Maliki Instructs Health Minister To STOP Providing Iraqi Death Toll to UN

[kpete]

Iraq Aims to Limit Mortality Data
Health Ministry Told Not to Release Civilian Death Toll to U.N.

By Colum Lynch
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, October 20, 2006; Page A16

UNITED NATIONS, Oct. 19 -- Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's office has instructed the country's health ministry to stop providing mortality figures to the United Nations, jeopardizing a key source of information on the number of civilian war dead in Iraq, according to a U.N. document.

A confidential cable from the United Nations' top official in Baghdad, Ashraf Jehangir Qazi of Pakistan, said the Iraqi prime minister is seeking to exercise greater control over the release of the country's politically sensitive death toll. U.N. officials expressed concern that the move threatens to politicize the process of counting Iraq's dead and muddy international efforts to gain a clear snapshot of the scale of killing in Iraq

more at:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/19/AR2006101901799.html

[Kagemusha]

1. Yeah because "Sadr runs Health" therefore all numbers are suspect

Because of course the Sadr organization is conspiring to make the government look bad.

Uh whatever...

[Donnachaidh]

2. That Iraqi *democracy* thing at it's finest

Is he taking orders from Washington? :sarcasm:

[dkofos]

3. This should help the situation in Iraq

[originalpckelly]

4. Bush ought to be proud, he has an imitator!(nt)