>X-Sender: [EMAIL PROTECTED] (Unverified) >subject: US daily slaughter of Iraqis > (JC: "The only truly humanitarian war would be one against >undevelopment, hunger and disease." Fidel Castro) > (JC: These US-greed-corporation's hideous murder-"embargoes" -Cuba, >Iraq, north Korea- should be "disappeared" by the UN Security Council >, whose members should be "disappeared" as each one does not comply. >A United Nations without United States, Britain and Israel would have >a sobering effect on the lesser loud-talking, well dressed members. >But the US/UK would lose at least this powerful umbrella.) > > (SMH FEBRUARY 2000) > Sanctions hitting wrong people, say UN pair. > IRAQ. By MAGGIE FARLEY in NewYork. > >The resignations this week of two United Nations officials overseeing >aid to Iraq have spotlighted the UN's conundrum play by the World's >rules. Economic sanctions, the officials say, are enriching the >country's elite while hurting the general population. And they no >longer want to be part of it. > >Hans Von Sponeck, who was responsible for distributing goods in Iraq, >and Jutta Burghardt, the director of the World Food Program stepped >down this week, calling the situation there "a true human tragedy" >that had no end in sight. Mr. Von Sponeck's predecessor, Denis >Halliday, quit in 1998 for the same reasons. "The sanctions are >taking toll on the wrong people in every respect," Mr. Von Sponeck >said by phone from Baghdad, the Iraqi capital, on Thursday. "I >consider it ethically unacceptable." > >An economic embargo imposed after Iraq invaded Kuwait in 1990 has >blocked most imports and, until December, restricted oil exports >until Iraq can show that it has dismantled its weapons of mass >destruction. At the time, the sanctions were meant to last six >months. Instead, it has turned into a nine-year standoff. > >The sanctions have reduced Iraq's gross national product by 75 per >cent and doubled the child mortality rate, according to a UNICEF >report last year. Malnutrition and mental illness were growing, Mr. >Von Sponeck said, and the chronic deprivation was "ripping holes in >the fabric of society". > >But instead of compelling the Iraqi Government to co-operate with UN >arms inspectors in order to have the restrictions lifted, the embargo >has given President Saddam Hussein a foreign enemy to blame. > >" People are resigning because they could no more be silent on the >genocide which is taking place in Iraq," said Saeed Hasan, the Iraqi >Ambassador to the United Nations. But US officials, who are driving >the hard-line policy in the Security Council, says the true, blame >for Iraqi suffering lies with Hussein. > >The embargo does not restrict the import of food or medical supplies; >until December, it limited the amount of oil Iraq could sell to buy >them. The Security Council resolution in December lifted the ceiling >on oil sales, and with the price of oil the highest in nine years, >Hussein's choices about how to provide for his people would be more >conspicuous, a US official said. Indeed, while chronicling the >decline in health, the UNICEF report and others also criticise the >Iraqi Government for not rushing aid to its people. > >But the embargo is eroding. For profit or principle, Iraq's >neighbours and allies are sneaking around the sanctions. A Russian >tanker was caught allegedly smuggling Iraqi oil this month; dozens of >others elude interception, according to the US State Department. Iraq >was able to smuggle out a record $US70 million ($110 million) worth >of oil in January, a State Department spokesman said. But most of >that money went to members of a powerful elite running the black >market." Los Angeles Times - JC > > > > __________________________________ KOMINFORM P.O. Box 66 00841 Helsinki - Finland +358-40-7177941, fax +358-9-7591081 e-mail [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.kominf.pp.fi ___________________________________ [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe/unsubscribe messages mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] ___________________________________
