Sa ih)

2

Iraq: land of poverty, disease
expectancy is short

where life

ALF the population is
H under 20 years of age in
Iraq where the average life
expectation, is 28 to 30 years,
compared with 68 for men
and 71 for women in Britain.

This is one of the startling
facts given in a’ pamphlet,
Iraq: The Facts, which has
just been published by the

Iraq Students’ Society in
Britain.
“It is evident that condi-

tions were ripe for a revolu-
tion,” say the students after
describing the poverty, dis-
ease and appalling housing
conditions endured by the
Traqi people.

Out of every 1,000 babies
born alive in Iraq, over 300
die before reaching the age
of one year. Undernourish-
ment is the most important
cause of death.

In 1954, there were 360,000
people with malaria out of
the population of 6,500,000.
Yet a proper anti-malaria
campaign could wipe out the
disease within a few years,
says the pamphlet.

The incidence is particular-
ly high in the backward re-
gions where families live near
marshes in floating ' rafts.

Well over a million people
in Iraq had eye diseases, in-
cluding trachoma, in 1954,
says the report. In that year
some 40,000 people lost their
sight.

Quoting expert opinion, the
pamphlet describes the aver-
age agricultural worker in Iraq
as “a living pathological
specimen” suffering from
about six or seven diseases,
including malaria, trachoma
and possibly tuberculosis.

bes xt bes

The pamphlet goes on to
describe some of the condi-
tions in which these diseases
flourish.

There is only one sewage-
disposal plant in Iraq. It is in
the capital, Bagdad, with a
population of over a million,

where a plant was recently

started by
Board.

Everywhere else the sew-
age and waste waters go
either to the rivers where the
water igs used for drinking.
or to the subsoil water which
in turn may be used for
drinking from wells.

Water supply schemes are
limited to a few towns only,
and the average share of puri-
fied water per day in 1954
was three gallons for all pur-
poses, But most people can-
not get purified water at all.

Homes are so crowded that
there is an average of over
15,000 families live in tents,

the Development

Only about one-fiurtth of the
houses have water.
$03 og 503

Throughout Iraq there are
4,792 hospital beds, or less
than one bed for every 1,000
people. But since 40 percent
of the beds are in Bagdad, in
many areas the hospital posi-
tion is very much worse.

In one district, there is only
one bed for every 5,000 peo-
ple. In others the number is
one for every 3,500.

There are only about 800
doctors in the whole country
and over half of these are in
Bagdad. In some areas there
is only one doctor for every
30,000 people.

Only 5.9 percent of the
1953-54 budget was spent on
the ministry of health, how-

ever, while 31.8 percent was
spent on “defense.”

Poverty, ignorance and dis-
ease form a vicious circle in
Traq, say the students, and
the starting point is poverty.
The present income per head
is about $120 to $135 a year,
but since there is great con-
trast between the rich and
poor, this gives no indication
of the poverty of the peas-
ants.

It is believed that their
share is only about $30 to $45
each per pear.

The students preface their
pamphlet by saying they hope
it will explain why the new
Iraq Republic is enjoying the
support of the people of Iraq
and of the whole Arab nation.

Lord Russell relates
Japan's war crimes

N a time when films portray-
ing Nazi brutality are con-
demned and thought in poor
taste for TV showing, a book
about. war crimes may not find
wide acclaim in the commer-
cial press. The Knights of
Bushido subtitled A Short His-
tory of Japanese War. Crimes,
by Lord Russell of. Liverpool,
is a sequel to the description of
Nazi war crimes given by the
same author in the book. The
Scourge of the Swastika.

It contains a valuable intro-
duction dealing with the de-
velopment of Japanese mili-
tarism from 1931 onward and
with the eventual seizure of

“The only authority rep-
resenting the people is the
Chamber. of Deputies. We
have learned unfortunately
that American forces have
landed on Lebanese. terri-
tory under the pretext of
protecting the lives of Am-
ericans and to safeguard
the independence and sov-
erignty of Lebanon. This
act in itself, that is to say;
the landing of American
forces, is an infringement
of the independence and
sovereignty of Lebanon.

“The lives and interests
of Americans residing there
have never been endanger-
ed. Whereas the Lebanese
conflict. has lasted 67 days,

The USSR’s Arkaday Soboley confers with:the UAR’s Omar Loufti at the UN.

'We hold the U.S. responsible’

no Lebanese has ever had
the intention of menacing
the lives of Americans or
their interests.

“The crisis to which Le-
banon is a prey is a do-
mestic crisis. The resolu-
tion of it is in the hands of
the Chamber of Deputies.

“For that reason I must
protest on behalf of the
Chamber against this in-
fringement of the sover
eignty and independence of
Lebanon, and I consider
the landing of American
forces is a threat to peace
and security in the Middle
East.

“JT consider that the
United States of America

is responsible for any dis-
astrous repercussions which
may even lead to world
war, and I demand the im-
mediate evacuation of the
foreign forces to maintain
the good relations which
exist between Lebanon and
the United States.”

This is the text of the
message addressed to the
president and _ secretary
general of the United Na-
tions, and to the U.S. gov-
ernment by Adel Osseir-
ane, president of the Le-
banese Chamber of Depu-
ties, as read to the UN Se-
curity Council during the
debate on Lebanon on July
16 by Omar Loufti, UAR
representative to the UN.

-. sentment against the oll

August 8, 1958 —

power by the militarist is
promised “A New ordet
East Asia” which meant
anese rule of this rich “0
This brief account °
deceit and deliberate deceslt
carried out by this “ol
order to precipitate @
and ensure victory make
teresting reading and 1
us that a government pent!
conquest or “‘Jjberation the
other countries may Hf “i
creation of incidents 2 conte
ent excuse for interventia® 3
A deficiency of this se
ofthe book is the faill
its author to indicate the?
tionship* of Western impe
ism and economic expla
in East Asia to the gto iB
the reactionary Jape
ideology. Surely, porn

d
yo
ig
i"
8

of. Western dominatio? ’
vided support in Japa?
elsewhere for the ide@
New Order—which tur
to be worse than the old: Jt.
_In one chapter, Lord oat
deals with the general te
concerning treatment Ms
prisoners. Despite Jap
failure to ratify the ion?!
Prisoner of War Convet¥
1929, they were bound ve
vious treaties and by the®
ance of Foreign Ministe!
that they would obey #8 ys
visions. Despite this, JaP i
war leaders _ subsed! ug
sought immunity from {ria if
war crimes by claimi? aff
they were not bound
treaties. io?
In an all too brief se™ of Ol
this chapter, the attitude? y
Japanese toward prison®, jul!
war is dealt with. This att ade" 8
was attributed to the oe
Bushido (hence the title o
book). g
Belief in this Cod }
Bushido was consider de”
Lord Russell to be the iio
logical basis for thé fh
policy of brutality 0? t io)
of the Japanese gov ae
and army toward prise”, ff
war. Prisoners were cons! if
as_ utterly contemptiP igo
without right to any ©°
tion. vi
The remainder of *? pe
(obtainable here at *? gi
ple’s Co-op Bookstr, i)
West Pender Street, P™ iy tf ;
gives factual example
various types of atrocit™ i
petrated by the Japanes ‘wiley :
section.of the book is 4 nt
ant reading, but shou oat
to remind us of just wht! ple é
human beings are cap’ i
nl

doing to others. ys
PACIFIC TRIBUNE~