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April 2,
2003
The Price of
Indifference
The Siege of Basra
By N.D. JAYAPRAKASH
According to the British forces, Basra became
a military objective "in order to get humanitarian aid to
civilians there"! In their view, the only stumbling block
in providing such aid is the "1000 die-hard Saddam Hussein
supporters" entrenched in Basra. In the name of eliminating
this opposition, the US and British forces are destroying
the city and its suburbs with impunity through relentless aerial
bombing and artillery fire. Is war being waged in order to send
in humanitarian aid? While a colossal humanitarian tragedy is
unfolding in and around Basra, the international community keeps
watching the ongoing brutality against its 1.5 million or more
residents almost as a helpless by-stander.
On 18 March 2003, The New York Times
had reported that: "Military and allied officials familiar
with the planning of the upcoming campaign say they hope that
a successful and 'benign' occupation of Basra that results in
flag-waving crowds hugging British and American soldiers will
create an immediate and positive image worldwide while also undermining
Iraqi resistance elsewhere." It was with these high hopes
that the Coalition Forces led by the United States had launched
their predatory war against Iraq on 20 March 2003. On the very
third day of the attack, according to news reports, "United
States and British troops [had] moved into the strategic southern
port city of Basra" (see AP and AFP reports quoted in The
Hindu, 23 March 2003). The same news reports also claimed that:
"As coalition forces advanced, an entire Iraqi army division--the
51 Infantry Division with 8000 men and 200 tanks, a key unit
in the defence of Basra--gave itself up, US military officials
said."
Dashed Hopes
The above reports tended to give the
impression that Basra, the second largest city of Iraq inhabited
by some 1.5 million people, had been captured without a fight.
However, as events have unfolded it has become abundantly clear
that these baseless reports--like several other such bogus claims
emanating from official sources--were part of the standard misinformation
campaign indulged in by the US and its allies in the ongoing
war. Just two days after the above claims were made public the
reality could no longer be hidden.
According to The Hindu (25 March 2003):
"An AFP report from Basra, quoting British officials, said
fierce Iraqi resistance forced British troops to withdraw today
from Basra to regroup. Military officials admitted they had vastly
underestimated the strength of Iraqi resistance and the loyalty
of Basra's population to the regime of Mr. Hussein." Summing
up the situation, Paul Reynolds, BBC
News Online world affairs correspondent, wrote: "The
fact is that Basra is not undergoing a benign occupation. It
has just been declared a military target by British forces which
have come under attack from inside. This was a city which the
British spokesman Colonel Chris Veron said early on was not of
military importance."
Reynolds then went on to add: "What
has happened? The explanation according to British and American
officials is that Saddam Hussein's forces are still oppressing
the people who cannot show their true emotions." But Reynolds
was not entirely convinced by this explanation. Therefore he
commented: "However, it might not be as simple as that.
Consider what happened in Basra last Saturday [22 March 2003]
when there were air raids. The Qatari television channel al-Jazeera
had a team in the city and it sent back graphic pictures of dead
and wounded civilians which were widely shown in the Arab world.
People do not take kindly to being bombed, even by 'friendly
forces'."
Different Strategy
When the false hopes of a cakewalk into
Basra were belied, British forces revealed their next strategy
on 25 March by propagating that "taking Iraq's southern
city of Basra has now become a military objective in order to
get humanitarian aid to civilians there." (See http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/
2882967.stm) But before providing humanitarian aid, humanitarian
needs had to be accentuated. They had already taken care of that.
Unlike Baghdad, where the civilian infrastructure was more or
less left intact at least during the first week of the bombings,
targets in Basra definitely included critical civilian infrastructure.
What the media has failed to highlight
is the fact that it was during the earliest air raids over Basra
that the main high-voltage power transmission cables to the city
were destroyed. Apart from plunging the city into darkness during
the night, the primary effect of the power cut was on the city's
potable water supply system. The Wafa' Al Qaed Raw Water Pumping
Station, which is situated on the bank of the Shatt al-Arab river,
is dependent on electricity for circulating water from the river
to the five water treatment plants and one booster pump across
the city. But "the break-down of the power system in Basra
as a result of the destruction of high-voltage cables during
the hostilities has led to the disruption of water circulation
since 21 March." This was the assessment made by the International
Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), which had quickly arrived
on the scene. (See Operational
Update Iraq 20-25 March 2003.)
For the last 12 years, ICRC has been
involved in repairing and upgrading of water and sewage treatment
facilities in Iraq, including those in Basra. According to the
ICRC: "By 22 March, engineers and technicians of the ICRC
along with Basra's water board staff had managed to connect several
water treatment plants to the Shatt al-Arab river and to operate
back-up generators at these plants. As a result of these emergency
measures, around 30 % of the population of Basra regained access
to water. However, this was only a temporary and partial solution
and the situation remained critical." (Ibid.) On 24 March,
after contacting both parties to the conflict, the ICRC was able
to cross the frontline and gain access to the main water pumping
facility.
Water Crisis
The ICRC field staff also stated that
over the next few days they "will work to facilitate further
access for local technicians who may be able to assess the damage
to the high-power voltage lines and repair them." This was
because the ICRC was "concerned that further damage to power
stations or high-voltage transmission cables will continue to
disrupt water-production facilities, which will have a direct
impact on overall health situation of the population." (Ibid.)
It was obvious that the damaged transmission cables were in an
area on the outskirts of Basra occupied by the British forces.
By 26 March, after the technical team managed to partially restart
the main water pumping facility using three of the six stand-by
generators, the ICRC estimated that 50 per cent of the city's
inhabitants had access to drinking water. The rest were probably
taking water directly from the river, where sewage is dumped.
The ICRC remained "concerned about
the situation in other urban centres south of Basra that have
been disconnected from the water-supply network since last Friday
[21 March]. These include Al-Zubayr, Safwan and Jabjud. It has
so far not been possible to carry out repair work in these areas."
(ICRC Press Release, 26 March 2003, ibid.) The ICRC also pointed
out that the Wafa' Al Qaed "station not only serves Basra
but also surrounding towns." The ICRC further warned that
the situation remained "precarious since all water treatment
plants and pumping stations now rely on back-up generators. The
generators only provide a fraction of the normal power available
to the water facilities, not to mention the difficulties of obtaining
fuel and spare parts." (News from ICRC staff in the field,
27 March 2003, ibid.) There has been little change in the situation
since then.
In its latest report, the ICRC has stated
that: "There is now a limited supply of water and electricity
serving different parts of Basra in turn. Despite the slight
improvements achieved, the ICRC remains concerned about the water
and power situation. The use of generators is a temporary solution
that can only produce results if the equipment can be constantly
monitored and maintained by skilled personnel." (ICRC News,
Iraq: Daily Bulletin, 31 March 2003, ibid.) The fact remains
that the British army, which has laid siege on Basra, has done
nothing so far to repair the damaged power transmission lines.
This is having an adverse impact on the lives of the civilian
population. From news reports that are trickling in from areas
in and around Basra, it is clear that a humanitarian crisis is
brewing there largely due to shortage of safe drinking water.
"Humanitarian
Aid"
With hindsight, it would now appear that
disruption of electric-supply leading to grave shortage of safe
drinking water to the population in and around Basra was part
of a deliberate ploy on the part of the Coalition Forces to create
a humanitarian crisis there. What is lending credence to the
suspicion that this crisis in and around Basra is stage-managed
is the reported strategy on the part of the Coalition Forces
to gain confidence of the Iraqi people by providing them "humanitarian
aid". Even before the safe drinking water supply system
was disrupted in Basra, a British supply ship 'Sir Galahad' was
already on its way to the port of Umm Qasr and shortly arrived
there "loaded with the first military shipment of relief
aid for Iraqi civilians." (See Associated Press report in
The Hindu, 29 March 2003).
The phrase "military shipment of
relief aid" aptly described what its intended objective
was. The AP report went on to add that: "The cargo consists
of 100 tonnes of water and 150 tonnes [of food and medical supplies]."
Considering the fact that the Water Pumping Station at Basra
has a capacity to draw 20,000 cubic metres of water per hour
(see War on Iraq at http://www.icrc.org/eng),
the much touted shipment of 100 tonnes (about 200 cubic meters
or 100,000 litres) of water all the way from Britain is nothing
but a cheap public relations exercise. Instead of taking steps
to quickly restore power supply to the pumping station at Basra
and to enable it to restart the water treatment and circulation
process, the invading British forces are intent on posing as
benefactors by distributing imported water to the needy Iraqi
population! The British forces had also planned to lay a three-kilometre
long water pipeline from Kuwait to Southern Iraq f! or this purpose.
(It was reported on 31 March that the
pipeline from Kuwait to Southern Iraq near Umm Qsar had been
laid and that it would supply 2 million litres of water daily.
"At the moment this is the only guaranteed potable water
supply in southern Iraq", said Major Hugh Ward, a British
military spokesman. What was left unsaid was that drinking water
crisis arose there due to damage inflicted on Umm Qsar's water
treatment plant, which has a capacity to treat 3 million litres
of water a day, and due to disruption of power supply during
the invasion by the British forces.)
CNN's Christiane Amanpour has offered
an explanation that will leave no one in doubt about the strategic
objective of providing "humanitarian aid" through the
military. Ms. Amanpour, CNN's Chief International Correspondent,
who was at Umm Qasr to welcome the arrival of 'Sir Galahad' on
28 March, began her report thus: "This port has been the
focus of a lot of attention" (Sure, it has been! Both CNN
and BBC have been repeatedly drawing attention of the viewers
that it would be through Umm Qasr that humanitarian aid would
begin to flow into Iraq as soon as Iraqi forces were driven out
from the port area. It was as though the port of Umm Qsar was
to be used solely for bringing in humanitarian aid! This announcement
was so often repeated over both the channels that it became a
little incongruous. After all, why should a war be waged against
Iraq in order to bring in humanitarian aid into that country?)
Ms. Amanpour then let the cat out of
the bag. "It is not just about humanitarian aid for the
needy," she said, "but also as a very powerful political
and psychological tool. For the British, certainly, this war
is as much about heavy metal fighting as it is about winning
hearts and mind. We keep getting this message every day about
how they want to get the civilian population on their side and
this is part of that battle." So this is what the PR exercise
by the British forces was all about: to use humanitarian aid
"as a very powerful political and psychological tool."
As CNN's news editor added: "The plan is to get the people
to separate from the political leadership and give them space
to 'rise up' against the leadership! ." Kylie Morris, a
BBC correspondent in southern Iraq, too had noted that "there
is a vigorous hearts and minds campaign under way using humanitarian
assistance to win the confidence of ordinary Iraqis."
"The Uprising"
While the PR exercise about providing
"humanitarian aid" was being enacted, other plans too
were underway "to get the people to separate from the political
leadership". Immediately after the British forces were forced
to make a hasty retreat from Basra after their initial surge,
rumours about an uprising within Basra began to be highlighted
in the media. On the night of 25 March, BBC announced that: "A
'popular civilian uprising' is reported to be taking place in
the southern Iraqi city of Basra, according to British military
intelligence officials. A spokesman in Kuwait said there appeared
to be some form of civilian revolt taking place, but as yet there
is no independent confirmation of the report."
The Report then went on to add: "According
to military intelligence officials, Iraqi troops in the city
have turned mortar fire on their own civilians in an attempt
to crush the unrest." The bit about the "mortar fire"
was a give-away! Even assuming that there was an uprising within
Basra and that the Iraqi forces were trying to suppress it, mortar
is hardly the ideal weapon of choice for use within the city--that
too against targets at close range. But the Coalition Forces
were firm on instilling the belief that a rebellion had broken
out against the "1000 die-hard Saddam Hussein supporters
[who] were based in the city and keeping the population in check".
(Ibid.) This was not surprising since "Washington and London
have openly been hoping for civilian uprisings against the Iraqi
leadership. Such an event in Basra--a city of 1.3 million people--[they
had said] would be a significant development."
Communal Card
In the opinion of Michael Dobbs and Walter
Pincus, Washington Post Staff Writers: "Before the war began,
U.S. officials had painted a picture of a repressed Shiite population
eagerly awaiting its hour of deliverance from the three decades
of dictatorial rule." They then went on to add that: "In
military terms, a Shiite rebellion might have been a serious
blow to Hussein. The Shiites form half the population of Iraq
but have been excluded from Hussein's Sunni-dominated government.
" They did not fail to mention that: "The CIA and U.S.
military intelligence also have been in touch with Shiite representatives".
In the background of these concerted attempts within the establishment
to win over the "Shiite" population, the reactions
to the reported "uprising" in Basra were, overwhelming.
On 26 March, London's Guardian described
it "as the most encouraging single development since the
war began." It further added that: "If an uprising
is sustained and is ultimately successful, it could trigger similar
revolts in the other Shia cities of southern Iraq". Brian
Whitaker of the same newspaper also noted that the British forces
had "weighed in with artillery support for the rebelling
Shia population...". With this overt emphasis on supporting
the "Shiites", one wonders as to whether U.S. and British
forces have invaded Iraq in order to resolve the "Shia-Sunni"
dispute? The fact is that they have merely drawn out their devious
communal card. By playing upon the religious sentiments of various
communities, they hope to sharpen differences among the Iraqis
and thereby reap rich dividends for themselves. It is a practice
that governments in Britain and the U.S. regularly indulge in.
However, reports of an "uprising"
turned out to be totally baseless. BBC itself came forward to
disclaim reports about the uprising. A report released by it
on 28 March said: "A Western journalist who managed to get
inside the southern Iraqi city of Basra says earlier claims of
a popular uprising appear to be incorrect." David Fox of
Reuters news agency, who had been invited by people into their
homes, told BBC that "any claims that there has been a popular
uprising 'have not been substantiated whatsoever'. " He
went on to add that: "The population isn't in a panic, they
are complaining about the lack of water and also food."
(Ibid.) Since reports about an "uprising" have proved
false, is it not more than likely that such tales were spun to
provide an ideal cover for blaming the ! Iraqi forces for the
widespread death and destruction that is caused by indiscriminate
shelling & bombing of civilian areas in Basra by the British?
Stop the War
Under the garb of forcing a regime change,
the Coalition Forces are riding roughshod over the Iraqi people
and ravaging their country. Dreadful killing of civilians and
reckless destruction of civilian infrastructure with deadly weapons
is increasing day by day, particularly in southern and central
Iraq. The psychological trauma, which the defenceless population--particularly
the young--is forced to experience is bound to leave deep scars
on their minds. To mask their desperate acts of aggression, the
Coalition Forces have undertaken a 'campaign to win hearts and
minds' by distributing "humanitarian aid". But the
vast majority of the Iraqi population is unlikely to forgive
the U.S. and British governments for the terrible sufferings
that have been inflicted upon them. They are also unlikely to
forget that it was particularly at the instance of U.S. and Britain
that strict economic sanctions with their devastating consequences
have been in place against Iraq! for the last 12 years. Despite
this, Iraqi nationalism has had a potent influence. As one BBC
correspondent has noted: "A coming together often happens
to a people under siege, and a siege is what the Iraqis are now
experiencing." (Reynolds, op cit.)
The international community cannot just
sit back and let the Iraqis fend for themselves. If the naked
aggression by the US-British forces is not stopped forthwith,
the price of indifference would be enormous.
As compared to other urban centres in
Iraq, Basra is one city about which relatively more information
is currently available. Basra is just an example of the tragic
fate that has befallen the Iraqi people.
N.D.Jayaprakash
is a member of the Delhi Science Forum/Coalition for Nuclear
Disarmament and Peace. He can be reached at: jpdsf@hotmail.com
Today's
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William
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The Pitfalls of War Planning
Jorge
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Latinos on the Frontlines, Again
Paul
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Jo
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From Baghdad: "I Am His Mother"
Tarif
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Operation Embedded Folly
Lee
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Labor's War at Home
Akiva Eldar
Israeli Dreams of Iraqi Oil
Bernard
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Robert
Fisk
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Gate
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