IRAQ: RED CROSS AND RED CRESCENT SOCIETIES APPEAL FOR AID TO HELP MALNOURISHED IRAQI'S AS THE IMPLEMENTION OF THE UNITED NATIONS OIL FOR FOOD AID PROGRAMME IS DELAYED

Record ID: 639723

  • Title: IRAQ: RED CROSS AND RED CRESCENT SOCIETIES APPEAL FOR AID TO HELP MALNOURISHED IRAQI'S AS THE IMPLEMENTION OF THE UNITED NATIONS OIL FOR FOOD AID PROGRAMME IS DELAYED
  • Date: 13th March 1997
  • Summary: BAGHDAD, IRAQ (MARCH 13, 1997) (RTV - ACCESS ALL) 1. LV/SCU EXTERIOR OF INTERNATIONAL CONFEDERATION OF THE RED CROSS/SIGN ON BUILDING 0.08 2. SV RED CROSS WORKERS ON VEHCILE SORTING OUT AID (3 SHOTS) 0.26 3. SCU/SLV ANTHONY ROLAND MARYON, ICRC REGIONAL HEAD, 3. SAYING INFORMATION FROM THE U.N. GAVE US THE IMPRESSION THAT IMPLEMENTATION WOULD START IN FEBRUARY OR MARCH AND NOW IT LOOKS LIKE IT MIGHT EVEN BE APRIL OR LATER (ENGLISH) 4. SCU UNIDENTIFIED OFFICIAL LISTENING 0.47 5. SLV MARYON SAYING "WE WILL BE CONTINUING A FULL DISTRIBUTION AID PROGRAMME, BECAUSE OF THE SLOW IMPLEMENTATION OF 986 UNTIL AT LEAST JULY/AUGUST OF THIS YEAR AND EVEN FURTHER IF NECESSARY." (ENGLISH) 0.58 6. SCU MEDIA 1.04 7. SLV BAGHDAD STREET SCENES/PEOPLE CARRYING CHILDREN (3 SHOTS) 1.35 Initials S2/3 P2 Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
  • Embargoed: 28th March 1997 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: BAGHDAD, IRAQ
  • City:
  • Country: Iraq
  • Reuters ID: LVA5EASRB4YRTOH9GJ6IP8CP0095
  • Story Text: - INTRO: Delays in the arrival of food to Iraq has prompted the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies to appeal for 10 million U.S. dollars to help some 50,000 malnourished Iraqi children and their families.

    A Red Cross spokesman said the federation would treat the malnourished children and hand out food rations until the effects of a humanitarian plan signed in December were felt in "the towns and villages" of Iraq.

    Anthony Ronald Maryon, head of the Federation's regional delegation, said they would also distribute medical supplies to 22 hospitals throughout the country for "as long as possible" until they were sure the United Nations (U.N.) plan was in place.

    "Information from the U.N. gave us the impression implementation would start in February or March and now it looks like it might even be April or a bit later," Maryon told reporters in Baghdad.

    The plan allows Iraq to sell 2 billion U.S. dollars worth of its crude oil over six months, mainly to purchase food and medicine as an exception to broad sanctions instituted in August 1990, after Iraq invaded Kuwait.

    But even though the plan was agreed on December 10, no goods have yet arrived in the country, leading to charges and countercharges from all parties involved about who was to blame for the delay.

    The Red Cross gave a gloomy picture of the situation in Iraq in its appeal, a copy of which was handed to reporters in Baghdad. It said prices in the last quarter of 1996 rose by 50-100 per cent at a time wages in the country were not adjusted to inflation.

    It said over 80 per cent of Iraq's more than 20 million people had no income in real terms with the average monthly salary of civil servants hovering at three U.S. dollars, the price of one chicken in Baghdad.

    Basic services such as sanitation and water supplies were failing, it said, and shortages of medical supplies forced hospitals to function at only 30 per cent capacity.

    Maryon said the ICRC expected it would take three more months before food reached people and even longer before medical supplies became available.

    Maryon said initial response to the appeal, made jointly with Iraq's Red Crescent Society, was encouraging with 50 per cent of needs on their way to Iraq.

    The Federation has been active throughout Iraq since 1964 with more than 60 million United States dollars worth of food and medical supplies distributed so far.

    Each family gets 18 kg (40 lb) of rice, six kg (13 lb) of lentils and three (7 lb) of cooking oil a month and hospitals are supplied with their most essential medical supplies and drugs.


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