PRESS RELEASE
May 14th 2002
voices in the wilderness uk
www.viwuk.freeserve.co.uk
08454560282/ 07947839992
British sanctions breakers in Iraq denounce "smart" sanctions fraud.



Four members of Voices in the Wilderness UK[1] in Iraq at the moment on a
sanctions breaking visit have condemned the new UN smart sanctions
resolution passed this Tuesday May 14th [2] as a deadly fraud.

The new resolution UNSCR 1409 introduces a "Goods Review List" of potential
dual use items [3]. All other items should be exempt from the veto of the
notorious Sanctions, or 661, committee, blamed for holding up billions of
dollars worth of essential goods.

"All the proposed resolution does is lock the 661 committee out and reduce
paperwork for exporters," explained Gabriel Carlyle, one of the delegates,
"The resolution can only be presented as a positive development if one
accepts that the 661 committee has abused its discretion in the past.
In fact the resolution is a fraud that will do little to alleviate the
ongoing humanitarian crisis. Under 'smart' sanctions the massive foreign
investment - and the freedom of labour and capital that Iraq so desperately
needs will remain prohibited. Under 'smart' sanctions ordinary families in
Iraq will remain sunk in poverty, unable to earn a living wage and Iraqi
children will continue to drink dirty water, get sick and die. This is
totally unacceptable We are deliberately breaking these sanctions in order
to challenge this illegal and immoral policy."

The delegation members have been distributing medical supplies and medical
CD-ROMs in Iraq, without applying for export licences. They will also break
the sanctions by returning with locally purchased goods from Iraq to auction
here in Britain after their return on Sunday. [4]

According to UNICEF the economic sanctions on Iraq have contributed to the
deaths of at least 500,000 children since they were imposed in August 1990
[5]. The Catholic aid agency CAFOD has condemned this policy as 'humanly
catastrophic [and] morally indefensible' [6].

The delegation members are Gabriel Carlyle(27), a communication support
worker from Oxford and joint co ordinator of Voices UK , Susan Brush (33),
an environmental field worker from Scotland, Emma Sangster (35), a designer
from London and Gareth Evans (36), a freelance writer and curator in film
and culture from London. They are staying at the Al Fanar Hotel in Baghdad
and can be contacted on 00964-1-718-8007
0845 4560282/
07947839992
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[1] Voices in the Wilderness UK campaigns for the immediate and
unconditional lifting of the economic sanctions on Iraq.
www.viwuk.freeserve.co.uk
[2] Anananova Feb 14th UN approves overhaul of Iraq sanctions
 http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_587591.html
[3]  http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2002/SC7395.doc.htm
[4] The delegation returns to London Heathrow on Sunday 19th May
5:45.( from Amman - RJ 111- departs Amman at 12.15 Jordanian time)
[5] See UNICEF's press release, "Iraq surveys show 'humanitarian emergency
'", 12th August 1999 available on-line at
 http://www.unicef.org/newsline/99pr29.htm
[6] See CAFOD's February 2001 report 'A People Sacrificed: Sanctions Against
Iraq', available on-line at
www.cafod.org.uk/policy/iraqreportjanuary2001.shtml.