Basra insecurity halts aid

Aid agencies say getting aid into Basra is almost impossible

Aid agencies are delaying entering the southern city of Basra until they are convinced British troops have restored law and order.

A shortage of water and food is being compounded by looters interrupting the supply of aid and stripping relief lorries.

Refugees International - a group that lobbies on behalf of aid agencies - says getting essential aid is "simply impossible" in the current situation.

The military insists it will restore order and is trying to enlist the support of the city's police force in order to do so.

'Risks'

BBC corrsespondent Hilary Andersson says there was still "huge" amounts of looting and "the city itself is fairly chaotic".

Joel Charney, president of Refugees International, told the BBC this "anarchy" must be controlled before aid agencies launch major aid projects.

It doesn't matter really if one side is in control or the area is in dispute, it could still be dangerous

Red Cross spokesman Will Slater
Refugees International

UK troops tackle Basra looters

"If things are calm, aid agencies are ready to go in ... but collectively we are not going to take unnecessary risks.

"I think relief agencies will insist that place be secure, truly secure before we are wiling to go in and mount significant relief operations.

"We are not going to go into a Somalia-type situation, where we are hiring armed guards, just so that we can deliver food - that is not going to be done in Iraq."

He said a policing force - either army or civilian - was needed to restore security.

And signficant relief operations would only begin when the United Nations had declared the area safe and non-governmental organisations agreed.

Volatile situation

The British Red Cross is one of the few agencies in Basra and has been helping supply residents with clean water.

It said it was wrong to assume supplies would reach the needy now British forces were further into the city.

Spokesman Will Slater said: "What governs it is the security situation and whether its safe for our staff to operate.

"It doesn't matter really if one side is in control or the area is in dispute, it could still be dangerous.

There's a humanitarian imperative and we want to go in as soon as we can

Spokeswoman for Oxfam

"We have to assess the situation on a day by day basis."

But Mr Charney warned: "The Red Cross is doing the best they can ... but to feed people, to get organised distributions, it is simply impossible to do that if the situation is so anarchic."

A spokeswoman for Oxfam said its workers would not be entering the city because it was still considered "too dangerous".

"There's a humanitarian imperative and we want to go in as soon as we can," she said.

"We have all seen the chaotic delivery of aid over the last few weeks and that's something we are concerned about."

Cafod's sister agency Caritaf Iraq is managing to run two medical centres in the city.

Earlier UK military spokesman Colonel Chris Vernon said policing could be a key role for the new administration in Basra.

Some Baath party members and police officers could be employed to restore order and infrastructure.

An unnamed tribal leader has been asked to take over as the city's "mayor" and will head a committee of local people.