I forward this posting without comment, beyond saying that it reflects
back on the question of what is health promotion. - Sam Lanfranco 

---------- Forwarded message ----------
   The Irish Times
   FOREIGN Wednesday, October 30,1996
     _________________________________________________________________
   
                          UN AGENCIES ESTIMATE 4,500
                           IRAQI CHILDREN DIE MONTLY
                                       
   By Michael Jansen 
   
   UN aid agencies have expressed alarm at the lack of food, medicine and
   clean water in Iraq, estimating that 4,500 children are dying monthly,
   partly because of stringent trade sanctions.
   
   Of the $39.9 million requested in a September appeal only 4 per cent
   or $1.6 million was received, from the Netherlands and from France,
   according to Mr Yasushi Akashi, the UN under secretary-general for
   humanitarian affairs.
   
   Ms Carol Bellamy, the director of UNICEF, told a news conference that
   4,500 children under five years of age were dying each month from
   hunger and disease, and some "modest financing" at minimum was needed.
   
   Ms Ballamy called on the international community to understand the
   "implications" of the situation.
   
   UNICEF officials later said that this figure was given by the Iraqi
   government but nevertheless was an indication of the crisis. Other
   humanitarian groups said 4,500 appeared valid.
   
   The UN has estimated that the combined effects of more than six years
   of economic sanctions, high inflation and a 30 per cent fall in
   agricultural production have placed 20 million Iraqis at even greater
   health risk than ever before.
   
   Half of all Iraqi women are reported to be receiving only 50 per cent
   of their nutritional needs while an entire generation of children are
   being deprived of the sustenance they need to grow into healthy
   adults.
   
   Furthermore, 4,000-5,000 elderly and chronically ill Iraqi civilians
   die every month due to the lack of food and medicines which the
   government cannot afford to purchase due to the strict sanctions
   regime.
   
   In Washington, however, the State Department spokesman Mr Nicholas
   Burns reacted coolly to the reports. He said the administration has
   long felt the Iraqi people had suffered because of President Saddam
   Hussein's rule.
   
   The crisis has come to a head because the oil-for-food plan which
   would allow Baghdad to export $2 billion in oil every six months in
   order to purchase supplies has been delayed since May. At first,
   implementation was delayed because of US opposition to the plan, but
   since the beginning of September the plan has been postponed because
   of clan warfare in the Kurdish north. There are three reasons why such
   instability could be disruptive. First, the pipeline through which the
   bulk of the oil is to be exported runs from Kirkuk through the Kurdish
   area to the Turkish border. Second, the UN has been reluctant to
   deploy staff to monitor the pumping stations and export outlets. And,
   finally, Washington has said the deal would not go through until its
   was certain food and medical supplies would reach the needy, including
   Kurds in the war zone, from which UN and international relief staff
   have been withdrawn.
   
   With winter approaching, UN relief workers and international agencies
   believe there is no time to lose if Iraqis most at risk are to
   survive. According to an informed source at the Cyprus-based oil
   journal Middle East Economic Survey, the Turkish pipeline has been
   cleaned and made ready for export and pumping stations in Iraq have
   been repaired. It also reported recently that a base price for Iraqi
   oil had been agreed by Baghdad and the UN.
   
   Jordanian and Turkish merchants meanwhile have been pressing for the
   oil-for-food deal to go through so they can resume trade with Baghdad
   and the Kurds.
   
   The hardship of the Iraqi people could be reduced if at least partial
   oil exports could begin as soon as possible through Iraq's Mina-alBakr
   oil terminal at the mouth of the Gulf - which was specified as the
   second route for exports in the May 20th Memorandum of Understanding
   between Baghdad and the UN - rather than postponing the deal until oil
   can flow through the precarious pipeline across Kurdish territory.
   
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