Opinion published in the Sydney Morning Herald, Wednesday 12 February 2003
The humanitarian crisis ready to unfold if war begins will be devastating writes Gaye Hart, President of the Australian Council for Overseas Aid.
Australian aid agencies know from previous experience in other conflicts that the real cost of war with Iraq will be a devastating humanitarian crisis. Aid agencies supporting humanitarian projects in Iraq, and the region, report that about 15 million Iraqis, out of an estimated population of 24 million, depend on food rations provided under an agreement between the United Nations and the Iraqi government.
Chronic malnutrition among children under five is 23%. The mortality rate for young children has risen by 160% since 1990. The health care system is no longer covering basic needs. Poor water quality is the primary reason for sickness and death among children, who make up almost half the population.
Iraq's water and sanitation system is on the verge of collapse, because it is dependent on electrical supplies crippled during the 1991 air strikes. Now, 11 years after the Gulf War, it is estimated that one-third of the national power supply is still down, two-thirds of house-connected water is untreated. In the cities, the trucks that used to empty cesspits and septic tanks have ground to a halt due to a lack of tyres, batteries and other spare parts, so sewage flows back into peoples' houses.
Any military action that damages power supplies and other infrastructure will inevitably further damage this already fragile system, and increase the likelihood of preventable diseases such as cholera and hepatitis sweeping through the population. Attacks that affect roads, ports or railways will lead to the collapse of the distribution system for food aid. The UN Food and Agriculture Organisation's representative in Iraq warns that a sudden loss of food distribution will force many over the brink of starvation. The people of Iraq no longer have safety nets to help them cope with another crisis.
Iraq currently has some 700,000 refugees. War would undoubtedly lead to additional refugee movements within the country and towards borders that would be heavily mined. The logistical problems that aid agencies would face in providing even the most basic humanitarian assistance to these people, especially those stranded on border regions, would be overwhelming.
Aside from the humanitarian impact of conflict, modern warfare is expensive. The World Council of Churches estimates that the United States will spend about $US12billion every month on the proposed war in Iraq. This is the same amount the US spends in a whole year on its entire overseas aid program.
The Australian Council for Overseas Aid (ACFOA), which represents 90 Australian aid and development organisations, urges the Government to avoid war and to pursue all possible avenues to bring about a diplomatic and just resolution to the current situation with Iraq through the United Nations.
Military action in Iraq will almost inevitably violate international humanitarian law and will have serious impacts on regional stability. Worse, military action that damages power supplies and transport infrastructure will have disastrous humanitarian consequences. And the price will be paid by the already suffering Iraqi population, mainly women and children, who will surely be left to struggle to survive against formidable odds.
Information : Colleen Hodge - Education and Public Relations, Christian World Service - The National Council of Churches in Australia
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