PHA-Exchange> PHM PRESS RELEASE

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People's  Health  Movement
URGENT                                          
PRESS RELEASE
Bangalore (India) ;  8th April 2003:

STOP  THE  WAR ! LET  THE  CHILDREN  OF  IRAQ  LIVE.

As the World Health Organisation celebrated World Health Day (April 
7th) =
on the theme "Healthy Environment for Children" and called everyone to
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join WHO in 'promoting healthy environment for children and make a =
difference for the future', the Peoples Health Movement (PHM), a global
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coalition, calls for an immediate stop to the war on Iraq and demands "
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Let the Children of Iraq Live!". PHM also expresses concern over the =
failure of the WHO and UNICEF to take the leadership to campaign 
against =
the unjust and immoral war on Iraq.
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PHM is a people-oriented global initiative that evolved out of the =
People's Health Assembly, a historic summit that was held in December =
2000 in Bangladesh. Over 1453 participants from 92 countries met for 
the =
People's Health Assembly that was the culmination of 18 months of =
preparatory action around the globe.=20
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As over 22 million Iraqi civilians especially children are going 
through =
a traumatising experience as all aspects of their environment - air, =
water, land and their homes, schools and local community are being =
subjected to the worst form of bombing in world history -PHM  exhorts =
all UN agencies especially WHO and UNICEF to take the moral leadership
=
to campaign to stop the war on Iraq.
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The children of Iraq have been subjected to sanctions resulting in a =
whole generation of malnourished children.UN agencies estimate that =
there has been a 72%increase in the incidence of malnourishment among =
children in Iraq since the sanctions. Sanctions also killed over 
750,000 =
children. Shortage of medicines has affected children's health more 
than =
any other sector of the population.
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Environmental hazards caused by the presence of depleted uranium and =
other chemical hazards from the armaments used in the war will produce 
a =
range of health problems including leukemia and hepatic,respiratory and
=
cardio toxic effects. The dropping of ammunition wrapped in yellow =
packing (similar to the food packages dropped by the invading forces) =
will increase the danger to the children as they will access unexploded
=
bombs accidentally thinking them to be food parcels.
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Mines and other explosives will continue to maim young children in the
=
years to come. In addition, with the health of their parents at greater
=
risk due to the ravages of war, child care, child health and child =
security will be the biggest casualty.
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PHM is particularly surprised at the insensitivity of the recent WHO =
briefing for Iraq dated 4th April 2003, three days before world health
=
day. There is no mention of the risks to children as their environment
=
is ruined by the war on Iraq. In a typical preoccupation with bio =
medical magic bullets the document talks about measles immunizations 
for =
6 to 15 year olds which today is not the only hazard the Iraqi children
=
face with their homes, schools, streets,and their communities destroyed
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by an unjust, illegal and immoral war.
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PHM calls upon all health and human rights activists all over the world
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and agencies like WHO and UNICEF to recognise the gross human rights =
violation of child rights by the invading forces and to join the =
millions of anti war and pro peace protesters round the world in =
demanding an immediate stop to the war. "Give the children of Iraq a =
chance!".=20
People's Charter for Health, the guiding spirit of the PHM, is the =
largest consensus document on health. "Wars, violence, conflict and =
natural disasters devastate communities and destroy human dignity. They
=
have a severe impact on the physical and mental health of their 
members, =
especially women and children. Increased arms procurement and an =
aggressive and corrupt international arms trade undermine social, =
political and economic stability and the allocation of resources to the
=
social sector," says the People's Charter for Health.=20

For the People's Health Movement=20

Dr. Ravi Narayan, Co-ordinator, PHM Secretariat=20

For media enquiries :

India Dr. Unnikrishnan PV, (+91 (0) 98450 91319)                     =
E-mail: unni at phmovement.org=20