Global Policy Forum

The Iraqi people will be forced to suffer more death, disease and fear if the coalition does not step up security to help humanitarian aid get through, relief agencies warned today.

The situation was "critical" in some parts of Iraq, leaders of eight agencies said in a joint statement. Other areas, which have also been crippled by the conflict and looting, were in "very serious and deteriorating" situation. Iraqis were being forced to cope with deteriorating health and hygiene while overwhelmed hospitals were being targeted by armed militiamen exploiting the "yawning administrative vacuum" that had been left since the war, the statement said.

The statement, which called for the UN to have a "central role" in overseeing and managing the transition to a new government, was signed by Oxfam director, Barbara Stocking, Islamic Relief president, Dr Hany El Banna, and Muslim Aid chairman, Chowdhury Mueen-Uddin. Other signatories were Duncan MacLaren, secretary general of Caritas International, CAFOD director, Julian Filochowski, Christian Aid director, Daleep Mukarji, ActionAid chief executive, Salil Shetty and Mike Aaronson, director general of Save the Children UK.

"Unless comprehensive action is taken now by the occupying forces to ensure security and the orderly delivery of humanitarian assistance based on need - which is a requirement under the Geneva conventions - this already acute situation will only worsen," they warned. "Already, some newly armed militia are forcing some people to flee their homes or offering 'protection' for hospitals. In a country made up of a mosaic of ethnic, religious and tribal groups, this can only lead to more turbulence and more misery for those civilians caught in between."

The aid agency leaders described the suffering, insecurity and uncertainty that persisted across Iraq. "Already under severe strain and under-resourced before the war began, hospitals, water plants and sewage systems have been crippled by the conflict and looting," the statement said. "Hospitals are overwhelmed, diarrhoea is endemic and the death toll is mounting. Medical and water staff are working for free, but cannot continue for long. Rubbish, including medical waste, is piling up. Clean water is scarce and diseases like typhoid are being reported in southern Iraq."

There is an urgent need for the political and administrative situation to be sorted out and for agreement to be found on the UN's role in Iraq's reconstruction, the agencies warned. "It is essential that the United Nations has a central role in facilitating the creation of a transitional Iraqi authority. The UN has experience in facilitating political transition, building confidence, fostering dialogue among diverse ethnic, social and religious groups, and playing a lead role in the physical reconstruction of countries after war."

Today's warning came as the first British passenger plane to land in Iraq for 13 years brought 60 tonnes of vital medical aid to Basra. The Virgin Atlantic 747 - loaded with incubators, wheelchairs and life-saving drugs worth around £2m - touched down on the deserted runway at Basra international airport just hours after the US president, George Bush, declared that major hostilities were over.

Virgin Atlantic boss Sir Richard Branson said flights might now be the best way to bring much-needed supplies to the war-torn country. Speaking on the runway at Basra, where his 747 was greeted by a guard of honour of waiting soldiers, he said the aid flight could be the first of many. "The aid agencies obviously should do their part as well, but Virgin has the big benefit of its own airline. My belief is that there needs to be literally hundreds of flights like this," he said.

Virgin flew aid flights into Baghdad in 1990 and flew hostages out of the Iraqi capital ahead of the 1991 Gulf war. Civilian flights from Britain were then banned under Saddam's regime, but Sir Richard said Virgin was ready to start flights to Baghdad and Basra once it had permission from a new Iraqi authority.

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