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href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/2011/07/05/international-committee-of-the-red-cross-iraq-activities-update/#comments" title="Comment on International Committee Of The Red Cross: Iraq Activities Update">1 Comment</a></span> Posted on July 5th, 2011 by Burhan Aydin</div> <h3><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/2011/07/05/international-committee-of-the-red-cross-iraq-activities-update/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent Link to International Committee Of The Red Cross: Iraq Activities Update">International Committee Of The Red Cross: Iraq Activities Update</a></h3> <p class="postmetadata">Category: <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/category/english-articles/" title="View all posts in English Language Articles" rel="category tag">English Language Articles</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/category/iraq/" title="View all posts in News" rel="category tag">News</a>, Tags: <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/1990-1991-gulf-war/" rel="tag">1990-1991 Gulf War</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/abu-ghraib/" rel="tag">Abu Ghraib</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/al-rashad/" rel="tag">al Rashad</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/al-khadra/" rel="tag">al-Khadra</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/al-qosh/" rel="tag">al-Qosh</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/anbar/" rel="tag">Anbar</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/armed-conflict/" rel="tag">armed conflict</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/babil/" rel="tag">babil</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/bala/" rel="tag">Bala</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/balad/" rel="tag">Balad</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/basra/" rel="tag">Basra</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/civilians/" rel="tag">Civilians</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/detainees/" rel="tag">detainees</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/detention-facilities/" rel="tag">detention facilities</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/disabled-people/" rel="tag">disabled people</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/diwaniya/" rel="tag">Diwaniya</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/diyala/" rel="tag">Diyala</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/erbil/" rel="tag">Erbil</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/floods/" rel="tag">floods</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/food-parcels/" rel="tag">Food parcels</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/gulf-war/" rel="tag">Gulf War</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/health/" rel="tag">Health</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/hts/" rel="tag">HTS</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/human-rights/" rel="tag">Human Rights</a>, <a 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href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/kufa/" rel="tag">Kufa</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/kufa-university/" rel="tag">Kufa University</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/kurdish-regional-government/" rel="tag">kurdish regional government</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/livin/" rel="tag">Livin</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/mine-clearance/" rel="tag">Mine Clearance</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/missing-persons/" rel="tag">missing persons</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/nahrawan/" rel="tag">Nahrawan</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/najaf/" rel="tag">Najaf</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/northern-iraq/" rel="tag">northern iraq</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/occupation/" rel="tag">occupation</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/prisoners/" rel="tag">prisoners</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/rainfall/" rel="tag">rainfall</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/red-cross-messages/" rel="tag">Red Cross messages</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/refugees/" rel="tag">Refugees</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/rehabilitation/" rel="tag">rehabilitation</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/resources/" rel="tag">Resources</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/rice/" rel="tag">rice</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/rural-areas/" rel="tag">rural areas</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/sadr-city/" rel="tag">Sadr City</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/salah-al-din/" rel="tag">Salah al-Din</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/sanitation/" rel="tag">sanitation</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/shirqat/" rel="tag">Shirqat</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/statistics/" rel="tag">statistics</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/students/" rel="tag">Students</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/turkey/" rel="tag">Turkey</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/violence/" rel="tag">violence</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/wasit/" rel="tag">Wasit</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/water/" rel="tag">Water</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/water-purification/" rel="tag">water purification</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/water-supply/" rel="tag">water supply</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/water-treatment/" rel="tag">water treatment</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/zaidan/" rel="tag">Zaidan</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/zubair/" rel="tag">Zubair</a></p> <div class="entry" dir="rtl" align="right"> <div style="text-align: left; unicode-bidi: bidi-override; direction: ltr"> <p>Three decades of conflict have left hundreds of thousands of families struggling to find out what happened to their missing loved ones. Abandoning the search is not an option. Since 1980, the ICRC has spared no effort to put an end to their anguish. Operational update, March-May 2011. </p> <p>"Iraq is currently one of the countries with the highest number of missing persons and, as a result, with the highest number of families seeking information on their missing relatives," said ‘Dika Dulic’, the ICRC delegate in charge of issues relating to missing persons in Iraq. A lack of clear statistics, however, makes it difficult to accurately establish the true size of the problem.</p> <div style="border-bottom: black 1px solid; border-left: black 1px solid; padding-bottom: 5px; margin: 5px 0px 5px 15px; padding-left: 5px; width: 48%; padding-right: 5px; float: right; border-top: black 1px solid; border-right: black 1px solid; padding-top: 5px"> <h3>How do I report my relative as a missing person?</h3> <p>The Ministry of Human Rights is responsible for collecting information about any person reported missing in connection with armed conflict or internal violence. The ministry has offices in each Iraqi governorate. In northern Iraq, the Ministry of Anfal is in charge of this issue.</p> <p>The Department for missing persons, prisoners of war and human remains has two hotline numbers: <br/>+964 781 375 7020 <br/>+964 781 375 7021 <br/>and can also be contacted by <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/mailto:d.mom-mhr@humanrights.gov.iq">e-mail</a></p> <p>Information provided by Basra’s Al-Zubair Centre on soldiers exhumed or otherwise known to be dead can be found on the Ministry of Human Rights website: <br/><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://www.humanrights.gov.iq /">www.humanrights.gov.iq</a>  You can also contact Al Zubair Centre directly.</p> <p>If you believe that one of your relatives has been killed, you can contact Baghdad’s Medico-Legal Institute by telephone: <br/>+964 78 137 57 655 or by <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/mailto:mli_bag41@yahoo.com">e-mail</a></p> <p>In an effort to alleviate the agony of those still waiting for news, the ICRC, in its role as a neutral intermediary, facilitates dialogue between the parties involved in the 1980-1988 Iran-Iraq War and in the 1990-1991 Gulf War, who have an obligation under international humanitarian law to account for those who went missing.Baghdad resident Hayat has led a sad life since her husband disappeared on 8 April 2003. "I lost hope," she said. "In the past nine years I have searched every prison. I ended up convincing myself that my husband Abdallah must have died."</p> <p>In an effort to alleviate the agony of those still waiting for news, the ICRC, in its role as a neutral intermediary, facilitates dialogue between the parties involved in the 1980-1988 Iran-Iraq War and in the 1990-1991 Gulf War, who have an obligation under international humanitarian law to account for those who went missing.</p> </p></div> <p>Baghdad resident Hayat has led a sad life since her husband disappeared on 8 April 2003. "I lost hope," she said. "In the past nine years I have searched every prison. I ended up convincing myself that my husband Abdallah must have died."</p> <p>In April, the remains of 17 Iranian soldiers killed in the 1980-1988 Iran-Iraq War were handed over from the Iraqi to the Iranian authorities under ICRC auspices at the Shalamja border crossing, near Basra.</p> <p>As a neutral intermediary, the ICRC facilitates the dialogue between the parties who were involved in the Iran-Iraq war and the Gulf war and who carry the responsibility to clarify the fate of persons still unaccounted for. This includes: <br/>supporting authorities in the collection of information <br/>facilitating transmission of information between the parties chairing meetings <br/>facilitating joint missions in the field and the handover of human remains</p> <p>The ICRC continues to provide training and other support for the Ministry of Human Rights, Basra’s Al-Zubair Centre of Iraq and Baghdad’s Medical-Legal Institute.</p> <h4>Bringing aid to people facing hardship</h4> <p>Many people in Iraq are still struggling to earn a living and support their families. Between March and May, the ICRC:</p> <p>Distributed over 8 million Iraqi Dinars through cash-for-work scheme, to 450 vulnerable displaced people and residents of Deralok in Dohuk governorate; <br/>Awarded 108 grants to disabled people and women-headed households in Ninawa, Kirkuk, Basra, Missan, Erbil, Baghdad and Sulaimaniya, enabling them to start small businesses and regain economic self-sufficiency. <br/>Distributed individual food and hygiene parcels, including essential household items, to 2475 internally displaced households, benefiting some 14850 people, in the group settlements of Ninawa, Kirkuk and Wasit;</p> <p>Following heavy rainfalls and consequential flooding in Ninawa, Erbil and Salah Al-Din governorates in April, the ICRC assisted affected/displaced households, distributing: 4984 blankets, 634 towels, 1340 hygiene parcels, 1315 tarpaulins, 317 kitchen sets, <br/>763 food parcels, and 11.1 metric tons of rice. The ICRC assistance also reached families affected by the floods in Rabea and Baaj districts.</p> <h4>Assisting health-care facilities</h4> </p></div> <p> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/2011/07/05/international-committee-of-the-red-cross-iraq-activities-update/#more-13625" class="more-link">» أقرأ التفاصيل .. | Read the rest of this entry »</a></p> </div> </div> <hr/> <div class="post clearfix" id="post-13421"> <div class="postmetadata"><span class="comments"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/2011/05/21/iraqi-officials-reject-demilitarization-of-disputed-territories-rudaw-in-english/#respond" title="Comment on Iraqi Officials Reject Demilitarization of Disputed Territories : Rudaw in English">No Comments</a></span> Posted on May 21st, 2011 by markfromireland</div> <h3><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/2011/05/21/iraqi-officials-reject-demilitarization-of-disputed-territories-rudaw-in-english/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent Link to Iraqi Officials Reject Demilitarization of Disputed Territories : Rudaw in English">Iraqi Officials Reject Demilitarization of Disputed Territories : Rudaw in English</a></h3> <p class="postmetadata">Category: <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/category/english-articles/" title="View all posts in English Language Articles" rel="category tag">English Language Articles</a>, Tags: <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/analysis/" rel="tag">Analysis</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/arabs/" rel="tag">Arabs</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/bala/" rel="tag">Bala</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/diyala/" rel="tag">Diyala</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/hawija/" rel="tag">Hawija</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/icg/" rel="tag">ICG</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/inis/" rel="tag">INIS</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/kirkuk/" rel="tag">Kirkuk</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/kirkuk-at-ta%e2%80%99mim-governorate/" rel="tag">Kirkuk (At-Ta’mim) Governorate</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/kirkuk-political-violence/" rel="tag">Kirkuk - political violence</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/kurdistan/" rel="tag">Kurdistan</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/kurdistan-region/" rel="tag">kurdistan region</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/mosul/" rel="tag">Mosul</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/mosul-violence/" rel="tag">Mosul violence</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/ninawa-governorate/" rel="tag">Ninawa (Governorate)</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/peshmerga/" rel="tag">Peshmerga</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/peshmerga-seizure-of-non-kurdish-lands/" rel="tag">Peshmerga seizure of non-Kurdish lands</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/peshmerga-vs-gzg/" rel="tag">Peshmerga vs. GZG</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/political-negotiations/" rel="tag">political negotiations</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/rudaw/" rel="tag">Rudaw</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/trigger-line/" rel="tag">Trigger line</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/wladimir-van-wilgenburg/" rel="tag">Wladimir Van Wilgenburg</a></p> <div class="entry" dir="rtl" align="right"> <div style="text-align: left; unicode-bidi: bidi-override; direction: ltr"> <p>The latest attacks on police in Kirkuk demonstrate the lack of security in Iraq, especially in areas that are disputed between Kurds and Arabs. The International Crisis Group, in their last report, called for the demilitarization of ethnically mixed regions and the replacement of soldiers with police, but Iraqi officials rejected the idea because security in these areas is poor.</p> </p></div> <p> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/2011/05/21/iraqi-officials-reject-demilitarization-of-disputed-territories-rudaw-in-english/#more-13421" class="more-link">» أقرأ التفاصيل .. | Read the rest of this entry »</a></p> </div> </div> <hr/> <div class="post clearfix" id="post-11187"> <div class="postmetadata"><span class="comments"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/2010/06/29/%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%b9%d8%b1%d8%a7%d9%82-%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%82%d8%aa%d9%84-%d9%85%d9%86-%d8%a3%d8%ac%d9%84-%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%85%d9%8a%d8%a7%d9%87/#respond" title="Comment on العراق: القتل من أجل المياه">No Comments</a></span> Posted on June 29th, 2010 by Nabil</div> <h3><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/2010/06/29/%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%b9%d8%b1%d8%a7%d9%82-%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%82%d8%aa%d9%84-%d9%85%d9%86-%d8%a3%d8%ac%d9%84-%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%85%d9%8a%d8%a7%d9%87/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent Link to العراق: القتل من أجل المياه">العراق: القتل من أجل المياه</a></h3> <p class="postmetadata">Category: <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/category/features/" title="View all posts in Features" rel="category tag">Features</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/category/iraq/" title="View all posts in News" rel="category tag">News</a>, Tags: <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/abu-ghraib/" rel="tag">Abu Ghraib</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/agricultural-land/" rel="tag">agricultural land</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/agricultural-sector/" rel="tag">agricultural sector</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/agriculture/" rel="tag">Agriculture</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/air/" rel="tag">Air</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/armed-conflict/" rel="tag">armed conflict</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/average-rainfall/" rel="tag">average rainfall</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/baghdad/" rel="tag">Baghdad</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/bala/" rel="tag">Bala</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/children/" rel="tag">Children</a>, <a 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href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/salinity/" rel="tag">salinity</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/sandstorms/" rel="tag">sandstorms</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/sanitation/" rel="tag">sanitation</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/security-situation/" rel="tag">security situation</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/shortage-of-water/" rel="tag">shortage of water</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/soil-salinity/" rel="tag">soil salinity</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/syria/" rel="tag">Syria</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/tigris-and-euphrates/" rel="tag">tigris and euphrates</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/tigris-and-euphrates-rivers/" rel="tag">tigris and euphrates rivers</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/traditional-tribes/" rel="tag">traditional tribes</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/turkey/" rel="tag">Turkey</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/underinvestment/" rel="tag">underinvestment</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/water/" rel="tag">Water</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/water-distribution/" rel="tag">water distribution</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/water-level/" rel="tag">water level</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/water-levels/" rel="tag">water levels</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/water-pumps/" rel="tag">water pumps</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/water-supplies/" rel="tag">water supplies</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/west-baghdad/" rel="tag">west Baghdad</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/who/" rel="tag">WHO</a></p> <div class="entry" dir="rtl" align="right"> <div dir="rtl" align="right"> <p>في الساعات الأولى من صباح 18 يونيو، اقتحم مسلحون منزل فيصل حسن في غرب بغداد وقتلوه وزوجته وطفليهما الصغيرين. ولكن لم يكن الدافع وراء هذه الجريمة طائفياً أو سياسياً أو حتى اقتصادياً، بل كان مرتبطاً بالمياه. <br/>فقد كان حسن البالغ من العمر أربعين عاماً موظفاً في دائرة الري المحلية في مدينة أبو غريب، الواقعة على بعد 32 كيلومتراً من بغداد والتي اشتهرت في الآونة الأخيرة بالفضائح المرتبطة بالسجن المقام على أرضها. وكان القسم الذي يعمل فيه حسن يشرف على توزيع الحكومة للمياه على الأراضي الزراعية داخل مدينة أبو غريب ومحيطها.</p> <p>وحسب محقق الشرطة، محمد خضير، رفع مقتل حسن عدد العاملين في قسم الري الذين تعرضوا للقتل في هذه المدينة إلى ثلاثة خلال الأشهر الثلاثة الماضية. وعلق خضير على ذلك بقوله: "لم يكن لأي من هؤلاء علاقة بالسياسة أو الأنشطة المعادية للمتشددين ولكنهم كانوا بدل ذلك ضحايا لطبيعة عملهم التي أصبحت محفوفة بالمخاطر". <br/><strong>خطر المواجهات المحلية </strong> <br/>وتتمتع القبائل والعشائر التقليدية في المناطق الريفية في العراق بسلطة كبيرة، إذ عادة ما تحصل من أعضائها على ولاء أقوى مما يقدمونه للحكومة الوطنية. وقد دخلت هذه العشائر في الماضي في اشتباكات حول الأراضي وموارد المياه ولكن مع غياب حكومة قوية منذ عام 2003 وانخفاض إمدادات المياه خلال السنوات الأخيرة، يرى بعض المحللين أن الخلافات المحلية المرتبطة بالمياه في ازدياد وأصبحت تنذر بخطر حدوث نزاعات مسلحة. </p> <p>وعلق جعفر محمد علي، وهو محلل بكربلاء على ذلك بقوله: "لا نملك اليوم حكومة تعمل بشكل كامل لأنها منشغلة كلياً بالحالة الأمنية والخلافات السياسية، ولذلك لا تلعب دوراً قوياً في ردع أي خلاف محتمل واسع النطاق. كما نعاني أيضاً من نقص حاد في المياه على الصعيد الوطني ومن وضع اقتصادي سيء للغاية يجعل من الصعب جداً على المزارعين القيام بأعمال أخرى". <br/>من جهته، أفاد علي اسماعيل الزبيدي، أحد شيوخ القبائل في محافظة الديوانية الواقعة على بعد حوالي 200 كلم إلى الجنوب من بغداد، أن قبيلته أجرت "مفاوضات صعبة" بشأن حصص المياه مع قبيلة أخرى مجاورة. وأضاف قائلاً: "نحن نعاني من مشاكل يومية فيما يخص المياه، فهم يستعملون مضخات مياه كهربائية ضخمة لشفط المياه ولا يتركون لنا سوى قطرات فقط. كما أن المسؤولين في الحكومة عاجزون عن تنظيم الري ووقف أولئك الذين ينتهكون اللوائح الخاصة به إما بسبب الفساد أو لأنهم يخشون على حياتهم. لذا يتعين علينا حل هذه المشكلة بأنفسنا". وأوضح أنه بحاجة لعقد المزيد من الاجتماعات مع شيوخ هذه القبيلة لحل النزاع حول المياه "ولكن هذا لا يعني أنه بإمكاننا الانتظار طويلاً، بل سنتصرف بسرعة لتأمين المياه التي نحتاجها لأرضنا حتى لو توجب علينا حمل السلاح". <br/><strong>أمة تفتقر للمياه</strong> <br/>وكان العراق تاريخياً واحداً من الدول الأكثر خصوبة في المنطقة بفضل نهري دجلة والفرات اللذين يتدفقان باتجاه الجنوب الشرقي عبر البلاد بأسرها. وكان شريطاً أخضراً من الأراضي الخصبة يمتد عبر وسط البلاد تغذيه مياه النهرين. غير أن مستويات المياه في دجلة والفرات انخفضت بشكل مطرد في السنوات الأخيرة بسبب قلة هطول الأمطار وبناء السدود على الأنهار في تركيا وسوريا. </p> <p>بالإضافة إلى ذلك، تعرض القطاع الزراعي في البلاد للشلل بسبب عقود من الحرب وانعدام الأمن وقلة الاستثمارات وقطع الأشجار من دون رادع لاستخدامها كحطب للوقود، مما زاد من ملوحة التربة وتسبب في تعرض بعض المناطق للتصحر. وقد تحولت مساحات كبيرة من الأراضي الزراعية التي كانت خصبة فيما قبل إلى صحراء شبه قاحلة أخذت تسبب عدداً متزايداً من العواصف الرملية في ظل ذبول النباتات المثبتة للتربة. <br/>وقد قامت الحكومة، استجابة لذلك، بتبني تدابير لتنظيم كمية المياه المستخدمة للري في كل محافظة ولكنها واجهت صعوبات في تنفيذها. وقال مهدي القيسي، وكيل وزارة الزراعة، لشبكة الأنباء الإنسانية (إيرين) أن "المزارعين لم يلتزموا بلوائح توزيع المياه. ونحن ننصحهم باتباع هذه اللوائح هذا العام لأننا لا نستطيع ضمان كمية المياه التي ستتوفر لدينا". </p> <p><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://arabic.irinnews.org/ReportArabic.aspx?SID=2083" class="external" target="_blank">العراق: القتل من أجل المياه-العراق-بيئة-نزاع-المياه والصرف الصحي</a></p> </p></div> </div> </div> <hr/> <div class="post clearfix" id="post-11138"> <div class="postmetadata"><span class="comments"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/2010/06/26/%d8%a7%d8%ba%d9%84%d8%a7%d9%82-79-%d9%85%d8%b9%d9%85%d9%84%d8%a7%d9%8b-%d9%84%d8%a7%d9%86%d8%aa%d8%a7%d8%ac-%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%85%d9%8a%d8%a7%d9%87-%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%85%d8%b9%d8%af%d9%86%d9%8a%d8%a9-%d8%a8/#respond" title="Comment on اغلاق 79 معملاً لانتاج المياه المعدنية بسبب الغش">No Comments</a></span> Posted on June 26th, 2010 by Hussein Al-Bayati</div> <h3><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/2010/06/26/%d8%a7%d8%ba%d9%84%d8%a7%d9%82-79-%d9%85%d8%b9%d9%85%d9%84%d8%a7%d9%8b-%d9%84%d8%a7%d9%86%d8%aa%d8%a7%d8%ac-%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%85%d9%8a%d8%a7%d9%87-%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%85%d8%b9%d8%af%d9%86%d9%8a%d8%a9-%d8%a8/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent Link to اغلاق 79 معملاً لانتاج المياه المعدنية بسبب الغش">اغلاق 79 معملاً لانتاج المياه المعدنية بسبب الغش</a></h3> <p class="postmetadata">Category: <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/category/cholera/" title="View all posts in Cholera" rel="category tag">Cholera</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/category/health-crisis-iraq/" title="View all posts in Health" rel="category tag">Health</a>, Tags: <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/anbar/" rel="tag">Anbar</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/baghdad/" rel="tag">Baghdad</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/bala/" rel="tag">Bala</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/bottled-water/" rel="tag">Bottled water</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/cholera/" rel="tag">Cholera</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/cholera-prevention-of/" rel="tag">Cholera - prevention of</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/dhi-qar/" rel="tag">Dhi Qar</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/diwaniya/" rel="tag">Diwaniya</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/fraud/" rel="tag">Fraud</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/health/" rel="tag">Health</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/health-ministry/" rel="tag">Health ministry</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/karbala/" rel="tag">Karbala</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/karkh/" rel="tag">Karkh</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/kirkuk/" rel="tag">Kirkuk</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/nineveh/" rel="tag">Nineveh</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/rusafa/" rel="tag">Rusafa</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/%d9%83%d8%b1%d9%83%d9%88%d9%83/" rel="tag">كركوك</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/wasit/" rel="tag">Wasit</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/water/" rel="tag">Water</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/water-contamination/" rel="tag">Water Contamination</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%83%d9%88%d9%84%d9%8a%d8%b1%d8%a7/" rel="tag">الكوليرا</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/%d8%a8%d8%ba%d8%af%d8%a7%d8%af/" rel="tag">بغداد</a></p> <div class="entry" dir="rtl" align="right"> <div dir="rtl" align="right"> <p>بغداد: استفحلت ظواهر الغش في الصناعة بالعراق اعلنت وزارة الصحة عن قيامها باجراءات قانونية مشددة بحق (93) معمل مياه معبأة توزعت مابين الاغلاق والغرامات المادية بسبب مخالفتها الشروط الصحية.وذكر مصدر في وزارة الصحة في تصريح صحفي “ان العديد من معامل تعبئة المياه تعمل وفقاً لشروط غير صحية،واخرى غير مجازة”.</p> <p>مشيراً الى انه “تم اغلاق (79) معملاً منها (56) معملا في بغداد،(25) في جانب الكرخ و (31) في جانب الرصافة،فضلاً عن (14) معملا في الانبار و(9) في واسط و(6) في كربلاء و(4) في صلاح الدين و(1) في كل من كركوك والديوانية وذي قار ونينوى لمخالفتها الشروط الصحية في حين تم فرض غرامات مالية على معامل اخرى”.مضيفاً “ان الوزارة ستصدر قائمة بأسماء المعامل المغلقة ليتسنى للمواطنين معرفة اسماء المياه غير الصالحة وتجنبها،وان هذا العمل يأتي ضمن خطة الوزارة التي اعتمدتها للمحافظة على عدم ظهور اي اصابة بمرض الكوليرا”.</p> </p></div> </div> </div> <hr/> <div class="post clearfix" id="post-11115"> <div class="postmetadata"><span class="comments"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/2010/06/24/killing-for-water/#respond" title="Comment on Killing for water">No Comments</a></span> Posted on June 24th, 2010 by Khaled</div> <h3><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/2010/06/24/killing-for-water/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent Link to Killing for water">Killing for water</a></h3> <p class="postmetadata">Category: <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/category/english-articles/" title="View all posts in English Language Articles" rel="category tag">English Language Articles</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/category/features/" title="View all posts in Features" rel="category tag">Features</a>, Tags: <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/abu-ghraib/" rel="tag">Abu Ghraib</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/agricultural-land/" rel="tag">agricultural land</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/agricultural-sector/" rel="tag">agricultural sector</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/agriculture/" rel="tag">Agriculture</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/air/" rel="tag">Air</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/armed-conflict/" rel="tag">armed conflict</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/average-rainfall/" rel="tag">average rainfall</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/baghdad/" rel="tag">Baghdad</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/bala/" rel="tag">Bala</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/children/" rel="tag">Children</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/construction-of-dams/" rel="tag">construction of dams</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/corruption/" rel="tag">Corruption</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/dams/" rel="tag">Dams</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/desertification/" rel="tag">Desertification</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/diwaniya/" rel="tag">Diwaniya</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/economic-situation/" rel="tag">economic situation</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/farmers/" rel="tag">farmers</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/farmland/" rel="tag">farmland</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/feuds/" rel="tag">feuds</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/irin/" rel="tag">IRIN</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/irrigation/" rel="tag">irrigation</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/irrigation-department/" rel="tag">irrigation department</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/land-resources/" rel="tag">land resources</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/rainfall/" rel="tag">rainfall</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/resources/" rel="tag">Resources</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/rural-areas/" rel="tag">rural areas</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/salinity/" rel="tag">salinity</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/sandstorms/" rel="tag">sandstorms</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/sanitation/" rel="tag">sanitation</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/security-situation/" rel="tag">security situation</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/shortage-of-water/" rel="tag">shortage of water</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/soil-salinity/" rel="tag">soil salinity</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/syria/" rel="tag">Syria</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/tigris-and-euphrates/" rel="tag">tigris and euphrates</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/tigris-and-euphrates-rivers/" rel="tag">tigris and euphrates rivers</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/traditional-tribes/" rel="tag">traditional tribes</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/turkey/" rel="tag">Turkey</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/underinvestment/" rel="tag">underinvestment</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/water/" rel="tag">Water</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/water-distribution/" rel="tag">water distribution</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/water-level/" rel="tag">water level</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/water-levels/" rel="tag">water levels</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/water-pumps/" rel="tag">water pumps</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/water-supplies/" rel="tag">water supplies</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/west-baghdad/" rel="tag">west Baghdad</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/who/" rel="tag">WHO</a></p> <div class="entry" dir="rtl" align="right"> <p>BAGHDAD, 23 June 2010 (<a title="IRIN" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://www.irinnews.org/report.aspx?ReportID=89586" class="external" target="_blank">IRIN</a>) – In the early hours of 18 June, gunmen broke into Faisal Hassan’s west Baghdad home killing him, his wife and their two young children. The motive was not sectarian, political or even economic – but water-related. <br/>Forty-year-old Hasan was an employee of a local irrigation department in Abu Ghraib city – 32km west of Baghdad and famed in recent times for scandals surrounding its prison. <br/>The department he worked for supervised government water distribution to farmland in and around Abu Ghraib. His death brings the number of irrigation department employees killed in this city to three in the past three months, Mohammed Khudhair, a police investigator, said. <br/>“All these employees had nothing to do with politics or anti-militant activities, but instead were victims of the nature of their work, which has become a risky one,” he said. </p> <p><strong>Risk of local feuds </strong></p> <p>In Iraq’s rural areas, traditional tribes and clans hold much sway and often attract stronger loyalty from members than the national government. Clans have clashed in the past over land resources and water, but with the absence of a strong government since 2003 and the decline in water supplies in recent years, analysts say local water feuds are on the rise and risk becoming armed conflicts.</p> <div style="padding-right: 5px; padding-left: 5px; float: right; padding-bottom: 5px; margin: 5px 0px 5px 15px; width: 360px; padding-top: 5px"> <div class="container"> <div class="shadow"> <div class="frame"> <p>Government officials can’t control the regulation of irrigation and stop those who violate their regulations either because of corruption or because they fear for their lives. So we have to solve this issue ourselves.</p> </p></div> <p> </div> </p></div> </p></div> <p>“Today, we don’t have a fully functioning government as it is totally preoccupied by the security situation and political wrangling so we don’t have a strong role to deter any possible widespread conflict,” Karbala-based analyst Jaafar Moahmmed Ali said. “Besides, we have an acute shortage of water nationwide and a very bad economic situation that makes it very hard for farmers to do other work.” <br/>Tribal sheikh Ali Ismael al-Zubaidi from Diwaniya Governorate, about 200km south of Baghdad, said he had been having “tough negotiations” over water allocations with another tribe that lives upstream from his. <br/>“We have daily problems with water. They are siphoning water with huge electric water pumps and leave only drops for us,” al-Zubaidi said. “Government officials can’t control the regulation of irrigation and stop those who violate their regulations either because of corruption or because they fear for their lives. So we have to solve this issue ourselves.” <br/>Al-Zubaidi said he needed to hold more meetings with the upstream tribe to resolve the water dispute “but that doesn’t mean that we can wait a long time. We will act swiftly to secure the water we need for our land even if we have to take up weapons.” </p> <p><strong>Water-scarce nation </strong></p> <p>Historically, Iraq has been one of the more fertile nations in the region, thanks largely to the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, which flow southeasterly through the entire nation. There used to be a thick, green ribbon of fertile land snaking through the middle of the country, fed by the two rivers. <br/>However, in recent years water levels in the Euphrates and Tigris <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=86222" class="external" target="_blank">have steadily fallen</a> due to below-average rainfall and the construction of dams on the rivers in neighbouring Turkey and Syria. <br/>In addition, the country’s agricultural sector has been paralysed by decades of war and insecurity, underinvestment and the unchecked felling of trees for firewood, which has increased <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=85987" class="external" target="_blank">soil salinity</a> and caused desertification in some areas. Large tracts of once fertile agricultural land have been transformed into semi-arid desert and are causing an increasing number of sandstorms as soil-binding plants shrivel up. <br/>In response, the government has adopted measures to regulate the amount of water being used for irrigation in each province but has faced difficulties implementing them. <br/>“The farmers didn’t adhere to the water distribution regulations. We advise them to follow the regulations this year because we cannot guarantee the amount of water we’ll have,” Mahdi al-Qaisi, undersecretary at the Ministry of Agriculture, told IRIN. </p> <p><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://www.irinnews.org/report.aspx?ReportID=89586" class="external" target="_blank">IRIN Middle East | IRAQ: Killing for water | Middle East | Iraq | Environment Conflict Water & Sanitation | News Item</a></p> </div> </div> <hr/> <div class="post clearfix" id="post-11113"> <div class="postmetadata"><span class="comments"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/2010/06/24/%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%b9%d8%b1%d8%a7%d9%82-%d9%83%d9%8a%d9%81-%d9%86%d9%86%d9%82%d8%b0-%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%a3%d8%b7%d9%81%d8%a7%d9%84-%d9%85%d9%86-%d8%a8%d8%b1%d8%a7%d8%ab%d9%86-%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%85%d8%aa%d8%b7/#respond" title="Comment on العراق: كيف ننقذ الأطفال من براثن المتطرفين؟-العراق-طفولة-نزاع">No Comments</a></span> Posted on June 24th, 2010 by Khaled</div> <h3><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/2010/06/24/%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%b9%d8%b1%d8%a7%d9%82-%d9%83%d9%8a%d9%81-%d9%86%d9%86%d9%82%d8%b0-%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%a3%d8%b7%d9%81%d8%a7%d9%84-%d9%85%d9%86-%d8%a8%d8%b1%d8%a7%d8%ab%d9%86-%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%85%d8%aa%d8%b7/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent Link to العراق: كيف ننقذ الأطفال من براثن المتطرفين؟-العراق-طفولة-نزاع">العراق: كيف ننقذ الأطفال من براثن المتطرفين؟-العراق-طفولة-نزاع</a></h3> <p class="postmetadata">Category: <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/category/features/" title="View all posts in Features" rel="category tag">Features</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/category/religion/" title="View all posts in Religion" rel="category tag">Religion</a>, Tags: <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/al-amal/" rel="tag">Al-Amal</a>, <a 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href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/%d8%a8%d8%ba%d8%af%d8%a7%d8%af/" rel="tag">بغداد</a></p> <div class="entry" dir="rtl" align="right"> <div dir="rtl" align="right"> <p>كانت رسالة الشيخ هـ. م. إلى المراهقين المتجمعين حوله بعد صلاة الجمعة في أحد مساجد بغداد صريحة ومباشرة مفادها أن "الإسلام بسيط وغير معقد. إذ يجب أن يكون المسلم معتدلاً وغير متطرف ليكسب محبة الله". <br/>وأوضح رجل الدين هذا، الذي اكتفى بذكر الحروف الأولى من اسمه خوفاً من تعرضه للانتقام، أن الطريقة الوحيدة لكسب الحرب ضد الإرهاب والطائفية في العراق هي إبقاء الشباب بمنأى عن المتطرفين. <br/>ففي أواخر عام 2007، بدأ تنظيم القاعدة في العراق بتجنيد النساء لجمع المعلومات الاستخباراتية ونقل الأسلحة وتنفيذ هجمات انتحارية مما دفع السلطات لتجنيد وتدريب حارسات عند نقاط التفتيش بحثاً عن متفجرات مخبأة تحت ثياب النساء. <br/>وفي محاولة منهم لتجاوز هذه التدابير الأمنية المشددة، لجأ المتمردون السنة إلى تجنيد المراهقين لتنفيذ الهجمات باعتبارهم لا يثيرون الشبهات عند اقترابهم من نقاط التفتيش ومن القوافل. <br/>وعلق الشيخ هـ. م. على ذلك بقوله: "مع غياب البرامج الحكومية وغير الحكومية لتسخير قوة الشباب لبناء البلد، يجب أن نقوم نحن، رجال الدين، بدور كبير لتعليم الأطفال ما هو الصواب وما هو الخطأ علنا نساعد التائهين منهم في سلوك السبيل الصحيح". </p> <p><strong>"طيور الجنة" </strong></p> <p>وفي عام 2008، شكلت القاعدة تنظيم "طيور الجنة" لتجنيد الأطفال وتدريبهم لتنفيذ الهجمات على قوات الأمن والهجمات الانتحارية، وفقاً لمسؤول أمني رفيع المستوى في مجال مكافحة الإرهاب طلب عدم الكشف عن هويته. وجاء في قول المسؤول: "لا نعرف عدد هؤلاء الأطفال بالتحديد، لكننا متأكدون من أن عددهم كبير لاسيما أولئك القادمون من القرى النائية الذين يجتذبهم فكر تنظيم القاعدة. وقد استنتجنا من الاستجوابات أن جميع هؤلاء الأطفال إما فقدوا ذويهم في هجمات أو أجبروا على الانضمام للتنظيم من قبل أسرهم التي تتعاطف مع القاعدة". <br/>كما أظهرت السلطات العراقية في عام 2008 شريط فيديو تم العثور عليه أثناء غارة في شمال بغداد مجموعة من المراهقين، بعضهم لا يزيد عمره عن عشرة أعوام، يمثلون عمليات اختطاف وهمية. وأظهر الشريط هؤلاء المراهقين وهم يرتدون قمصان كرة قدم وأقنعة ويلوحون ببنادقهم ويحطمون الأبواب متظاهرين بتنفيذ هجوم وخطف أولاد آخرين. <br/>وفي مشهد من المشاهد، كان بعض الأولاد يرتدون أحزمة ناسفة ويتمرنون على كيفية إنزال رجل من على دراجته واختطافه. وفي مشهد آخر كان الأولاد يقدمون البيعة لتنظيم القاعدة في العراق. <br/>وفي شهر أبريل 2010، ألقت قوات الأمن القبض على ولد في العاشرة من عمره قبل لحظات من محاولته تفجير نفسه بحزام ناسف عند نقطة تفتيش في مدينة الفلوجة، التي تقع على بعد حوالي 660 كلم غرب العاصمة وتشكل المعقل السابق لتنظيم القاعدة في العراق. </p> <p>وكان والد الصبي مقاتلاً في تنظيم القاعدة وكنه لقي حتفه في العام السابق. وحسب الملازم أحمد صبحي، أخبر الصبي المحققين أنه بدأ عمله مع التنظيم بمساعدة المسلحين في نقل القنابل والأسلحة الصغيرة ثم اضطر بعد ذلك لتنفيذ عملية انتحارية. <br/>وأفاد مسؤول مكافحة الإرهاب أنه يتم إرسال الأطفال الذين تم إعدادهم ليكونوا انتحاريين إلى مراكز احتجاز الأحداث حيث يجري استجوابهم وإدراجهم في برامج إعادة تأهيل قبل أن إطلاق سراحهم. وأوضح أن تسعة مراهقين قاموا بتنفيذ هجمات انتحارية منذ مطلع عام 2009 وأنه تم ضبط ما يقرب من اثني عشر مراهقاً آخر قبل تنفيذ عملياتهم. </p> <p><strong>تدابير غير فعالة </strong></p> <p>وأوضح الطبيب النفسي في بغداد، أحمد خليل ناصر، أن معظم هؤلاء الأطفال يعيشون في مناطق نائية وينحدرون من أسر فقيرة وغير متعلمة، مما يجعل من الصعب جداً على العاملين في مجال الصحة أو المسؤولين العثور عليهم وتقديم أي شكل من أشكال إعادة التأهيل لهم بعد إطلاق سراحهم من سجن الأحداث. <br/>وعلق ناصر على ذلك بقوله: "أولاً، علينا أن نتأكد من أن جميع الأطفال في مثل هذه المناطق مسجلون في المدارس للحصول على التعليم المناسب حتى لا يكونوا فريسة للمتطرفين. وثانياً، لا بد من وضع برامج تستهدف أولئك الذين انضموا إلى صفوف المتمردين ومعالجتهم وفقاً للأسباب التي دفعت بهم للقيام بذلك. وفي غياب مثل هذه البرامج، سوف يظل هؤلاء الأطفال يشكلون هدفاً سهلاً لتنظيم القاعدة، كما لن يتخلى أولئك الذين تم القبض عليهم ثم أطلق سراحهم عن القتال". <br/>من جهتها، أفادت هناء إدوارد، رئيسة منظمة الأمل غير الحكومية الواقع مقرها في بغداد، أن الحكومة والمنظمات غير الحكومية تقوم بتنظيم بعض البرامج التي تهدف لإعادة تأهيل الأطفال المقاتلين ومساعدتهم على الاندماج في المجتمع ولكن فعاليتها محدودة. <br/>وأشارت إدوارد إلى أن "هناك بعض البرامج الحكومية لإعادة تأهيل هؤلاء الأطفال داخل مراكز الاحتجاز وتعليمهم المهن مثل النجارة والحدادة ولكن دور المنظمات غير الحكومية ما زال ضعيفاً بسبب القوانين التي تفرضها الحكومة على هذه المنظمات عند زيارتها للمعتقلات". </p> <p><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://arabic.irinnews.org/ReportArabic.aspx?SID=2058" class="external" target="_blank">العراق: كيف ننقذ الأطفال من براثن المتطرفين؟-العراق-طفولة-نزاع</a></p> </p></div> </div> </div> <hr/> <div class="post clearfix" id="post-10499"> <div class="postmetadata"><span class="comments"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/2010/05/14/red-cross-iraq-water-formerly-a-blessing-increasingly-a-problem/#respond" title="Comment on Red Cross: Iraq : water formerly a blessing, increasingly a problem">No Comments</a></span> Posted on May 14th, 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rel="tag">Ma'amil</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/march/" rel="tag">March</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/medical-city/" rel="tag">Medical City</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/medical-city-hospital/" rel="tag">Medical City Hospital</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/medical-supplies/" rel="tag">medical supplies</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/ministry-of-justice/" rel="tag">Ministry of Justice</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/mosul/" rel="tag">Mosul</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/national/" rel="tag">national</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/ninawa/" rel="tag">Ninawa</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/ninawa-detainees/" rel="tag">Ninawa Detainees</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/northern-iraq/" rel="tag">northern iraq</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/orthotics/" rel="tag">orthotics</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/population-growth/" rel="tag">population growth</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/primary-health-care/" rel="tag">primary health care</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/prisoners-rights/" rel="tag">Prisoners' Rights</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/prisons/" rel="tag">prisons</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/prosthetics/" rel="tag">prosthetics</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/qalat-salih-hospital/" rel="tag">Qala't Salih Hospital</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/qalawa-quarter-camp/" rel="tag">Qalawa Quarter camp</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/rabia/" rel="tag">Rabia</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/rainfall/" rel="tag">rainfall</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/rate-of-flow/" rel="tag">rate of flow</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/red-crescentred-cross/" rel="tag">Red Crescent/Red Cross</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/red-cross-messages/" rel="tag">Red Cross messages</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/refugees/" rel="tag">Refugees</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/rehabilitation/" rel="tag">rehabilitation</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/resources/" rel="tag">Resources</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/rice/" rel="tag">rice</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/rivers-and-lakes/" rel="tag">rivers and lakes</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/rural-areas/" rel="tag">rural areas</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/sadr-city/" rel="tag">Sadr City</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/salah/" rel="tag">Salah</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/salah-al-din/" rel="tag">Salah al-Din</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/salinity/" rel="tag">salinity</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/salinity-excessive/" rel="tag">Salinity - excessive</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/salt-content-of-the-water/" rel="tag">salt content of the water</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/samawa/" rel="tag">samawa</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/sanitation/" rel="tag">sanitation</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/sanitation-facilities/" rel="tag">sanitation facilities</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/saudi-arabia/" rel="tag">Saudi Arabia</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/security-situation/" rel="tag">security situation</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/sewage/" rel="tag">sewage</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/sewage-treatment-plants/" rel="tag">sewage treatment plants</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/social-welfare/" rel="tag">social welfare</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/sulaimaniya/" rel="tag">Sulaimaniya</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/tal-kaif/" rel="tag">Tal Kaif</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/tasfirat/" rel="tag">Tasfirat</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/tigris/" rel="tag">Tigris</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/tigris-and-euphrates-rivers/" rel="tag">tigris and euphrates rivers</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/tripartite-commission/" rel="tag">Tripartite Commission</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/underground-aquifers/" rel="tag">underground aquifers</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/unhcr/" rel="tag">UNHCR</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/%d9%85%d8%af%d9%8a%d9%86%d8%a9-%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%b5%d8%af%d8%b1%e2%80%8e/" rel="tag">مدينة الصدر‎</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/waste-water/" rel="tag">waste water</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/water/" rel="tag">Water</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/water-borne-disease/" rel="tag">Water Borne Disease</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/water-contamination/" rel="tag">Water Contamination</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/water-crisis-iraq/" rel="tag">Water Crisis (Iraq)</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/water-levels/" rel="tag">water levels</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/water-shortage/" rel="tag">water shortage</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/water-supply/" rel="tag">water supply</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/water-supply-systems/" rel="tag">water supply systems</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/water-treatment/" rel="tag">water treatment</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/water-treatment-plants/" rel="tag">water treatment plants</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/wheat/" rel="tag">wheat</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/women-poverty-of/" rel="tag">women - poverty of</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/%d8%ac%d9%85%d8%b9%d9%8a%d8%a9-%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%b5%d9%84%d9%8a%d8%a8-%d9%88%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%87%d9%84%d8%a7%d9%84-%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%a7%d8%ad%d9%85%d8%b1/" rel="tag">جمعية الصليب والهلال الاحمر</a></p> <div class="entry" dir="rtl" align="right"> <p>Millions of people in Iraq cannot get clean water or water in sufficient quantity. The ICRC is doing its best to improve access to safe water. This is an update on ICRC activities carried out in Iraq in March and April.</p> <p>The Tigris and the Euphrates, which supply the bulk of Iraq’s water, are slowly dwindling and in some areas can no longer be used as a reliable source of drinking water. Across the country, the shrinking of the rivers is having serious consequences on the functioning of water treatment plants. It also affects underground aquifers, where the salt content of the water is increasing. This water is often unfit for human consumption or even for agricultural use. </p> <p>The volatile security situation in some areas and the rising price of fuel have put additional strain on already scarce services, as have population growth and displacement. In many places, the strain is further compounded by a lack of qualified engineers and staff able to maintain and repair water and sanitation facilities. Many farming communities were hard hit by the drought that struck northern Iraq in 2008. Average rainfall over the past 10 years has been far lower than in previous decades. In the north, water supply systems fed by springs and shallows aquifers have been depleted and often have less water available to meet demand. Although rainfall has been better in many places during 2009 and 2010, low water-levels continue to affect agriculture production, meaning Iraq needs to import more rice and wheat. With less water of sufficient quality generally available, management of the existing resources is key. </p> <p>Because large suburban residential areas have sometimes developed without adequate infrastructure, and certain sewage treatment plants are bypassed, wastewater is discharged untreated into rivers and lakes. Ditches and ponds filled with foul-smelling polluted water blight many neighbourhoods. The United Nations recently estimated that around 83% of sewage is being let into rivers and waterways. </p> <p>Water treatment and distribution facilities are also disrupted by persistent power shortages. Iraq is currently producing around 6,000 megawatts of electricity a day, while demand is estimated at 10,000 megawatts. Health, water and sewage facilities and other infrastructure in many parts of the country still rely on back-up generators to meet their need for electric power. </p> <p>Water distribution systems that are old or badly maintained are further weakened by illegal connections and substandard plumbing within households. Leakages cause large amounts of wasted water and frequent contamination. According to the United Nations, nearly half of Iraqis in rural areas are without safe drinking water. The Iraqi government estimates that 24% of Iraqis in the country as a whole, or nearly one in four, do not have access to safe water. </p> <p>"Reliable access to enough water of sufficient quality remains a major challenge for large parts of the population", said Julien Le Sourd, the ICRC’s water and habitat coordinator in Iraq. "The ICRC is doing its utmost to improve this by repairing and upgrading water supply and sewage systems. We do this in partnership with the authorities and we are also providing training for maintenance staff working in water treatment plants." </p> <p>In March and April, ICRC water engineers:</p> <ul> <li>completed work at the Ashty water station, in Erbil governorate, which provides safe drinking water for around 10,000 people living in nearby villages; </li> <li>built an emergency unit in the 50-bed Qala’t Salih Hospital in Missan governorate; </li> <li>upgraded the storage capacity for drinking water and for water used in the cooling system in Medical City Hospital, Baghdad. The hospital can accommodate 1,400 patients and treats around 10,000 outpatients per day; </li> <li>renovated a primary health-care centre serving around 400 patients in Sadr City, Baghdad; </li> <li>connected the school of al Rahma camp for internally displaced people (IDPs) in Najaf City, which has 1,000 pupils and teachers, to the municipal water and electricity supply networks; </li> <li>supplied and installed a new mortuary refrigerator with a capacity of 12 corpses in Beiji General Hospital, in Salah Al Din governorate; </li> <li>delivered water by truck to 4,500 displaced people in Sadr City and to 340 in Husseinia and Ma’amil, Al Imam Ali General Hospital and Fatma al Zahra Hospital, all in Baghdad governorate, and to 360 in Qalawa Quarter camp in Sulaimaniya; </li> <li>installed equipment used to fill water bags for distribution during emergencies at Al Wathba water treatment plant in Baghdad; </li> <li>repaired the Hindiyah water treatment plant in Karbala, which supplies water to around 125,000 people; </li> <li>installed a large-capacity pump in al Fadhliya water treatment plant, Thi Qar governorate, providing drinking water for 82,000 people. </li> <li>assessed, in cooperation with Iraqi Correctional Services engineers, 11 detention facilities under the authority of the Ministry of Justice, evaluating needs and recommending improvements for the delivery of essential services (water, electricity, sewage). </li> </ul> <p><b>Bringing aid to vulnerable people</b> </p> <p>The ICRC maintained its support for people facing special difficulty earning a living and supporting their families, such as women heading households, people with disabilities and displaced people: </p> <ul> <li>more than 2,300 displaced families headed by women in Diyala, Salah Al-Din and Ninawa governorates were given monthly food parcels and hygiene items; </li> <li>around 2,100 people displaced in March from Mosul to Hamdanya and Tilkaif were given food parcels and rice; </li> <li>61 disabled people in Erbil, Dohuk and Ninawa governorates were given micro-economic aid enabling them to start small businesses and regain economic self-sufficiency. A total of 459 disabled people have now received such aid in a programme that started in 2008. </li> </ul> <p><b>Assisting hospitals and physical rehabilitation centres</b> </p> <p>Iraqi health facilities still benefit from ICRC support. To help disabled people reintegrate into the community, the ICRC provides limb-fitting and physical rehabilitation services. In March and April: </p> <ul> <li>six hospitals and three primary health-care centres received medical supplies and equipment; </li> <li>25 doctors and 28 nurses successfully took part in a training course on strengthening emergency services given at Al Sadr Teaching Hospital in Najaf and at Sulaimaniya Emergency Hospital; </li> <li>two people from the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research involved in the teaching of prosthetics and orthotics went to the National Centre for Prosthetics and Orthotics in the United Kingdom under ICRC sponsorship for advanced training. </li> </ul> <p><b>Visiting detainees</b> </p> <p>ICRC delegates continued to visit detainees in order to monitor the conditions in which they are being held and the treatment they receive. In all cases, the ICRC shares its findings and recommendations in confidence with the detaining authorities. In March and April, the ICRC visited detainees held: </p> <ul> <li>in Counter-Terrorism Directorate and Tasfirat Najaf, in Najaf governorate; </li> <li>in Mina and Samawa prisons, Basra governorate; </li> <li>in Counter-Terrorism Directorate, Kirkuk governorate; </li> <li>in US custody, in Remembrance II, Baghdad governorate; </li> <li>in four prisons and one police station in Erbil, Dohuk and Sulaimaniya governorates. </li> </ul> <p>Around 1,550 detainees held in Hilla I & II Correctional Facilities were given mattresses and recreational items such as ping-pong tables, soccer balls and volleyballs. </p> <p>The ICRC makes a special effort to restore and maintain ties between detainees and their families. In March, it arranged for six Iraqi families to enter Kuwait and visit their relatives detained there since 1991. In addition, around 10,500 Red Cross messages were exchanged between detainees and their families in Iraq and abroad during the month of March. </p> <p>During March and April, the ICRC responded to more than 3,600 enquiries from families seeking information on detained relatives. It also issued 220 certificates to former detainees making them eligible to receive social welfare benefits. </p> <p>At the request of the office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the ICRC issued 73 travel documents for Palestinian refugees in Iraq to enable them to resettle abroad. </p> <p><b>Clarifying what happened to missing people</b> </p> <p>The ICRC supports the authorities in their efforts to clarify what happened to those who went missing in connection with the Iran-Iraq War and the 1990-1991 Gulf War. It also helps train forensic professionals in the identification and management of mortal remains and regularly supplies equipment. In the past two months: </p> <ul> <li>the Technical Sub-Committee of the Tripartite Commission, handling cases of persons missing in connection with the 1990-1991 Gulf War, held its 64th session in Kuwait, which was chaired by the ICRC and attended by representatives from Iraq, Kuwait and the 1990-1991 Coalition (the United States, the United Kingdom, France and Saudi Arabia). Nine samples of human remains were handed over by the Iraqi to the Kuwaiti delegation for DNA analysis in an effort to determine if they belonged to missing Kuwaiti nationals. The sub-committee will hold a special meeting on forensics in Kuwait in May; </li> <li>mortal remains of Iraqi soldiers were repatriated from Kuwait under ICRC auspices. </li> </ul> <p><b>Promoting international humanitarian law</b> </p> <p>In line with its mandate, the ICRC promotes compliance with international humanitarian law and reminds parties to a conflict of their obligation to protect civilians. In March and April, the ICRC organized a series of seminars and presentations on international humanitarian law for various audiences all over Iraq.</p> </div> </div> <hr/> <div class="post clearfix" id="post-7415"> <div class="postmetadata"><span class="comments"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/2009/10/05/iraqs-joint-kurd-arab-us-patrols-face-big-hurdles-reuters/#respond" title="Comment on Iraq’s joint Kurd, Arab, U.S. patrols face big hurdles | Reuters">No Comments</a></span> Posted on October 5th, 2009 by Editors</div> <h3><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/2009/10/05/iraqs-joint-kurd-arab-us-patrols-face-big-hurdles-reuters/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent Link to Iraq’s joint Kurd, Arab, U.S. patrols face big hurdles | Reuters">Iraq’s joint Kurd, Arab, U.S. patrols face big hurdles | Reuters</a></h3> <p class="postmetadata">Category: <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/category/english-articles/" title="View all posts in English Language Articles" rel="category tag">English Language Articles</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/category/features/" title="View all posts in Features" rel="category tag">Features</a>, Tags: <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/al-qaeda/" rel="tag">Al Qaeda</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/amil/" rel="tag">Amil</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/baghdad/" rel="tag">Baghdad</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/bala/" rel="tag">Bala</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/barzani/" rel="tag">Barzani</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/bombings/" rel="tag">Bombings</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/hit/" rel="tag">Hit</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/khanaqin/" rel="tag">Khanaqin</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/kirkuk/" rel="tag">Kirkuk</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/kurdistan/" rel="tag">Kurdistan</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/kurds/" rel="tag">kurds</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/mosul/" rel="tag">Mosul</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/mosul-dam/" rel="tag">Mosul Dam</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/nineveh/" rel="tag">Nineveh</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/northern-iraq/" rel="tag">northern iraq</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/peshmerga/" rel="tag">Peshmerga</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/reuters/" rel="tag">Reuters</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/un/" rel="tag">U.N.</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%85%d9%88%d8%b5%d9%84/" rel="tag">الموصل</a></p> <div class="entry" dir="rtl" align="right"> <p>MOSUL, Iraq (<a title="Reuters" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKTRE5941B720091005?feedType=RSS&feedName=worldNews&sp=true" class="external" target="_blank">Reuters</a>) – U.S. officials are hoping joint patrols between Iraq’s largely Arab army and Kurdish troops will build trust in tense disputed northern areas, dampening the tinder that many fear could ignite Iraq’s next war.</p> <p>The troops themselves aren’t so sure.</p> <p>"We don’t need the Iraqi army here," said Kurdish Peshmerga soldier Shamok Haydi, 28, from his checkpoint outside the small, mountain-ringed town of Wana, which sits on the western outskirts of Iraq’s most violent city, Mosul.</p> <p>"They will cause problems and people won’t accept them."</p> <p><a title="20090928_mosul_peshmerga_american_checkpoint_tim_cocks_article" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://www.flickr.com/photos/27086036@N02/3983071345/" class="external" target="_blank"><img style="display: inline; margin: 5px 15px 5px 0px" alt="20090928_mosul_peshmerga_american_checkpoint_tim_cocks_article" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414im_/http://static.flickr.com/3442/3983071345_7586d4ed2a.jpg" align="left"/></a>Six and a half years after the U.S.-led invasion removed Saddam Hussein, northern Iraq is at the heart of a struggle between minority Kurds and Baghdad’s Shi’ite Arab rulers over control of its territory and the vast lakes of oil underneath.</p> <p>The Kurds claim many parts of northern Iraq, including the oil-producing city of Kirkuk, as their ancient homeland and want to incorporate them into their peaceful enclave, which has been largely autonomous with Western backing since 1991.</p> <p>U.S. officials, who are racing to pacify Iraq before U.S. combat troops pull out by September next year, see the row as the greatest threat to the country’s stability as the Sunni-Shi’ite violence which nearly tore it apart fades.</p> <p>Saddam’s displaced thousands of Kurds from Kirkuk and other areas in a policy of "Arabisation," but Arab residents say Kurds have moved in aggressively after 2003 to tip the balance the other way.</p> <p>A referendum on the status of the disputed territories has been delayed and U.N. officials fear it could spark a civil war.</p> <p>Thus far, there have been several standoffs between Arab and Kurdish troops in contested zones, but no actual armed conflict.</p> <h3>SECURITY, NOT POLITICS</h3> <p>In August, the commander of U.S. forces in Iraq, General Ray Odierno, suggested staffing checkpoints and patrols with tripartite forces from Iraqi Army, Peshmerga and U.S. troops.</p> <p>The idea is simple enough: by working together and building relationships, they’ll be less likely to shoot at each other.</p> <p>Odierno envisages the U.S. military as akin to peacekeepers in an increasingly stable but still combustible region.</p> <p>Iraqi and U.S. officials say commanders on all sides agree in principle but not yet on the details. Some Arab politicians in disputed areas strongly oppose it. Odierno told reporters in Washington this week: "we still have some ways to go."</p> <p>Like many towns in this volatile part of Iraq, Wana has a mixed population of ethnic Kurds and Arabs. Though disputed, it is de facto controlled by Peshmergas tied to Iraq’s Kurdistan region, mostly autonomous with Western backing since 1991.</p> <p>The yellow sun of the Kurdistan flag flies from buildings and checkpoints, often near images of President Masoud Barzani. Iraq’s black, white and green flag is nowhere to be seen.</p> <p>Yet follow the Tigris downstream towards Mosul and Peshmerga checkpoints give way to those of the largely Arab Iraqi army. There, Arab soldiers raise similar concerns about Kurds.</p> <p>"Ask any families around here, they’ll say the same thing: they don’t want the Peshmerga here," said specialist Mehdi Naim, manning a checkpoint in a largely Arab neighbourhood of Mosul.</p> <p>"I don’t think it’s a good idea, even with the Iraqi army alongside," he said. Some of Mosul’s Arab residents have complained of abuse from Kurdish troops since 2003.</p> <p>Such remarks raise the question of whether the patrols, however well intentioned, may inflame rather than cool tensions.</p> <p>But with al Qaeda and other groups still active around Mosul, targeting local forces and civilians in an attempt to foment ethnic conflict in north Iraq, cooperation is urgent.</p> <p>A series of huge bombings last month in disputed parts of Nineveh triggered accusations of blame between Arabs and Kurds, escalating a dispute that plays into the hands of insurgents.</p> <p>"This is about security, it’s not about politics," Colonel Gary Volesky, commander of U.S. forces in Mosul, told Reuters.</p> <p>"What the insurgency has done in some of these areas is: there’s a gap. You’ve got a checkpoint in the north, one in the south and a gap insurgents can move through uncontested, where these attacks have occurred. We’re shutting down those gaps."</p> <h3>"NO RESPECT"</h3> <p>Perhaps predictably, Arab residents of Kurdish controlled areas and Kurd residents of Iraqi Army zones seem the most keen on joint forces: each complains of discrimination by the other.</p> <p>"We are persecuted by the Peshmerga," said Mahmoud Ahmed, an Arab employee of Mosul dam who said he is often late because of Peshmerga road blocks. "They have no respect for Arabs at all."</p> <p>Kurdish and Iraqi troops came close to a shootout over the eastern town of Khanaqin in August last year. In Nineveh this year, U.S. forces have had to intervene as mediators three times to prevent conflict between heavily armed troops on each side.</p> <p>In one standoff, Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki ordered troops to Mosul dam after hearing of a security threat there, raising tensions with the Peshmergas who control the dam.</p> <p>In another, Nineveh governor Atheel al-Nujaifi, who is embroiled in his own dispute with Kurds, was stopped on a road by Peshmergas wielding machine guns and grenade launchers. Well armed Iraqi troops showed up, but the situation was defused.</p> <p>The broker role U.S. troops have played in dousing these tensions has raised fears about what may happen when they leave.</p> <p>"If the Americans go, we’re sure there’ll be a civil war," said Ahmed Ali, an Arab in a Kurdish controlled part of Nineveh, as he glanced nervously at the Peshmergas keeping an eye on him.</p> <p>Source: <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKTRE5941B720091005?feedType=RSS&feedName=worldNews&sp=true" class="external" target="_blank">Iraq’s joint Kurd, Arab, U.S. patrols face big hurdles | Reuters</a>  By Tim Cocks (Additional reporting by Aseel Kami in Baghdad; Editing by Samia Nakhoul)</p> </div> </div> <hr/> <div class="post clearfix" id="post-6772"> <div class="postmetadata"><span class="comments"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/2009/07/06/iraq-is-another-conflict-inevitable/#respond" title="Comment on IRAQ: Is Another Conflict Inevitable?">No Comments</a></span> Posted on July 6th, 2009 by Editors</div> <h3><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/2009/07/06/iraq-is-another-conflict-inevitable/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent Link to IRAQ: Is Another Conflict Inevitable?">IRAQ: Is Another Conflict Inevitable?</a></h3> <p class="postmetadata">Category: <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/category/english-articles/" title="View all posts in English Language Articles" rel="category tag">English Language Articles</a>, Tags: <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/article-140/" rel="tag">Article 140</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/bala/" rel="tag">Bala</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/barzani/" rel="tag">Barzani</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/diyala/" rel="tag">Diyala</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/ethnic-cleansing-campaign-against-turkmen/" rel="tag">Ethnic cleansing campaign against Turkmen</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/ethnic-cleansing-of-christians/" rel="tag">Ethnic cleansing of Christians</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/ethnic-tension-in-kirkuk/" rel="tag">Ethnic tension in Kirkuk</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/ips/" rel="tag">IPS</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/ips-reports/" rel="tag">IPS Reports</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/iraqi-kurdistan/" rel="tag">Iraqi kurdistan</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/irbil/" rel="tag">Irbil</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/khanaqin/" rel="tag">Khanaqin</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/kirkuk/" rel="tag">Kirkuk</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/krg/" rel="tag">KRG</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/krg-separatism/" rel="tag">KRG Separatism</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/kurdish-separatism/" rel="tag">Kurdish Separatism</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/kurdish-separatism-resistance-to/" rel="tag">Kurdish Separatism - resistance to</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/kurds/" rel="tag">kurds</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/mohammed-mehdi-al-bayati/" rel="tag">Mohammed Mehdi al-Bayati</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/mosul/" rel="tag">Mosul</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/mosul-ethnic-tensions/" rel="tag">Mosul - ethnic tensions</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/northern-iraq/" rel="tag">northern iraq</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/oil-contracts/" rel="tag">oil contracts</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/oil-deals/" rel="tag">oil deals</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/saddam-hussein/" rel="tag">Saddam Hussein</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/turkmen/" rel="tag">Turkmen</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/turkoman/" rel="tag">Turkoman</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/%d9%83%d8%b1%d9%83%d9%88%d9%83/" rel="tag">كركوك</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%85%d9%88%d8%b5%d9%84/" rel="tag">الموصل</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/%d8%af%d9%8a%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%89/" rel="tag">ديالى</a></p> <div class="entry" dir="rtl" align="right"> <p>WASHINGTON, Jul 6 (<a title="IPS" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=47545" class="external" target="_blank">IPS</a>) – Relations between Iraq’s various Kurdish, Arab and Turkoman ethnicities are going through a new round of complications since a provision in the draft constitution of the country’s northern Kurdistan region declared a range of disputed areas part of the historical Kurdish homeland, infuriating non-Kurds in the country. </p> <p>All this comes against a backdrop of already high ethnic tensions and desperate U.S. attempts to stabilise Iraq as it prepares for a gradual withdrawal. </p> <p>The controversial draft constitution passed in late June by Kurdish parliamentarians in the northern city of Irbil proclaims several key areas such as oil-rich Kirkuk, Khanaqin and districts around Mosul part of the "historical-geographical entity of Iraqi Kurdistan". </p> <p>Out of 97 lawmakers present at the session, 96 voted in favour of the document. Officials have said they will soon put the charter to a popular referendum in the three provinces of Kurdistan. Despite some internal opposition, it is expected the voters will approve the draft. </p> <p>The outrage among Arab and Turkomen political factions in the country came swiftly. Rejecting the provision in the Kurdish constitution "totally", Arab members of the Kirkuk provincial council called on national authorities and the "Iraqi people" to "intervene seriously so that everyone knows Kirkuk is a national Iraqi issue and no one can decide on it on their own for their political gains." </p> <p>An ethnic flash-point, Kirkuk has witnessed a dramatic rise in violence over the last few weeks. Two bombs in Turkoman and Kurdish parts of the province left hundreds dead and injured signaling a clear determination by insurgent groups to exploit ethnic tensions. </p> <p>Describing the Kurdish draft constitution as " in defiance of some of the articles" in the national constitution of Iraq, Mohammed Mehdi al-Bayati, a Turkomen deputy in the Iraqi parliament, told Aswat al-Iraq news agency that "the constitution the Kurdistan parliament passed is a negative message for the stability of Iraq". </p> <p>Despite considering the disputed territories part of Kurdish soil, the draft constitution does not call for any forcible takeover of those areas and defers the matter to be settled through an article in Iraq’s constitution. Article 140 of the national constitution addresses longstanding territorial problems between Iraq’s Kurds and Arabs and lays down a road map to resolve the issue. </p> <p>However, non-Kurds believe that the roadmap is devised in a way that will eventually give the control of those areas to Kurds. Disputed areas include large chunks of land scattered through Kirkuk, Nineveh, Diyala and Salahaddin provinces in northern Iraq. </p> <p>Under former President Saddam Hussein, the Iraqi government expelled large numbers of Kurds and Turkomans from those areas in what is commonly referred to as "Arabisation". The strategic goal was to tilt the demographic balance in favour of the country’s Arab majority in those areas rich with natural resources like oil and gas. </p> <p>Ironically, as Arab and Turkomen parties accuse Kurds of land-grabbing, critics in Kurdistan say the draft constitution does not take a clear position on the "Kurdish identity" of disputed territories, accusing Kurdish leaders of compromise and equivocation on the issue. </p> <p>And while Arabs in Baghdad are increasing pressure to force Kurds to back down from their claims to disputed areas, Kurdish leaders appear to be more responsive to criticism from within Kurdistan. </p> <p>"Kurdistan region’s president will not compromise on a span of Kurdistan’s territory," the office of Kurdish President Massoud Barzani said in a statement. </p> <p>The Kurds’ dispute with other groups in the country is multi-faceted. One the one hand, it involves territorial rows with neighbouring Arab, both Shia and Sunni, and Turkomen populations. On the other hand, there are deep differences between the federal government in Baghdad and the Kurdish government over their respective powers on oil exploration and foreign policy, as well as territory. </p> <p>In a bid to assert his authority and beef up his nationalistic credentials, Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has taken a tough stance toward what he and many in Baghdad see as Kurdish expansionism and overly independent policies. While his Shia-led government has uneasy relations with Sunni Arabs, many allege Maliki is propping up Sunni Arabs in the north in their disputes with Kurds. </p> <p>Although officially part of Iraq, the Kurdish government signs oil deals with international firms, establishes diplomatic relations with foreign countries, controls a 100,000 strong army and has forces in all disputed areas. </p> <p>Kurdish leaders dismiss Baghdad’s criticisms, saying their moves are constitutional, and have threatened to secede from Iraq without those powers. In fact, elastic articles in the hastily-written national constitution have given both sides significant room to maneuvre and claim constitutional legitimacy. </p> <p>With the gap between the views of Kurdish and Iraqi politicians widening, chances of another conflict in Iraq appear to be rising. </p> <p>"They seem to be on a collision course and the only question is the severity of the collision… No one wants a collision but I can’t see a way to resolve this issue," Wayne White, an Iraq expert at the Middle East Institute, told IPS. </p> <p>Any eruption of violence between Kurds and the Iraqi government will dash U.S. hopes for stability in a country already grappling with bloodshed and a paralysed economy. This has raised the question for many as to what role the U.S. can play to possibly forge a deal between Kurds and Arabs. </p> <p>"I think because of the increased power of the central government, and the increased perception among Kurds that the U.S. is siding with Sunni Arabs and the central government, and the increased power of the KRG (Kurdistan Regional government), the U.S. is marginalised," said White, adding that there is a deep distrust between those sides. "The U.S. cannot do that much." </p> <p><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=47545" class="external" target="_blank">IRAQ: Is Another Conflict Inevitable? – IPS ipsnews.net</a></p> </div> </div> <hr/> <div class="post clearfix" id="post-6120"> <div class="postmetadata"><span class="comments"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/2009/05/10/who-killed-120-civilians-the-us-says-its-not-a-story/#respond" title="Comment on Who killed 120 civilians? The US says it’s not a story">No Comments</a></span> Posted on May 10th, 2009 by Sagib</div> <h3><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/2009/05/10/who-killed-120-civilians-the-us-says-its-not-a-story/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent Link to Who killed 120 civilians? The US says it’s not a story">Who killed 120 civilians? The US says it’s not a story</a></h3> <p class="postmetadata">Category: <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/category/english-articles/" title="View all posts in English Language Articles" rel="category tag">English Language Articles</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/category/south-asia/" title="View all posts in South Asia" rel="category tag">South Asia</a>, Tags: <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/afghanistan/" rel="tag">Afghanistan</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/bala/" rel="tag">Bala</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/bala-baluk/" rel="tag">Bala Baluk</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/bamyan/" rel="tag">Bamyan</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/central-asia/" rel="tag">central Asia</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/civilian-casualties/" rel="tag">Civilian casualties</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/cockburn-patrick/" rel="tag">Cockburn - Patrick</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/herat/" rel="tag">Herat</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/independent-the-uk/" rel="tag">Independent -The (UK)</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/kabul/" rel="tag">Kabul</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/kandahar/" rel="tag">Kandahar</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/taliban/" rel="tag">Taliban</a></p> <div class="entry" dir="rtl" align="right"> <blockquote><p>“What the Americans never explain in Afghanistan or Iraq is why they are using weapons designed for world war three against villages that have not left the Middle Ages – which makes heavy civilian casualties inevitable.”</p> </blockquote> <p><strong>Letter from Herat: Whatever the truth about the latest Afghan atrocity, in Bala Baluk, it will be slow to emerge</strong></p> <p>Herat is cut off from the rest of the planet. This was once one of the great cities of the world, an imperial capital drawing its wealth from trade along the Silk Road with Iran, the rest of Afghanistan and central Asia. Above the 800-year-old mosque in the city centre are minarets covered in blue and green mosaics which soar above one of the most magnificent monuments of the Islamic world.</p> <p>But today Herat is cut off even from the rest of Afghanistan. I flew there because it was too dangerous to come by road. We turned right out of the battered-looking airport because, had we turned left down the main road towards Kandahar, we would soon have been in Taliban-controlled territory. The road going east to Bamyan and Kabul is risky for the same reasons.</p> <p>Herat itself is peaceful compared to the rest of Afghanistan. There are police in their dark grey uniforms and forage hats checking cars, but they are relaxed and don’t look as if they are expecting trouble. There are more new buildings than in Kabul, but on many construction sites work seems to have stopped.</p> <p>I met Obaidullah Sidiqi, a local businessman, at a picnic lunch in a well-watered orchard, full of mulberry and apple trees and honeysuckle, which he owns not far from the airport road. An attractive aspect of Afghanistan never mentioned in war reporting is the Afghan love of flowers. Even in front-line positions soldiers dig small trenches, fill them with water and plant geraniums. </p> <p>Mr Sidiqi, after 16 years in construction, part of it for the Save the Children Fund and partly on his own account, explained that business in Herat faces unique difficulties. For instance, last year he had contracts under way which he could only visit in disguise. One was for the construction of a school in Shindand district in the south of Herat province, a Pashtun area where the Taliban are strong. Mr Sidiqi, like most people in Herat, is a Tajik. Overall, the Taliban rebellion is confined to the Pashtun, the community to which 42 per cent of Afghans belong, while in the past the Tajiks, who make up 27 per cent of the population, have been the core of the anti-Taliban opposition.</p> <p>"I wanted to see how work was going at the school, but I did not dare go as myself," Mr Sidiqi told me. "So I grew my beard longer and pretended to be one of my drivers." He also had to go disguised to visit a road his company is building in Badghis province to the north-east of Herat, again in an area where the Taliban are strong. In fact, not all the danger comes from the Taliban – though it is always blamed on them – as there are plenty of bandit gangs in the mountains.</p> <p>Overall, Mr Sidiqi said this year was better than last, though he did not sound completely confident that it was going to stay that way. He said that 200 local factories had shut, and Iran, where so many Afghans used to go to work, was issuing very few visas. Within Afghanistan there was pervasive corruption with the award of a contract usually determined by the size of the bribe offered to the officials in charge. </p> <p>I was sympathetic to Mr Sidiqi’s difficulties in moving around the country except by plane, because I faced the same problem. I had gone to Herat because last Monday US aircraft had attacked several villages in the Bala Baluk district of Farah province, which is immediately to the south of Herat. The local governor and surviving villagers said that more than 120 civilians had been killed. The US military denied that anything like that number had died and, if they had, it was the Taliban who had done it by hurling grenades into houses. </p> <p>The problem was that Bala Baluk is in a Pashtun area where the Taliban are reputed to be strong. Back in Kabul Pashtuns told me that it was unfair to equate them with the Taliban, but in reality there are few Taliban who are not Pashtun. It was too dangerous to go directly to Bala Baluk, so the next best thing was to find a survivor or an eyewitness. I thought that some of the worst injured might be in Herat hospital, as the best in the area. But there turned out to be only 14 wounded and these were in Farah hospital. This could have meant that there were fewer dead than the Afghans were saying, or that the bombardment was so intense that all had been killed.</p> <p>I did not meet survivors but I did talk to a reliable witness, a radio reporter called Farooq Faizy, who had gone to Bala Baluk soon after the attack happened. He said that police and soldiers nearby were frightened of the Taliban and told him it was too dangerous to go on, but he spoke to some village elders, telling them: "Talk to us and we will tell the world." He says he was none too sure who was in control of the three villages – Gerani, Gangabad and Khoujaha – that had been hit and he was careful about what he said. But he did take some 70 or 80 photographs and they bore out the villagers’ story: there were craters everywhere; the villages had been plastered with bombs; bodies had been torn to shreds by the blasts; there were mass graves; there were no signs of damage from bullets, rockets or grenades.</p> <p>I suspected that the US military’s claim that the Taliban had run through the village hurling grenades, supposedly because they had not been paid their cut of profits from the opium poppy crop, was just a delaying tactic. Usually the US military delays admission of guilt until a story has gone cold and the media is no longer interested. "First say ‘no story’," runs an old PR adage, "and then say ‘old story’." By the end of the week the US was admitting that the grenade-throwing Taliban story was "thinly sourced".</p> <p>Another thesis was that fighting had taken place 500 metres from the villages, and the Taliban had retreated through them, leading to the airstrikes. Farooq Faizy said he had seen signs of fighting in the shape of two burned-out Afghan army or police vehicles and a destroyed US Humvee, but they were seven or eight kilometres away from the site of the bombing. He had taken photographs of them showing the destroyed Afghan vehicles – Ford pick-ups with a machine gun mount over the bonnet. It seemed likely that this was the fight that had led to the Afghan army and their US advisers asking for air support. What the Americans never explain in Afghanistan or Iraq is why they are using weapons designed for world war three against villages that have not left the Middle Ages – which makes heavy civilian casualties inevitable.</p> <p>Back in Herat, Mr Sidiqi was none too sympathetic about what had happened to the people of Bala Baluk. Like many Afghans, he felt that it was the weakness of the government, not the strength of the Taliban, which was the problem. Furthermore he felt, and this is surely true, that "neither Pakistan nor Iran wants a strong Afghanistan".</p> <p><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124155414/http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/patrick-cockburn-who-killed-120-civilians-the-us-says-its-not-a-story-1682310.html" class="external" target="_blank">Patrick Cockburn: Who killed 120 civilians? 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