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Chris Doyle
ADC Press Release:
Arab-Americans Present Proposals for Humanitarian Relief in Iraq to
Administration
Washington D.C., March 7 -- Leaders of the American-Arab
Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC), the nation's largest Arab-American
grassroots organization, today presented State Department officials with
specific proposals addressing the humanitarian catastrophe in Iraq. ADC
President Hala Maksoud and Khalil E. Jahshan, President of NAAA-ADC, the
newly created governmental affairs arm of ADC, along with other
Arab-Americans met today with Edward S. Walker, the Assistant Secretary
of State for Near Eastern Affairs. While the ADC leaders reiterated
their call for the complete lifting of economic sanctions against Iraq,
they presented the Administration with a set of specific proposals
designed to assist the civilian population of Iraq.
In its proposal, ADC points out that "the most important points of
intervention would be the provision of equipment for increasing
agricultural production and providing clean water for the Iraqi people.
Increased food production would reduce malnutrition; clean water would
reduce infectious diseases. Of particular importance is the need to
renovate and rebuild the water purification and sewage treatment plants;
repair and maintain dams and reservoirs, pumping stations, and
filtration plants; replace leaky and contaminated pipelines; and provide
sufficient chlorine." The proposal also calls for the changing of "dual
use" criteria to allow for a much broader definition of what constitutes
"essential civilian goods" to meet the needs of Iraqi civilian.
The ADC proposal suggests that:
- The U.S. should actively support the rebuilding of the Iraqi medical
system;
- The unimpeded importation of a wide range of medicines and medical
supplies to Iraq;
- The restoration of food production, processing, storage, distribution,
and marketing facilities in Iraq;
- The importation of a wide range of clean water supplies to Iraq;
- The U.S. should stop blocking $601 million in contracts to rebuild
Iraq's power grids;
- NGOs should be empowered to assist in rebuilding the Iraqi educational
system.
TEXT OF PROPOSALS:
NAAA-ADC, the newly created governmental affairs arm of ADC, today
submitted to the Clinton Administration a set of recommendations
regarding steps that the United States might take to alleviate the
humanitarian crisis among Iraqi civilians:
Our view remains that the economic sanctions regime imposed against Iraq
has exhausted its usefulness and should be lifted entirely. The
socio-economic infrastructure of any society is so interrelated that
damage to one area tends to render other areas dysfunctional. But,
until the overall United States policy vis-a-vis Iraq is changed, the
best way to help the Iraqi people would be through a number of specific
steps aimed at rebuilding the civilian infrastructure of the country.
We are encouraged by recent reports indicating that the Clinton
Administration is rethinking its stance on Iraq's civilian
infrastructure needs. U.S. easing of restrictions on pesticides and
chlorine and approval of an $80 million contract for electrical repairs
will undoubtedly be very helpful. We also understand that the
Administration is looking for ways to ease restrictions on the
importation of oil industry equipment and other industrial products. We
urge similar consideration with regard to systemic improvements in food
production and public health.
The immensely high death rates in Iraq, particularly among children,
which have been documented by UNICEF, WHO, the Red Cross and other
international observers, stem in large measure from the deterioration in
the agricultural and public health infrastructure. Therefore, the most
important points of intervention would be the provision of equipment for
increasing agricultural production and providing clean water for the
Iraqi people. Increased food production would reduce malnutrition;
clean water would reduce infectious diseases. This should result in a
substantial reduction in the current death rates, which are morally
unjustifiable.
Of particular importance is the need to renovate and rebuild the water
purification and sewage treatment plants; repair and maintain dams and
reservoirs, pumping stations, and filtration plants; replace leaky and
contaminated pipelines; and provide sufficient chlorine. This is
essential in order to alleviate water shortages for human consumption
and agricultural purposes. It will also curtail the spread of
infectious diseases through contaminated water. At present, raw sewage
often contaminates the drinking water used by people already weakened by
malnutrition, especially children. The result has been water-born
epidemic disease, infant diarrhea, dehydration and high infant
mortality. UN humanitarian coordinator Hans von Sponeck recently
reported that the volume of potable water available has diminished in
the past 18 months, as has the volume of sewerage treated. Meanwhile,
20% of the water and sanitation resources requested in phases IV-VI of
the program is still "on hold."
The U.S. should also actively approve and support the rebuilding of the
Iraqi medical system. This should include equipment for hospitals and
clinics, the medicine and medical supplies still kept out of Iraq, and
the electrical power needed to operate medical facilities and
institutions.
The criteria regarding "dual use" items should be changed. Greater
weight should be given to the importance of ensuring that "essential
civilian goods" are provided for the Iraqi people. The definition of
what constitutes "essential civilian goods" should be broadened. The
U.S. representative to the UN 661 Committee which reviews Iraqi
contracts should be instructed to approve such materials and eliminate
the backlog of contracts put "on hold." Such materials should receive
automatic approval, or at least the process should be greatly speeded up
to eliminate the long delays in approval of contracts.
Where dual use concerns remain, the shipment, delivery, storage,
utilization and maintenance of such materials should be placed under the
supervision of the UN humanitarian organizations overseeing the
oil-for-food program. These organizations already oversee, document, and
confirm the equitable distribution, storage and end use of materials
purchased through this program. The World Food Program inspectors
monitor food distribution. These agencies should be provided with the
additional funding and staffing needed to carry out their
responsibilities.
Below are some specific suggestions about materials which have been
reported to be blocked by the 661 Committee or in particular need. We
recommend that they be carefully considered and approved. This listing
is drawn from news stories and reports by UN agencies and other
international observers. It is by no means complete.
- AGRICULTURE: The UN humanitarian coordinator reports that the
oil-for-food basket lacks proteins and never exceeds 2000 Kcal per
person per day, which falls short of the designated 2300 Kcal. To meet
nutritional needs, food production, processing, storage, distribution,
and marketing facilities must be restored. Silos, flourmills and
bakeries need rebuilding. Animal herds decimated by disease must be
replenished. Fertilizer and insecticide plants must be rebuilt.
Materials needed include fertilizer, pesticides and pesticide sprayers,
earth-moving and irrigation equipment to combat drought, vaccines to
counteract a new outbreak of disease among poultry, pipes and electrical
systems for irrigation and desalinization of agricultural land.
- CLEAN WATER MATERIALS: Chlorine for water treatment, pipes for
carrying water, water pumps, oxygen generators to break down organic
waste, water meters, polyethylene pipes accessories, epoxy for repairing
cracks in the water treatment clarification tanks, mechanical and
electrical and mechanical equipment for sewage pump stations, equipment
for treating industrial waste water, equipment for digging underground
wells, intake systems for water treatment plants, and any other
equipment needed for filtering water, extracting sewage and converting
sewage to fertilizer.
- MEDICAL NEEDS: Von Sponeck reported recently that, despite some
improvement, the supply of medicines and medical supplies is still
inadequate, particularly for chronic diseases. Other reports show a need
for: ambulances, anesthetics for operations, surgical material, light
bulbs for operating theater lamps, sterilizers, cotton for medical
swabs, gauze, shrouds, sheets, communications equipment for hospitals
(e.g. pagers, cell phones, hospital-ambulance links), plastic blood
transfusion bags, medical textbooks and journals for medical schools,
fogging machines to control malaria, medical syringes, vaccines for
diphtheria, yellow fever and tetanus, NCR computers (which can only be
used in specific hematology and hepatitis studies) for children's
hospitals, and trucks (including refrigerated trucks) for delivery of
medical supplies. The medical program of the International Committee of
the Red Cross to repair hospitals and medical centers and train medical
staff to reverse the "de-professionalization" of personnel should
receive full U.S. support.
- ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: The United States has held up $601 million in
contracts to repair Iraq's power grid. The U.S. should allow the grid
to be rebuilt. Without power, the humanitarian crisis cannot be
overcome and civilian society cannot function properly. An erratic
power supply halts pumping and prevents proper functioning of water and
sewage treatment plants, prevents refrigeration of food and medicine,
and does not allow the operation of hospital equipment. Specific needs
include electrical plant spare parts and generators, especially for
water and sewage treatment, hospitals and clinics.
- EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM: Iraq's educational system has also been severely
damaged by the Gulf War and the economic sanctions imposed on the
country. In his recent report to the UN Security Council, UN
humanitarian coordinator Hans von Sponeck emphasized that "a whole
generation of Iraqi children is not receiving proper education." Indeed,
the education sector in Iraq receives only a small percentage, not
exceeding 4 percent, of the oil-for-food funds. Consequently, school
enrollments are down, leaving Iraqi youth ill prepared to be productive
adults. The long-term repercussions of this situation are frightening
for Iraq, the Gulf region, and U.S. interests throughout the area.
We urge that UNICEF and other specialized international agencies and
non-governmental organizations (NGOs) be empowered to assist in
rebuilding the Iraqi educational system and distribute much-needed
educational materials and supplies throughout Iraq. Dual use standards
should be amended to allow for the free and unimpeded flow of
rudimentary educational supplies, such as textbooks and pencils,
throughout the system.
The lives and well being of the people of Iraq literally depend on our
action or inaction in these matters. President Clinton stated
repeatedly that "our quarrel is with Saddam, not with the Iraqi
people." Other Administration officials have also stressed that
"sanctions were never directed against the humanitarian needs of the
Iraqi people." Yet the comprehensive economic sanctions have clearly
caused unbearable suffering to the people we are claiming to help.
Therefore, the time has come to liberate the Iraqi people from the
heinous impact of economic sanctions on their daily lives. Let us do the
right thing by putting an end to their inhumane suffering.
________ ______ American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee
/\ |_ ___ \ / ____| 4201 Connecticut Ave., N.W., Suite 300
/ \ | | \ | | | Washington, D.C. 20008, U.S.A.
/ /\ \ | | | | | | Tel: (202) 244-2990, Fax: (202) 244-3196
/ ____ \ _| |_ / | | |____ E-mail: adc@adc.org
/_/ \_\________/ \______| Web : http://www.adc.org
Be Active, Become A Member:
http://www.adc.org/membership.html
Chris Doyle
Council for the Advancement of Arab-British Understanding
21 Collingham Road
London SW5 0NU
Tel: 020 7373 8414
Fax: 020 7835 2088
Mobile 07968 040 281
www.caabu.org (under construction)
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