Jubilee Iraq updates us with new info on UNCC overcharging and a lack of compensation for Iraq victims.

Iraq says Volker investigation is uncovering “gross mismanagement” in UNCC

In January UN internal audits revealed that the UNCC may have overstated reparation awards by $5bn. Today Iraq’s Deputy UN ambassador Fesial al-Istrabadi told the AP that the the Volker Investigation into Oil-For-Food believes that some of the allegations were legitimate, particularly in how the commission handled currency exchange rates with the Iraqi dinar. “There appear to have been some irregularities that are at the very least gross mismanagement at the level of currency exchange.” The executive director of the investigation, Reid Morden, refused to confirm al-Istrabadi’s claim but said investigators had long wanted to scrutinize the U.N. Compensation Commission: “It’s a program which so far has submitted itself to very little in the way of transparency.”

The Volcker committee’s first interim report, released in February, described a turf war between the OIOS, the internal UN watchdog and the commission, which objected to the watchdog’s audits and repeatedly rejected its findings. For example, the OIOS said that the UNCC should pay claims according to the exchange rate at that time of payment. But the UNCC had decided that payments should be made based on the exchange rate from the time when the losses occurred. Al-Istrabadi rejected the argument that managing the exchange rates might prove difficult. “These are supposed to be sophisticated international operators with real responsibility over real people. If they weren’t up to the task, they should have said so.” He said Iraq will demand the return of the money if mismanagement and corruption were proven. UN spokeswoman Marie Okabe said there will be no comment on the latest allegations until the final Volcker report comes out. It is expected in September.

More on Harvard study into Kuwaiti public health claims

The Kuwaiti government had originally sought from the UNCC to help make up for the costs of excess hospitalizations and deaths during the occupation. After examining the recent Harvard report, Kuwait withdrew that financial claim and amended its long-pending public-health claims. “We found that the evidence wasn’t as compelling as they’d thought originally, and the government of Kuwait told us they didn’t want to file silly claims,” said lead researcher John Evans. He added that Kuwait is now seeking compensation from the UNCC for premature deaths from smoke exposure, medical treatment and disability costs resulting from PTSD, and medical treatment costs for mine and ordnance victims.

No compensation for Iraq victims

Inter Press Service reports on a visit to Kerbala. Hussein Al Abrahemy of Iraqi Human Rights Watch (incidently a supporter of Jubilee Iraq) explained that people had unsuccessfully requested many times that the US military retrieve the cluster bombs and Daisy Cutters components that are still being found all over the city. Children thought the yellow devices were toys. So on April 3, a committee headed by local volunteer Ali Hamza finally decided to dispose of the ordnance themselves. Attempting to clear a schoolyard, Ali Hamza was killed. The Army promised compensation, but the family has received nothing. Responding to US inaction, a Community of Victim’s Kin was founded, demanding that 5% of Iraq’s oil income be distributed among victims’ families. It is inhuman that Iraqi victims of war and occupation recieve nothing, while Kuwait and other wealthy countries take 5% in compensation for Saddam’s invasion which most Iraqis opposed.