>From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >To: "International" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Date: Thu, 16 Nov 2000 12:09:32 -0500 > >International Action Center >39 West 14th St, #206 >New York, NY 10011 >[EMAIL PROTECTED] >www.iacenter.org > >Containted in this message > >1. A Press Release from the Greek & int'l delegation that flew to >Baghdad this month. >2. A statement from the delegation. > >1. > PRESS RELEASE FROM THE > DELEGATION TO END ALL SANCTIONS AGAINST IRAQ > BAGHDAD 10-13 NOV. 2000 > >?On November 10th 2000, a delegation of 100 persons flew from >Athens to >Baghdad to protest the sanctions imposed by the UN since the Gulf >war of >1991. This was the first flight of a National carrier from Western Europe >(Olympic Airways), since the sanctions were imposed. It constituted a >statement of solidarity with the peoples of Iraq by defying the embargo on >civilian flights. It exposed the incredible suffering imposed on the >people since the implementation of this unprecedented sanctions regime. > > >According to Alain Gresh, in the Le Monde Diplomatique of October 2000, >the UN Sanctions Committee, controlled by the USA and the UK, enforces a >series of punitive measures that are the worst the world has known since >the Treaty of Versailles. These sanctions have caused harrowing results >that are not relieved by the so-called 'oil for food program' controlled >by the UN Compensation Commission. > >During the bombing by the allied forces in the Gulf War, an estimated 800 >tons of depleted uranium contained in ammunitions were used, causing >cancer rates to increase five fold and childhood leukaemia in Iraq to be >the highest rate in the world. The means to provide relief or cure are >withheld through the sanction regime. > >Prior to the sanctions, Iraq had one of the most satisfactory levels of >quality of life for the region. One and a half million Iraqi civilians >have died since 1991 as a direct result of the sanctions, and according to >UNICEF reports substantiated by the Red Cross, 600,000 of the dead are >children under 5 years of age. Maternal mortality rates have more than >doubled during the period of the sanctions and 70% of Iraqi women suffer >from anaemia. The number of malnourished children has increased over 300% >since 1991.Unemployment and inflation have soared. > >Margarita Papandreou, the head of the organising committee for the flight, >stated that �an increasing number of women and men in the world are >appalled by this dismal situation wilfully created by humans.� The >participants, coming from Greece, the Netherlands, Ireland, the USA, the >UK, and Canada, are vehemently opposing the sanctions on Iraq by taking >tangible actions and increasing the number of challenges to the embargo. > >The President of the Women�s International League for Peace and Freedom, a >member of the organising committee, said: �By this visit and the actions >to follow, ;we demand that on the basis of moral, legal and economic >reasons, the USA and the UK, the two permanent members of the UN Security >Council relentlessly opposing the lifting of the sanctions, stop vetoing >food, medicines and repair parts from entering Iraq, immediately cease the >embargo on approved shipments, and remove all sanctions against Iraq.� > > > >2. > STATEMENT FROM THE > > DELEGATION TO END ALL SANCTIONS AGAINST IRAQ > BAGDAD 10-13 NOV. 2000 > >?On November 10th 2000 a delegation of 95 persons flew from Athens to >Bagdad to protest the sanctions imposed by the UN since the Gulf war of >1991.This first flight of a national carrier from Western Europe defying >the embargo on civilian flights that has been part of the sanctions, >constituted a statement of solidarity with the peoples of Iraq. It >exposes the incredible suffering imposed on these people since the >implementation of this unprecedented sanctions regime. > >The UN Sanctions Committee, controlled by the USA and the UK has >imposed a series of punitive measures that are the worst the world has >known. These sanctions have caused the following results that are not >relieved by the so called 'oil for food program' which is controlled by >the UN Compensation Commission. > >Prior to the imposed sanctions, Iraq had the following indicators: > >1- The world Health Organization ( WHO ) , reports that " pre- 1990 Iraq >reflects the > health statues of a modern developing society , in which the > wealth it >obtained > from exporting its main commodity , oil contributed into improving the > >quality of life of the Iraqi people , which then ( 1988/1989 ) was >already at a relatively satisfactory > level with indications of a trend for further improvement . >2- UNICEF reports " the Government of Iraq made sizable investments in the >education sector from the mid � 1970's until 1990 Educational policy >included provision for > Scholarship , research facilities and medical support for students . > By 1989 >the > combined primary and secondary enrollment stood at 75% ( slightly > above >the > average for all developing Countries at 70% ) . Illiteracy had been > reduced >to 20% by 1987 . Education accounted for over 5% of the state budget >above developing > Countries of 3.8% . > >After the imposition of sanction, this is the situation > >1- 1.5 million Iraqi civilians have died since 1991 as a direct result of >the sanctions . 2- 600,000 of the dead are children under 5 years of age >according to UNICEF reports > and substantiated by the Red Cross . >3- Maternal mortality rates have more than doubled during the period of >the sanctions > and 70% of Iraqi women suffer from anemia . >4- The number of malnourished children has increased over 300% since 1991 >. 5- Unemployment has soared under the sanction , as has inflation . The >average civilian salary , for example is $ 3 .60 per month . 6- An >estimated 800 tonnes of depleted uranium contained in ammunitions were >used > by the allied forces in the Gulf War . Cancer rates in Iraq have > increased >five � fold > since the Gulf War . Childhood leukemia in Iraq is at the highest rate > in the >world . > > In recent weeks we have seen an opening of the floodgates with in excess > of >50 >flights to Iraq. This is evidence that the majority of women and men in >the world oppose the economic sanctions imposed on the peoples of Iraq. > >We demand that > > The two permanent members of the UN Security Council, the USA and the UK, >who continue to veto food, medicines and repair parts from entering Iraq, >cease immediately the embargo on approved shipments and remove all >sanctions against Iraq. > >We demand that these actions be taken without delay on the basis of moral, >legal and economic reasons. > >Signed by the participants and the organising committee. > > > >------- End of forwarded message ------- >International Action Center >39 West 14th Street, Room 206 >New York, NY 10011 >email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >web: http://www.iacenter.org >CHECK OUT SITE http://www.mumia2000.org >phone: 212 633-6646 >fax: 212 633-2889 >*To make a tax-deductible donation, >go to http://www.peoplesrightsfund.org > _______________________________________________________ KOMINFORM P.O. 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