Aid agencies condemn Campbell spin machine

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Aid agencies condemn Campbell spin machine
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12/18/01 at 14:08:18
Aid agencies condemn Campbell spin machine

By Jo Dillon, Political Correspondent, The Independant

09 December 2001

Alastair Campbell's international spin machine has been accused of peddling "inaccurate propaganda" about aid to Afghanistan.

Documents issued by the Coalition Information Service - passed to UK journalists by Downing Street - detail allegations against the Taliban, ahead of an expected humanitarian crisis when the winter
hits the war zone. But Christian Aid and other agencies, while in no way supporting the Taliban regime, claim the spin does not reflect the situation on the ground.

* The Coalition Information Service claimed: "The Taliban have seized and looted humanitarian supplies for themselves and have harassed and beaten Afghan and international aid workers."
Christian Aid said: "The idea that the Taliban are systematically ripping off aid convoys is ridiculous."

* The Coalition Information service said: "The Taliban are clearly more interested in protecting al-Qa'ida than feeding the starving innocent people of Afghanistan." Christian Aid said: "The
whole military effort since 11 September is what has disrupted humanitarian relief. We have been working successfully with the Taliban for four or five years. While they didn't make things very easy we did get the job done."

* The Coalition Information Service said: "The World Food Programme met their target of 52,000 tonnes of food delivered in the month to 16 November." Christian Aid said: "Since 12 November [when the Northern Alliance seized control of large sections of Afghanistan] aid getting in has dropped back again to less than half of what they need."

Christian Aid and other agencies have made it clear that security problems in Afghanistan because of unrest and uncertainty in the post-Taliban period are making it harder to get aid in. And even
after it has arrived, a lack of infrastructure and increasing lawlessness means it is not getting to the people who need it most, mainly in the mountain regions.

Christian Aid has accused the government spin machine of trying to brace people for loss of life during the brutal winter in Afghanistan without having to take any responsibility for it. "They are spinning like mad," a spokesman said. "They're desperate to create the impression that everything is the Taliban's fault so that
when the winter does hit they can keep blaming them."

The Coalition Information Service was set up in three centres - London, Washington and Islamabad - to co-ordinate war information and counter claims being made by the Taliban and Osama bin Laden.
Masterminded by Mr Campbell, the Prime Minister's chief press aide, critics insist that it is merely a vehicle for propaganda.


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