15.1 | Civilian
personnel
•
High risk
of injury/fatality from becoming involved in civil disturbances or
violent
attacks,
including muggings.
•
High risk
of contraction of endemic diseases. Extensive range of
inoculations
required.
Malaria prophylaxis required in many areas (mosquitoes
present
throughout
Iraq).
RIGOUR
•
Basic
infrastructure lacking, damaged or in disrepair.
•
Personnel
required constantly to live and work in an extremely hostile
and
dangerous
environment.
•
Constant
requirement to carry or wear heavy, restrictive and uncomfortable
body
armour and
helmet.
•
Personnel
required to work and live in hardship conditions, (until recently
in
Basra, but
still in Baghdad: shared accommodation and communal
washing/
toilet
facilities) in unsocial circumstances, with very limited amenities
and near
non‑existent
social facilities.
•
Severe
restrictions on movement. All movements outside secure area are
in
armoured
vehicles with armed Close Protection Teams.
•
Hostile
climate, with high temperatures sometimes in excess of 50
degrees
Celsius in
the summer. Frequent sandstorms, which further impede
movement
of
personnel.”
807.
The FCO
estimated that the number eligible, which was likely to increase as
new
personnel
were deployed, was approximately:
•
550
civilian public servants;
•
60
contractors not involved in the provision of security, mostly
employed by
the FCO
and DFID;
•
850
security‑related contractors; and
•
80 police
officers.
808.
The Ceremonial
Secretariat of the Cabinet Office and the MOD raised
questions
about the
absence of any reference to NGOs and aid or charity
workers.514
809.
In December
2005, FCO officials advised Ministers that the award, now
referred
to as the
Iraq Reconstruction Service Medal (IRSM), should not be given to
aid workers
and NGO
personnel on the grounds that it could compromise their
independence
and have a
negative impact on their security. NGOs and aid organisations
working in
Baghdad
would be encouraged to consider nominating individuals for the
six‑monthly
honours
lists.
514
Minute Iraq
Directorate [junior official] to PS [FCO], 15 December 2005, ‘Iraq
Reconstruction Service
Medal
(IRSM)’.
381