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According to John Pilger's article in the Guardian supplement, March 4 2000 chlorine imports have been blocked by the Sanctions Committee. Can anyone confirm this and refer me to details? Isn't deliberately blocking this life-saving protector of clean water in a country ravaged by waterborne disease really a form of biological warfare(ie UN-sponsored murder)? Another point on chlorine. At a recent rally George Robertson(the Member of Parliament who defied sanctions and flew into Baghdad) stated that when you return from Iraq your clothes always stink of diesel, which has been used in the water used for washing clothes due to the shortage of chlorine. Perhaps people who have recently returned from Iraq could enlighten me. Is there still a shortage of chlorine and is the UN-assisted chlorine factory, if it exists, a help or just more meddliing. Best to all, Tim ----- Original Message ----- From: Milan Rai <milanrai@btinternet.com> To: <mbakery@erols.com>; <soc-casi-discuss@lists.cam.ac.uk> Sent: Friday, May 11, 2001 1:47 AM Subject: Re: Banned Goods > Dear all > > >chlorine imports to Iraq are restricted (they're permitted enough > for > >water purification - as determined by the 661 Committee - and each > >tank is labeled and its use is closely monitored). I also recall > >hearing reports early on in the OFF program that not enough > >chlorine was being approved, but I believe that problem has been > >resolved? > > According to a UNDP report I was given in Baghdad, there is actually > a UN-assisted chlorine production facility in Iraq. > > >Elizabeth, there's no such thing as a list of banned items, but > >here's a list of items that have at one time or another been part of a > >contract the 661 Committee has blocked or disallowed: > >http://www.ugcs.caltech.edu/~progress/flyers/banned.html > > > >This list is problematic, I know, but I've used items from the list on > >a table to demonstrate the effect of sanctions & it is a powerful > >display. As long as you don't claim that these items are "banned" > >per se, I think you're okay.. > > Voices does not regard this list as useable. > > It has no basis in decisions of the Sanctions Committee. > > You will note that the list was originally taken from the Iraq Action > Coalition. It is no longer on their website, in part because of the > emergence of the green lists. > > We understand that this table was compiled by taking a standard list > of civilian goods and striking out all those which could be defined as > 'food' or 'medicine'. > > It therefore is not a record of 'items that have at one time or another > been part of a contract the 661 Committee has blocked or > disallowed'. I don't believe that Elias Davidsson, the originator of the > list, has ever claimed that it was. > > Ambulances I know are on the green list for health. I think 'Balls for > children's sport' are too. 'Books all categories' doesn't reflect present > realities - textbooks are being imported under OFF. > > The idea of this 'banned' list is to shock people. But a lot of people in > the world cannot buy most of these goods, don't use them in ordinary > life. I'm not sure how shocking it is that people supposedly couldn't > buy chiffon or dictaphones. The lack of these goods has not > contributed to the humanitarian crisis. > > We think this list is more than 'problematic'. It is misleading. We urge > everyone to find more accurate ways of communicating and > illustrating the crisis in Iraq > > Milan Rai > Voices in the Wilderness UK > > > -- > ----------------------------------------------------------------------- > This is a discussion list run by the Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq > For removal from list, email soc-casi-discuss-request@lists.cam.ac.uk > Full details of CASI's various lists can be found on the CASI website: > http://www.casi.org.uk > -- ----------------------------------------------------------------------- This is a discussion list run by the Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq For removal from list, email soc-casi-discuss-request@lists.cam.ac.uk Full details of CASI's various lists can be found on the CASI website: http://www.casi.org.uk