(1) Clinton and Mubarak; (2) ADC proposes humanitarian relief

["Hamre, Drew" <drew.hamre@DELETETHISrainier.com>]

Following are a pair of encouraging items from the ADC (the largest
Arab-American grassroots organization).  The first includes a clear
statement against economic sanctions by Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. 

===
http://www.adc.org/press/2000/28march2000.htm

Arab Americans meet with Presidents Clinton and Mubarak at White House 
 
Washington D.C., March 28 - President Bill Clinton and Egyptian President
Hosni Mubarak today met with Arab-Americans at the White House to discuss
Middle East issues. The meeting marks the first time that American and Arab
Presidents have met jointly with Arab-Americans at the White House. The
American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC), the nation's largest
grassroots Arab-American organization, was represented by its Vice President
Khalil E. Jahshan. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and Egyptian
Foreign Minister Amr Musa also participated in the meeting.

The meeting included a detailed discussion of the Arab-Israeli peace process
and the recent Geneva meeting between President Clinton and Syrian President
Hafez Al-Assad. Both President Clinton and President Mubarak expressed their
disappointment at the failure of the Geneva summit to revive the
Syrian-Israeli track, however, both vowed to confer with the Syrian
President and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak to bridge the gap between
their respective positions. President Clinton, who promised to continue his
"high level participation" in the talks, described these differences as
"simple but difficult," and said that focus would now shift to the
Palestinian track.

There was also a serious discussion of the Palestinian-Israeli track,
including the issue of Palestinian refugees. Both President Mubarak and
Foreign Minister Musa emphasized the necessity of resolving the Palestinian
refugee problem for just and lasting peace to prevail in the Middle East.

ADC Vice-President Jahshan asked President Mubarak to comment on his
discussions with Mr. Clinton on the economic sanctions against Iraq.
President Mubarak said that the economic sanctions have exhausted their
usefulness as a policy and need to be lifted. He said that all parties
should work together to find the "right formula" for lifting the sanctions
against the Iraqi people. While admitting that the United States "cannot
totally evade responsibility" for the sanctions, President Clinton said that
the issue has "bedeviled us for years."

Jahshan characterized the two-hour meeting as "a serious and useful exchange
with both Presidents." He expressed his satisfaction with "the unprecedented
openness and frankness of both leaders in dealing with difficult and
challenging questions raised by Arab-American participants."

===
http://www.adc.org/press/2000/07march2000.htm

07 March 2000 
Arab-Americans Present Proposals for Humanitarian Relief in Iraq to
Administration  
 
 Washington D.C., March 7 -- Leaders of the American-Arab
Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC), the nation's largest Arab-American
grassroots organization, today presented State Department officials with
specific proposals addressing the humanitarian catastrophe in Iraq. ADC
President Hala Maksoud and Khalil E. Jahshan, President of NAAA-ADC, the
newly created governmental affairs arm of ADC, along with other
Arab-Americans met today with Edward S. Walker, the Assistant Secretary of
State for Near Eastern Affairs. While the ADC leaders reiterated their call
for the complete lifting of economic sanctions against Iraq, they presented
the Administration with a set of specific proposals designed to assist the
civilian population of Iraq.

In its proposal, ADC points out that "the most important points of
intervention would be the provision of equipment for increasing agricultural
production and providing clean water for the Iraqi people. Increased food
production would reduce malnutrition; clean water would reduce infectious
diseases. Of particular importance is the need to renovate and rebuild the
water purification and sewage treatment plants; repair and maintain dams and
reservoirs, pumping stations, and filtration plants; replace leaky and
contaminated pipelines; and provide sufficient chlorine." The proposal also
calls for the changing of "dual use" criteria to allow for a much broader
definition of what constitutes "essential civilian goods" to meet the needs
of Iraqi civilian.

The ADC proposal suggests that:

- The U.S. should actively support the rebuilding of the Iraqi medical
system;

- The unimpeded importation of a wide range of medicines and medical
supplies to Iraq;

- The restoration of food production, processing, storage, distribution, and
marketing facilities in Iraq;

- The importation of a wide range of clean water supplies to Iraq;

- The U.S. should stop blocking $601 million in contracts to rebuild Iraq's
power grids;

- NGOs should be empowered to assist in rebuilding the Iraqi educational
system.

TEXT OF PROPOSALS:

NAAA-ADC, the newly created governmental affairs arm of ADC, today submitted
to the Clinton Administration a set of recommendations regarding steps that
the United States might take to alleviate the humanitarian crisis among
Iraqi civilians:

Our view remains that the economic sanctions regime imposed against Iraq has
exhausted its usefulness and should be lifted entirely. The socio-economic
infrastructure of any society is so interrelated that damage to one area
tends to render other areas dysfunctional. But, until the overall United
States policy vis-a-vis Iraq is changed, the best way to help the Iraqi
people would be through a number of specific steps aimed at rebuilding the
civilian infrastructure of the country.

We are encouraged by recent reports indicating that the Clinton
Administration is rethinking its stance on Iraq's civilian infrastructure
needs. U.S. easing of restrictions on pesticides and chlorine and approval
of an $80 million contract for electrical repairs will undoubtedly be very
helpful. We also understand that the Administration is looking for ways to
ease restrictions on the importation of oil industry equipment and other
industrial products. We urge similar consideration with regard to systemic
improvements in food production and public health.

The immensely high death rates in Iraq, particularly among children, which
have been documented by UNICEF, WHO, the Red Cross and other international
observers, stem in large measure from the deterioration in the agricultural
and public health infrastructure. Therefore, the most important points of
intervention would be the provision of equipment for increasing agricultural
production and providing clean water for the Iraqi people. Increased food
production would reduce malnutrition; clean water would reduce infectious
diseases. This should result in a substantial reduction in the current death
rates, which are morally unjustifiable.

Of particular importance is the need to renovate and rebuild the water
purification and sewage treatment plants; repair and maintain dams and
reservoirs, pumping stations, and filtration plants; replace leaky and
contaminated pipelines; and provide sufficient chlorine. This is essential
in order to alleviate water shortages for human consumption and agricultural
purposes. It will also curtail the spread of infectious diseases through
contaminated water. At present, raw sewage often contaminates the drinking
water used by people already weakened by malnutrition, especially children.
The result has been water-born epidemic disease, infant diarrhea,
dehydration and high infant mortality. UN humanitarian coordinator Hans von
Sponeck recently reported that the volume of potable water available has
diminished in the past 18 months, as has the volume of sewerage treated.
Meanwhile, 20% of the water and sanitation resources requested in phases
IV-VI of the program is still "on hold."

The U.S. should also actively approve and support the rebuilding of the
Iraqi medical system. This should include equipment for hospitals and
clinics, the medicine and medical supplies still kept out of Iraq, and the
electrical power needed to operate medical facilities and institutions.

The criteria regarding "dual use" items should be changed. Greater weight
should be given to the importance of ensuring that "essential civilian
goods" are provided for the Iraqi people. The definition of what constitutes
"essential civilian goods" should be broadened. The U.S. representative to
the UN 661 Committee which reviews Iraqi contracts should be instructed to
approve such materials and eliminate the backlog of contracts put "on hold."
Such materials should receive automatic approval, or at least the process
should be greatly speeded up to eliminate the long delays in approval of
contracts.

Where dual use concerns remain, the shipment, delivery, storage, utilization
and maintenance of such materials should be placed under the supervision of
the UN humanitarian organizations overseeing the oil-for-food program. These
organizations already oversee, document, and confirm the equitable
distribution, storage and end use of materials purchased through this
program. The World Food Program inspectors monitor food distribution. These
agencies should be provided with the additional funding and staffing needed
to carry out their responsibilities.

Below are some specific suggestions about materials which have been reported
to be blocked by the 661 Committee or in particular need. We recommend that
they be carefully considered and approved. This listing is drawn from news
stories and reports by UN agencies and other international observers. It is
by no means complete.

- AGRICULTURE: The UN humanitarian coordinator reports that the oil-for-food
basket lacks proteins and never exceeds 2000 Kcal per person per day, which
falls short of the designated 2300 Kcal. To meet nutritional needs, food
production, processing, storage, distribution, and marketing facilities must
be restored. Silos, flourmills and bakeries need rebuilding. Animal herds
decimated by disease must be replenished. Fertilizer and insecticide plants
must be rebuilt. Materials needed include fertilizer, pesticides and
pesticide sprayers, earth-moving and irrigation equipment to combat drought,
vaccines to counteract a new outbreak of disease among poultry, pipes and
electrical systems for irrigation and desalinization of agricultural land.

- CLEAN WATER MATERIALS: Chlorine for water treatment, pipes for carrying
water, water pumps, oxygen generators to break down organic waste, water
meters, polyethylene pipes accessories, epoxy for repairing cracks in the
water treatment clarification tanks, mechanical and electrical and
mechanical equipment for sewage pump stations, equipment for treating
industrial waste water, equipment for digging underground wells, intake
systems for water treatment plants, and any other equipment needed for
filtering water, extracting sewage and converting sewage to fertilizer.

- MEDICAL NEEDS: Von Sponeck reported recently that, despite some
improvement, the supply of medicines and medical supplies is still
inadequate, particularly for chronic diseases. Other reports show a need
for: ambulances, anesthetics for operations, surgical material, light bulbs
for operating theater lamps, sterilizers, cotton for medical swabs, gauze,
shrouds, sheets, communications equipment for hospitals (e.g. pagers, cell
phones, hospital-ambulance links), plastic blood transfusion bags, medical
textbooks and journals for medical schools, fogging machines to control
malaria, medical syringes, vaccines for diphtheria, yellow fever and
tetanus, NCR computers (which can only be used in specific hematology and
hepatitis studies) for children's hospitals, and trucks (including
refrigerated trucks) for delivery of medical supplies. The medical program
of the International Committee of the Red Cross to repair hospitals and
medical centers and train medical staff to reverse the
"de-professionalization" of personnel should receive full U.S. support.

- ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: The United States has held up $601 million in contracts
to repair Iraq's power grid. The U.S. should allow the grid to be rebuilt.
Without power, the humanitarian crisis cannot be overcome and civilian
society cannot function properly. An erratic power supply halts pumping and
prevents proper functioning of water and sewage treatment plants, prevents
refrigeration of food and medicine, and does not allow the operation of
hospital equipment. Specific needs include electrical plant spare parts and
generators, especially for water and sewage treatment, hospitals and
clinics.

- EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM: Iraq's educational system has also been severely
damaged by the Gulf War and the economic sanctions imposed on the country.
In his recent report to the UN Security Council, UN humanitarian coordinator
Hans von Sponeck emphasized that "a whole generation of Iraqi children is
not receiving proper education." Indeed, the education sector in Iraq
receives only a small percentage, not exceeding 4 percent, of the
oil-for-food funds. Consequently, school enrollments are down, leaving Iraqi
youth ill prepared to be productive adults. The long-term repercussions of
this situation are frightening for Iraq, the Gulf region, and U.S. interests
throughout the area.

We urge that UNICEF and other specialized international agencies and
non-governmental organizations (NGOs) be empowered to assist in rebuilding
the Iraqi educational system and distribute much-needed educational
materials and supplies throughout Iraq. Dual use standards should be amended
to allow for the free and unimpeded flow of rudimentary educational
supplies, such as textbooks and pencils, throughout the system.

The lives and well being of the people of Iraq literally depend on our
action or inaction in these matters. President Clinton stated repeatedly
that "our quarrel is with Saddam, not with the Iraqi people." Other
Administration officials have also stressed that "sanctions were never
directed against the humanitarian needs of the Iraqi people." Yet the
comprehensive economic sanctions have clearly caused unbearable suffering to
the people we are claiming to help. Therefore, the time has come to liberate
the Iraqi people from the heinous impact of economic sanctions on their
daily lives. Let us do the right thing by putting an end to their inhumane
suffering.
-- 
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