We Must Investigate The Human Impact Of War In Iraq" John Battle tells Parliament

John persuaded Parliament today to investigate the human impact of possible military action in Iraq.

John is a member of the International Development Select Committee, and persuaded them of the urgent need to focus on Iraq. The Committee will investigate the various possible effects of military action on the Iraqi people.

"While all the talk is of military action, someone ought to be raising the question of the humanitarian consequences, and that question needs to be raised now," said John.

The investigation will look particularly at:

· The adequacy of UK and UN humanitarian contingency plans

· Possible numbers of refugees fleeing Iraq and internally displaced people within the country, and levels of preparedness of UNHCR and the international community, especially Iraq's neighbours
· Existing aid programmes, especially the "food for oil" and UN food programmes, and possibility of famine
· Risk of large scale inter-ethnic fighting
· Risk of targeting electricity and water supplies depriving the population of water and sanitation, and possibility of epidemics.

Key witnesses the Select Committee will invite to give evidence include the Secretary of State for International Development, Clare Short; Prof Paul Rogers of Bradford University; charities including Christian Aid, CARE International, Save the Children Fund, and Islamic Relief; and UN agencies including UNHCR (UN High Commission for Refugees), UNICEF, the World Food Programme and UNOIP (UN Office of the Iraq Programme).

"Prof Paul Rogers and the Oxford Research Group have produced an excellent briefing which we need to build on now," John added.

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