no more victims at Brave New Films

Salee on Democracy Now

2008-07-09T19:49:30Z

Salee, her father Hussein, and Cole Miller on Democracy Now with Amy Goodman, October 20, 2007.

For more information, check out Salee's blog, the Mother's Day for Peace website, and No More Victims.

Building Bridges with Iraq

2008-01-12T20:28:14Z

Salee Allawee, a young girl from Fallujah, started out her trip to the United States many months ago. Injured by a U.S. airstrike, she lost her brother, her best friend, and both of her legs. Through the Mother’s Day For Peace Campaign, No More Victims was able to bring Salee to Greenville, South Carolina where she has received medical treatment and prosthetics since July.

The team at Brave New Films had the opportunity to meet with Salee and her father in Los Angeles last night before they return to Iraq after nearly four months in South Carolina.

Her father, Hussein, recalls that Salee had become reserved, quiet, and depressed after the incident. But you would not know it today, Salee is a bright and beaming gem. She was playful, silly, and constantly smiling as we had cake last night to celebrate her recovery. She talked animatedly in Arabic about their trip to Catalina Island earlier in the day. She had loved the kayaks and even saw a sea lion along the way! (Read the LA Times article about their trip here).

As they prepared to return home, we also asked her father what he thought about his time here in the States. Hussein explained, before he came to the United States, the word "American" was a dirty word -- a word he almost could not bring himself to say. He thought all Americans were like the soldiers who have violently destroyed his family, his home, and his country.

Hussein said many of his neighbors and friends do not believe that Americans were bringing him to the United States to help his daughter. They could not believe that any American would be so caring or kind.

Hussein now has a different view. He says he has seen more generosity and kindness here than he has ever seen in his life. He has made friends here and is grateful to everyone who has helped his daughter.

He also talked about life back in Iraq and the horrors of living through a war. He asked several times for the Americans leave his country. He does not believe there will be any progress until we do. He believes Iraqis will be able to resolve their own internal divisions. Before the war, he says, people did not even ask if you were Sunni & Shia. In fact, his ex-wife had been Shia. The translator concurred, his parents were the also mixed - one Sunni and one Shia - and it was not big deal. Hussein insisted they will be able to repair their internal divisions after the American troops leave.

When he returns to Iraq later this month, let us hope he and his family are kept safe. Let us also hope that he can help paint a different picture of Americans - one not of guns and violence, but of compassion and kindness.

If you would like to sponsor a child, there are many ways to get involved. Please visit www.nomorevictims.org. Let us become Ambassadors of Peace. As Mahatma Ghandi said, “We must be the change we wish to see in the world.”

Peace, Paris

Salee Says Goodbye to Greenville, For Now

2008-07-09T19:27:30Z

After several surgeries and a fitting for prostethics, Salee Alawee can walk again. This 10-year-old Iraqi girl has spent the past three months in Greenville, South Carolina not only seeking medical attention, but finding her confidence and charisma again.

Salee will be returning home in the next couple of weeks. She says, she is most looking forward to giving her mother a great big hug. But as Salee leaves the United States, she certainly won't lose all the friends she has made in Greenville. Through the generosity of Shriner's Hospital, Salee will return to Greenville every 18 months until she is 18 years old to be refitted for new prosethetics as she grows.

Thanks again to everyone who contributed to the Mother's Day for Peace campaign which helped fund Salee's travel and recovery. Cole Miller of No More Victims will be escorting Salee and her father back to Amman, Jordan in the next couple of weeks.

While in Amman, Cole will meet up with Abdul Hakeem and his father for their journey to Pittsburgh. Abdul Hakeem is the young boy who Brave New Films sponsored for our Father's Day For Peace campaign. This will be his second visit to the United States for continued medical treatment.

If you would like to contribute or get involved, please visit www.nomorevictims.org.

Watch the video

July 23rd Salee Story

2008-12-02T14:50:24Z

We arrived in New York earlier this month. Salee and her father are now in South Carolina, and we have every hope that she'll be walking again soon with the aid of double prosthesis.

In this video you'll learn first hand what happened to Salee and her family, about the November day when a US missile took Salee's legs and killed her brother and one of her best friends.

The failure of the media to tell stories such as Salee's has deprived the American people of the ability make informed judgments about US foreign policy. The rest of the world, and particularly people in the Middle East, see these stories every day on the evening news. The information deficit in
the United States has had disastrous consequences. Democracy cannot function when citizens don¹t know what's happening.

But there is reason to hope. A progressive Christian community in South Carolina learned about Salee and made a commitment to help her. Similar projects could generalize in the U.S., and communities all over the country could mobilize to help war-injured Iraqi children.

Despite the failure of the media to cover the human side of the war in Iraq, nearly two thirds of the American people oppose it. If stories like Salee's were being covered with anything like the attention they deserve, remaining support for the war would evaporate.

Watch the video

South Carolina Welcomes Salee

2008-12-02T14:50:24Z

MotherDayForPeace.com Southern Carolina community members prepare for the Salee's arrival.

Watch the video

Salee Arrives in Greenville, South Carolina

2008-10-20T09:30:24Z

For those of you who donated to our Mother's Day For Peace campaign, you will be excited to hear Salee has arrived safely in Greenville, South Carolina this week!

Salee and her father had been in Amman, Jordan for the past month and a half with Cole Miller and Maki Al-Nazzal of No More Victims while waiting for visas to enter into the United States.

Salee is scheduled for surgery this week and will be in Greenville for several months while she is fitted for prostethics legs.

To learn more about No More Victims or to donate to their cause, please visit their website at: www.nomorevictims.org.

Watch the video

Salee's Wheelchair

2008-12-02T14:50:24Z

After Salee's injury, her father scrambled together some money to purchase a second-hand wheelchair for her. In this video, Maki will show you Salee's rickety old wheelchair and explain why is it a problem for her.

No More Victims will soon be purchasing a new wheelchair for Salee, one that is appropriate for her age and size.

Cole and Maki of No More Victims are currently in Amman, Jordan with Salee and her father waiting for visas to bring them to the United States. They are expected to arrive in Greenville, South Carolina in the next couple of weeks. Check Salee's blog for more updates on her progress.

www.mothersdayforpeace.com
www.nomorevictims.org

Watch the video

Cole Miller talks about No More Victims

2008-12-02T14:50:25Z

Cole Miller talks about the important and life changing work of No More Victims

Watch the video

Salee arrives safely in Amman

2008-12-02T14:50:24Z

Salee and her father arrived in Amman on May 24. Maki Al Nazzal, regional coordinator of No More Victims, was there to greet them. Maki managed a medical clinic in Fallujah during the April 2004 Siege, and has worked to assist and protect the civilian population of his city ever since.

I arrived in Amman a little over a week ago, and preparations are underway for Salee’s journey to Greenville, South Carolina. You can follow Salee’s progress by watching the video updates that we’ll be posting here in coming weeks. You'll see interviews with Salee, her father, and community organizers in Amman, Greenville, and Fallujah. You’ll also learn more about the hardships Iraqi families face every day.

Mother's Day for Peace

2008-12-02T14:50:25Z

Chocolate or flowers? What kind of flowers? Maybe a plant...

In the past, these have been the most profound questions for many of us around Mother's Day. And now, thanks to some wonderful friends, our eyes have been opened. The original Mother's Day was not conceived to sell us stuff we don't need, it was a day started by mothers to bring warfare to an end!

Father's Day for Peace with David Arquette

2008-12-02T14:50:25Z

Teacher. Provider. Mentor. Protector. Moral Compass. Disciplinarian. Confidante. Friend.

These are just a few of the roles a father plays. This year instead of short-changing dad with another funky tie to crowd the closet, or cologne that he will never open, send him an e-card that will help sponsor an Iraqi child wounded by war. for surgery. You can honor the man who taught you how to throw a baseball or drove you to ballet lessons by providing security, health, and love to a child whose father was unable to protect his son due to war.

An update on Salee

2008-01-12T19:57:42Z

Thank you to everyone who donated to No More Victims for Mother's Day. Through your support we busted through our goal of $29,900 to bring Salee to the United States for treatment. The additional money will be used by No More Victims to help another war-injured Iraqi child receive the medical attention they need.

Ten-year-old Salee was injured on November 7, 2006 while playing outside her home in Hasswa, Iraq with her brother, cousin and some friends. On that day, US jets flew overhead firing three missiles at two passenger vehicles. One of the missiles hit Salee's home, killing her brother and taking both of Salee's legs.

No More Victims has arranged for Salee to receive surgical and prosthetics services in Greenville, South Carolina. This medical treatment is unavailable to her in Iraq.

Salee just left Fallujah and is currently in Damascus, Syria. Her and her father will be meeting with Cole Miller, the founder of No More Victims, in Amman, Jordan in the next couple of weeks. Cole will assist them with the visa process and escort them to South Carolina, where the doctors at Shriner's Hospital will take care of Salee. We will be posting updates on Salee's recovery here, so please come back to follow her progress.