Plight of Mumineen in Iraq : Now is the time to respond …..

With the war phase almost over, as the mumineen  of Iraq come to terms with the reality of a life after Saddam and with foreign forces on their land, we must not fail in our duty to do what we can to assist in their hour of need. Now is the time to act and respond. We cannot afford to have a time lag. Devastated by years of economic sanctions and Saddam’s misrule, the people of Iraq today find themselves especially vulnerable to the catastrophic effects of this war.  Acute shortages of drinking water, and wide spread shortages of basic medicines means that preventable diseases are becoming fatal.   The urgent need is to respond quickly with water, food and emergency medical supplies for the next few months.

Following the Gulf War over 10 years ago, the Medical Advisory Board of the World Federation has been consistently sending medicines, to Iraqi refugees. With its decades long active participation, the WF – MAB has a good number of contacts and access to doctors, volunteers and front line workers, who are now traveling to Iraq to assist the mumineen in Iraq.

As the WF continues to coordinate a worldwide campaign to raise funds for Iraqi Relief, the secretariat has already begun to implement the first phase of the contingency plan to provide for the most immediate relief while it considers the options of medium term needs and long-term rehabilitation in consultation with our Marja’ Ayatullah Seestani.

Immediate medical supplies are being sent to the affected areas, as many Iraqi doctors and volunteers, who have worked closely with the MAB travel to Najaf, Karbala and Basra. The supplies contain first aid kits and medication, such as painkillers and antibiotics to combat communicable or infectious diseases. This will also include medications for people coping with chronic illnesses, including diabetes, asthma and stress related ailments, as looting inside Iraq has further reduced the availability of such medicines. Amongst other measures, provision of water and sending water filters through various relief agencies is also being discussed.

Our relief workers in Dezful are meeting the needs of refugees, who had to leave Iraq 10 years ago with only the clothes on their backs, and who now wish to return to Iraq.  They are being assisted with means to prepare for their return to their homes. Plans are being made to address other needs when the opportunity opens to resettle them in their homes in Najaf, Karbala and Basra.

The special task force set up by the WF is actively monitoring the situation on a daily basis and we will Inshallah be issuing regular updates once our frontline workers are on the ground. We will also be seeking direct guidance from our Marja’ and will communicate his wishes and guidance to mumineen.

In the meanwhile, I urge the Community to centralize its efforts and funds, so as to optimize the relief work the WF has undertaken on behalf of you all.

Let us pray for the safety of  our Ulema and all mumineen of Iraq.

Hasnain Walji
President of The World Federation

April 19 2003