File of head of Care in Iraq who has been kidnapped

Описание: (19 Oct 2004)

1. Exterior of Care office
2. Care's Iraq Country Director Margaret Hassan
3. SOUNDBITE: (English) Margaret Hassan, CARE's Iraq Country Director:
"There is always a worry about cholera. There's cholera, there's typhoid, there's all the waterborne diseases. But the greatest killer in waterborne diseases is diarrhoeal diseases."
4. Hands
5. SOUNDBITE: (English) Margaret Hassan, CARE's Iraq Country Director:
"I don't like to apportion fault, but it's the responsibility of the occupying powers to make sure that these things are in place. That's one of their duties under the Geneva Conventions."
6. Goods being unloaded outside Care office

STORYLINE

The director of CARE International's operation in Iraq was kidnapped early on Tuesday in Baghdad, the organisation said.

Margaret Hassan, said to be an Iraqi national, was abducted in the capital at 7:30 am, (0430 GMT) CARE International, United Kingdom said in a statement released in London and read to The Associated Press in Baghdad.

"As of now we are unaware of the motives for the abduction," the statement said. "As far as we know, Margaret is unharmed."

The statement said Hassan had been "providing humanitarian relief to the people of Iraq" for more than 25 years.

"Needless to say, we are doing whatever we can to secure her release," the statement added. "But equally, it would be unhelpful for us to comment further at this time. Our overwhelming concern must be for Margaret's safety."

Humanitarian organisations haven't been spared from the violence sweeping Iraq.

Last year, the Iraq headquarters of the International Committee of the Red Cross was damaged in a vehicle bomb, and many non-governmental organisations have withdrawn foreign staff because of the bombings and kidnappings of foreigners.

Militants in Iraq have kidnapped more than 150 foreigners in their campaign to drive out coalition forces.

CARE International has been active in Iraq since 1991 following the Gulf War and is the only international non-governmental organisation to have maintained continuous programmes in central and southern Iraq, according to the organisation's Web site.

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