PHA-Exchange> Health workers demand: End occupation of Iraq; justice for war crimes victims

Fri May 16 23:40:56 PDT 2003

Media release - please circulate widely

May 17, 2003

Health workers demand: 
End occupation of Iraq; justice for war crimes victims 

Health workers the world over are endorsing an international appeal of health workers that calls for an immediate end to the foreign occupation of Iraq for the benefit of its people's health. Their call for justice was boosted when some of the appeal's initiators filed a court case for war crimes against U.S. General Tommy Franks last May 14 under Belgium's universal jurisdiction law.

The testimonies of the Iraqi plaintiffs in this case were documented by Dr. Geert Van Moorter and Dr. Colette Moulaert, who were in Baghdad during the war for the Belgian NGO Medical Aid for the Third World (MATW). Both are members of the appeal's initiative committee.

The appeal has already been endorsed by health workers and peace activists from 15 countries including Australia, Germany, Greece, Mexico, New Zealand, Russia, Spain, Taiwan (China) and the United Kingdom. Among them are staff and academe of the London School for Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Queen Mary's University of London, the University of Melbourne and the Wellington School of Medicine. 

The signatories also include officers of International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War (IPPNW) chapters in Australia, Germany, Greece and New Zealand, the Medical Practitioners' Union (UK) and the International Institute for Concern for Public Health. Health activists of the Colectivo Salud en Movimiento established a support committee in Mexico and translated the appeal to Spanish.

The appeal strongly denounces the use of cluster bombs and depleted uranium munitions in Iraq and airs the health workers' indignation about the disruption of health services by the attacks and subsequent occupation. The health workers therefore call for the immediate restoration of Iraq's sovereignty and stress that reparation payments should be made by the U.S. and British authorities, who should likewise be held accountable for their war crimes. Moreover, the health workers urge their colleagues to unite in opposition to further wars of aggression because peace based on justice, is a prerequisite for people's health.

The appeal's initiative committee includes Dr. Hillel Cohen (U.S.) from the International Action Center; Maria Hamlin Zuniga (Nicaragua) and Dr. Unnikrishnan PV (India) from the International People's Health Council and People's Health Movement; Prof. Mathura P. Shrestha (Nepal), president of the Physicians for Social Responsibility Nepal; Dr. Joseph M. Carabeo (Philippines), secretary general of the Health Alliance for Democracy; and Dr. Bert De Belder and Dr. Wim De Ceukelaire (Belgium) of intal/MATW. 

The initiators are inviting health workers to support the appeal. They can add their signatures on http://www.intal.be/html/intappeal.html (english) and http://www.intal.be/html/intappeal_es.html (Spanish) or e-mail their name, country, occupation, organization and position to healthandjusticeforiraq at myrealbox.com.

For reference: Dr. Wim De Ceukelaire healthandjusticeforiraq at myrealbox.com

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International appeal of health workers:

Health and justice for the Iraqi people require an immediate end to foreign occupation 

As an expression of our concern for the people's health we, medical doctors, health professionals, health workers and anti-war activists, actively participated in various efforts that sought to avert the U.S.-led war on Iraq. We warned that war would cause death and injury to the civilian population and destroy the health infrastructure. Now that our worst fears have become reality, we have every reason to intensify our principled advocacy for peace and justice. 

The U.S. and Great Britain have shown their utter disrespect for International Humanitarian Law and human life itself. Their use of cluster bombs in civilian areas is blatantly illegal. So-called precision-guided weapons made many casualties among the civilian population. There are disturbing reports about the use of depleted uranium munitions, which might even affect the future generations.

Some of us, who stayed with the Iraqi people during the war, have witnessed how the U.S. troops deliberately disrupted the delivery of health care to the civilian population, shooting at ambulances and hindering the free passage of patients and health personnel. They allowed-if not incited-the looting of hospitals and medical facilities the occupying powers were legally bound to protect.

In the face of the enormous suffering of the Iraqi people as a result of the air raids, invasion and occupation, we cannot remain silent. We want to express our solidarity with our courageous and dedicated Iraqi colleagues, while we observe that the current humanitarian crisis is the sole responsibility of the U.S. and British authorities, who launched an unjust, illegitimate and immoral war of aggression on Iraq. Therefore, we reconfirm our commitment to people's health based on peace, justice and solidarity.

Health and well-being cannot be achieved under military occupation. A genuine and lasting solution to the humanitarian catastrophe in Iraq can only be realized after the immediate and unconditional withdrawal of all US and British occupation forces. Iraq's sovereignty should be restored immediately and entirely in order to ensure the peaceful rehabilitation of Iraq. We urge humanitarian organizations to take care while delivering aid, so as not to legitimize the occupation. 

Justice means that the perpetrators of crimes are held accountable. The U.S. and Great Britain should make reparation payments for the harm they have done to the Iraqi people and society. We support efforts to bring the U.S. and British civilian and military authorities to court for their war crimes and crimes against humanity. We volunteer our expertise and will monitor the proceedings to see to it that justice prevails.

For people's health to prosper, we unite for justice and against war. The insatiable greed for money, power and natural resources, that propelled the U.S. and Great Britain to war, will not disappear with Iraq's occupation. It will lead to another arms race that will deplete resources for health and social services, and many more imperialist wars, unless it is thwarted by a broad people's movement against war. Therefore, we unite to express our firm opposition to further wars of aggression, as we are convinced that peace, based on justice, is a prerequisite for people's health.

Initiative committee: Dr. Geert Van Moorter and Dr. Colette Moulaert (Medical Aid for the Third World-MATW's Medical Team in Baghdad during the height of the war) Belgium-Prof. Mathura P. Shrestha (President, Physicians for Social Responsibility Nepal) Nepal-Dr. Hillel Cohen (International Action Center) US-Dr. Unnikrishnan PV (International People's Health Council-IPHC / People's Health Movement-PHM) India-Dr. Joseph M. Carabeo (Health Alliance for Democracy) Philippines-Maria Hamlin Zuniga (IPHC/PHM) Nicaragua-Dr. Bert De Belder (intal/MATW) Belgium-Dr. Wim De Ceukelaire (intal/MATW) Belgium

The initiators are inviting health workers and activists to support the appeal. You can add your signature on http://www.intal.be/html/intappeal.html (english) and http://www.intal.be/html/intappeal_es.html (Spanish) or e-mail your name, country, occupation, organization and position to healthandjusticeforiraq at myrealbox.com.

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