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I believe that problems/criticisms of the distribution system have only come up in the past 9 months or so. I've heard that the WHO recommended stockpiling goods in a report of June '98 to solve the problems of irregular deliveries, delays, etc. Another thing to keep in mind is the utterly fraudulent treatment governments give these reports. They are very quick to cite passages about warehouses overflowing with medical goods and delays (by the Iraqi government) in ordering protein biscuits and fortified milk. What they'll never say is that if Iraq were hoarding its humanitarian goods for the military, the program would be undermined and discontinued. We are in phase V of a very tightly monitored oil-for-food deal which has involved problems and criticisms on both sides, but cancellation of this program has never been under serious question. What they'll never say is that military attacks, poor staffing, lack of computers for inventory, shortage of vehicles...are genuinely and significantly contributing to distribution problems. True, the UN seems to be doing a better job in the North. But I think it is rather insulting for Iraq to hear +ACI-hey listen: you could be doing a better job by doing this and this and this...+ACI-, though certainly concerns about the effectiveness of the implementation are valid. The question then becomes: Is this worth it? Is the battle for the effectiveness of an inadequate emergency program undermining the ultimate goal of once again allowing Iraqis some normalcy? At what point does the struggle for the most effective oil-for-food deal resign us to the acceptance of an on-going humanitarian problems in Iraq. We all know what conclusions Dennis Halliday came to. The UN is used to these emergencies. Iraq is used to running its own economy and social system under more normal conditions. We should also consider the brain-drain they've experienced and the lack of resources to make up for it by training people for the future. And I bet UN workers don't have to go home hungry. How does doing humanitarian work in your own country - a country that has been seriously economically crippled - affect your performance? There are lots of considerations often ignored. Ultimately, minor bumbling/poor decision-making by Iraqi authorities with respect to oil-for-food, whether purposeful or not, does not absolve sanctioners from creating, exacerbating and perpetuating Iraqi suffering. We must also keep in mind the nature of oil-for-food. Here's another passage government officials will never quote. It comes from the Secretary General's 2 year report of oil-for-food and is available at www.un.org/Depts/oip +AFs-begin excerpt+AF0- 115. This +AFs-oil-for-food+AF0- is a programme established by the Security Council, under Chapter VII of the Charter, as a temporary measure to provide for the humanitarian needs of the Iraqi people until fulfilment by Iraq of the relevant Council resolutions. The programme pursuant to resolution 986 (1995) cannot - and was never meant to - meet all the humanitarian needs of the Iraqi people, nor can it restore Iraq's economic and social infrastructure to pre-1990 levels. 116. Regardless of the improvements that may be brought about in the scope and implementation of the programme - both in terms of approval procedures and funding levels - the magnitude of the humanitarian needs is such that they cannot be met within the parameters set in resolution 986 (1995) and succeeding resolutions, in particular 1153 (1998). The very substantial degradation of infrastructure and the magnitude of the funds required for its rehabilitation is far beyond the funding level available under the programme... +AFs-End Excerpt+AF0- Andrew Loucks The Global Movement to End the War against Iraq - www.leb.net/globalmewi Hamilton, Ontario, Canada +ACoAKgAqACoAKgAqACoAKgAqACoAKgAqACoAKgAqACoAKgAqACoAKgAqACoAKgAqACoAKgAqACoAKgAqACoAKgAqACoAKgAqACoAKgAqACoAKgAqACoAKgAqACoAKgAqACoAKgAqACoAKgAqACoAKgAqACoAKgAqACoAKgAqACoAKgAqACoAKgAq- +ACI-Each of us has an instrument to bring to the vast orchestra of humanity+ACI- - Jean Vanier +ACoAKgAqACoAKgAqACoAKgAqACoAKgAqACoAKgAqACoAKgAqACoAKgAqACoAKgAqACoAKgAqACoAKgAqACoAKgAqACoAKgAqACoAKgAqACoAKgAqACoAKgAqACoAKgAqACoAKgAqACoAKgAqACoAKgAqACoAKgAqACoAKgAqACoAKgAqACoAKgAq- -----Original Message----- From: Eri Garuti +ADw-eri+AEA-deejay.it+AD4- To: Seb Wills +ADw-saw27+AEA-cam.ac.uk+AD4AOw- soc-casi-discuss+AEA-lists.cam.ac.uk +ADw-soc-casi-discuss+AEA-lists.cam.ac.uk+AD4- Date: May 7, 1999 5:54 AM Subject: R: Speech by Derek Fatchett on Humanitarian Situation in Iraq I've read various FAO-WFP and UNICEF reports. They said the food situation in the North of Iraq was better, becuase the North is rch of fertile land and agricultural products. They didn't talk about problems of distribution. Eri Garuti eri+AEA-deejay.it -----Messaggio originale----- Da: Seb Wills +ADw-saw27+AEA-cam.ac.uk+AD4- A: soc-casi-discuss+AEA-lists.cam.ac.uk +ADw-soc-casi-discuss+AEA-lists.cam.ac.uk+AD4- Data: gioved+AOw- 6 maggio 1999 18.56 Oggetto: Speech by Derek Fatchett on Humanitarian Situation in Iraq +AD4- +AD4-The following speech was given yesterday by Derek Fatchett. Notice he +AD4-makes no reference to the UN Humanitarian Panel's recent report which +AD4-leaves no doubt as to the +ACI-consistent picture+ACI- emerging from the data. +AD4-CASI will be formulating a response to this speech, drawing on the UN +AD4-humanitarian report, in the next few days. In the mean time the +AD4-Humanitarian Panel report is available at +AD4-http://www.un.org/Depts/oip/panelrep.htm +AD4- +AD4-Also note the Office of the Iraq Programme have just released their 2-year +AD4-programme review - see http://www.un.org/Depts/oip/ +AD4- +AD4- +AD4- Humanitarian situtaion in Iraq +AD4- ++AF8AXwBfAF8AXwBfAF8AXwBfAF8AXwBfAF8AXwBfAF8AXwBfAF8AXwBfAF8AXwBfAF8AXwBfAF8AXwBfAF8AXwBfAF8AXwBfAF8AXwBfAF8AXwBfAF8AXwBfAF8AXwBfAF8AXwBfAF8AXwBfAF8AXwBfAF8AXwBfAF8AXwBfAF8AXw- +AD4- +AD4- Statement by the British Minister of State, Derek Fatchett, to the +AD4- House of Commons. 5 May 1999 +AD4- +AD4- The export of food and medicines to Iraq has never been prohibited +AD4- under sanctions. We are aware of claims that large numbers of children +AD4- are dying every month. We have some concerns about the original +AD4- sources of this information and the way the data has been interpreted. +AD4- According to the most recent UN report on the implementation of 'oil +AD4- for food', the UN humanitarian programme is making a real difference +AD4- to the humanitarian situation in Iraq. It made clear that in the +AD4- north, where the UN is responsible for distribution, there were very +AD4- few if any shortages of essential drugs, and malnutrition was +AD4- decreasing. In the centre and south, however, the Iraqi government +AD4- refuses to engage constructively in the programme. It refuses to make +AD4- efforts to prioritise properly what is purchased for the programme, to +AD4- target it towards the most vulnerable, or to improve the poor +AD4- distribution system. +AD4- +AD4- We are determined to do what we can to improve all aspects of the +AD4- humanitarian situation. Together with the Netherlands, the UK has +AD4- tabled a draft Security Council resolution which attempts to translate +AD4- the work of the three UN Iraq panels into action. On the humanitarian +AD4- side, our draft resolution brings together a whole range of measures +AD4- including lifting the ceiling on Iraqi oil exports under 'oil for +AD4- food', streamlining Sanctions Committee approval procedures, allowing +AD4- local procurement and the payment of local costs, and commissioning +AD4- expert advice on how to increase Iraq's oil production. These measures +AD4- should make significant improvements to the humanitarian situation in +AD4- Iraq. +AD4- +AD4- +AD4- +AD4--- +AD4---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -- +AD4-This is a discussion list run by Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq. +AD4-To be removed/added, email soc-casi-discuss-request+AEA-lists.cam.ac.uk, NOT the +AD4-whole list. Archived at http://linux.clare.cam.ac.uk/+AH4-saw27/casi/discuss.html +AD4- +AD4- -- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- - This is a discussion list run by Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq. To be removed/added, email soc-casi-discuss-request+AEA-lists.cam.ac.uk, NOT the whole list. Archived at http://linux.clare.cam.ac.uk/+AH4-saw27/casi/discuss.html -- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- This is a discussion list run by Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq. To be removed/added, email soc-casi-discuss-request@lists.cam.ac.uk, NOT the whole list. Archived at http://linux.clare.cam.ac.uk/~saw27/casi/discuss.html