Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

DATE=4/14/2003

TYPE=SPECIAL REPORT

TITLE=BASRA/AID

NUMBER=9-15

BYLINE=WILLIAM CHIEN

DATELINE=KUWAIT

/// EDITORS: Sound is in DALET/House Shared/Monday/"9-WCH-Kuwait-Basra ///

INTRO: The international aid organization, known as the Red Crescent, is playing a major role in delivering humanitarian relief to southern Iraq. In Kuwait, Voice of America's William Chien speaks to experts concerned with delivering aid and restoring order to Basra.

TEXT: Michael Whisley is the Red Crescent's advisor for Basra. He knows the situation there better than almost anyone. According to him, conditions are rapidly improving. He even bristles at the suggestion that aid is not arriving.

/// ACT WHISLEY ENGLISH QUOTE ///

. emergency needs that have been expressed from the military back to the humanitarian community, while we are in this transition phase from conflict into post-combat in a secure operating environment. For example, there are times that we forward medicines, WHO medical kit capacity, through the UK Civil Affairs folks into southern town of Uum Qasr and into Basra, Saffwan. .medical materials, medicines, through the US Civil Affairs folks into the Nasariyah area. So, I'm not sure that it is valid just to read the tickers on the news channels and say that means that no supplies can be brought northward.

///ACT END///

Mr. Whisley explains that the Red Crescent is very effectively delivering materials contributed by a United Nations health organization to people in Basra and other southern cities. He adds that they are also delivering supplies from U.S. Civil Affairs Units to Iraq's central region, although not yet to northern Iraq.

So, signs of order are returning. This does not surprise Whisley. This military conflict is no different, he explains -- they all began with a period of confusion and disorder.

Colonel Chris Vernon, spokesperson in Kuwait for British troops in Iraq, admits that the looting makes it impossible for humanitarian aid organizations to deliver food, potable water and medicines to those in need. He says that by changing from soldiers to peacekeepers, British forces in Basra will suppress the lawless looting that plagues the city.

///VERNON ACT///

We have to set the conditions in terms of security for aid organizations to operate. It is only they who can make that assessment of when they feel it is efficiently benign to come in. We would encourage them to do so, but that is their call, not ours.

///END ACT///

Colonel Vernon explains he plans to bring order by finding local people to create an auxiliary police force. Such a force, he hopes, will eventually create conditions for independence and self-rule. (Signed)