August 6th, 2000 marks a decade of United Nations authorized sanctions on
Iraq. A broadly sponsored public act of protest at the UN in New York City is
needed to condemn the war on Iraq. Calling attention to the tenth year of
sanctions provides an invaluable opportunity to mobilize the widespread
international opposition to the UN sanctions.

The Fellowship of Reconciliation and Voices in the Wilderness have called for
an action on August 6th in Washington D.C. calling for an end to the
sanctions and commemorating the nuclear bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
This call does not directly address this critical question:

Can the United Nations authorize a decade of genocide and not be held
accountable?

The illusions surrounding the UN have proven particularly tenacious. Seldom
noted is the political importance of the November 29, 1990, UN endorsement of
military action against Iraq. This action legitimized the US led slaughter of
the Gulf War. This same UN war coalition against Iraq has lasted for more
then nine years under the rubric of sanctions. But the tattered credibility
of the UN has only partially covered its crime of the genocide.

Kofi Annan in the recent Security Council discussions on the sanctions
expressed concern that the UN may be losing "the propaganda war" over who is
responsible for the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Iraqis; Saddam Hussein
or the UN sanctions regime. In this political battle the sanctions regime is
certainly under attack. But the principle antagonist is not Saddam Hussein.
No, it is the institutions and individuals of integrity from the UN itself
that are firing the most damning condemnations of the UN sanctions regime.

UN reports (UNICEF and World Health Organization) have for years repeatedly
documented the murderous effect of UN sanctions. Top UN officials in Iraq
have resigned in protest against the sanctions regime. These high profile
resignations and the documented hundreds of thousands of Iraqi victims have
condemned the sanctions before the entire world.

By pitting the UN against Saddam Hussein, Mr. Annan stands with the defenders
of western imperialism, the United States and Britain. The perverted ideal of
disarmament in their hands justifies a form of war proven as effective but
less overt than military conflict. While yesterdays bombing attack by the US
and Britain killed 14 Iraqis, these same nations shamelessly demand Iraq
disarm. There is no mentioning of the current Turkish invasion of the UN
protectorate in northern Iraq. The no fly zones claiming to "protect the
Kurds" obviously do not apply to the Turkish army. The Turkish war on the
Kurds is carried into Iraq with British and US air cover. Where are the
defenders of the sovereignty of nations and oppressed nationalities willing
to go to war for these principles in this case?

To deflect criticism and resurrect the fatally discredited UN arms
inspectors, the Security Council in December 1999 approved Resolution #1284.
Promoted in the US press as an effort to "end the sanctions" the resolution
in fact promises to review the suspending of sanctions every six months. This
generosity will only be granted after the Iraqis agree and fully comply with
a rerun of the UNSCOM fiasco. These diplomatic posturing and humanitarian
platitudes are a cruel farce. For the Iraqi people living under UN sanctions
1284 promises more of the same.

For the undecided millions we have the recent John Pilger documentary,
"Paying the Price". One of the many gripping scenes in this excellent film
features an interview with the UN official heading the sanctions committee.
He blandly asserts that they are trying their best to minimize the effects of
sanctions on the Iraqi population and will keep trying. Are we being too
harsh? Should we give them another ten years? They say yes. What is our
answer?

A clear denunciation of the UN decade of sanctions is needed. On August 6th
in New York City stand with the people of the world in solidarity with the
Iraqi people.

Robert Allen
Campaign to End the Sanctions
5 Awbury Rd.  Philadelphia, Pa 19138
215-438-4181 e-mail: endsanctions@cs.com