Iraq Sanctions Challenge en route to Baghdad

January 15, 2000 - The Iraq Sanctions Challenge (ISC) arrived this afternoon in Amman, Jordan, where they were greeted warmly by the Jordanian people. The delegates spoke to the Jordanian press at a press conference at the Professional Building in Amman, and were in high spirits as they prepared for their long journey to Baghdad.

The delegation is forced to travel overland by bus from Amman to Baghdad, a fourteen hour trip, because of the U.S.- and British-imposed no-fly zone. The no-fly zone not only prohibits military flights over northern Iraq, but has grounded Iraqi airlines and stopped all flights into and out of the country.

The Sanctions Challenge delegation is bringing to Iraq nearly $2 million dollars’ worth of badly needed medicine and medical supplies, a direct and deliberate violation of both US law and the UN Sanctions which have prevented the importation of any meaningful amount of medicine, food, equipment or commercial goods since the August 1990. The shipment of medicine includes over a million doses of tuberculosis medication, 273,000 doses of Penicillin VK, 900 bottles of children’s Amoxicillin suspension, and thousands of doses of acetaminophen, aspirin, cough syrup, and other basic medicines that are not available in Iraq because of the U.S./UN sanctions. This shipment fills a mere fraction of the need that exists in Iraq for basic medical supplies.

The IRAQ SANCTIONS CHALLENGE is a 60-person delegation led by former U.S. Attorney General Ramsey Clark. While in Iraq the delegation will visit hospitals, schools, and other institutions weakened by U.S./UN sanctions. The delegation is composed of students from seven U.S. colleges, members of Plowshares, the International Action Center, New Hampshire Peace Action, American Muslims for Global Peace & Justice, and Save the Children as well as delegates from Italy, Japan, England, and Canada.

"We are united in our determination to deliver these medicines safely to the people of Iraq. The criminal and odious U.S./UN sanctions must end without conditions," said Sarah Flounders of the ISC. "Any new inspections regime will only serve to prolong the suffering of the Iraqi people. End the sanctions and the bombings now."

Tomorrow the delegation arrives in Baghdad, where they will spend five days. The delegates return to New York on January 21.

Iraq Alert: ISC in Baghdad

January 16, 2000 - The third Iraq Sanctions Challenge are in Baghdad as of Sunday Morning. We are expecting to hear from the delegation on Monday. There is a news story on ClariNet at: http://www.clari.net/hot/wed/ba/Qiraq-us-clark.RUVJ_AJG.html

There is also an excellent picture of Ramsey Clark and the medicine on ClariNet: http://www.clari.net/hot/wed/bs/Qjordan-us-iraq.R2xU_AJF.html

Monday marks the ninth anniversary of the War Against Iraq. The delegates are expected to have a demonstration against the U.S. interest section to say No to bombing and No to continued U.S./UN sanctions.

For more information on the ISC and the UN sanctions, please visit our Website at www.iacenter.org

Contact: Deirdre Sinnott, Kenneth MacLeish, 212) 633-6646

Sanctions Challenge
International Action Center
39 West 14^th Street, Room 206
New York, NY 10011
email: iacenter@iacenter.org
http://www.iacenter.org
phone: 212 633-6646
fax: 212 633-2889

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