Let us provide humanitarian assistance to the Iraqi people

Hiroshi Yamagami

Board of Directors, Japanese Medical and Dental Practitioners for the Improvement of Medical Care (Hodanren)

In the southern Iraqi city of Basrah, birth defects have increased 7 times since the end of the Gulf War in 1991. There has been a significant increase in multiple deformities among this population. In 2002, the number of children diagnosed with cancer increased 5 times. Additionally, among adult family members there has been an apparent increase in cases of multiple cancers, leukemia, and lymphoma. The chances of individuals in Southern Iraq diagnosed with these conditions receiving proper medical treatment is very unlikely for a number of reasons, including the indiscriminate killing and abuse by U.S. and U.K. military forces, environmental destruction, economic sanctions, and the deterioration of public safety resources.

Our aim is to establish democracy in Iraq supported by self-determination

and the involvement of the United Nations. In order to realize a democratic Iraq, we strongly request the immediate withdrawal of occupation forces, including Japanese "Self-Defense" forces. The use of DU munitions must be banned without a delay. It is our sincere hope that this brochure will help people all over the world better understand the situation in Iraq. We are committed to making efforts to provide the Iraqi people with humanitarian assistance and further investigate the adverse effects of DU munitions in Iraq.