'Occupiers are failing desperate city'

Aid agencies have accused the British and United States governments of failing to meet their legal obligations to the people of Iraq.

Cafod, Christian Aid and Oxfam - three leading humanitarian organisations working in post-conflict Iraq - claim levels of security are insufficient to allow aid workers to do the job needed.

They warn this puts Britain and America in breach of their international obligations - and liable for censure by the United Nations. It puts in jeopardy the health and welfare of ordinary Iraqis and presents the risk that frustration among the people will turn to civil unrest if steps to improve their lot are not taken urgently.

Oxfam's policy adviser for Iraq, Jo Nickolls, has just returned from a stint in Baghdad. "One of the most striking things is the sense of complete uncertainty and fear," she said.

"People don't know how things are going to progress and at the same time are having to live a very tough day-to-day existence without electricity and clean water."

Hospitals in the capital are still treating a majority of people for complaints related to a polluted water supply - cholera, dysentery and diarrhoea - and the breakdown of law and order is making it difficult to replace water systems and the electricity supply.

"Security is definitely the primary concern," Ms Nickolls said. "The occupying power has a duty to restore as far as possible law and order and safety. They do seem to be failing to meet their obligations."

Her views were shared by fellow aid workers. Alistair Dutton, emergencies officer at Cafod, who has just returned from Basra, said: "I can't pretend that the regime that has been removed was in any way good or easy to work under.... But five or six weeks after the war ended, the situation in the country is not consistent with the Coalition forces' responsibilities under international law. Failure to secure the country or to make it safe is severely hampering the humanitarian effort."

Aside from looting, the ready availability of guns and general lawlessness, the aid agencies complain that unex- ploded bombs and mines have not yet been cleared.

People are afraid to leave their homes, they claim, especially women and children - which means food and medical aid is failing to reach those who are most vulnerable.

Dominic Nutt, emergencies officer for Christian Aid, who has also been in Basra, said the war itself had adversely affected the aid situation. "The basic infrastructure was chronic and held together with glue and string, but there were engineers there who were able to keep the system going. When the war came, they had better things to do."

While the war had had a "profound effect", he insisted there was not yet a "humanitarian crisis". But the agencies agree the situation is potentially explosive. "Things could flip either way. It does require the restoration of security and stability," said Ms Nickolls.

"If that doesn't happen you risk moving towards a disastrous situation.... There is far more organised crime, people are threatening to go on strike, people are unhappy with the political situation.... There is potential for more civil unrest."