Humanitarian aid from New Zealand desperately needed in Iraq and Syria

Global Peace and Justice Auckland is calling on the government to provide humanitarian funding for non-aligned NGOs (non-governmental organisations) in the Middle East rather than give any support whatever for the US-led military campaign in the area.

“We’ve contributed bombs and bullets in the past – this time lets contribute food, shelter and medicine” say GPJA spokespeople John Minto and Mike Treen.

“There is a desperate need for humanitarian support for the millions now displaced by the war and the best way this can be delivered is through direct New Zealand government funding for non-government organisations active in the area.”

“We previously made the mistake of providing humanitarian aid in Afghanistan through our military-based reconstruction teams. Unfortunately only a small proportion of this funding actually reached the people as useful aid with most being wasted in keeping the New Zealand army in place to deliver the aid.”

“Groups like Oxfam and Doctors without borders which are already active on the ground are ideally placed to deliver this support in the most cost-effective way possible.”

“A generous contribution in humanitarian support in the Middle East would be the most positive way for this country to begin its term on the United Nations Security Council.”

GPJA is organising a march in Auckland this weekend to call on the government to take this positive role and to reject the option of supporting a US-led war in the region.

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