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Forty South Africans are expected to leave for Iraq next Tuesday to act as human shields in Baghdad in the event of war in that country, the South African Press Association reported on Monday.
The report quoted Abie Dawjee, national coordinator of the Durban-based Iraq Action Committee of South Africa, as saying that the volunteer group would join hundreds of people from other countries to act as witnesses against possible United States attacks against civilian structures in Iraq.
"In the Gulf War, the US deliberately targeted the civilian infrastructures of Iraq, causing extensive damage to electricity power stations, water filtration systems, dams and sewerage systems," Dawjee said.
"People endured tremendous hardships and hopefully we will be able to stop destruction by our presence...That war was in contravention of the Geneva Conventions that forbids the targeting of the civilian infrastructure of a country in times of war," he added.
The volunteers include people of all races, religion, professions and ages, and Dawjee said that he was overwhelmed by the support and response he had received.
He said volunteers wishing to go had to pay their own fare to Iraq, but would be supplied with food and basic accommodation by the Iraqi government after they reached Baghdad.
Earlier on Monday, a statement from former South African president Nelson Mandela's office said that he would not visit Iraq either as a mediator or as a human shield after advice from his family and aides.
The former president's family and advisers had expressed serious concerns about any plans for him to travel to Baghdad, Mandela's Spokeswoman Zelda la Grange said in the statement.
She was reacting to Mandela's remarks in KwaZulu-Natal Province about a month ago that he would consider visiting Iraq, but would first consult those close to him.
(Xinhua News Agency March 11, 2003)
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