UN fast demands economic justice for Iraq

by: Voices in the Wilderness/ Natasha Stone

Various: UN Office at Geneva, 16-30 June:International activists from Iraq, the US and the UK will begin a two-week fast this Thursday to demand economic justice for ordinary Iraqis. The fast - timed to coincide with the final meeting of the UN Compensation Commission (UNCC) at the UN office - will be demanding the cancellation of Iraq's debts & war reparations, and full funding for a reconstruction of Iraq focusing on the social needs of the Iraqi people, directed by Iraqis and with no strings attached. Former UN Humanitarian Co-ordinator for Iraq, Hans von Sponeck - who resigned his position in 2000 to protest the devastating impact of UN sanctions on Iraq - will join the fasters - and be available for interview - this Thursday.

Created in 1991 the UNCC has already awarded over $50bn of war reparations claims against Iraq, stemming from Iraq's 1990/1991 invasion and occupation of Kuwait, and will determine the remaining $65bn worth of claims from 28-30 June.

A spokesperson for the fasters said: "As international social justice activists, including citizens of Iraq, the US and the UK, we stand united and resolved to seek an end to the ongoing economic exploitation of Iraq. Those of us who are citizens of the US and UK bear a special responsibility as it is our respective countries which created and held firm to an economic sanctions regime which devastated Iraq's health care, education, water and electrical infrastructure. Today, Iraq is saddled with enormous foreign financial claims incurred by Saddam Hussein and his regime. It is neither right nor just that the Iraqi people be required to pay in perpetuity for the regime of Saddam Hussein."

NOTES
[A] Jubilee Iraq (http://www.jubileeiraq.org)was formed in March 2003 as a network of Iraqis and internationals (including lawyers, economists,politicians and aid workers) dedicated to ensuring that the Iraqi people are not unjustly forced to pay Saddam's bills. It is independent and involves people of diverse political opinions who are all united on this issue.
[B] Voices in the Wilderness US (http://www.vitw.org)was formed in 1996 to challenge and oppose the economic sanctions imposed against the people of Iraq. Delegations traveled to Iraq, bringing medicine and other humanitarian supplies to Iraqis in violation of the economic sanctions and US law, acts for which the US government is still seeking to penalise voices.

Source: Voices in the Wilderness