The small cardboard boxes and shipping envelopes contained bottles of aspirin, vitamins and other over-the-counter medications for an Iraqi relief organization.

Such shipments aren't allowed because of United States economic sanctions against Iraq. But the students at the Catholic high school in Lisle wanted to express their anger at that policy by symbolically trying to mail medical supplies to the Iraqi Red Crescent Society.

"They're not hurting Saddam Hussein," Briana Malecki, a 17-year-old junior, said of the sanctions. "They're just hurting the people there."

The student volunteers have studied the sanctions--imposed in the wake of the Persian Gulf War--and say they think U.S. policy needs to change. A lack of food and medicine is harming Iraqi children and civilians, not the Iraqi dictator, some students said.

"We're not saying we have all the answers, but we think think there should be a different way," said Jaki Mimnaugh, a 17-year-old junior.

Postal workers politely rejected the students' packages, repeating that U.S. policy allows only letters or documents to be mailed to Iraq.

Though the students caused long lines in the post office lobby, other customers seemed supportive of their efforts.

"It's refreshing to see kids identifying with this," said Hassan Taheri of Naperville, a native of Iran. "I think it's a good cause. We shouldn't make the people suffer."

Students said they plan to write to Congressional representatives, urging them to push for changes in U.S. policy.

"We want to be a little bit of a nuisance," said Benet religion teacher Mike Bremner.

Copyright 2000, Digital Chicago Inc.

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