The Catholic relief agency Trócaire has warned that war in Iraq "will result in \ humanitarian disaster which must be avoided at all costs". It follows a one-week visit to that country by a delegation from Caritas Internationalis, which included Sister Maura O'Donoghue of the Medical Missionaries of Mary.
The delegation reported that two-thirds of Iraq's population is dependent on food rations and one third of the country's children are malnourished. The disruption to the distribution of food, which a war would inevitably cause, "will result in massive hardship and death amongst the Iraqi population", it reported.
The economic sanctions under which Iraq has lived over the past 12 years had "resulted in the health status of the population falling to levels equivalent to the poorest countries in Africa", the group concluded. Sister O'Donoghue said "war with Iraq will result in a humanitarian catastrophe that will shame the world".
The delegation pleaded that all peaceful avenues be explored to ensure war is avoided. The work of weapons inspectors must be made to succeed, it said.
The delegates met Archbishop Delly of the Chaldean Catholic Church, who told them, "whatever people's grievances are, nobody wants war".
Trócaire has urged the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Cowen, to remain consistent with his October 23rd statement to the Dáil, in which he said, "any decision on action must be taken by the Security Council in full accordance with the \ Charter".
It was for the UN Security Council "to assess whether Iraq is co-operating and, if not, what further steps should be taken", he said.
Trócaire believed it was essential the Government remained consistent with the principles the Minister set out in that speech.
