Interviewed by: Hasan Yousuf

Dr. Said Hakki, president of the Iraqi Red Crescent Organization (IRCO) sees many signs of progress in Iraq citing a decrease in internally displaced Iraqis and a decrease in civilian deaths and injuries during the past months.

He urges the United States to increase its efforts in humanitarian aid and criticizes the sizes of contributions of both the US and the EU in relief efforts.

Interviewed in Washington DC by Hasan Yousuf, Dr. Hakki, a citizen of both the United States and Iraq, says he is optimistic and believes Iraq will soon pass the current "chaotic dark stage" of its modern history and would become stable, stronger and capable of playing a vital regional and international role in the near feature.

Hasan: Can you describe the situation in Iraq?
Hakki: It is scary. It is truly scary. You know, I am a surgeon, and surgeons don’t fear death, but when I arrived to Iraq after the fall of Saddam’s regime, I was frightened. I saw death surrounding my people. No one was safe including children and old men and women… Today, and sadly, it appears that Iraq’s fate is in the hands of many states and factions, but I am confident Iraqi people will take over soon and will put the country back on the right track. I should mention that the security situation in Iraq now is better than few years ago. Iraqis are united in rejecting violence and they are all against terrorism in its all forms.

Hasan: You seem optimistic, what makes you feel so?
Hakki: It is the path of history and the fate of all nations with no exception. No nation accepts to be dragged into darkness, death and destruction. It is a crisis and we will go through it and we will prevail.

Hasan: Can you talk more about the signs of positive development in your country?
Hakki: During the month of November of this year, more than 110, 000 internally displaced Iraqis have come back to their homes. The total number of Iraqi internally refuges has come down from approximately 2.3 million to 2.1 million. In addition, the number of people killed in violence this month has decreased to 538 compared to 2000 deaths during similar months of previous years.

Hasan: Talk about your organization, how do you work and what kind of services your provide.
Hakki: Our organization is a Red Cross affiliated non-sectarian humanitarian and health organization providing relief to refugees and IDPs and is the only group that can deliver effective services throughout the whole of Iraq. The organization works with Iraqi government agencies and ministries to deliver food and medical supplies to areas of conflict inside Iraq.

When all other nationally and internationally accountable organizations operate Iraqi relief efforts remotely from other countries, the IRCO has 100,000 volunteers and employees, and more than 300 offices throughout Iraq, including Kurdistan. The group is funded partially by the Iraqi government, but faces needs that far exceed what the Iraqi government alone can provide. In support, the International Committee of the Red Cross and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies have appealed to international donors to support the estimated 2 million Iraqi refugees and 1.7 million internally displaced persons.

Hasan: Beside the funds you receive from the Iraqi government, what are the other sources of your funds?
Hakki: Most of our budget comes from al-Maliki government. It is not enough, and it can’t cover major operations. We work in an extra ordinary dangerous situation. Iraq is still a war zone. The Bush administration provides some support as well as the EU but this help we receive from them is not sufficient. The US has duties as an occupying force, and we don’t feel it fulfilled its obligation towards the people of Iraq. The EU role in Iraq doesn’t match their international size and they are requested to do more. Small countries like the UAE gave us already more than major nations. I ask the governments of the world to imitate the great initiatives of the United Arab Emirates.

I also urge our brothers in the Arab World to do more and increase their financial support to the people of Iraq. The people of Iraq have been always good to their neighbors and brothers and we supported many of them when they needed us. Now we need them and they should act immediately.


Translated by: Hamid al-Yousuf (see original article)