Te Kaha - Iraq

Iraq Sanctions Medical Alert Group (ISMAG)

Press release for immediate release

Wellington. 9 September 1999

New Zealand alleviating one humanitarian disaster and contributing to another: NZ doctors welcome posting of Te Kaha to East Timor. But concerns about planned posting to enforce UN sanctions against Iraq to still go ahead

The Iraq Sanctions Medical Alert Group (ISMAG), a group of Wellington-based doctors, has welcomed the decision announced yesterday that the frigate HMNZS Te Kaha has been ordered to the Darwin/East Timor area to be available to assist the Australian Navy in possible humanitarian relief or evacuations in East Timor.

An ISMAG spokesman, Dr. Marten Hutt, said that "As doctors, we welcome the fact that the NZ government is responding to the pleas of United Nations workers in alleviating an undoubted humanitarian disaster in East Timor".

"However, there is a bitter irony. The NZ government made it very clear yesterday that the planned involvement of Te Kaha in the Multinational Interception Force (MIF) enforcing sanctions against Iraq will still go ahead in early October and into November. While involvement of Te Kaha will alleviate a UN-acknowledged humanitarian disaster in East Timor, its planned involvement in the Gulf enforcing sanctions against Iraq will contribute to another UN-acknowledged humanitarian disaster in Iraq".

"New Zealand may well save lives in East Timor, but we will also undoubtedly contribute to loss of life in the Gulf next month. The UN has confirmed many times through its humanitarian agencies that these sanctions will kill innocent women and children. UNICEF estimates 4,500 Iraqi children per month will die unnnecessarily as a result of the sanctions".

"New Zealand has finally shown moral and policy initiative on East Timor. We applaud that. But we should show the same fresh thinking with regard to Iraq, where sanctions have proved to be cowardly, ineffective and immoral. East Timorese and Iraqi children deserve our equal concern".

Spokesman: Dr. Marten Hutt wk ph: (04) 463 6527 / hm: 389 1706 Fax: (04) 496 6568 marten.hutt@vuw.ac.nz
http://come.to/ISMAG

Link to Iraq index for more information on the sanctions and bomb attacks.

Link to main East Timor page for more information on East Timor

Link to main page on military spending and alliances for more information on RNZ frigates such as Te Kaha.

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