Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs to discuss crisis in Iraq

national | miscellaneous | news report Monday April 14, 2003 16:40 by flanagan head_office at labour dot ie Ely Place, Dublin 2

The invading countries have clearly failed to take appropriate steps to ensure the safety and security of Iraqi citizens says Michael D.Higgins

The Labour Party Spokesperson on Foreign Affairs, Deputy Michael D. Higgins, has tabled a motion for tomorrow’s (Tuesday) meeting of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs calling on the government and the EU to immediately assess the number of civilian casualties in the Iraqi war, the number of combatants killed and injured, the state of the hospitals, the quality of the emergency medicines needed, and the status and resources of therapeutic feeding centres.

The motion also calls for information on the ‘administrative arrangements that are in place or planned to replace the previous Government’s food distribution programme upon which at least 16 million people relied’ and seeks clarification as to whether the United Nations will be the lead agency in the provision of humanitarian relief including such assistance as may be provided by the Irish government directly, or indirectly through NGOs’.

Deputy Higgins said today: “Like many other people I am greatly relieved that the number of direct casualties from the war does not appear to have been as high as the levels forecast by the United Nations and others. However, it is clear that Iraq is still facing a potentially catastrophic humanitarian disaster unless the appropriate arrangements are put in place for a massive relief effort.”

“I understand that the situation in Baghdad is particularly serious with only two of the 39 hospitals open. Even these two hospitals are functioning without adequate medicines or equipment and are unable to provide a sterile environment.”

“ The invading countries have clearly failed to take appropriate steps to ensure the safety and security of Iraqi citizens and Ireland should use its influence to ensure that the United Nations is given the lead role in both the provision of humanitarian relief and in determining the appropriate political structures for the future governance of Iraq.”

Motion for Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs Committee.

That the Foreign Affairs Committee -

Noting the absence of improvement in the security situation in Baghdad, in particular, and throughout many parts of Iraq;

Recalling the surveys of those at risk including pregnant women, those attending nutritional rehabilitation centres, those at risk from contaminated water; the elderly and the poor;

Taking particular account of the closure of hospitals in Baghdad due to looting, leaving two out of thirty nine hospitals open without anaesthetics or pain killers, the treatment of burns and other injuries in non-sterile environments, the general absence of medicines and the loss of essential equipment from looting and through loss of adequate security as is required under the Geneva Conventions;

Noting the increase in diarrhoeal illnesses with its attending life-threatening risks;

Expresses its concern that the targets set by United Nations and Non-Governmental Organisations have not been met;

Calls on the Minister for Foreign Affairs, the Irish Government and Ministers of the European Union to immediately assess the number of civilian casualties, the number of combatants killed and injured, the state of hospitals, the quality of emergency medicines needed, the status and resources of therapeutic feeding centres;

Further calls on the Minister for Foreign Affairs and his colleagues to inform their parliaments, and appropriate Committees of such Parliaments, as to the administrative arrangements that are in place or planned to replace, the previous Government food distribution programme upon which at least 16 million people relied;

Seeks clarification as to whether the United Nations will be the lead agency in the provision of humanitarian relief including such assistance as may be provided by the Irish Government directly, or indirectly through non-Governmental organisations and

Finally Expresses its sympathy with the Iraqi people on the loss of life, injuries and destruction of their infrastructure and heritage and in particular the committee expresses its outrage with the occupation forces in so far as adequate protection was not provided for the principal location of 9,000 years of world culture and history.

The committee calls on Dail Eireann and Seanad Eireann to initiate a debate without delay on the matters stated above and related matters