Catholic Humanitarian Workers Return to Baghdad

Catholic Relief Services
Friday, 25 April 2003

Humanitarian aid workers from Caritas Iraq returned to Baghdad today along with partners from Caritas Internationalis, an international confederation of Catholic charitable organizations. The team will visit area hospitals and meet with other Caritas Iraq employees in preparation for a four-vehicle humanitarian convoy set to leave Jordan for Baghdad as soon as security permits. The Caritas team represents one of the first humanitarian organizations to enter Baghdad since the outbreak of war on March 19.

As part of this multiphase assessment, a team from Catholic Relief Services (CRS) is now in southern Iraq to assess needs and security in Basrah, Nasiriya and other cities. The information gained through these assessments will provide agencies with the first baseline indication of immediate and long-term needs throughout Iraq.

"We are enthusiastic about the prospect of providing much needed assistance to the people of Iraq, without regard for ethnic, religious or political affiliation," said Ken Hackett, Executive Director of CRS. "We hope that our efforts will not only help to meet urgent material needs but will also begin to build bridges of friendship between Christians and Muslims, Americans and Iraqis."

Security and access permitting, the convoy carrying 45 tons of life-saving medicines and food aid will travel from Amman to Baghdad next week, from where they will be distributed to Caritas centers throughout Iraq to reach the needy. The convoy's total value of $500,000 is sponsored by the member organizations of Caritas Internationalis, including CRS.

The drugs consignment, including first aid kits and medication, such as painkillers and antibiotics to combat communicable or infectious diseases, contains enough medicines to treat 25,000 people. The convoy also includes medication for people coping with chronic illnesses, including diabetes, asthma and stress-related ailments, as looting inside Iraq has reduced the availability of such medicines. The convoy also comprises enough supplementary food to care for 10,000 malnourished children.

Earlier this week, Bishop Robert E. Lynch, Bishop of St. Petersburg, Florida, and Chairman of the Board of CRS, urged fellow bishops in the United States to launch a voluntary collection for Iraq emergency relief in all diocesan parishes. Bishop Lynch recommended the collection take place this Sunday, April 27, the first Sunday after Easter, with proceeds supporting the immediate and long-term relief efforts of CRS and its local Church partners, including Caritas Iraq and the Catholic Near East Welfare Association. This Sunday is also the Orthodox Easter, celebrated by Christians in Iraq.

"We all have an opportunity to help, and to demonstrate once again the generosity not only of the U.S. Catholic Church, but of all the American people, in alleviating the suffering of the Iraqis," Hackett said.

For more information, or to contact Catholic Relief Services, see their website at: www.catholicrelief.org