| June 27, 2005
In
Baghdad, under economic sanctions, landing a job in a hotel offered
at least a steady pittance of earnings. Some men made ends meet
by working two eight hour shifts in different hotels. A dignified,
well educated fellow would don a restaurant worker’s uniform
in one hotel to serve tables all day and then quickly change into
the uniform of a maintenance crew worker at the hotel across the
street so that he could spend the next eight hours sweeping up
cigarette butts.
But
over time, in spite of the glaring disparities between their material
well being and ours, durable friendships developed between members
of Voices in the Wilderness delegations and the workers at hotels
where we stayed. When, on rare occasions, we’d visit their
homes, we’d leave wishing we could alleviate the harsh circumstances
in which they lived. Especially during rainy, cold or extremely
hot seasons, their homes were inadequate shelters. And they would
never be able to save any money to get ahead working at the hotels.
Most
of the men I knew no longer work at the hotels. Now that Baghdad
is the most dangerous city in the world, random groups fire mortars,
bombs, and other explosives at hotels. Some men were
willing to risk staying on the job but were laid off by managers
who, with few guests, couldn’t meet payrolls.
We’ve
lost contact with most of our old friends. We often worry about
them. But, occasionally, an email will arrive. Here is an excerpt
from a letter sent June 4, 2005, from Ali, a gardener, a man who
treated plants and people with great tenderness. He also admired
Gandhi and, after the Occupation began, spoke at length with us
about how much hope he placed in the possibility that nonviolent
movements could emerge in Iraq.
Ali
wrote:
“What
happened in US if any one from US army feels hungry? For sure
you all now saying the US government will do all they can to
do, even they will send in… many airplanes … bringing
all the best types of good energy foods and best supplements
to make them (the army) stronger to kill the life in poor people.
BUT, what about if any one from Iraqi people feels hungry? Simply
the answer is no one will care about us…
In
every month when Iraqi families go to the shops to get the (oil
for food rations) foods, we just get some of the things:
1.
Tea.
2.
Milk of adults.
3.
Soap.
4.
Oils.
5.
Sugar (some months).
And
other important types are not found:
1.
Milk of babies.
2.
Rice.
3.
Flour.
4.
beans.
So,
why we are still suffering from hungry and may be some families
rich or they have the ability of shopping but what about others
sleeping without dinner and what about the crying of baby for
milk and his mother dying to give it to him, crying … who
give mercy to her and her baby? Where is Bush and his flag he
carried to bring the democracy and freedom? Who is the hero in
our government … and why all the world organizations still
silent and where is the UN?”
Where
is the UN?
It’s
unthinkable, but an honest answer to Ali’s question about
the UN would acknowledge that in two days time, the UN will very
likely tighten the thumbscrews still further in afflicting pain
on innocent Iraqis. June 28–30, 2005, the United Nations
Compensation Commission (UNCC) will hold its final round of discussions
before determining how much of an outstanding 65 billion in reparations
Iraq should be required to pay for Saddam Hussein’s 1990-91
warmaking.
In
the years between 1996–2003, the UNCC approved 52.1 billion
in payment to individuals, companies and countries. As one of
the most secretive of all UN organizational structures, the UNCC
forbade the Iraqi negotiators to see many of the claims made against
them, refused to allow Iraq to contest claims it did see, and
forced the Iraqis to underwrite expenses for translation of all
documents as it insisted that no discussions be held in Arabic.
The
UNCC could have chosen to pay the individual claimants but then
ask the countries and companies, many of them quite wealthy, to
wait until Iraq was first able to meet the needs of starving and
diseased children. It could still choose to give priority to alleviating
suffering in Iraq.
Instead,
after all of the decisions are recorded, after the lawyers, accountants,
claims analysts, secretaries, translators, and negotiators sign
off on their part in the procedures, Iraq will very likely face
demands to continue using its desperately needed oil revenue to
pay reparations to claimants whose complaints are deemed more
worthy of attention than the pleas raised in Ali’s letter.
In
the coming months, Ali may find that world bodies such as the
IMF and the World Bank, when they step up to the plate to negotiate
payment schedules that Iraq will be forced to meet, will insist
that Iraq’s government impose austerity measures such as
“monetizing subsidies.” In other words, the mothers
whose lament Ali wants us to hear would be told that they must
pay for their meager ration baskets.
Today
is the 60th birthday of the United Nations. In only six decades,
the UN mission to eliminate the scourge of warfare and uphold
basic human rights has scored remarkable gains. In many disputes,
worldwide, the UN is the only referee on the bench.
And yet, the warmakers, weapon manufacturers and rabid money makers
have held on to and gained significant footholds within the UN.
85% of the world’s weapon sales are controlled by the five
veto bearing members of the UN Security Council; in very recent
history, The U.S. and the UK have used the UN to wage economic
and military warfare against innocent people in Iraq. And the
UNCC has been a black stain on UN history.
There
are no adequate answers to Ali’s anguished letter. In a
fair and just world governance, the US would be required to pay
reparations to Iraq. Such justice seems utterly elusive right
now, but those of us who live in countries where we ostensibly
can influence our governments, bear responsibility to break silence
and hold up a mirror to reveal the greatest scandals happening
within the UN at the behest of the Security Council.
Perhaps
future generations can one day celebrate the rebirth of a UN committed
to paying recompense to those who are most in need, a UN unshackled
from the demands of warmakers and money mongers.
Kathy
Kelly is a co-coordinator of Voices in the Wilderness
(www.vitw.org). Her book, Other
Lands Have Dreams, was recently published by Counterpunch.Along
with eight other internationals, Kelly is on day 11 of the Geneva
Fast for Economic Justice for Iraq. They will end their fast on
the final day of UNCC deliberations (June 30) which are occurring
at the UN in Geneva. She can be reached at: Kathy@vitw.org
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