Geneva convention ’breached’

Geneva convention ’breached’, agencies warn
Tash Shifrin

http://www.societyguardian.co.uk

Aid agencies have warned that the Geneva convention is
being breached in Falluja, Iraq, amid serious concern
about the safety of civilians in the city where at
least 600 people have been killed by coalition forces.

The medical emergency charity Merlin has issued a
sternly worded statement, saying its fears for the
safety of people in Falluja were "based on our
experience on the ground in Iraq". The UK-based
charity Islamic Relief has also warned of "a potential
humanitarian crisis".

The Merlin statement warns: "We have reason to believe
that the Geneva convention - which obliges the
occupying power to restore and ensure public order,
safety and basic service provision in the territory
under its authority - is being breached."

The charity cites the high level of civilian
casualties in Falluja, where at least 600 Iraqis have
been reported dead, and the use of force, as examples
of the breach. "International media and our own
sources on the ground report untargeted fire resulting
in civilian deaths in Falluja," Merlin says.

Other potential breaches of the Geneva convention
includes reports of coalition forces preventing
civilians seeking safety outside Falluja and a lack of
life-saving services. Food, water and electricity are
still unavailable in many parts of Falluja, the
charity says.

Merlin is also extremely concerned by reports that the
general hospital of Falluja is being used as a
military base by coalition forces, and the level of
delays to aid supplies containing food, water and
medical equipment. "Humanitarian agencies trying to
supply life-saving supplies such as food and medicine
have been obstructed by coalition forces," the
statement says.

A spokeswoman for the charity said: "Merlin is a
member of the Iraq Platform, a forum which enables
non-government organisations (NGOs) working in Iraq to
share information from the ground. A number of NGOs
have tried to access Falluja, and have witnessed
incidents we describe.

"They are becoming increasingly concerned for the
civilians of Falluja, whose basic rights to safety and
care are being ignored."

Islamic Relief, another member of the Iraq Platform,
has sent two convoys of humanitarian aid into Falluja,
some of it supplied by other agencies that could not
gain access to the besieged city. A spokesman
confirmed that a third would be on the way in the next
few days "if security allows it".

"We sent a convoy to Falluja but staff came under
heavy bombing. Now a third or more of the people have
fled to Baghdad. We are working with those people now
because the situation is very tense. We are providing
food and non-food items," the spokesman said.

Islamic Relief vehicles leaving Falluja ferried 30
fleeing families to Baghdad, including a pregnant
woman who gave birth to a baby on board the charity’s
truck.

Aid workers reported that doctors in Falluja "were
exhausted and need to be replaced" while there was an
urgent need for emergency health kits and a "severe
shortage of food and medicine". Security was "the
major obstacle faced by the team".

"We need to highlight the potential humanitarian
crisis if the violence keeps going," the spokesman
said.

Islamic Relief, which is working in five areas of Iraq
including Baghdad and Najaf in the south of the
country, said it was developing the capacity to deal
with potential crises in other cities and building up
supplies of food and blankets.