by Cathy Breen
Friday, June 17, 2005

Today is the second day of the 2-week fast. Things are going well, everyone doing fine except for the usual tiredness that is expected. We received permission from the Swiss police for the 16th and 17th to be at the vigil site, something which I understand may need to be renewed every two days. Our first day was given to countless phone calls and e-mails to the press, readying press packets, and seeking permission to vigil. We could not have managed without our new friends, Babak, (whom we came to know mainly through Scott), as well as Robert and Geneva. We are so grateful for their warm welcome and hands on help.

Yesterday we had Reuters press, Agence France Presse, and Le Courrier present as we unrolled our banners. They were able to include Hans Von Sponeck in their interviews, and an article by Reuters appeared today in the press, headlined EX U.N. BOSS IN IRAQ SEEKS END TO GULF WAR PAYOUTS. We heard that news of our vigil was also on the local news last night on Leman Blou channel.

Hans Von Sponeck’s message to the U.N. Compensation Commission (U.N.C.C.), as well as to the Security Council, was both challenging and powerful.

“The U.N.C.C. has no legitimacy for one day longer” he said, “it is not a colonial master.” He stressed that it is not for the U.N. to decide the justification of compensation claims, but rather they should be discussed between a sovereign Iraqi government and the claimant countries. “Who is paying the price for this criminal international policy?” von Sponeck asked. “The people in Iraq have done nothing wrong, and yet they are punished.”

Mr. Von Sponeck pointed out that he was director of the UNDP European office in Geneva, albeit for a short time, and that he “had come out of total solidarity” to be with our group. “It is an unbelievable fact that international conscience is no longer represented by the U.N., but by these people (referring to Kathy Kelly and Voices in the Wilderness). Year after year they’ve tried to remind people that something is wrong! They’re known all over the world…they show another America–that is important to know.”

He suggested that we include other banners which mention the U.N.C.C. and why we have come so far, for example UNCC - YOU ALSO ARE ACCOUNTABLE - REMEMBER JUSTICE WHEN YOU MEET on 28 - 30th of JUNE. We are in the process of preparing two new banners.

In a second interview with Le Courrier, Mr. Von Sponeck was questioned about the Oil for Food scandal. He said that one should not be arguing about what is the biggest scandal, that the part of the corporations in Iraq after the war is a far bigger scandal. He spoke about the U.S.-led U.N. council debates, that in the first of the three-phase Oil for Food program, the U.N. Security Council allocated $1.3 billon for a 6 month period. This translates into $113. per person per year. This was for food, electricity, water, agriculture, education, etc. It didn’t take long before it was clear that people couldn’t live on that. After much debate, the amount was doubled to $226. The World Health Organization says that a person who has less than $365. (a dollar a day) is living in stark poverty.

In 1990 the UNECEF mortality rate in Iraq was 56 infants per 1,000; in 1999 it was 132 per 1,000. Once again Mr. Von Sponeck questioned “Who paid the price for this?”

When Iraqis were in desperate need of the revenue generated by the Oil for Food sales, the UNCC’s priority was to use 30% of those funds, every year, to settle claims against Iraq, many of them made by wealthy corporations and countries.

In response to the question of how the U.N. can regain the trust that it has lost, Mr. Sponeck said “to take a low profile… there has to be a healing period….You can’t push honesty in the corner for too long, the people will find out.”

Today, June 17th, Mr. Von Sponeck was once again with us. Yesterday, he had arranged for two people from the team to accompany him into the U.N.this morning for a visit. But when Jeff and Leisa went with Mr. von Sponeck this morning, they were refused entrance, something that upset him greatly.

It was a fine encouragement and honor to have Hans with us. Please note that the first edition of his new book will be out in August in ARABIC, the title Iraq Autopsy.

The other exciting news was the arrival of our dear Iraqi friend, “star gazer” and engineer, Raad, on the scene of the vigil. It was a moving reunion after the many months that have passed since we last saw him, and the tremendous upheaval and suffering that his kidnapping and now relocation to Switzerland have caused. We have been most fortunate to have the opportunity to meet with him on Thursday and Friday. A story with photos will be forthcoming. It is in the percolator.

We look forward to Farah’s coming tomorrow.

Thanks to you all for making this all happen and for holding down the fort. I wish I could tell you something about the food in Geneva, but that will have to wait until after the fast. Suffice it to say that it is good we are not eating as everything is so expensive here. I really wish I could get into the outer village areas. We shall see. En shallah. warm regards, cathy b