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http://special.diplomatie.fr/article_gb322.html I posted to my lists the concern some had as to where they might contribute to humanitarian aid to Iraq, where Iraqis themselves would manage it. The above site, and the suggestion to go through France, was sent to me by activist Mike Price. Perhaps it will be of use. Here is the only thing I know of such things. A few years ago, when the Albanian refugees were fleeing Kosovo to Macedonia, I was involved in a project getting supplies, mostly blankets, to the Albanians, who were sleeping on the mud when we began. We had no political interest in this matter, just humanitarian, and on that basis we formed an internet group and found a church in Georgia we could go through for those who wanted the tax exemptions. We then collected cash and supplies and had two of our own people take them over. Our couriers spent a couple of weeks in Skopje, helping the Albanians directly, fortunately being able to sleep at the offices of the only Albanian tv station. The information they returned with left me very wary of aid agencies. I won't call any by name, as the fault did not appear to be at the source, but one of the best known (and deservedly reputable) Christian agencies from the U.S. was unable to get its donated dollars to the people who needed them. They were, instead, just siphoned off bureacratically here and there. Our two volunteers drove the trucks to buy the food and kept the blankets we sent and with their own hands distributed every last thing directly to the refugees. Our volunteers were unpaid. This experience led me to a greater caution than ever about donating to agencies. The one in question was not, I am sure, ever aware that their contributions, many probably made by people on small fixed incomes, simply didn't reach the people for whom they were intended. In the past, I've taken material to Nicaragua (during the embargo when the Sandinistas were in power and the country was so much better off than now), and I was comfortable turning over the medicines (11 huge boxes of medical samples) to the director of the Nica Red Cross. But that is described by the fact that the doctor/director and his two sons drove over to get and load my medicines themselves. Everything was personal. Other, smaller things, I distributed through the Jesuits, and I myself helped distribute them. My point is, I guess, that it never hurts to stay close to the soil. Lisa __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? The New Yahoo! Search - Faster. Easier. Bingo. http://search.yahoo.com _______________________________________________ Sent via the discussion list of the Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq. To unsubscribe, visit http://lists.casi.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/casi-discuss To contact the list manager, email casi-discuss-admin@lists.casi.org.uk All postings are archived on CASI's website: http://www.casi.org.uk