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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: MONDAY, FEBRUARY 14 2000 Voices in the Wilderness: 202-258-4958 (cell phone) Fellowship of Reconciliation: 914-358-4601 (http://nonviolence.org/vitw/) 86 Arrested in Protest of Economic Sanctions Against Iraq ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ 86 protesters from across the United States and Canada were arrested at the US Mission to the UN, on Monday, February 14th, at 12:00 p.m. Their nonviolent resistance was confronting the US/UN Security Council sanctions against Iraq. Among those arrested were Kathy Kelly, Chicago, co-founder of Voices in the Wilderness and Reverend John Dear, executive director of the Fellowship of Reconciliation. A broad spectrum of human rights groups were represented in both the nonviolent resistance action and the legal demonstration. Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Pax Christi USA, the American Friends Service Committee and the Fellowship of Reconciliation, have all taken official stands against the sanctions. Leaders from every major religion in the US have also condemned the sanctions. In August 1999 UNICEF used the infant mortality rate from before the sanctions to estimate that 500,000 Iraqi children under the age of five have died due to the effects of sanctions. "They die from dysentery, typhus, cholera - and other epidemics of water-borne diseases which were created when the US bombed the civilian infrastructure of Iraq during the Gulf Warthe sanctions prevent infrastructure repair and maintenance." noted Raed Battah from Kentucky, who recently traveled with Voices in the Wilderness to Iraq, in open and public violation of the sanctions. The protesters echo the concerns of the UN Humanitarian Relief Coordinator in Iraq, Mr. Hans von Sponeck, who has now asked to be relieved of his duties. Von Sponeck was not available for comment. Diplomats, speaking on conditions of anonymity, said von Sponeck will be leaving because of the difficulties entailed with implementing the U.N. trade sanctions, initially imposed to force Iraqi withdrawl from Kuwait. The sanctions have crippled the Iraqi economy, leaving ordinary Iraqis struggling to feed and clothe themselves. Von Sponeck wanted the Security Council to separate Iraq's humanitarian needs from its disarmament. His outspoken remarks drew sharp criticism from both the United States and Britain, the main proponents of sanctions on Iraq. Von Sponeck was also critical of the U.N.approved Oil for Food program. Von Sponeck's predecessor, Denis Halliday of Ireland, resigned in 1998, saying he did not want to be associated with the adverse impact of U.N. trade sanctions on ordinary Iraqis. Halliday stated, "We are destroying an entire society. It is as simple and terrifying as that." NOTE: Please see "Myths and Realities regarding Iraq, the United States, and economic sanctions" at: http://nonviolence.org/vitw/myths%20and%20realities.html -- ----------------------------------------------------------------------- This is a discussion list run by the Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq For removal from list, email soc-casi-discuss-request@lists.cam.ac.uk Full archive and list instructions are available from the CASI website: http://welcome.to/casi