Aid groups in Iraq also under attack

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.csmonitor.com/2003/0711/p01s03-woiq.html

By Kevin Begos | Special to The Christian Science Monitor

BAGHDAD – American troops are bearing the brunt of the daily attacks in central Iraq, with two more soldiers killed Thursday. But international aid groups are also being targeted - undercutting their humanitarian efforts, and causing them to question the close working relationship many have developed with US forces.

In Baghdad, the World Food Program (WFP) expressed alarm Thursday over the rise in shootings, looting, and attacks on trucks bringing food into the country over the past month. It said security at storage facilities is still a major concern.

Other relief organizations are telling volunteers it's too unsafe for them to go to Iraq. "Security problems have complicated almost every aspect of humanitarian efforts" in Iraq, says Mike Kiernan, a spokesman for Save the Children in Washington. He adds that financial donations in the US "have been less than what many charities had expected."

The US military and aid organizations here have similar goals: restore a semblance of normalcy to the Iraqi people as quickly as possible. Working together, they often are more effective. Although international aid groups are used to working in crisis environments, some worry that the symbols of military occupation in Iraq are mixed with those of humanitarian work to an unprecedented degree. And that may be prompting a backlash. snip

"The situation is going from bad to worse," says the Rev. Ikram Mehanni, senior pastor of John Calvin Presbyterian Evangelical Church in Baghdad. "If the Americans do not control this region soon, they will have very bad problems."

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[Nambe]

1. No phones, irradic utilities and no jobs.

They are probably striking out at everything foreign.

I read today that the US was not allowing any cell phone companies to operate, not even local existing services. It won't be safe intil someone with a brain and good intentions takes over. Very sad for all concerned.

[lkinsale]

2. Can any say "Afghanistan?"

This sounds familiar.

[indictrichardperle]

4. the well educated, middle class Iraqis

who might have conducted themselves peacefully, if order and basic services were restored quickly..........might drift into that class of people "who have nothing to lose"

If life in iraq continues to be an un-endurable hell, i think instead of 12-25 attacks a day, we will see a HUGE guerrilla resistance. Bremer's "get tough" policy is probably the worst possible thing we could have done.

[I AM SPARTACUS]

3. latest from humanitarian orgs in Iraq...

http://www.reliefweb.int/w/rwb.nsf/vLCE/Iraq?OpenDocument&StartKey=Iraq&Expandview

also:
alertnet.org