I write to you from Northern Iraq where us Kurds have our refugee camp. My people and I have suffered many pains. 12000 to 20000 of my people died during the Gulf War, due to disease and malnutrition. We want to have freedom from Saddam Hussein and his rule. Can you please tell me about your government because we hope to have our own government someday and we want one like yours.
your friend,
Ali
Dear Ali,
Thank you on behalf of the students in Hagerstown, MD in the U.S.A. We appreciate the chance to write to you. We would like to know how your people, the Kurds are treated. We have heard in the news media that your president Saddam Hussein treats his people poorly. We hear that Hussein practically forces you to vote for him. When we turn 18 we get the right to vote freely. In 1990 your country invaded Kuwait which forced U.S. and U.N. forces to come to their defense and end the Persian Gulf War. We normally are peaceful people and do not kill unless we have to. We're sorry about all the suffering and pain we caused your country. Hussein is also against the religion of the Kurds because they want there own country. In the U.S. we can have any religion we want.
We also wanted to know how much power Hussein has. We know he is
prime minister, chairman of the revolutionary command council, and secretary
general of the Regional of the Arab Ba'ath Socialist Party. In our country
power is divided by a series of checks and balances. We have three branches,
or sections, in our government. These are known as the legislative, executive,
and judicial branches. The legislative branch makes our laws. The executive
branch carries out our laws. The judicial branch is our court system. We
hope this has answered some of your questions and that you will answer
some of ours.
Sincerely,
Matt S.
Luke M.
Autumn P.
and Jennifer P.
Source: U.S. News and World Report , "The Real Target," pg. 20.
San Jose Mercury News, E.A. Toreirro, "Forgotten and Dismissed."
The US Mission To Italy, 1996 Human Rights Report, http://www.usis.it/hr_reps/c_index.htm.
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