them - $163,000 in fines as a pre-penalty notice," said Purcell. Despite the threatened fines, however, Oberlin coalition students plan to mail their packages to VITW that same day and expects that their medical supplies will reach Iraq within the next few months.

Another part of the national effort against U.S. sanctions is the Million Signature Campaign.