Iraq Veterans Against The War in Iraq

Dear Supporter, Demanding the Right to Heal on the Tenth Anniversary of the U.S. invasion of Iraq Earlier today, Iraq Veterans Against the War, the Organization of Women's Freedom in Iraq, the Federation of Labor Councils and Unions in Iraq, supported by the Center for Constitutional Rights and Harvard Law School's Human Rights Clinic, submitted a request to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights for a hearing on the human rights violations of the people of Iraq, Afghanistan, and U.S. military veterans. Help us show the Commission that there is widespread support for this hearing. Take action in support of our hearing request by adding your signature to the sign-on letter. This Commission is an important body of the Organization of American States that hears human rights concerns regarding the actions of countries throughout the Americas. If accepted, our hearing will be an opportunity to raise up the health conditions for American war veterans and civilians suffering the devasting effects of more than ten years of war in Iraq and Afghanistan. Our hearing will make the case for reparations and accountabilty from the U.S. government for: The health effects of certain military munitions and burn pits of hazardous materials that have poisoned various communitites in Iraq that now suffer from very high rates of cancer, birth defects, and other serious health problems. A recent health study suggests the highest levels of genetic damage ever studied anywhere are in post-war Iraq. (Some veterans also are suffering from the health effects of toxic exposure to these same munitions and burn pits. IVAW member, Joshua Casteel - a non-smoker - passed away last year due to an aggressive lung cancer that his family believes is connected to his prolonged exposure to burn pits during his military service in Iraq.) High rates of untreated post traumatic stress, traumatic brain injuries, and military sexual trauma, which have systematically gone untreated by the military and the VA system. It is estimated that active military members are committing suicide at the rate of one per day, and veterans at the rate of 22 per day. The VA currently has a backlog of 900,000 disability claims. Support our hearing request by signing on here. If you are part of an organization or faith-based group that would like to endorse this hearing request and/or this initiative as a whole, please email righttoheal@ivaw.org. A joint effort for our common Right to Heal This human rights hearing represents the launch of longer term joint work with Iraqis and Afghans, called the Right to Heal Initiative. Over the next few months, we will be working together as a step toward solidarity and reconciliation, and highlighting the human costs of war for civilians and veterans. Today, IVAW members around the country took action to acknowledge the human costs of these wars, whether by providing testimonies of their own experiences, or by chalking the names of Iraqis, Afghans, and fallen comrades. We will not let the effects of these wars fade from our national memory. Tune in tomorrow morning on Democracy Now! for an interview with IVAW Organizing Director, Maggie Martin, and Right to Heal partner, Yanar Mohammed of the Organization of Women's Freedom in Iraq. Thank you for taking action. It's been a long day... In Solidarity, Maggie, Matt, Elly, Amadee, and Selena

Iraq Veterans Against the War is a 501(c)(3) charity, and welcomes your tax deductible contributions