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STEVE MATTHEWS ON IRAQ - March 10, 2003
Interviewer: Steve Matthews, I understand that you’re in the region getting prepared for a possible war. Could you tell us who you’re with and what you’re doing and where you are?
Steve Matthews: World Vision is a Christian humanitarian relief and development agency that’s been around for 53 years. We have been actively working in the Middle East for the past 28 years, and we have a history of working with the Iraqi people since just before the Gulf War, so for about the past 13 years. We are back here right now based in Amman, Jordan, which is one of the countries – one of the five countries surrounding Iraq, and we are in a phase called Iraq Preparedness. That is, nothing has happened yet, but we are looking at the possibilities, and we are trying to best forecast what might happen if there is a conflict next door so that we can efficiently look after the needs, the humanitarian needs, of the people who may be fleeing that country, and then perhaps if need be later on, move into Iraq and assist even further.Interviewer: How is World Vision planning to respond to a humanitarian crisis in and around Iraq?
Steve Matthews: Well, right now, it’s very difficult because it’s kind of like looking into a crystal ball. We’re looking at scenarios here that are very complex. Iraq is surrounded by five countries, all with its own sensitivities. And what World Vision is doing right now is we’re trying to forecast scenarios that if there is a conflict in Iraq, that we can respond efficiently and creatively to the needs of the people in a relief situation.
Interviewer: What is World Vision’s history in the region?
Steve Matthews: World Vision has been around for 53 years now, and for the past 28 years of World Vision’s existence, we’ve been working in the Middle East. Some of the key points were after the Gulf War, we assisted refugees who flowed out of Iraq. In 1999, World Vision went into Iraq and actually did assessments and delivered some aid inside the country. And right now, we’re on to a new phase, and that is looking at the possibility of a war there and what we can do to alleviate suffering that comes from that possible scenario.
Interviewer: What’s World Vision currently doing to prepare?
Steve Matthews: Well, preparedness has been very interesting. We’re looking – as I said, there are five countries, so we are looking at all of these different scenarios that could develop. We’re looking at the possibility of refugees who may flow out of Iraq into the surrounding countries, and then Phase 2, we’re looking at the possibilities that would exist in Iraq after a conflict. So it’s kind of like you look into a crystal ball, and we have probably 12 scenarios that we’re looking at, and the first ones would be just to provide the basics of life to anybody who’s affected by a conflict, and that would be to give them food and shelter and possible medical care.
Interviewer: Is World Vision working with the U.N. and other international agencies?
Steve Matthews: Yes, we always work in coalition with other NGO’s, that is relief agencies and the United Nations. The United Nations often acts as a coordinating body for the relief agency, so we’ve been going to many meetings, and we’ve all been trying to figure out what exactly is going to happen, and we’re making our best guesses and preparing so that we’re ready to move in immediately if the need is there.
Interviewer: Are civilians in the region preparing for a war?
Steve Matthews: Well, I know the humanitarian aid agencies are obviously preparing, and I think the governments are. Everybody realizes that they need to have a contingency plan of some sort. I think a lot of the people are just trying to lay low, and they don’t all have the access to evacuations or chemical biological suits, and whether they’ll need them is anyone’s guess, but I don’t think anybody’s taking special precautions of any sort. They’re just hoping it doesn’t happen, and if they can’t evacuate, they’ll hibernate.
Interviewer: What can Americans do if they want to help in this phase where we don’t know whether or not there’s going to be a war but there is preparedness going on by humanitarian organizations like World Vision?
Steve Matthews: I think that we all have a sort of a moral responsibility to do something charitable, and whether that’s in your own back yard or overseas is your own decision. And whether you donate to an organization like World Vision or another credible agency, that’s also your own decision. The point is to get involved, to pick an agency that you believe in, and if you have resource to give them, as in money, good, and I think even if you can pray for good outcomes, good; everything is appreciated. We all have to start paying attention to what’s going on outside of our borders and around this world because if we don’t, eventually it will come home to affect us all.
