Prohibited weapons crisis in Fallujah 2008
The effects of pollution on the public health in Fallujah
... This report focuses on the effects caused by pollution on the health of Fallujah population two years after the use of forbidden weapons by the American troops in its major attacks on the city in 2004. Fallujah has a population of almost 650,000 inhabitants. After an American attacks at March November 2004 in Fallujah and using prohibited weapons like Chemical weapons and Cluster mentions.. Three years after the devastating US assault, Fallujah city left without clean water, electricity and medicine...MPT report refer Starting in 2004 when the political situation and devastation of the health care infrastructure were at their worst, there were 251 reported cases of cancer. By 2006, when the numbers more accurately reflected the real situation, that figure had risen to 688. Already in 2007, 801 cancer cases have been reported. Those figures portray an incidence rate of 28.21 by 2006, even after screening out cases that came into the Najaf Hospital from outside the governate, a number which contrasts with the normal rate of 8-12 cases of cancer per 100,000 people... We found in one year like 2006 there are 5928 new illnesses cases that unknown before in Fallujah, more than 70% were of the cancers and abnormalities reported occurred in the 1 day 12 years age range....
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Prohibited weapons crisis in Fallujah 2008
The effects of pollution on the public health in Fallujah
CCERF - Fallujah
July 7m 2008
On the anniversary of the first Fallujah bombardment of March-April 2004, Civil society organizations MHRI and CCERF with Fallujahs doctors has released the new report. The report reminds the world with hard facts about the use of internationally banned weapons that was used by U.S. forces against innocent civilians. A detailed description of consequent health problems on both children and women is included in the report.
The Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights at the United Nations should do its responsibility towards what has been mentioned in the report. We here legally bound ourself to the at most facts mentioned in the report and state our readiness to prove every single factual element with documented evidences.
11th March 2008
Conservation Center of Environmental & Reserves in Fallujah - CCERF
Monitoring net of Human Rights in Iraq - MHRI
Presented to 7th session of the Human Rights Council (Geneva, 3 - 28 March 2008)
Full Text (warning: graphic images): :
http://files.splinder.com/ae2a8998cb5292e05e6a57d75e09140f.p
df
Miss Luiza Arbour
High Commissioner for human Rights of United Nations
Geneva
4th March, 2008
Excellency
After a long period of cooperation between civil society organizations (Conservation Center of Environmental and Reserves in Fallujah - CCERF and Monitoring net of Human Rights in Iraq MHRI) and medical authorities in Fallujah, We have the honor to submit with this letter its report on the effects of an American prohibited weapons used in Fallujah attacks ( March - November 2004).
Both security and political reasons played significant role in making this task almost impossible .Nevertheless, the report is in your hand now with vast evidence and documentations on this catastrophic and continuous pollution in Iraq without any real action for help the victims or clean up or treating the polluted places.
Therefore, we are kindly asking the High Commissioner for Human Rights to look at the content of the report in accordance with the General Assembly's resolution 48/ 141 (paragraph 4) of 20 December 1993, to investigate the serious threatens of health right in Fallujah and Iraq, and to relay the results of this investigation to the Commission on Human Rights to take the suitable decisions.
Excellency
We believe that the situation of health right in Iraq, since the last report (E/CN.4/2005/4) prepared by the High Commissioner in June 2004,has severely deteriorated and has reached a point where the Commissioner on Human Rights should give serious consideration to the re-appointment of a Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Iraq and send delegation from WHO with Special Rapporteur on health rights to visit Fallujah, Najaf and Basrah in order to study and monitor all the polluted places and to encourage the establishing of the real role of international support with Environmental issues in Iraq.
Our people are looking forward to your help to ensure the protection of the life and health rights of all Iraqi and to put an end to the continues suffering.
Sincerely
Muhamad Al-Darraji
Director of the Monitoring Net of Human Rights in Iraq (MHRI)
President of Conservation Center of Environmental and Reserves in Fallujah (CCERF)
E-mail: monitornet@gmail.com & muhtaq72@yahoo.com
http://www.mhrinet.splinder.com , www.ccerf.splinder.com
Intoduction:
This report focuses on the effects caused by pollution on the health of Fallujah population two years after the use of forbidden weapons by the American troops in its major attacks on the city in 2004. Fallujah has a population of almost 650,000 inhabitants. After an American attacks at March November 2004 in Fallujah and using prohibited weapons like Chemical weapons and Cluster mentions. (RAI news 24, 2005; CCERF, 2006). Three years after the devastating US assault, Fallujah city left without clean water, electricity and medicine (Patrick Cockburn,2008,Independent).
We are trying knowing the world the effects of pollution on health impact in another place in Iraq after new report of Muslim Peacemaker Teams (MPT) about Depleted Uranium Crisis (December 2007), which referred to effects of use DU on health impact of Najaf, a city of over one million people, and the rural areas in the governate (The area is about 180 miles from where DU was use in the 1991 and 2003 wars), while Fallujah situation is difference not only with type of prohibited weapons used in March and November 2004 but also these weapons used inside the city, not out city like Najaf).
MPT report refer Starting in 2004 when the political situation and devastation of the health care infrastructure were at their worst, there were 251 reported cases of cancer. By 2006, when the numbers more accurately reflected the real situation, that figure had risen to 688. Already in 2007, 801 cancer cases have been reported. Those figures portray an incidence rate of 28.21 by 2006, even after screening out cases that came into the Najaf Hospital from outside the governate, a number which contrasts with the normal rate of 8-12 cases of cancer per 100,000 people.
Fallujah health impact report is interviewing victims and gathering evidence and facts so that the international community may help to stop their ongoing pain. This study is the result of two-year cooperation and coordinating between civil society organizations (Conservation Center of Environmental and Reserves in Fallujah (CCERF) and Monitoring Net of Human Rights in Iraq (MHRI)) and the administration of Fallujah General Hospital. All the data originate from official reports of Fallujah General Hospital.
We found in one year like 2006 there are 5928 new illnesses cases that unknown before in Fallujah, more than 70% were of the cancers and abnormalities reported occurred in the 1 day 12 years age range.
While in the first six months of 2007 were 2447 cases, more than 50% of their cases were children. Simply, this mean that most of victims are children and this will lead to threaten the new generation in this city.
First Section: Comparative analysis:
This section will focus on doing comparative analysis between the data of same month (February) at differs years 2003 and 2006 as well as to 2007 to concentrate on the changes in illnesses rates and numbers as well as to appearing new and danger illnesses had been related of pollution and leading of genetic devolution, genetic drift.
The Health Report of February 2003:
According to the General Hospital in Fallujah the medical records of the health situation in Fallujah of 2003, have been damaged as a direct result of the military operations on the hospital and other health centers in the city since 2003. Therefore the information in this report of February month was compiled from private records of doctors, and statistics from other medical staff and employees.
This report clearly shows many types of common type of illnesses in 2003 like Epidemic diarrhea (200 cases), acute renal failure (42 cases), lack of low growth hormones (47) and diabetes mellitus illnesses (10), While the danger illnesses were very few numbers like congenital heart disease (5 cases). Some illnesses were with female gender only like Breast cancer (10). The total illness cases of February month in 2003 were 344 cases. See table No. 1
The health situation of February 2006:
This report shows very different types and terrible amounts of illnesses, two years after major military operations in Fallujah (March and November 2004). In these battles many types of forbidden weapons especially Cluster bombs, Chemical weapons like white phosphorus. Huge bombs of 300-500 Kilos as well as unknown types of unconventional weapons according to strong evidence with many pictures & movies proved this evidences collected after these operations.
Any simple comparative analysis between the months of February in 2003 and 2006 will reveal new evidence and indicators about seriousness of the effects of pollution problem in this town now.
In February 2006 we found continue of same illnesses like Leukemia (7 cases), but there are another dangerous types started appear with huge numbers like Meningitis 80 cases, Thalassemia 17 cases, Septicemia 135 cases, Congenital Spinal cord abnormalities 114 cases, Congenital Renal abnormalities 87 cases with undiagnosed cases 22 cases. The total number of illnesses was 542 cases while in same month in 2003 were 344 cases with clearly difference in illness types.
There are some diseases concentrated with Male gender more than with Female gender in this month like Meningitis 55 M., 25 F., Thalassemia 14 M, 3 F. and Septicemia 93 M, 42 F. while another illnesses concentrated with Female gender more than Male like Congenital Renal abnormalities 13 M, 74 F. and undiagnosed cases 22M, 85 F. See table No. 2.
Second Section: Analysis of Illness data of 2006:
o First half of 2006:
The illnesses number during the first six months of 2006 (January, February, March, April, May and June), we found there are 2942 illness cases .They were distributed to 475 of Meningitis, 198 of Thalassemia, 952 Septicemia, 45 of Brain tumor, 365 of Congenital Spinal cord abnormalities, 299 of Congenital Renal abnormalities, 574 undiagnosed cases and 40 cases of Leukemia.
The illness cases were have nearly numbers between male (M) and female (F) genders, Meningitis 295 M. 180 F. (474), Thalassemia 103 M. 95 F. (198), Septicemia 506 M. 446 F. (952), Brain Tumor 19 M. 26 F. (45), Congenital Spinal cord abnormalities 178 M. 184 F. (362), Leukemia 23 M. 17 F. (40), while the female numbers were more double than male gender in Congenital Renal abnormalities 77 M. 222 F. (299) and Undiagnosed cases 181 M. 383 F. (564).
The children numbers were most of victim's numbers, 2371 from 2942 (80%). The age range of children was between 6 months 6 years of Meningitis, 2 11 years of Thalassemia, 1 40 days of Septicemia, 1 month 12 years of Brain Tumor, 1 month 6 years of Congenital Spinal cord abnormalities, 1 month 7 years of Congenital Renal abnormalities, 1 month 12 years, as well as there are some of children cases with undiagnosed cases rate (574 cases) which had been average between 3 35 years. See table No. 3.
o Second half of 2006:
We noticed from the data of second half of 2006 year (July, August, September, October, November and December) that there are 2993 illness cases. The illness numbers have distributed among 360 of Meningitis, 118 of Thalassemia, 1255 of Septicemia, 46 of Brain tumor, 40 of Congenital Spinal cord abnormalities, 38 of Congenital Renal abnormalities, 1104 of undiagnosed cases and 32 cases of Leukemia. See table No. 4.
There is not big significance difference of illnesses between male and female gender in Thalassemia 53 M. 65 F. (118), Septicemia 754 M. 501 F. (1255), Brain Tumor 23 M. 23 F. (46), Congenital Spinal cord abnormalities 23 M. 17 F. (40), Leukemia 14 M. 18 F. (32). While we can notice there is significance difference between tow genders with Congenital Renal abnormalities 25 M. 13 F. and Undiagnosed cases 714 M. 390 F. (1104).
Also the children numbers have been most the illness cases, 1889 from total number 2993 (63%). The age range of children was among 2 months 9 years of Meningitis, 1 - 11 years of Thalassemia, 1 40 days of Septicemia, 2 month 9 years of Brain Tumor, 1 month 9 years of Congenital Spinal cord abnormalities, 1 month 8 years of Congenital Renal abnormalities, 2 month 9 years of Leukemia, as well as there are some of children cases with undiagnosed cases rate (1104 cases) which had been average between 1 45 years.
There are some signals of size and type any pollution or contamination depending on the results after some years like speed of appearance any danger illness as well as we find many types have correlations leading of undiagnosed cases, therefore we think that the speed of starting like these diseases after one year of using prohibited weapons during March November 2004.
The amount any dangerous illnesses referred to very clear evidence about the importance of study all pollution elements and start strategy plans for treatment all pollution sources to decrease if we can not prevent new illness cases.
Total numbers of illness cases of 2006 were 835 of Meningitis (2 months 9 years as age range), 316 of Thalassemia (1 11 yeas as age range), 2207 of Septicemia (1 40 days), 91 of Brain tumor (1 month 12 years), 402 of Congenital Spinal cord abnormalities (1 month 9 years), 337 of Congenital Renal abnormalities (1 month 8 years), 1668 of undiagnosed cases (1 45 years) and 72 cases of Leukemia (1 month 12 years).
The main important point in illnesses data of 2006 that 72% of total illness victims were children among 1 Day 12 years, which referred to unclear threaten for health people and especially with new generations. See table No. 5.
Third Section: Analysis of Illness data of first half to 2007:
The beginning and middle of 2007 years (January, February, March, April, June), there are many victims families started do not go to hospital in Fallujah after they found inabilities of health instructions in city, therefore many of them started go to Jordan or Syria to search about any medical assistance, as well as half numbers of Fallujah people (350.000) living around the city in three big village called Saqlawia, Karma and Ammeria.
Most of the civilians around Fallujah city preferred go to another city or Syria or Jordan than enter Fallujah because there are many check points prevent them to enter or go out without take more time with many difficulties arrived many times to violation of human rights.
These reasons were main effects to decrease the numbers of some dangerous illness cases in first six months report of 2007. The total number of illness cases continues be high, which arrived to 2448 illness cases, distributed to 73 cases of Congenital heart diseases, 192 cases of Congenital Spiral cord defects, 1636 cases of Acute Diarrheas diseases, 56 of undiagnosed cases, 37 cases of Leukemia, 26 cases of Mediastinal tumor, 1 case of Brain hydatid cyst, 9 cases of Liposarcoma mediastnum, 109 cases of Thalassemia, 46 cases of Breast cancer, 116 of Bronchogenic carcinoma, and 147 cases of Failure of thrive. See table No. 6.
The medical report of 2007 was explain there are some illnesses had been double numbers in male than female gender like congenital heart diseases (70% Male 30% Female) with 1 month 4 years age range, Congenital Spiral cord defects (65% Male 35 % Female) with 1 month 4 years age range, Mediastinal tumor (62% Male 38% Female) with 1 55 years age range, Leukemia (65% Male 35% Female) with 1-10 years age range and Failure of thrive (61% Male 39% Female) with 6 months 2 years age range while another illness like Bronchogenic carcinoma had been most cases with male gender (85%) comparatively with female (15%) with 25 55 years age range.
All Liposarcoma mediastnum cases were in male (100%) with 98% death rate. Most of Breast cancer (46 cases) caused 85% death rate while in 2006 was 22% death rate. Another terrible fact that 116 cases of Bronchogenic carcinoma were with 100% death rate for civilians had been 25 55 years age.
We are notice that some common illnesses were appear in 2003 but it did not appear with reports of 2006 and 2007 for tow reason, firstly, our focus was concentrated on dangerous diseases. Secondly, many common illnesses started appear with abnormal signals of these illnesses figures; therefore we classified it with undiagnosed cases.
Fourth Section: Conclusion:
The importance of this information is confirmed there is a big disaster in this city under worst situation try many sides prevent any information released about these facts.
The main civilian victims of most illnesses were the children, and the rate of them represents 72% of total illness cases of 2006, most of them between the ages of 1 month and 12 years. While in 2007 was not very difference because many illnesses accounted the children with another ages.
Many new types and terrible amounts of illnesses started to appear since 2006 until now, such as Congenital Spinal cord abnormalities, Congenital Renal abnormalities, Septicemia, Meningitis, Thalassemia, as well as a significant number of undiagnosed cases at different ages.
The speed of the appearance these signals of pollution after one year of military operations refer to the use of a great amount and different of prohibited weapons used in 2004 battles.
The continued pollution may be will lead to a genetic drift, starting to appear with many abnormalities in children, because the problems were related to exposure of the childs parents to pollution sources and this may lead to more new abnormalities in the future.
According to security situation with many check points and irregular cards to allow the civilians to enter or exit the city until now, all this help to continue the terrible situation for this time. Therefore we think that all these data is only 50% of real numbers of illnesses.
Testimony of one doctor of Fallujah hospital:
Dr. Ahmed S. M. had seen many cases in his office were affected by pollution or contamination of environment. He was explaining the health situation by take some examples of children cases as he said in his testimony:
- Mohammed Hasan Jasim:
Patient presented with Sever Cyanosis. After deriving, Echocardiography showed that the child with transposition of great arteries. The child died after 3 hours, because no facility for surgery or even palliative surgery, as well as no Cardiac center in Al-Anbar governorate.
- Ali Kamal Zaid:
Two years old male child with history of tetralogy of Fallot the child need urgent Surgery because he is with recurrent chest infections and frequent cyanotic spells. He is in need for urgent corrective Surgery before reading to the Eizenminger State where the Surgery of no role.
I have more than 10 registered Cases in my private clinic only. And this is just an example of late presentation of congenital heart disease.
- Zina Abdullah Omar:
She had been case of DORV (double Outlet Right Ventricle).
I have more than 45 registered cases of ventricular Septa defect where the children is younger than three years old 10 cases of Atrial Septa defect and five cases with congenital aortic Stenosis.
I have registered 140 deaths registered as congenital heart-disease during last 2 years (2006-2007). I saw more than 85 cases of low growth hormone in 2006 only.
A lot of cases died without definite diagnosis. Because lack the Angiogram and perfect echocardiography.
The unregistered cases are much higher because those cases usually missed. A lot of cases had been discovered and the cause for it is multifactor's pollutions, radiations, unknown war weapons and others.
Recommendations
1. UN agencies like WHO and UNEP should do their responsibilities toward this disaster in Fallujah depending on the mission of their agencies with this pollution.
2. US army must stop all irregular instructions like using marine's card to Fallujah people for entrance or exiting city and stop all the military actions against civilians to allow a freedom to arrive to hospital after succeed of Fallujah police to return the security in city.
3. The important of considering a Fallujah city with all 650.000 habitants are under disaster situation and as catastrophic city like Japan's cities (Hiroshima and Nagasaki) to allow of international sides to participating for clean up the city from all pollution sources and providing hospitals with all their needs as first step and to continue this steps with another Iraqi cities suffering from huge pollution.
4. The children were main victims of these pollution, therefore international community should start new campaign to help the children illnesses until return the assistance ability of Iraqi medical hospitals to treatment these cases.
5. The international community should help to return the normal life of this city to help civilians for reconstructions all the necessary needs for motivation the economy sides as second step after clean up all pollution sources and help the victims.
Finally, Fallujah is one example of many polluted places in Iraq now as we referred to another city like Najaf. That is part of the American gift to the Iraqi people. It is more than shocking when it comes to the silence of the international community, especially the United Nations.
We are very sorry to see the absence of any real actions of any international bodies of human rights towards this tragedy, which threaten the future by exposure the children and new generation of continue risks leading of death most the time
.
· References:
CCERF, September 2006. Report on April's crimes of American troops in Fallujah 2004. web site: www.ccerf.splinder.com.
Depleted Uranium Crisis, Muslim Peacemaker Teams: December 2007. (Attached bellow). www.mpt-iraq.org.
Estimation Report of Health Situation in Fallujah During First Half of Year 2007, Fallujah Hospital Directorate.
Medical Monthly Reports of 2006, Fallujah Hospital Directorate.
Patrick Cockburn, January 28, 2008. Return to Fallujah, Independent ,UK (Attached bellow). http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/if-there
-is-no-change-in-three-months-there-will-be-war-again-774847 ...
* RAI news 24 (Italian satellite channel), 2005. The Reportage: Fallujah - The Hidden Massacre. http://www.rainews24.it/notizia.asp?newsid=57784
Please, For more information about the full report attached , please contact : fallujah.ccerf@gmail.com or monitornet@gmail.com or muhtaq72@yahoo.com
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:: Article nr. 45537 sent on 08-jul-2008 11:11 ECT
www.uruknet.info?p=45537
Link: ccerf.splinder.com/post/16296383/Prohibited+weapons+cresis+in+F
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