102498 VATICAN MONEY STILL WITHHELD FROM UNICEF
CONCERNS ABOUT ABORTION CITED BY CATHOLIC GROUP

New York City—Citing possible UNICEF complicity in abortion overseas, a leading Catholic non-governmental organization working at UN headquarters in New York warned parents today about the annual children's Halloween collection for the UN agency.

"Two years ago the Holy See Mission to the UN withdrew its money
from UNICEF because the agency was involved in supporting abortion
overseas, especially in refugee camps," said Austin Ruse, Director of
the Catholic Family & Human Rights Institute (CAFHRI). "We are told the Holy See would be happy to return to UNICEF under certain
conditions.
Those conditions have not been met."

In particular Ruse cited UNICEF assistance in the preparation of a
field manual for use by relief workers in refugee camps. "The field
manual overtly supports the use of things like vacuum aspirators that
are used for abortion. And they urge their use in refugee camps, the
most dangerous and disease-ridden places on earth."

"The Holy See requested that their financial contributions to
UNICEF be targeted to specific projects that have nothing to do with
abortion, but UNICEF said they couldn't comply," said Ruse. "For now, parents should know that their contributions to UNICEF may be going to programs they would consider morally objectionable."


Instead of UNICEF, CAFHRI suggests that children collect for local
religiously run hospitals.