Posted on 06/01/2003 5:20:57 PM PDT by fightinJAG
Envoy MP backs Blair
Clwyd was one of the few left wing MPs in favour of war Cynon Valley MP Ann Clwyd has said she shares Prime Minister Tony Blair's confidence that weapons of mass destruction will be found in Iraq.
Ms Clwyd - chosen by Mr Blair as a special envoy on human rights - was speaking during a visit to a mass grave near Baghdad which held 10,000 bodies.
On Sunday she spoke to BBC Radio Wales as she stood on the edge of the grave in the town of Hilla, and reaffirmed her belief that weapons would be found.
"I share Tony Blair's confidence," she said. "I don't believe for a minute that he would have gone to war if he hadn't believed the evidence that was presented to him.
"I just feel very angry when I'm standing on the edge of a mass grave, when people suggest that finding weapons of mass destruction was the prime reason for going to war.
Ann Clwyd has campaigned for human rights for 25 years "This is a mass grave of 10,000 people. People did not know that this even existed until the end of the war.
"So if they did not know 10,000 people were buried in this earth, I'm not at all surprised it is difficult to find weapons of mass destruction."
Ms Clwyd flew to Iraq last week to lead a British government forensic team examining the mass graves - the first British politician to visit the country since the end of the war.
She has committed herself to putting a system in place to protect the forensic evidence being discovered at sites across Iraq.
Military action
She has been holding talks with Iraqis who hope to form part of the interim administration to lead the country towards democracy.
Ms Clwyd has campaigned for human rights in Iraq for 25 years and was one of the few left-wing Labour MPs who supported military action.
The MP said restoring security to the country was the most pressing issue.
"My role is to look at the situation and report directly back to the prime minister," she told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.
"One mass grave"
"Obviously I have been raising some of these issues over the last few weeks since the war ended, particularly the protection of the mass graves which are now being found outside Baghdad and almost outside every town and city in Iraq.
"In fact one Iraqi described it to me as one mass grave.
"I want to make sure that the sites are being properly protected so that we can collect the evidence against the people responsible."
Ms Clwyd said the situation for Iraqis was improving, but that challenges remained.
"More progress has got to be made in restoring water, power and health services in many areas, maintaining law and order," she said.
"Security is of paramount importance."
Thank you. This women is so courageous.
***Operation Infinite Freedom - Situation Room - 3 JUN 03/Day 76 - LIVE THREAD***
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