Tracking Number: 241568
Title: "UN Criticizes Iraq for Harassing Aid Workers." The UN Security Council has rebuked Iraq for intimidating humanitarian relief workers and blocking attempts to deliver
food, medicine and other essentials to aid needy Iraqis. (920903)
Translated Title: ONU critica Irak pour hostilizar trabajadores ayuda.; Le harcelement du personnel humanitaire en Irak. (920903)
Author:
AITA, JUDY (USIA STAFF WRITER)
Date: 19920902
Text:
U.N. CRITICIZES IRAQ FOR HARASSING AID WORKERS
(Diplomats frustrated by Baghdad's actions) (780) By Judy Aita USIA United Nations Correspondent United Nations -- The U.N. Security Council has rebuked Iraq for intimidating humanitarian relief workers and blocking attempts to deliver food, medicine and other essentials to aid needy Iraqis.
The council, in concert with efforts by Secretary General Boutros-Ghali and Undersecretary General for Humanitarian Affairs Jan Eliasson, issued a presidential statement urging Iraq "in the strongest possible terms to cooperate with the United Nations."
The Security Council also urged Boutros-Ghali "to continue to use all resources at his disposal to help those in need in Iraq."
U.S. Ambassador Alexander Watson said the statement indicates that "the council is four-square behind the secretary general in a very difficult situation and condemnatory of Iraq's really defiant and uncooperative behavior."
Iraq's attitude, Watson pointed out "is really a tragedy because all these (humanitarian aid workers) are trying to do is help the most severely afflicted Iraqis who need all the help they can get given the conditions they are living under. To harass them and drive them out is really pathetic and a tragedy."
British Ambassador David Hannay called the situation "worrisome," adding that "it's a matter of extreme anger and despair that the Iraq government seems not to be able to understand the U.N. is trying to help Iraqi people to deal with these problems."
The massive U.N. humanitarian aid program has deteriorated rapidly since the expiration last June of a memorandum of understanding between Iraq and the United Nations governing the aid workers' presence in Iraq. Since then their numbers have fallen from over 1,000 to just over 200. Those remaining have come under increased attacks by Iraqi thugs with little protection from authorities.
Eliasson and Watson told the council in a closed session that the situation is "getting worse and worse....Continual harassment by the Iraqis is obvious with the intent of driving all humanitarian assistance out of their country."
Watson called the aid workers "heroes," noting that they "are highly exposed out there and facing very serious threats. Yet, the secretary general is keeping them there in an effort to meet responsibilities assigned to him under the U.N. resolution" that calls for the provision of humanitarian aid.
The statement, read by Council President Ambassador Jose Ayala-Lasso of Ecuador, expressed the body's "profound concern at the deteriorating conditions affecting the safety and well-being of U.N. personnel in Iraq."
"The council is particularly disturbed by Iraq's continuing failure to ensure the safety and well-being of U.N. personnel and the personnel of non-governmental organizations (NGOs)," it said.
The statement stressed that "the critical humanitarian needs of vulnerable groups in Iraq require the speedy conclusion of arrangements that would ensure the continuation of the Inter-Agency Humanitarian Program." It said "unrestricted access throughout the country and the assurance of adequate security measures" are essential to the program.
Watson and other diplomats said that the council was leaving up to Boutros-Ghali what measures to take to keep the program operating. They said the situation was so dynamic that it would be difficult to speculate what the council might do if Iraq does not ease conditions for the workers.
Eliasson told journalists that the United Nations wants to continue its programs in the north for the Kurds because "internal restrictions" make it "a very vulnerable area."
"But there are also other areas where we would like to have programs and also areas where the Iraqis should have an interest in having humanitarian programs," Eliasson said. The Iraqis complained "about the effects of sanctions in the water and sanitation field, for instance. In those areas we have programs that we could supply."
Boutros-Ghali told the Security Council on August 25 that as a result of the allied coalition's imposition of a no-fly zone in southern Iraq, the U.N. was forced to evacuate eight guards and one UNICEF staff member in Basrah, leaving no U.N. aid operation in the south.
Meanwhile, in defiance of the U.N. resolution, Iraq is insisting that U.N. offices outside Baghdad and in northern Iraq be "closed forthwith" and has declared the presence of non-governmental agency workers will not be allowed, the secretary general said. Thus, the World Food Program operation will end entirely because the food distribution is currently carried out by the private agency CARE.
U.N. officials and representatives of aid agencies are to meet with Iraqi officials in the coming days to see if any programs can be continued now.
NNNN
File Identification: 09/03/92, POL402; 09/03/92, EUR409; 09/03/92, LDP408; 09/03/92, NEA405; 09/04/92, NAA503; 09/04/92, LSD502; 09/04/92, AFF507
Product Name: Wireless File
Product
Code: WF
Languages: Arabic; Spanish; French
Keywords: UNITED NATIONS-SECURITY COUNCIL; ARMISTICE; IRAQ/Economic & Social; IRAQ/Defense & Military; HUSSEIN, SADDAM; HUMANITARIAN AID; HARASSMENT;
GHALI, BOUTROS
Thematic Codes: 1NE; 2HA
Target Areas: EU; AR; NE
PDQ Text Link: 241568; 241718; 241747
USIA Notes: *92090202.POL
|
NEWSLETTER
|
| Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list |
|
|
|
