Report from Iraq: the Current Humanitarian Situation

Oxfam-America
Friday, 20 June 2003

The security situation in Iraq is still volatile, and though in some parts of the country it has eased considerably, other areas are still very dangerous. Recent reports from our team in southern Iraq speak of a worrying rise in violent crimes in Nassiriyah. The unpredictability of the situation continues to act as a constraint to Oxfam's work.

Day-to-day life in southern Iraq is extremely tough, and the security situation appears to have deteriorated considerably in recent days. There has been a series of violent incidents over the past week, including armed robberies and the hijacking and then killing of a driver on the road from Shatra to Nassiriyah. There have also been reports of retribution killings.

Oxfam believes the coalition forces, also known as the Authority, have a duty to restore law and order across the country.

Oxfam also has concerns about the humanitarian situation in other parts of the country. Access to food and clean water continues to be difficult. Many families are surviving on bread and milk because the monthly food rations (which used to be distributed under the Oil-for-Food program) have stopped. Some people have received irregular rations from Oil-for-Food since the end of the war, but food prices have risen hugely: the price of a kilo of meat has doubled in recent weeks. Doctors say most mothers complain that their children are not getting enough to eat.

The security situation in central Iraq appears to be relatively stable, though there have been several attacks on convoys of coalition forces in the area. Oxfam's team continues to work under tight security guidelines, and the security situation is under constant review. In Hillah, there has been an increase in demonstrations by unpaid government workers and people sacked from ministries or the military.

There are continuing reports (unverified) of rape and abduction of women and girls in Baghdad, which Human Rights Watch is investigating. There are also reports of threats (of death, burning, and kidnapping) made to Iraqi women and girls not wearing clothing deemed modest. The UN has reported that in some cases girls in Basra not wearing headscarves have not been allowed into school.

For more information, or to contact Oxfam-America, see their website at: www.oxfamamerica.org