wfn.org | Christians help Iraqis

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"UNITED METHODIST DAILY NEWS" by SUSAN PEEK on Aug. 11, 1991 at 13:58 Eastern,
about FULL TEXT RELEASES FROM UNITED METHODIST NEWS SERVICE (3215 notes).

Note 3214 by UMNS on Oct. 7, 1996 at 15:43 Eastern (4297 characters).

SEARCH: MECC, Iraq, U.N. sanctions
Produced by United Methodist News Service, official news agency of
the United Methodist Church, with offices in Nashville, Tenn., New
York, and Washington.

Produced by United Methodist News Service, official news agency of
the United Methodist Church, with offices in Nashville, Tenn., New
York, and Washington.

CONTACT:  Linda Bloom                            500(10-71B){3214}
          New York (212) 870-3803                     Oct. 7, 1996

Christians work to relieve
massive suffering in Iraq

     NEW YORK (UMNS) -- Six years of international sanctions
against Iraq have caused massive suffering among its people and
given rise to dangerous influence by Islamic extremists, according
to a relief coordinator there.
     Michael Nahhal, an Orthodox Christian from Lebanon, serves as
the Middle East Council of Churches'(MECC) relief coordinator for
south and central Iraq. He spoke about conditions in Iraq during
an Oct. 3 briefing at the National Council of Churches offices
here.
     "Iraq is not only the leadership," he said. "You have a huge
human aspect to Iraq."
     Calling the country an important factor in Middle East peace,
Nahhal said he believed it was time for U.S. church leaders to
make a visit. "There is a need for understanding," he explained.
     Since 1991, the MECC has focused on emergency needs in Iraq,
particularly the acquisition and distribution of life-saving
medicines. Both the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR)
and the NCC's Church World Service have contributed to the MECC's
relief work there, and continue to support it.
     During the first two years, that work was conducted through
local churches. Christians comprise about five percent of Iraq's
population of 20 million.
     The churches, according to Nahhal, "are very well organized
and they have around them a strong group of youth, who implemented
the program."
     Coordination of relief efforts was then shifted to the Red
Crescent Society -- similar to the Red Cross. "They offered us all
their staff, their warehouses, their clearing agents," he added.
     However, the council continues to work with Iraqi churches in
areas such as Christian education and youth and women's programs.
     MECC has the only Christian relief organization working in
Iraq. "We do a lot of coordination with the U.N. so we don't
compete with each other," Nahhal said.
     The sanctions have had a devastating impact. A once-thriving
oil-based economy has stalled because of the lack of raw
materials, spare parts and the ability to import. The average
monthly family income is about 10 U.S. dollars.
     Besides a sharp rise in poverty, Iraq's population faces:
     * a rapid deterioration of what was once a stellar
educational system, free to all students.
     * an acute lack of medicines and decline in sanitary
conditions, allowing the re-emergence of diseases such as malaria,
tuberculosis, hepatitis, typhoid and rabies.
     * a spate of electrical shortages, affecting the industrial
and agricultural sectors, public utilities and other vital
economic structures.
     * a breakdown of the transportation system, due to a lack of
vehicles and parts.
     Although Islam is considered the state religion, Iraq
functions as a secular society. However, increasing poverty has
contributed to a rising fundamentalism which is financially
supported by neighboring Iran, according to Nahhal. That trend is
disturbing both to Christians and the government, he added, which
is trying to stabilize the domestic situation to counter-act its
influence.
     Another factor is the Kurdish refugees. The United Nations'
attempt to establish a "safe haven" for Kurds in northern Iraq has
failed and the whole region is insecure, Nahhal said.
     Iraqis were "jubilant" in April when the United Nations
agreed to a "food for oil" scheme allowing food, water and
medicines to come in. But implementation has been delayed and many
people now, according to Nahhal, "are pessimistic. They feel they
have been forsaken."
     In the future, massive international support will be need to
help Iraq recover from the social problems created by prolonged
wars and imposed sanctions, he said.
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