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| No War against Iraq | |
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No to the War A serious test for the United Nations and the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership The Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Network is deeply concerned about the threat of US military intervention in Iraq, supported by a number of governments from within the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership. Carrying out such an attack outside of international law would have a harmful effect on the United Nations and seriously undermines its irreplaceable role in peacekeeping and in protecting and promoting human rights. Such an intervention truly constitutes a violation of international law, which stipulates that all States in the region, including Israel, must ratify the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) and be subject to international inspection by the United Nations. An armed attack against Iraq would only serve to illustrate more blatantly the politics of double standards. An armed attack would, in addition, seriously compromise the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership and lead to a breakdown in understanding between peoples in the region for a long time to come. Such an intervention would also only have disastrous effects on the civilian Iraqi and Kurdish populations, who have already suffered so much as a result of the international sanctions in place since 1992. Furthermore, any intervention would negatively impact on neighboring countries which would have to deal with hundreds of thousands of refugees. The cost in terms of human rights abuses would be particularly high. The Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Network strongly supports an efficient action within the framework of Security Council Resolution 688, to promote universal human rights values and democratic principles and throughout the region on the basis of international law and international humanitarian standards. It is essential that the Iraqi regime adopts a vigorous and immediate political reform program that abolishes overly restrictive laws on liberties, guarantees freedom of expression and association, establishes political parties, respects the right of all Iraqis to participate freely in public affairs, recognizes pluralism and the diversity of Iraqi society, including acknowledging the legitimate rights of the Kurdish people. This reform, furthermore, must enable local, regional Arab and international human rights monitors to work freely in observing the human rights situation in Iraq. The Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Network is convinced that in solving conflicts priority should be given to international law within the framework of the Charter of the United Nations. It’s the raison d’être of the UN. The Iraqi people are living under a dictatorship that systematically has repressed individual and collective human rights with an utmost contempt for human life. However, this situation does not justify any military intervention which would constitute the worst precedent since the establishment of the United Nations. EMHRN info@euromedrights.net +45 32 69 89 10 For further information please contact: Marc Schade-Poulsen, Executive Director / Marit Floe Joergensen, Information Officer Euro Mediterranean Human Rights Network, Wilders Plads 8 H, DK-1403 Copenhagen K, Denmark Tel: +45-32 69 89 12 / Fax: +45-32 69 89 01 E-mail: info@euromedrights.net |
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