April 10
LOOTERS RANSACK BAGHDAD HOSPITALS
BBC: The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) says two key Baghdad hospitals, and many other smaller ones, have been ransacked, as looting spreads across the capital.
ICRC spokeswoman Nada Doumani told BBC News Online that armed looters had stripped the al-Kindi, a key hospital in north-eastern Baghdad, of everything, including beds, electrical fittings and medical equipment.
She said another major hospital, the 650-bed Medical City, was also surrounded by armed men and was running low of water and medical supplies.
Baghdad's hospitals have already been under severe strain in recent days as they try to cope with the casualties caused by the coalition's aerial bombardments of the capital, as well as fighting on the ground.
TOO SCARED
Many smaller hospitals in the city, which is now mostly under the control of US troops, have closed for fear of being looted.
United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan and Britain's International Development Secretary, Clare Short, both said law and order in Baghdad is now a major concern.
The Red Cross spokeswoman said organisation staff had on Thursday been unable to get to both the al-Kindi and the Medical City hospitals because of armed people in the streets.
"Al-Kindi has been looted by an armed group. Security in the city is very bad and people are not daring to go to the hospitals.
"We have heard that smaller hospitals are closed because people are too scared to open them to have them looted by armed men," said the spokeswoman.
"If we cannot get to the hospitals because of the situation it means that normal citizens cannot get there either."
The ICRC suspended operations in Baghdad on Wednesday after a Canadian member of the humanitarian team was killed in the capital.
Vatche Arslanian, 48, was travelling in a Red Cross vehicle when it was hit by gunfire on Tuesday. The agency's work was halted because it said staff movement involved "incalculable risks". On Thursday, the ICRC team tried to re-start work, but armed men on the streets have hindered their efforts to get to the city's hospitals.
ESSENTIAL SERVICES
Law and order broke down on the streets of Baghdad following the push by US troops into the centre of the Iraqi capital on Wednesday.
Looters took food, furniture, ornaments, carpets and other items from government offices, shops, homes and Saddam's Hussein's palaces.
The Red Cross spokeswoman repeated an earlier plea by the organisation for US forces to restore law and order on the streets of Baghdad.
She said: "It is the responsibility of the forces in the city to ensure the safety of essential services, such as hospitals."
Speaking as he arrived at UN headquarters on Thursday, Mr Annan said after scenes of looting "obviously law and order must be a major concern".
Ms Short said British and American troops were required, under the Geneva Convention, to provide humanitarian assistance to civilians, to maintain order, and to keep the civil administration running.
|
April 10
INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEE OF THE RED CROSS DAILY BULLETIN
BAGHDAD (10 April)
The ICRC was not able to access any hospitals or distribute supplementary drinking water because of the chaotic situation characterized by widespread looting and the presence of armed men in the streets.
The ICRC received reliable reports that Al-Kindi hospital has been looted of everything, including beds, electrical fittings and medical equipment. Other hospitals simply closed down in the face of the rampant disorder.
Because of the chaos many people, especially the most vulnerable, are simply too afraid to attempt to reach hospitals for medical care. The ICRC's medical doctor in Baghdad is particularly concerned about people suffering from chronic illnesses such as diabetes or kidney problems, who find it extremely difficult if not impossible to reach the specialized facilities they require.
BAGHDAD (10 April)
The delegation is in mourning today, following the tragic death of our colleague,
Vatche Arslanian. Nonetheless, the ICRC is continuing to carry out some life-saving activities. However, bearing in mind the still volatile security situation movements in the city will be limited.
In particular, our colleagues plan to visit the Medical City hospital complex (650 beds), which is still experiencing water shortages. They will visit another two hospitals, including one where several foreign journalists are being treated. The ICRC will also try to fill up public water tanks in areas of the capital such as Saddam City, currently not connected to the water-supply network.
BASRA (10 April)
General situation
There appears to have been a public reaction to the widespread looting experienced over recent days, with the population making clear its discontent. Religious leaders have been speaking out against the criminal activity. Despite this, several armed robberies and shoot-outs, including attacks on hospitals and the orthopaedic centre, were reported to have taken place overnight from 9 to 10 April. Furthermore, a water pipeline linking the Wafa' Al-Qaed water-pumping station to the town of Safwan has been damaged by people stealing water. This has left the town without water, even though the pumping station and the local water-treatment plant are both working.
ICRC staff paid a brief visit to the hospital in Al-Zubayr near Basra. The hospital director reported widespread looting in the town during the previous night. Fortunately, hospital staff have so far been able to defend the facility against the looting. The hospital would in theory be able to admit patients treated in coalition forces' field hospitals but still requiring follow-up medical care.
Water
Water trucking to hospitals continued, as did the installation of UNICEF-donated bladder tanks. Repair work on the high-tension line providing power to Wafa' Al-Qaed raw water-pumping station and water-treatment plant was completed. A war-wounded kit for 100 patients was delivered to Basra teaching hospital, while catheter sets and blankets were provided to Tahrir hospital.
Mine awareness
Volunteers of the Iraqi Red Crescent Society have continued to distribute leaflets raising awareness of the danger of mines and unexploded ordnance. UK forces have also been made aware of the location of abandoned ammunition/weaponry and unexploded ordnance in the city.
Facilitating restoration of basic services
Through its established role as neutral intermediary, the ICRC has begun facilitating different meetings between UK forces and local Iraqi administrative bodies, with a view to restoring basic services in Basra.
|
