Conclusions
42. It is essential that the same emphasis should
be placed on the humanitarian implications of war against Iraq
as on the military planning. It would appear that the military
have gone ahead with their planning on the assumption that someone
else will come along to clear up afterwards. We do not believe
it is acceptable to wait until the war is over before turning
to face the humanitarian consequences. Military planning must
seek to minimise the damage to civilian infrastructure. Health,
sanitation, irrigation and vital food distribution networks will
suffer if Iraq's already dilapidated infrastructure is destroyed.
Despite USAID's claims that food distribution will continue through
oil-for-food, statements of intent are insufficient without acceptance
of the financial and legal implications. The lack of funding that
is immediately available has affected the ability of the UN to
prepare. The international system may not have the capacity to
cover the costs of delivering food up to 15 million people and
reconstructing Iraq's infrastructure.
43. The role of the UN in coordination is central
to the humanitarian effort. The current lack of coordinated leadership
in dealing with the humanitarian issues, and poor information-sharing,
has hampered effective planning and preparation. Military action
against Iraq will have major humanitarian consequences and may
involve the use of chemical, biological and even nuclear weapons.
There is a risk of ethnic conflict and state fragmentation in
the immediate post-war period. We are concerned about how these
issues would be managed in the absence of immediate post-war UN
leadership. We recognise that some NGOs may perceive their neutral
humanitarian position as being compromised if they operated under
a military occupation. The military may inevitably have to play
the primary role in providing humanitarian assistance during the
conflict and will undoubtedly be present after it ends. A lead
role planned for the UN in the immediate aftermath of hostilities
may protect humanitarian space and facilitate cooperation between
the military and humanitarian agencies without compromising the
latter's impartial position.
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