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TFKU02: SMUGGLED LETTER GIVES ALARMING PICTURE
OF LIVING CONDITIONS AT STRATEGIC SITES

1. A FRONT PAGE ARTICLE IN THE NOVEMBER 4 ISSUE OF
"THE SUNDAY TIMES" (FULL TEXT BELOW) PAINTED A BLEAK
PICTURE OF LIVING CONDITIONS AT A REFINERY IN SOUTHERN
IRAQ, WHERE AT LEAST FIVE BRITONS ARE BEING HELD. THE
ARTICLE WAS BASED ON A LETTER SMUGGLED OUT BY ONE OF THE
FREED FRENCH HOSTAGES AND WAS REPORTEDLY WRITTEN IN
RESPONSE TO IRAQI PRESS ACCOUNTS OF TED HEATH'S VISIT TO
BAGHDAD IN WHICH HE WAS QUOTED AS SAYING THAT BRITONS IN
IRAQ WERE LEADING "NORMAL LIVES."

2. BEGIN TEXT:

"BRITONS EXPOSE DEGRADING ORDEAL OF IRAQ'S HUMAN SHIELDS"
BY TIM RAYMENT

DISTURBING NEW EVIDENCE OF THE STATE IN WHICH SOME
BRITISH HOSTAGES ARE BEING HELD IN IRAQ EMERGED
YESTERDAY IN A LETTER SMUGGLED TO "THE SUNDAY TIMES."
FIVE "HUMAN SHIELDS," HELD AT AN INSTALLATION AWAY FROM
THE GAZE OF POLITICIANS VISITING SADDAM HUSSEIN,
DESCRIBE APPALLING CONDITIONS.

TWO MEN ARE SLEEPING OVER AN OPEN CESSPIT; THEIR
LAVATORIES AND ONE WORKING SHOWER ARE INFESTED WITH
FLIES; THE FOOD SAID TO BE "FREQUENTLY INEDIBLE," IS
PREPARED IN AREAS OF INDESCRIBABLE DIRT. ALL THE MEN
SUFFER CONSTANT DIARRHOEA. THEY ALSO HAVE CHEST
PROBLEMS AND HEADACHES FROM BEING HELD IN THE HEART OF A
REFINERY, NEAR TOXIC WASTE BURN-OFF TOWERS.

ALTHOUGH OTHER LETTERS HAVE REACHED THE WEST FROM PEOPLE
HIDING IN KUWAIT, THIS IS THE FIRST UNCENSORED ACCOUNT
OF CONDITIONS IN SADDAM'S MILITARY AND INDUSTRIAL
INSTALLATIONS WHERE 360 BRITONS ARE DETAINED. THE
LETTER REACHED THE MEN'S WIVES LAST WEEK VIA A FREED
FRENCH HOSTAGE, WITH A REQUEST THAT IT SHOULD BE
PUBLISHED. TO PROTECT THE MEN, WE ARE NOT GIVING THEIR
NAMES.

THE FIVE WROTE IN ANGER AFTER READING AN ACCOUNT OF THE
VISIT TO IRAQ BY EDWARD HEATH. IT APPEARED IN A BAGHDAD
NEWSPAPER UNDER THE HEADLINE "BRITONS IN IRAQ LEAD
NORMAL LIFE, SAYS HEATH."

THE LETTER SAYS: "WE HAVE BEEN HELD SINCE SEPTEMBER 7
UNDER THE MOST APPALLING CONDITIONS. LIVING AND
SLEEPING ACCOMMODATION CONSISTS OF TWO-ROOMED STEEL
PORTAKABINS, EACH ROOM 10FT BY 10FT. TWO MEN ARE
ASSIGNED TO EACH ROOM. ONE CABIN IS SITED DIRECTLY OVER
AN OPEN CESSPIT.

"THE TOILETS AND SHOWERS, USED BY 25 TO 30 MEN,
INCLUDING OUR GUARDS AND KITCHEN STAFF, ARE FILTHY, AND
INFESTED WITH FLIES. ONLY ONE SHOWER WORKS. WE HAVE
REPEATEDLY REQUESTING CLEANING MATERIALS TO ENABLE US TO
REMEDY THE SITUATION. ALL SUCH REQUESTS HAVE BEEN
REFUSED, WITH THE EXPLANATION THAT WE ARE GUESTS, AND
THAT THE THOUGHT OF A GUEST CLEANING TOILETS WOULD
OFFEND OUR HOST'S SENSE OF HOSPITALITY.

"THE FOOD PREPARATION AREAS ARE INDESCRIBABLY FILTHY AND
HEAVILY INFESTED WITH FLIES AND OTHER INSECTS. MOUSE
AND RAT DROPPINGS ARE A COMMON SIGHT. IT IS IMPOSSIBLE
TO WALK THROUGH THIS AREA WITHOUT FEELING NAUSEOUS. AS
A RESULT EVERY GUEST SUFFERS CONSTANT STOMACH UPSETS AND
DIARRHOEA.

"AVERAGE WEIGHT-LOSS IS BETWEEN 5 PERCENT AND 10 PERCENT
OF BODY WEIGHT. WE GET WEEKLY VISITS FROM AN IRAQI
"DOCTOR" BUT, DESPITE STRENUOUS AND CONTINUOUS
COMPLAINTS, HIS DIAGNOSIS IS INVARIABLY "PSYCHOLOGICAL
DIARRHOEA."



"THE PORTAKABINS ARE SITED IN THE HEART OF THE REFINERY
(IN SOUTHERN IRAQ, ABOUT 15 MILES FROM KUWAIT). THE AIR
POLLUTION ENSURES THAT THE MAJORITY OF GUESTS SUFFER
SORE THROATS, CHEST PROBLEMS, HEADACHES, NAUSEA. WE ARE
EXPOSED 24 HOURS A DAY.




/****** BEGINNING OF SECTION 002 ******/
"WE HAVE REPEATEDLY REQUESTED ACCESS TO A BRITISH
EMBASSY OFFICIAL, TO NO AVAIL."

THE MEN FULLY SUPPORTED THE PRIME MINISTER'S TOUGH
STANCE AGAINST SADDAM. IN FURTHER EVIDENCE OF DEFIANCE,
ARAB JOURNALISTS WHO VISITED SOME OF THE "HUMAN SHIELDS"
SAID YESTERDAY THAT BRITISH HOSTAGES HAD BEEN SO ANGERED
BY BEING FILMED FOR IRAQI TELEVISION'S GUEST NEWS THAT
THEY HAD STRIPPED NAKED AND DARED THE CAMERAMEN TO
CONTINUE.

HEATH SAID YESTERDAY THAT HE HAD BEEN REFERRING ONLY TO
BRITONS HE HAD SEEN IN BAGHDAD HOTELS. "I DID NOT VISIT
ANY OF THE INSTALLATIONS. I TOLD PRESIDENT SADDAM THAT
THE HOSTAGES SHOULD ALL BE RELEASED AND NOT KEPT IN
MILITARY TARGETS, AS HAVING THEM THERE WOULD NOT
DISSUADE BOMBING IF IT CAME TO WAR." END TEXT.

3. BAGHDAD MINIMIZE CONSIDERED. CATTO






ADMIN BT

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