U.K. agencies reject government aid

Community Action, April 14, 2003

LONDON -- Three British aid agencies declared that they will not accept funds from the government for their relief work in Iraq. They fear such support will compromise their independence. The agencies include: Oxfam, Save the Children, Christian Aid, Action Aid and Cafod (a Catholic agency).

Their joint declaration argues: "It is impossible for armed forces fighting a war to provide impartial humanitarian assistance on the basis of need. By definition, the priorities of combatant forces are military and adversarial, not humanitarian."