by Marinka Peschmann, Special to Canada Free Press
February 15, 2005
What do Iran, Syria, Sudan, Libya, and Cuba have in common? Each country is on the United Nation's Oil-For-Food Humanitarian Goods vendor list, and the U.S. List of State Sponsors of Terrorism.
The number of oil contracts awarded to countries under Oil-for-Food, totaling U.S. $64.2 billion, already told an alarming tale. Today, allegations of bribery persist, and as the oil purchase numbers revealed, most of the countries opposed to the U.S. and Coalition Force's ouster of Saddam Hussein, were shown to have benefited financially with Saddam at Iraq's helm. Yet, the numbers in the second chapter of this story--the United Nations Oil-for-Food Humanitarian Program tell an equally alarming and interesting tale.
Syria and Libya, according to the U.S. State Department, "have repeatedly provided support for acts of international terrorism," and were put on the "State Sponsors of Terrorism" list in 1979. Iran was added in 1984. Cuba took its position in 1982, and Sudan has been on the list since 1993. all five countries remain today on the U.S. list. In 1996, when the UN Oil-for-Food Program began, these countries on the "State Sponsors of Terrorism" list were awarded UN Oil-for-Food Humanitarian Goods and Oil Spares contracts.
according to the Independent Inquiry Committee (IIC) documents, released last October, under the UN’s Oil-for-Food Humanitarian Program, 3,545 companies received contracts for the "sale of humanitarian and other goods" into south and central Iraq. another 941 companies have been "identified by name only" for exporting goods to Northern Iraq. IIC's calculations show the vendors received payments totaling $32.9 billion dollars for their exports.
an Update prepared, in 2002, "jointly by the Office of the Iraq Program," and "the Office of the United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator in Iraq," with related United Nations agencies, details how the "humanitarian program" was implemented, "pursuant to Security Council resolution 986." Each vendors contract application had been "signed by the Government of Iraq," and was "approved by the UN Committee and the Secretariat."
Under the Oil-for-Food Humanitarian Program, Syria received over 140 contracts, and investigations into Syria's alleged funding of insurgents in Iraq continue. Iran, part of President Bush's axis of evil, has been asked by the European Union to cease their nuclear weapons program, obtained five contracts. Cuba, where people flee by raft for the shores of Florida, was awarded three contracts. Sudan, where UN Chief Kofi annan has been "urging" for peace, since tens of thousands of people have been slaughtered, received 8 contracts. Libya, who recently accepted responsibility for the 1988 bombing, of Pan am Flight 103, killing 270 people, was awarded one contract, and is seeking to be removed from the U.S. Terror list.
Compare the contract numbers awarded to Canada, and the U.S. Canada, the seventh largest UN donor, received 14 contracts during the near seven-year reign of the UN’s Oil-for-Food Humanitarian Program. Divided into 13 phases, each phase of the Program lasted 6 months. The Canadian vendors, except for three companies, received contracts lasting one phase out of the 13 possible phases. Libya's one contract was approved for 2 phases. as CFP previously reported, the Canadian government will not investigate Oil-for-Food. The United States, the largest UN donor, was awarded 20 contracts, and has 5 ongoing investigations into Oil-for-Food.
Meanwhile, Turkey's questionable human rights record has thus far excluded their entry into the European Union, but Turkey, under Oil-for-Food, was awarded north of 240 Humanitarian contracts. France, one of the loudest critics of the war in Iraq, received over 400 contracts.
The curious range and selection of awarded UN "Humanitarian" contracts didn't seem to surprise sources within the UN. One source reasoned it must be "politics."
Paul Volcker’s committee told Canada Free Press, "Questions surrounding the humanitarian contracts will be addressed this summer in the final report."
But there's another story the numbers tell. That's the story of the UN investigation into Oil-for-Food. Paul Volcker, who was appointed by Kofi annan to head up the UN’s $30 million Independent Committee into Oil-for-Food, has 75 people tasked with a "broad effort to identify mal-administration and corruption within the Program," a multibillion dollar program. Perhaps there's a story Kofi annan wanted told when he agreed to the investigation.
Marinka Peschmann is a freelance writer whose first book collaboration, the best-selling The Kid Stays In The Picture; was made into a documentary. She's contributed to several books and stories ranging from showbiz and celebrities to true crime and politics.
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