Last Kiwi 'human shield' expelled

The last of the New Zealand "human shields" has left Baghdad, an international peace group said yesterday.

Gordon Sloan was the last New Zealander to leave Iraq when he was deported last week, Australian human shield Donna Mulhearn said yesterday.

Mr Sloan followed Hawkes Bay man Christiaan Briggs, who was escorted to Amman in Jordan 10 days ago by Iraqi officials.

Ms Mulhearn, from Newcastle, north of Sydney, said from Baghdad that she and the other human shields in Baghdad were receiving unbelievable hospitality from Iraqis.

But she was devastated yesterday when she heard that Australian Prime Minister John Howard had committed troops to the war.

Ms Mulhearn said everyone in Baghdad was stockpiling water and dry goods.

"Tension has risen in the last couple of days since yesterday after George Bush's announcement.

"We were struck a blow with John Howard's announcement that Australian troops would be sent to war.

"I was sick to the stomach and quite ashamed of our Government."

Ms Mulhearn said she had given little thought to her personal safety, but believed she had an 80 to 90 per cent chance of surviving.

"I am just trying to be positive and trust that I will be safe."

She said Baghdad was a beautiful city.

"I am absolutely petrified it is all going to go up in smoke."

She had met and made friends with many Iraqis.

"It is absolutely terrifying that they are cowering in fear and may be injured or killed in the next few weeks.

"The Iraqi people have been amazing since we arrived," said Ms Mulhearn.

"I have been here over a month now, and the Iraqi people have been very warm, very, very hospitable and very generous to their guests.

"We have been overwhelmed with their generosity and warmth towards us despite our Government being the aggressor towards them.

"It is quite remarkable they are so kind to us."

She said the human shields were stationed at seven sites around Baghdad but would go to a shelter when the bombs began to fall.

She had spoken to her family recently, but expected the telephone lines to Iraq to be cut soon.

"I have asked them just to trust me and that I will promise to try to stay safe."

Ms Mulhearn said going into a potential war zone and experiencing the Iraqi culture had been amazing.

But she had not asked Iraqis how they felt about Saddam Hussein.

"It is not that I have avoided it. It is not my business."

Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Brad Tattersfield said the only New Zealanders left in Iraq that the department knew about were the three members of a New Zealand-born family of Iraqis.

"Our understanding is that they intend to stay."

- NZPA

Herald Feature: Iraq