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<font face="Times New Roman, Times">Geert Van Moorter, M.D., emergency
physician, in Baghdad since 16 March for Medical Aid for the Third
World, Belgium, was interviewed on BBC 24 yesterday He
talked about some his experiences and included some of the
statements below, but I was sent the following text which might be
of interest. <br>
<br>
Urgent statement and appeal by Medical Aid for the Third World<br>
Occupying powers responsible for grave humanitarian crisis in Iraq<br>
Baghdad, 16 April 2003<br>
<br>
As medical doctors, we cannot remain silent in the face of the enormous
suffering of the Iraqi civilian population, brought about by the
US-British bombings, invasion and occupation.<br>
<br>
We have seen hundreds of civilians, including many children, injured and
killed, often by prohibited weapons such as cluster bombs. We have seen
how ambulances and civilian cars have been hit by US troops. We have
experienced how patients and health workers had difficulties passing US
military checkpoints and reaching medical facilities. <br>
<br>
We now see how the Iraqi civilian hospitals and other medical facilities
are plundered and neglected. Many Iraqi health professionals can no
longer report to work. Without electricity, safe water supply and the
provision of medicines and other medical supplies, many patients are
simply left to die. <br>
<br>
As health professionals and as human beings, we cannot tolerate this
situation. We therefore issue the following statement and appeal:<br>
<br>
1. The current humanitarian catastrophe is
entirely and solely the responsibility of the US and British authorities,
who launched a war of aggression against Iraq in complete violation of
international law. <br>
2. In the course of their war, the US and British
troops have grossly and repeatedly violated international humanitarian
law (Articles 10, 12, 15, 21, 35, 36, 41, 45, 47, 48 and 51of Protocol I
additional to the Geneva Conventions).<br>
3. A genuine and lasting solution to the
humanitarian catastrophe in Iraq can only be realized after the immediate
and unconditional withdrawal of all US and British occupation troops and
the full restoration of Iraq's sovereignty on the entire Iraqi territory
and on the basis of the Iraqi people's own free will.<br>
4. The US and Great Britain should be made to pay
for all direct and indirect damages and suffering their war has inflicted
upon the Iraqi people, country and society.<br>
5. In the meantime, as occupying powers, the US
and Great Britain have the duty of ensuring the food and medical supplies
of the population (Article 55 of the Fourth Geneva Convention). They
likewise have the duty of ensuring and maintaining, with the cooperation
of national and local authorities, the medical and hospital
establishments and services, public health and hygiene in the occupied
territory. They must allow medical personnel to carry out their duties.
(Article 56 of the Fourth Geneva Convention)<br>
6. We call on the relevant UN agencies, such as
the UNFP, Unicef and the WHO, to immediately resume their humanitarian
operations in Iraq. A firefighter does not wait until the house has burnt
down completely, but takes risks in order to fight the fire and avoid the
complete collapse of the building.<br>
7. We support all spontaneous and organized
initiatives of the Iraqi population to denounce the US and British
occupation and to demand that the US and British authorities fulfill
their duties under international humanitarian law.<br>
8. We support each initiative that aims to bring
US General Tommy Franks and other US and British military authorities and
personnel before a court of justice to make them answer for their
violations of international humanitarian law. Upon the request of direct
victims of US violations of international humanitarian law, among them
patients and medical personnel, we have asked the well-known Belgian
human rights lawyer Mr. Jan Fermon to explore the concrete possibilities
of charging US General Tommy Franks in a Belgian court for war crimes, on
the basis of the Belgian law of universal competence.<br>
Geert Van Moorter, M.D., emergency physician, in Baghdad since 16
March<br>
Colette Moulaert, M.D., pediatrician, in Baghdad from 16 March to 13
April<br>
Harrie Dewitte, M.D., in Baghdad from 6 to 13 April<br>
Claire Geraets, M.D., in Baghdad since 6 April<br>
Bert De Belder, M.D., coordinator of Medical Aid for the Third World in
Brussels, Belgium<br>
<br>
Contact details for Dr Bert de Belder.<br>
</font><font face="Times New Roman, Times" color="#0000FF"><u>bert.de.belder@skynet.be<br>
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