SSP Research, Policy & Media Unit
Press Release: 28/12/04
MSP Leckie: Redeploy Iraq medical troops to disaster zones.
Scottish Socialist Party MSP Carolyn Leckie today bitterly condemned the amount of money being given by the advanced industrialised countries in aid relief to the victims of the tsunamis that swept across the Indian Ocean from Thailand to Somalia.
Carolyn called for troops to be re-deployed from Iraq to the disaster zones, specifically the 150 Scottish health service staff who have been called up for military duty in Iraq.
So far the US has announced a package of just $15 million while the European Union has managed just 4 million Euro’s.
Carolyn said that Europe seemed more concerned that shares in travel companies and the holiday industry would suffer as a consequence of the disaster.
Carolyn said;
“This is a disaster of horrific proportions and it is not over yet.
“Countries already living in poverty and squalor have been visited by catastrophe and now face the prospect of populations devastated by disease and thousands made homeless.
“It is an affront to humanity that the worlds richest nations can only bring themselves to provide a pittance in disaster relief.
“The US has spent $147 Billion to reduce Iraq to rubble while Britain is spending £1.5 Billion a year to keep troops in Iraq.
“The response of the Western governments to this disaster for humanity tells you everything you need to know about their priorities.
“At the very least the British government must immediately re-deploy troops from Iraq to assist in this humanitarian disaster and more particularly the 150 health service staff that have been called up for military service must be sent to the disaster zones.
“I’m sure Scottish people will be as disgusted as I am that Europe’s stock brokers are more concerned that shares in travel companies and the holiday industry will suffer rather than how companies can do something to aid the relief work.
“Those companies who profit directly from this area of the world should turn over those profits to the disaster relief effort.”
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