Plaid Cymru - The Party of Wales Euro MPs Jill Evans and Eurig Wyn will be leaving for Iraq this Saturday as part of a 34 strong European Parliamentary delegation from 11 European states.
The possibility of a visit was first expressed in a peace appeal signed by 110 MEPs in December 2002, and the week-long visit is being organised in conjunction with the humanitarian organisation Voices from the Wilderness.
Jill Evans MEP, who will be addressing an anti war rally in Swansea on Saturday morning immediately prior to her departure to Iraq, said:
"Our visit will focus mainly on the humanitarian crisis in Iraq which is likely to be made worse if war breaks out. Information from independent humanitarian aid sources clearly show that the international sanctions imposed on Iraq after the Gulf war are causing untold suffering for millions of innocent people. Food and medicine in Iraq are in short supply and the country's infrastructure - health service and water supplies - is in tatters."
"The opposition to war, in Wales as in the rest of the world, grows every day. It is clear that the majority of people in this country do not want an attack on Iraq to take place, and most certainly not in the name of the people of Wales."
Eurig Wyn MEP added:
"UNICEF, the UN's children's fund, estimates that the sanctions have been a factor in the deaths of 500,000 children to date. Those of us who oppose an attack on Iraq know that the real victims of war will once again be the ordinary Iraqi men, women and children."
"We all want to see a democratic government in Iraq, but more bloodshed won’t achieve that. If we do not oppose this US onslaught against Iraq then we all become guilty of perpetrating the horrors we are trying to prevent."
Due to tight security requirements the delegations final programme is yet to be confirmed, but the visit will include a meeting with a spokesperson of the Weapons Inspectors and the Iraqi officer responsible for liaisons with the inspection team. Meetings will also be held with the UN Humanitarian Co-ordinator and representatives of UNICEF, the UN Development Programme, the World Food Programme, World Health Organisation and UNHCR.
The group will also visit various sites, such as warehouses, food distribution centres and hospitals.
On Thursday, 6th February Jill Evans will travel to Basra in southern Iraq where she will visit a children’s hospital that treats the large number of cancer cases caused by the depleted uranium used in the first Gulf war. It is thought that Basra has the highest rate of lukemia in the world. Eurig Wyn will travel to northern Iraq to visit Kurdish communities.
Hans von Sponeck, ex-humanitarian co-ordinator for the "Food for Oil" programme, will accompany the delegation.
Ends.
Notes
Jill Evans will be addressing the following anti war rallies in February:
SWANSEA, 1st February 12 noon, SWANSEA South and West Wales March against the War Assemble at Patti Pavilion to proceed through the town centre. Rally at 1pm in Castle Square. Speakers include: Jill Evans MEP Chair CND Cymru, Plaid Cymru MEP, and Brian Hibbard (Actor (Twin Town) and former Flying Picket).
LONDON, 15th February - No War on Iraq Demonstration and Rally Assemble at the Embankment, 12.00 noon. Over 35 buses from Wales to the London Stop the War Rally on February 15th have already been filled with protestors and many more are expected. Huge numbers are expected in London for this event. Information about buses etc - contact CND Cymru (01550) 750 260.
