Trocaire warns of humanitarian disaster in Iraq

The Irish Catholic aid agency Trócaire has warned of an impending humanitarian disaster in Iraq.

The charity, which launched its Development Reviewfor 2003 today, notes that the health, education and nutritional status of the Iraqi people has declined sharply over the past 12 years since the first Gulf War in 1991.

The United Nations has estimated that up to 11 million Iraqis may need immediate humanitarian aid as result of the US-led attack.

The review aims to raise awareness in Ireland of the scale dimensions and causes of world poverty.One of the contributions, by independent human rights consultant Mr Jerome Connolly, warns that any attack on Iraq will compound the poverty and hardship being suffered by millions of its most vulnerable citizens.

He has the "deepest moral reservations" about an attack, concluding that without UN authorisation, the US-led action will "gravely damage the concept of collective security and in doing so diminish rather than enhance peace and stability in the world."

Trócaire has, over the past few months, spent €70,000 on disaster preparations, including training over 260 medical staff and volunteers in first aid in 32 health centres and health posts throughout Iraq.

Since 1991, Trócaire has provided €800,000 for 21 projects in Iraq and now cares for 30,000 babies and is actively involved in rehabilitating the water supply system for another 300,000 people.

Three Irish staff travelled to the region at the weekend. They will join an international Emergency Response Support Team, under the umbrella of Caritas Internationalis, a network of more than 150 Catholic agencies.

Speaking at the launch this morning, the Minister of State with Special Responsibility for Overseas Development Assistance and Human Rights, Mr Kitt, said the Government had recently approved funding of €500,00 for emergency start-up costs for key Irish NGOs, including Trócaire.

He said he will be meeting key NGOs to discuss their plans for assisting vulnerable Iraqis and expected to announce a package of assistance to be delivered through NGOs and international agencies in the near future.

He also said Ireland remains committed to meeting the UN target of 0.7 per cent of GNP for Overseas Development Assistance.