Brussels, 5 September 1995

Victims of war in Iraq: Commission to fund 3.7 Million ECU humanitarian aid package

About two million people have been dispersed over the years in Iraq as a result of war first with Iran and then in the Gulf. The Turkish incursion into Iraq this year is among factors that have aggravated the situation. The European Union has made available a total of 3.7 million ECU to help resettle those displaced, and to encourage others to stay in their native villages wherever possible.

The European Community Humanitarian Office (ECHO) is working with an international group of non-governmental organisations to help people in the north, centre and south of Iraq. The projects are scheduled to last up to six months.

The priorities are:

o Health: One million Ecu will be spent on supplying and distributing medicines and medical supplies throughout the country. The French non-governmental organisation Pharmaciens sans Frontieres will look after this.

o Food aid: One million Ecu will be spent on the food aid component of a project run by the Netherlands Red Cross Society in southern Iraq.

o Relief in marshlands: The British non-governmental organisation AMAR will spend 400,000 Ecu on relief for the marshland people of Southern Iraq. Their way of life has been disrupted by a policy of draining the marshes.

o Demining: Landmines and unexploded objects are a constant danger to civilians all over northern Iraq. The Mines Advisory Group will carry out a one million Ecu project to restore access to the villages and agricultural land affected. It aims to train local staff so that they can work on demining independently.

o Security: ECHO is contributing 300,000 Ecu to the running of the United Nations Guard Contingent in Iraq. As part of its role, the UN provides a telecommunications infrastructure which greatly facilitates the work of ECHO-funded non-governmental organisations in the field.