Sir - I was so delighted to read Niall Andrews's letter about UN sanctions against Iraq (July 18th). I think it gives the lie to Mr Cowen's description of us as "isolationists". There are a lot of Irish people who are very upset about these same sanctions. Certainly, having watched John Pilger's documentary on ITV, one could not but be upset.
I cannot think of any Irish person who wants to be part of an organisation that is causing the deaths of 5,000 children under five every month. And yet we are part of the UN, whose sanctions are causing these deaths. The UN Security Council, which is controlled by the US, Germany, Britain, France and China, has among other things blocked the repair of water, power and sewage systems. It has limited the imports of foodstuffs and medicines. According to Denis J. Halliday, who resigned his post as Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations in order to speak publicly on the effect of these sanctions, there is evidence of genocide. He is basing his judgement on surveys carried out by organisations of the UN itself, e.g. UNICEF and WHO. It is true that Saddam Hussein had no right to invade Kuwait and do the dreadful things he is purported to have done. But who armed him? Did he become too powerful for his one-time allies? Are the sanctions supporting the greed of the US for cheap oil and gasoline as Tom Gumbleton, the Bishop of Detroit, believes?
Whatever the reason, we Irish should not be supporting this policy. We are in a good position to lead a campaign against it. Our NGOs are highly respected worldwide. We weren't a colonising country and we have a good relationship with Iraq. I hope Brian Cowen will take a leaf out of Niall Andrews's book - and indeed another out of his friend Albert Reynolds's book - and do his utmost to bring pressure on the other members of the UN to lift these barbarous sanctions. Having failed for the last 10 years they are surely not going to work now! - Yours, etc.,
May Lynam, Justice Co-ordinator, Mercy Sisters Western Province, Renmore, Galway