PRESS RELEASE . . . PRESS RELEASE . . . 25 June 2004

Hunger-striker Alex Izett and supporting campaigners claim victory as independent inquiry into Gulf War Syndrome is announced

CONTACT: Alexander Izett 0049 170 803 1398 or Payday 020 7209 4751

The campaign for justice for those affected by Gulf War Syndrome (GWS) claimed a decisive victory with this week’s announcement by Lord Morris of Manchester of an independent inquiry into the causes of illnesses that have plagued and even killed veterans of the 1991 Gulf War.  The inquiry will be conducted publicly by Lord Lloyd of Berwick and is funded by private donations.

This initiative which can be life-saving is the result of years of pressure by veterans and in particular, in the last weeks, by the determined and courageous Scottish veteran Alexander Izett whose well-publicised 40-day hunger strike brought the issue to public attention, so that politicians and other establishment figures could not continue to ignore it.   Other veterans and prominent people, like Ron Kovic, disabled Vietnam veteran and author of Born on the 4th of July, and John McDonnell MP who introduced an Early Day Motion in the UK Parliament, were entirely supportive.

Mr Izett has campaigned for an independent public inquiry for over 10 years.  He was vaccinated nine times in the space of 24 hours in preparation to the first Gulf War in 1991, but was never sent to the Gulf.  In 1993, aged 23, he developed auto-immune osteoporosis, severe depression, mood swings – leading to relationship breakdown, stomach ulcers, and a number of allergies. 

Alex Izett says “Lord Morris called me about the inquiry and assured me that it will be totally independent of the Ministry of Defence. If this is the case, then this is a step in the right direction. . . I felt he was genuine and I am delighted by his support.  I also want to thank my wife and Payday for all the support they have given me.”

Gina Izett, who has been caring for Alex, says, “I hope they will keep their word about the inquiry. I also hope that this will help improve my relationship with my husband which has been made very difficult, not only by his illness but also by the injustice we have suffered.”

Mr Izett has paid a high price for his action. Not only has his health suffered, but his campaigning costs had to be covered out of his meagre war pension of just £61.50 per week.  Currently Mr Izett is fighting to keep even this limited amount, as the MoD is appealing against the mobility component of his disability benefit.   Mr Izett’s phone and Internet access have now been cut off for lack of funds. 

The inquiry could be of tremendous importance for troops* and their families. Veterans’ associations in the US and the UK have documented how Gulf War Syndrome has seriously affected the health and well-being of veterans, their partners and their children.  Payday thus welcomes this breakthrough.

To ensure that we get the whole truth and nothing but the truth, the inquiry must: 

      investigate all possible causes of GWS, including vaccination and anti-nerve gas agents, pollution from burning oil wells, depleted uranium, organophosphate pesticides, exposure to chemical agents, as well as the trauma of being trained to kill, and of killing itself. 

      hear from people affected from both Gulf wars, not only troops and their families, some of whose children have disabilities at  birth, but hear also from Iraqi people, military and civilian, especially women, always with their children the majority of victims in war, whose experience as victims and as carers is vital to inform what the veterans have to tell. 

      compare with evidence from others who have experienced similar ill-health who have also been vaccinated.

      make available financial and other resources to sufferers and their carers who cannot afford to travel or pay for childcare, or may have disability access issues, so both people with disabilities and their carers are able to testify at the Inquiry in London.

In this way we can get at the truth not only of the causes of the illnesses associated with war in the Gulf and pollution by weapons used there, but also count the full cost to families and communities devastated by these illnesses. 

      facilitate written submissions or submissions by other means. 

      the inquiry should aim to hold public hearings in other cities in the UK, and aim when funds allow to hold hearings in other countries where troops have been based. 

      gather information about the health situation of French troops, most of whom were not vaccinated during the first Gulf War, by way of comparison with UK and US troops.

      make all proceedings and submissions publicly available on the internet and by other means.

Ben Martin of Payday, which has been supporting Mr Izett’s efforts to get an inquiry and the Izett family’s work to fight his illness, says:

“Not only are soldiers used as cannon-fodder during wars.  They are also used as guinea pigs to test drugs, vaccines and even (as with nuclear bombs and depleted uranium) the likely lasting effects of weapons. Those who survive these trials are discarded when they are no longer needed for fighting or become too ill to fight. We oppose this disregard for human life. We affirm our respect for every life on both sides of wars. We refuse to be killers, and we also refuse to allow ourselves to be killed or disabled by any country’s war machines.”

WinVisible (women with visible and invisible disabilities) says:

"We join with Alex Izett and others with Gulf War Syndrome which, like many hidden disabilities, is unrecognised by the government.  Many of us with disabilities are casualties of war -- whether we are Iraqi children or adults, or we are from other war zones seeking asylum in the UK -- the UK government takes no responsibility for our welfare; and for ex-soldiers who they directly employed, when they did this to them during their military service.  The ex-soldiers, and their families who look after them, mainly women, should be compensated, and not have to fight for meagre disability benefits.  We are all the casualties of war --we suffer the consequences of cuts in homecare, healthcare and benefits, which pay to inflict death and disability in other countries. Let us hope that Lord Morris, Labour’s first Minister for disabled people in the 1970s, will continue his track record for upholding disabled people’s entitlement, and not cave in to the pressure he will doubtless face from the military establishment.” 

* About 47,000 UK troops were mobilised for the first Gulf War in 1991 and 45,000 for the second war in Iraq. In the US, nearly 700,000 troops were mobilised for the first Gulf War; currently there are 130,000 US troops in Iraq.

NOTES

The inquiry announced by Lord Morris is expected to run for three months and hold public hearings after a period of collecting data. The inquiry website is  www.lloyd-gwii.com.

CONTACT

Alexander Izett lives in Germany: 0049 170 803 1398

Payday, a multiracial network of men working with the Global Women’s Strike has co-ordinated international support for Mr Izett’s hunger strike. Payday is an unfunded group run by volunteers. 

London: Tel 020 7209 4751
Michael Kalmanovitz 07816 251377 or Ben Martin 07957 733106

Philadelphia: Eric Gjertsen Tel 215-848-1120

payday@paydaynet.org Website:www.refusingtokill.net

Urgent financial appeal for Alex Izett

Alex Izett has asked Payday to organise an appeal for money on his behalf.  As you will see from the press release, while Alex has been campaigning for an independent public inquiry, he has incurred costs that he has not been able to meet out of his £61.50/week war pension.  He is unable to pay the phone bill for the last two months and now both the phone and internet access have been disconnected, facilities which have been a vital life line especially during his hunger strike.

We want to raise £1000 to pay this bill and cover expenses for the coming months. In the run up to the inquiry, it is vital that he can be back in touch with his family, friends, supporters, media and politicians to continue his battle for recognition of Gulf War Syndrome.

Your contribution is therefore much-needed and urgent.  You can send a donation by transferring directly to the Payday account: Account  no: 41742478  Sort code: 60-12-13  National Westminster Bank, Kilburn Branch, 74 Kilburn High Road, London, NW6 4HU.  Or make your cheque payable to "Payday" (marked Alex Izett on the back) to: Payday, PO Box 287, London NW6 5QU, UK.