Iraqis Plead for Order; Two Saddam Aides Seized
In the tense western city of Falluja, a Muslim prayer leader called on townsfolk not to fight U.S. soldiers who killed 15 demonstrators earlier this week and then suffered seven wounded in a reprisal attack on the main U.S. base in the town.

``I want to tell you, to tell all of the people here in Falluja, not to attack Americans. If you do they will kill you,'' one prayer leader told worshipers at a mosque opposite the U.S. post. ``They have tanks, how can you fight tanks?''

The mayor of Falluja held ``peace talks'' with a major at the U.S. camp, American soldiers said.

But anger still simmered on the streets, where some said they preferred Saddam's rule to the U.S. ``occupation.'' A poster read, ``Sooner or later, U.S. killers, we will kick you out.''

Iraqis are dismayed at the breakdown in law and order, and angry about shortages of water, power and other basic services.

``Water at the moment is critical,'' said Veronique Taveau, spokeswoman for the U.N. Office of the Humanitarian Coordinator in Iraq. Securing food warehouses was also a high priority.

Taveau, one of 21 U.N. international staff who returned to Baghdad Thursday, told Reuters their first task was to assess overall humanitarian needs, especially a water system disrupted by war damage, looting and electricity cuts.

International aid agencies appealed Friday for the United Nations to be given a key role urgently in rebuilding Iraq, where they said disease, hunger and anarchy were spreading.

Britain and the United States have dragged their heels over defining what role the world body should play in postwar Iraq.

``It is essential that the United Nations have a central role in facilitating the creation of a transitional Iraqi authority,'' said a joint statement from Oxfam, Islamic Relief, Caritas, Cafod, Christian Aid, Action Aid and Save the Children.

A vessel with 14,000 tons of rice docked in the southern port of Umm Qasr, the largest to arrive by sea and the first shipment by the U.N. World Food Program since the war began.

About 60 percent of Iraqis depended on food handed out under U.N. oil-for-food program before the conflict. Taveau said they probably had enough food to last until mid-May.…
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