"Operation Helping Hands"-- Reaching out to Iraq's poor during Ramadan

Photo By Sgt. Michael Alberts | Citizens of Tuz receive food and eggs from local government and military officials during Operation Helping Hands, a joint Iraqi and coalition force humanitarian mission to feed the needy during Ramadan, Tuz, Iraq, Oct. 21.  

10.21.2006

Story by Spc. Michael Alberts 

3rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division

by Spc. Mike Alberts
3rd BCT, 25th Inf. Div. PAO

TUZ, Iraq – Tuz, a rural town of about 80,000 people, is a microcosm of many larger Iraqi cities. Kurds, Turkmen and Arabs compete for political, social and economic gain. Good citizens struggle with the turbulence brought by anti-Iraqi forces. And like most big cities, there is no shortage of poor families.

During Ramadan, 2nd Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team Soldiers assisted local government, police and military officials feed needy families by overseeing the delivery of food baskets and eggs in Tuz, Iraq, Oct 21.

The mission termed "Operation Helping Hands" delivered basic food staples to about 300 Kurd, Turkmen and Arab families in Tuz. Coalition forces purchased the food and provided security for the event, and local civic and military officials coordinated the food delivery, according to Capt. Kite Faulkner, military transition team (MITT) operations officer, 2-27.

"Operation Helping Hands is simply about helping the poor people of this community," said Faulkner. "The end of Ramadan is a time of celebration and feasting. Unfortunately, not all Muslins can afford food to have their feast," he said. "Today, the truly poor and hungry showed up, and we had enough to help them out. Anytime you can do that it's well worth [the effort]."

Local leaders that were involved in the charitable event agreed.

"Today is a very good day for the citizens of Tuz," said Mohammad Rasheed Mohammad, through an interpreter. Mohammad is a Kurd and the mayor of Tuz. "I am grateful that food is being provided for the poor people of the community, and it is good that it comes toward the end of Ramadan," said Mohammed. "It also shows our citizens that their police and army can protect and provide for them," he said.

"This is how cooperation is supposed to work," said Ali Hashem, through an interpreter. Hashem is a Turkmen and Tuz city council member. "The residents need security so that they can come accept food. This event demonstrates that we can provide security and also help address the people's needs," said Hashem.

Tuz has been the scene of a recent upturn in violence. For that reason, the humanitarian mission reinforced some positive themes.

"We wanted to observe the spirit of Ramadan consistent with one of the Pillars of Islam, charity," said Maj. Dan Wilson, MITT chief, 2-27. "It's customary for the Islamic community to give food to the poor during this time of year, and we wanted to be a part of that. We also wanted to show the community that their Iraqi army, police and government leaders are good Muslims despite what the counter-insurgents are saying," said Wilson.

At the end of the day, he, too, could not have asked for a better outcome.

"Overall, the event went very well," Wilson continued. "In this part of the world, security forces often are seen as a heavy-handed instrument of the state. Events like today demonstrate to the people that their security forces are human, and that they have a role not only in protecting the community, but in caring for it as well."

• Date Taken: 10.21.2006
• Date Posted: 10.24.2006 15:37
• Story ID: 8129