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The BRussells Tribunal in Geneva - The reports on Iraq [Submitted reports] - [PDF] - English - Arabic - Spanish [Oral Statements by Haifa Zangana and Bie Kentane] - [Video] |
NGO Reports on Iraq submitted to the Human Rights Council
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Human_rights_situation_in_
A/HRC/19/NGO/136 :
http://ap.ohchr.org/documents/
* The_plight_of_Iraqi_Academics [UNGA PDF report on this website]
A/HRC/19/NGO/137 : http://ap.
*
The_destruction_of_Iraq’s_
A/HRC/19/NGO/138 : http://ap.
*
The_situation_of_Iraqi_
A/HRC/19/NGO/142 : http://ap.
*
Children_of_Iraq_and_armed_
A/HRC/19/NGO/143 : http://ap.
*
Detention_and_rule_of_law_in_
A/HRC/19/NGO/144 : http://ap.
*
Violation_of_women_rights_in_
A/HRC/19/NGO/145 : http://ap.
*
Enforced_or_involuntary_
A/HRC/19/NGO/146 :
http://ap.ohchr.org/documents/
*
Iraqi_children_health_
A/HRC/19/NGO/147 : http://ap.
*
Death_penalty_and_
A/HRC/19/NGO/149 : http://ap.
Arabic Translation: Lubna Al Rudaini - Spanish translation by CEOSI / Paloma Valverde, published on the occasion of the 21st session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva. Read online here: http://ap.ohchr.org/documents/sdpage_e.aspx?b=10&se=133&t=7
(UNGA: United Nations General Assembly - OHCHR: Office of High Commissioner for Human Rights)
Haifa Zangana, General High Level Segment, 19th Session Human Rights Council
Human Rights Council
Nineteenth session
27 February-23 March 2011
Statement in the high level segment delivered by
Haifa Zangana[1]
Human Rights, Accountability and Impunity[2]
Madame President,
Ladies and gentlemen,
I’m grateful to be able to stand here before you to address the critical issue of human rights, accountability and impunity. I do so with the encouragement of the international NGO community. What I want to convey is based on direct involvement of over four decades in human rights in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Iran and Palestine, including the Diaspora communities.
What we, as civil society, seek in order to build bridges among peoples, is clear: Whoever commits a crime against his or her own people, or people of other countries should face justice. This is the heart of the UN principles of “protection and promotion of human rights through action to combat impunity”. [3] Who can object to this? Is this an unreasonable demand? Can we, representatives of governments, the NGO community, citizens, wherever we live, not agree on at least this: To be like-minded when it comes to justice and accountability as a basis for protecting and promoting human rights.
The gap between the reality and our aspirations remains so frighteningly huge.
The stark reality is that international law has been applied at two levels: One for the powerful and one for the powerless. Human rights and accountability, instead of being applicable to all equally, are subjected to selective “implementation”. Therefore, some governments have “enjoyed” impunity, no matter how brutal they have behaved against their or other people. This lethal combination of double standards with the silence of the international community has encouraged and deepened mistrust, extremism and violence.
My country, Iraq, is a classic example of the double standards policy, where the occupying forces continued to show a severe disregard and contempt for international law and human rights and thereby constitute serious violations of International law and UN principles. The destruction caused by the illegal invasion of 2003, the subsequent occupation, and the system that followed, not to forget 13 years of inhuman and unjustified economic sanctions, have had a truly massive and continuing impact on the Iraqi people. As an Iraqi woman I can assure you that this has deeply affected every aspect of our daily lives as it has deprived us of our basic human rights.
Besides Iraq, there are numerous examples of countries around the world that suffered massive violations of human rights but all continued without real investigations or trials of the violators. Palestine and Afghanistan are among these countries.
Some of these violations are: rendition flights, sexual abuse of prisoners, forcefully breaking into the privacy of homes, desecrating religious books, indiscriminate killings, urinating on dead bodies, waterboarding and other forms of torture – a terrible list of unimaginable wrong doing and humiliation. Worse than that, these are neither isolated incidents nor is it an exhaustive list. Let me add, these examples also show a frightening contempt for human dignity.
Governments may want to forget all this, but most people will not.
This is something that cannot be ignored or just be acknowledged. These violations painfully translate into the lives of people, yesterday and today. Those responsible must not be allowed to escape, but be taken to task and be held accountable. I would appeal to us all not to consider this an unreasonable demand.
The so-called ‘war on terror’ reformulated many aspects of world politics and accountability of states has become the first victim of that war. It has acquired variable meanings with highly selective application.
We, of course, are aware of the on-going debate on the so-called R2P (responsibility to protect) but at the same time we are deeply worried about its implementation, or to put more bluntly its misuse. It must not be used as a pretext for illegal military interventions.
We are equally concerned about the increased reliance on so-called private contractors, mercenaries, and drones in conflict zones.
Mme President, ladies and gentlemen
The heart of the entire struggle for human rights around the world, especially in the Arab countries, has been the same for many decades: the ever bleeding wound called injustice as a result of unaccountability and impunity. To deny this, one has to be blind at heart. Human rights must be indivisible and universal. Any compromise by the International community is a backlash against people who continue to work for the eradication of injustice and who try to build bridges based on equality. To quote Edward Said, the late Palestinian thinker, “we might be mediocre people but we are very stubborn”.
I will add to that, we do not mind digging a well using a needle provided that we are not bombed by “our friends”.
Thank you
[1]- Haifa Zangana, is an Iraqi human rights defender, a founding member of Women Solidarity for Independent and Unified Iraq.
[2] - This statement supported by The International Youth and Student Movement for the United Nations (ISMUN), the Women's International Democratic Federation(WIDF), non-governmental organizations in general consultative status; the International Organization for the Elimination of all Forms of Racial Discrimination (EAFORD), Union of Arab Jurists, Arab Lawyers Union, General Arab Women Federation (GAWF), International Association of Democratic Lawyers, North-South XX1, The United Towns Agency for the North-South Cooperation, The Indian Movement “Tupaj Amaru”, Asian Women Human Rights Council, Organisation pour la Communication en Afrique et de Promotion de la Coopération Economique Internationale - OCAPROCE International, non-governmental organizations in special consultative status, and International Educational Development, Inc. (IED), a non-governmental organization on the Roster, and: BRussels Tribunal, Women Solidarity for an Independent and Unified Iraq, Arab Lawyers Association- UK, Geneva International Centre for Justice (GICJ), Association of Humanitarian Lawyers (AHL), The International League of Iraqi Academics (ILIA), The Iraqi Commission on Human Rights (ICHR), Women Will Association (WWA), Organization for Widows and Orphans (OWO), Ikraam Center for Human Rights, VREDE, Belgian Peace Movement, Monitoring Net of Human Rights in Iraq (MHRI), Women Solidarity for an Independent and Unified Iraq, Geneva Global Media Centre, International Coalition against War Criminals (ICAWC), Medical Aid for the Third World, Association of Iraqi Diplomats (AID), The African Association of Human Rights (AAHR), Protection of Human Rights Defenders in the Arab World, Moroccan Association for the Right to a Fair Trial, Americans Against the War (France), General Federation of Iraqi Women (GFIW), The International Action Center (IAC), American Worker, Association of Iraqi Intellectuals and Academics, The International Network of Arab Human Rights NGOs, America In Solidarity, Federacion De Mujeres Cubanas, Association of Victims of American Occupation Prisons, International Anti-Occupation Network (IAON), International Lawyers.org, International Society of Iraqi Scientists, The Perdana Global Peace Foundation, Kuala Lumpur Foundation to Criminalise War, Spanish Campaign against the Occupation and for Iraq Sovereignty- CEOSI, Arab Cause Solidarity Committee, Iraq Solidarity Association in Stockholm, El Taller International, World Courts of Women, Center for Development Studies- India, Wariscrime.org, Iraq Solidarity Association in Stockholm, Málaga, Spain, Stop Fascism Action Network, The Asian Jurists Centre, Association of Human Rights Defenders in Iraq (AHRDI), The African Center for Human Rights (ACHR), Veterans for Peace, Your Declaration of Independence.org , Arab Lawyers Network-UK, Conservative Centre of Environmental & Reserves in Fallujah (CCERF), Willie Nelson Peace Research Institute, Studies Centre for Human Rights and Democracy, The Iraqi Centre for Human Right
[3] -See; UN: Updated Set of principles for the protection and promotion of human rights through action to combat impunity.
UAJ (joint statement), ID on Violence and the Sale of Children - 25th Meeting
Human Rights Council
Nineteenth session- Geneva, 27 February-23 March 2012
Item 3. Promotion and protection of all human rights, civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights, including the right to development
ID with SRSG on violence against children, and SR on sale of children
Joint statement by
The International Youth and Student Movement for the United Nations (ISMUN), Union of Arab Jurists, the International Organization for the Elimination of all Forms of Racial Discrimination (EAFORD), Arab Lawyers Union, General Arab Women Federation (GAWF), North-South XX1, The United Towns Agency for the North-South Cooperation, and International Educational Development, Inc. (IED),
Violence against Iraqi Children
Delivered by
Ms. Beatrijs KENTANE
President,
I would like to thank the Special representative of the Secretary General and the special rapporteur for their reports and bring to their attention the precarious situation of the Iraqi children.
The destruction caused by the invasion and occupation of Iraq has increased violence against children.
There are five million Iraqi orphans, many live on the streets without family, all subjected to violence.
There has been a 30 percent drug addiction increase among children to ease the pain and sufferings inflicted by the occupation.
Other violence issues to be studied by the UN: a case of about 800 girls under the age of 18, disappeared in the first seven years after the war. Up to 65 % among the prostituted females are minors. Some are victims of torture in case of gang- rape. Children of prostitutes are sold or raped by pedophile customers. The highest demand is for girls as young as 11 . They have been trafficked into neighboring countries.
In some cases girls request to remain in detention centers fearful that their families will kill them.
Exposure to violence on a daily basis has affected their psychological development and behavior.
Landmines and explosive remnants of war with many victims being children under the age of 14 .
Since the conflict hundreds of children have been detained. They were placed in juvenile detention centers where they are exposed to another level of violence.
It is important to note that attacks on educational institutions by the army and affiliated militias, to intimidate, frighten, kidnap, arrest and kill students, occur on a regular basis. As a consequence school attendance has decreased dramatically. School buildings are often used for military purposes. Iraq’s educated and professional class fled following the assassination of colleagues as part of a targeted campaign, with devastating effect on the children’s development and wellbeing.
The International community and International human rights bodies should not ignore the situation resulting from the invasion and occupation of Iraq. We ask the council to discuss the whole situation of human rights of Iraq and appoint a special rapporteur to the country.
Finally, we expressed our concerns about the Iraqi children in three written statements already published for this session under number 142, 143, 147 and they are among the documents of today's meeting.
Thank you
 Room XX - Palais Des Nations - Geneva - 8 March 2012 |
 Bie Kentane delivers the joint written statement in room XX, Palais des Nations - 8 March 2012 |
Side event on Iraq - 8 March 2012 - Human Rights situation in Iraq - Salle XXIII - 4PM
With: Bie Kentane - Dirk Adriaensens - Karen Parker - Moderator: Curtis Doebbler
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Joint written statements submitted by the International Youth and Student Movement for the United Nations, the Women's International Democratic Federation, nongovernmental organizations in general consultative status,
The International Organization for the Elimination of all Forms of Racial Discrimination, the Union of Arab Jurists, the Arab Lawyers Union, the General Arab Women Federation, the International Association of Democratic Lawyers, North-South XXI, the United Towns Agency for North-South Cooperation, the Indian Movement “Tupaj Amaru”, the Asian Women Human Rights Council, the Organisation pour la Communication en Afrique et de Promotion de la Coopération Economique Internationale -OCAPROCE International, non-governmental organizations in special consultative status,
The International Educational Development, Inc., a non-governmental organization on the roster.
** The BRussells Tribunal, Arab Lawyers Association-UK, Geneva International Centre for Justice (GICJ), Association of Humanitarian Lawyers (AHL), The International League of Iraqi Academics (ILIA), The Iraqi Commission on Human Rights (ICHR), Women Will Association (WWA), Organization for Widows and Orphans (OWO), Ikraam Center for Human Rights, VREDE-Belgian Peace Movement, Ligue camerounaise des droits de l'homme, Monitoring Net of Human Rights in Iraq (MHRI), Women Solidarity for an Independent and Unified Iraq, Geneva Global Media Centre, International Coalition against War Criminals (ICAWC), Medical Aid for the Third World, Association of Iraqi Diplomats (AID), The African Association of Human Rights (AAHR), Protection of Human Rights Defenders in the Arab World, Moroccan Association for the Right to a Fair Trial, Americans Against the War (France), General Federation of Iraqi Women (GFIW), The International Action Center (IAC), American Worker, Association of Iraqi Intellectuals and Academics, The International Network of Arab Human Rights NGOs, America In Solidarity, Federacion De Mujeres Cubanas, Association of Victims of American Occupation Prisons, International Anti-Occupation Network (IAON), International Lawyers.org, International Society of Iraqi Scientists, The Perdana Global Peace Foundation, Kuala Lumpur Foundation to Criminalise War, Spanish Campaign against the Occupation and for Iraq Sovereignty- CEOSI, Arab Cause Solidarity Committee, Iraq Solidarity Association in Stockholm, El Taller International, World Courts of Women, Center for Development Studies- India, Wariscrime.org, Action Center for Justice, 1% A Peace Army.org, A Bigger Tent.org, Agir contre la guerre (France), American Voices Abroad (Berlin, Germany), American Voices Abroad Military Project (Europe), Anti War Fair, Arizona Christian Peacemakers, Armbands for Peace, Arms Against War, Artists Against the War, Backbone Campaign, Be the Change, Become Active, Bike for Peace (Germany), Bill of Rights Defense Committee, Bird Dogger Org., Children of Iraq Association (UK),Bloomington Peace Action Coalition (IN), Blue State News Only, Boston Mobilization, Bring Democracy Back, Bring Them Home, Butterfly Gardeners Association, Citizens for Accountability on Iraq, California for Democracy, Camp Casey Blog, Camp U.S. Strike for Peace Campaign, Campaign Against Sanctions and Military Intervention in Iran, Canada Watch, Carolina Peace Resource Center (SC), Cartoon Free America, Catalysts of Hope, Central Colorado Coalition on the Iraq War, Chester County Peace Movement (PA), Cindy Sheehan Org., Cities for Peace, Citizens for Legitimate Government, Citizens for Peace & Justice, Human Rights for all-Morocco, Christian Clergy For Impeachment.com, Clothing of the American Mind, Coalition Against Election Fraud, Coalition for Impeachment Now (COIN), Code Pink, the Iraqi Association for Human Rights (IAHR), Al-Basa'er Media Association, Consumers for Peace.org, Dhafir Trial.org, DC Anti-War Network.org, Democracy Action, Democracy for America Meetup (Birmingham, AL), The Democratic Activist, Democracy Rising.org, Democratic Underground, Human Resources (Tbilisi, Georgia), Democratic Renewal, Democrats.com, Earth Day.org, Earth Island Institute, East Cobb Democratic Alliance (Cobb County, GA), Eastern Long Island Democracy for America (NY), ECU Peace and Justice NC, Election Solar Bus, Environmentalists Against War, Envision a New America, Foundation for the Development of Fox Valley Citizens for Peace and Justice (IL), Global Exchange.org, Global Network Against Weapons & Nuclear Power in Space, Global Resistance Network, Gold Star Families for Peace, Grandmothers Against the War, Grandmothers for Peace, Grass Roots Impeachment, Grass Roots Impeachment Movement, Grassroots North shoreWI, Green Delaware, Hawaii CD-01 Impeachment Action Coalition, Historians Against the War, Honk to Impeach, Idriss Stelley Foundation, Impeach Bush Cheney, Independent Progressive Politics Network, Impeach Bush Coalition, Impeach Bush TV.org, Impeachbush-cheney.com, Impeach Central, Impeach for Peace - Marshall, TX, Impeachable Treason, Impeach Duh, Impeachment Sunday, Inform Progressive Virginia, International Socialist Organization, Impeach Bush Cheney Net, Iraq Veterans Against the War, Iraq Veterans Against the War - Kansas City, Justice Through Music, Lake Merritt Neighbours Organized for Peace (Oakland, CA), Latinos for America, Leader of the Free Word - a great screen saver, Liberal Democracy Alliance, Liberal Kids, LIBERTY TREE Foundation for the Democratic Revolution, Los Angeles National Impeachment Centre, Louisiana Activist Network, Marijuana Policy Project, Massachusetts Impeachment Coalition, Men's Project for Peace, Michael Moore Online.org, Michigan Peace Works, Military Families Against the War (UK), Military Free Zone, Stop the War Coalition (Bedford, UK), Million Musicians March, Mission Not Accomplished, Montgomery County Progressive Alliance (MD), Musicians and Fine Artists for World Peace, Muslims for Peace (Australia), National Lawyers Guild - Chicago chapter, National Lawyers Guild - Detroit & Michigan chapter, Northeast Impeachment Coalition, North Jersey Impeach Group (NJ), Northeast Georgia Peace Corner Group (Helen, GA), Northwest Ohio Peace Coalition, Northwest Progressive Institute (Pacific Northwest US), Not in Our Name.org, Not in Our Name (Aotearoa, New Zealand), Nyack Impeachment Initiative (NJ), Ohio Progressive Action Coalition, One Global Community, Olympia Citizens' Movement to Impeach Bush/Cheney (WA), One Million Reasons, Operation Cease Fire, Operation Impeachment, Orange County Grassroots (CA), Out of Iraq, Out of Iraq Bloggers Caucus, Patrick Henry Democratic Club, Patriotic Pulse, Patriots for Gore, Peace Action, Peace Action Wisconsin, Peace and Accountability, Peace Drum, Peace Majority, Peace Movement Aotearoa (New Zealand), Peace Reso.org, Peninsula Peace and Justice Center (Palo Alto, CA), People's Campaign for the Constitution, People Powered Impeachment, People's Email Network, People's Glorious Five Year Plan, Picnic to Impeach, Pixel4Peace.org, Playing in Traffic, PledgeToImpeach.org, Political Cooperative, Politics and Art, Progressive Action Alliance, Progressive Action Center, Progressive Avenues, Progressive Democrats of America, Progressive Democrats of Hawaii Project Filibuster, Project for the OLD American Century, Refusing to Kill.org, Rescue Our Democracy, Sacramento for Democracy (CA), St Pete for Peace (FL), Sampsonia Way, San Diego for Democracy, School of the Americas Watch, Sheehan for Congress, South Florida Impeachment Coalition, South Mountain Peace Action (Maplewood & South Orange, NJ), Springs Action Alliance (CO), Stop the War Coalition (UK), Students for Impeachment, Students Towards a New Direction (STAND), Summit County Progressive Democrats (OH), The Known UnKnowns, The Politically Incorrect Cabaret, The Rational Response Squad, Think Blue Dems, Time for Accountability, Plataforma Aturem la Guerra (Stop the War Catalonia),Toronto Coalition to Stop the War (Canada), Torture Abolition and Survivors Support Coalition International, True Blue Liberal.org, Trumansburg Impeachment (NY), Truth Empowered, Truthtelling Project, UC Nuclear, Underground Action Alliance, Unitarian Universalist Peace and Justice Group (Nantucket, MA), United Blue USA, United for Veterans (Wayne, MI), United Progressives, Upbeat Defiance, US Peace Memorial, US Tour of Duty: Iraq Veterans and Military Families Demand the Truth, Velvet Revolution, Vet Gulf March, Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity, Veterans for Peace, Chapter 27, Virginia Grassroots Coalition, Voters for Peace, We the People for Peace, We the People Network, We the People Now, We The People United Bangladesh.org, Peace Surge, Peace and Justice Action League of Spokane (WA), Stop the War (UK), U.S. Peace Council, World Can't Wait.org, World Prout Assembly, Komite Internazionalista- Basque, Asociación Paz, Igualdad y Solidaridad Internacional, Arab Cause Solidarity Committee, Iraq Solidarity Association in Stockholm, Málaga, Spain, Stop Fascism Action Network, The Asian Jurists Centre, Association of Human Rights Defenders in Iraq (AHRDI), The African Center for Human Rights (ACHR), Veterans for Peace, Your Declaration of Independence.org , Arab Lawyers Network-UK, Conservative Centre of Environmental & Reserves in Fallujah (CCERF), Willie Nelson Peace Research Institute, Studies Centre for Human Rights and Democracy, The Iraqi Centre for Human Rights, Association Internationale des droits de l'homme, NGOs without consultative status, also share the views expressed in this statement.