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<h1><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/">Gorilla’s Guides</a></h1> <h2>“The only thing these sand niggers understand is force and I’m about to introduce them to it.”</h2> <div id="search"><form method="get" id="searchform" action="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/"> <div><input type="text" value="" name="s" id="s"/> <input type="submit" id="searchsubmit" value="Search"/> </div> </form> </div> </div> <hr/> <div id="content" class="span-13 append-1"> <div class="post clearfix" id="post-13478"> <div class="postmetadata"><span class="comments"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/2011/06/07/iraq-un-human-rights-official-urges-stronger-action-to-protect-civilians/#respond" title="Comment on Iraq: UN human rights official urges stronger action to protect civilians">No Comments</a></span> Posted on June 7th, 2011 by Burhan Aydin</div> <h3><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/2011/06/07/iraq-un-human-rights-official-urges-stronger-action-to-protect-civilians/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent Link to Iraq: UN human rights official urges stronger action to protect civilians">Iraq: UN human rights official urges stronger action to protect civilians</a></h3> <p class="postmetadata">Category: <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/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/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/category/human-rights/" title="View all posts in Human Rights" rel="category tag">Human Rights</a>, Tags: <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/acts-of-violence/" rel="tag">acts of violence</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/ad-melkert/" rel="tag">Ad Melkert</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/arbitrary-detention/" rel="tag">arbitrary detention</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/convention-against-torture/" rel="tag">Convention against Torture</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/demonstrations/" rel="tag">Demonstrations</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/disappearances/" rel="tag">disappearances</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/discrimination/" rel="tag">discrimination</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/ethnic-minorities/" rel="tag">ethnic minorities</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/freedom-of-expression/" rel="tag">freedom of expression</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/human-rights/" rel="tag">Human Rights</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/human-rights-commission/" rel="tag">Human Rights Commission</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/international-law/" rel="tag">International Law</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/ivan-simonovic/" rel="tag">Ivan Šimonović</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/judiciary/" rel="tag">Judiciary</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/kurdistan/" rel="tag">Kurdistan</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/kurdistan-region/" rel="tag">kurdistan region</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/kurdistan-regional-government/" rel="tag">kurdistan regional government</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/ohchr/" rel="tag">OHCHR</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/torture/" rel="tag">Torture</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/un/" rel="tag">U.N.</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/unami/" rel="tag">UNAMI</a></p> <div class="entry" dir="rtl" align="right"> <div style="text-align: left; unicode-bidi: bidi-override; direction: ltr"> <p>A senior United Nations official has called on the Iraqi Government to do more to protect civilians from violence, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (<a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Pages/WelcomePage.aspx" class="external" target="_blank">OHCHR</a>) reported today. </p> <p>Ivan Šimonović, Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights, welcomed the Iraqi Government’s convening of a conference this week to address rights problems, but also “condemned the numerous cases of enforced disappearances, arbitrary detention and alleged torture that have been reported throughout Iraq,” OHCHR said. </p> </p></div> <p> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/2011/06/07/iraq-un-human-rights-official-urges-stronger-action-to-protect-civilians/#more-13478" class="more-link">» أقرأ التفاصيل .. | Read the rest of this entry »</a></p> </div> </div> <hr/> <div class="post clearfix" id="post-12187"> <div class="postmetadata"><span class="comments"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/2011/01/12/guardian-wins-appeal-against-iraq-libel-ruling/#respond" title="Comment on Guardian wins appeal against Iraq libel ruling">No Comments</a></span> Posted on January 12th, 2011 by Ra'ed Al-Bayati</div> <h3><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/2011/01/12/guardian-wins-appeal-against-iraq-libel-ruling/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent Link to Guardian wins appeal against Iraq libel ruling">Guardian wins appeal against Iraq libel ruling</a></h3> <p class="postmetadata">Category: <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/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/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/category/iraq/" title="View all posts in News" rel="category tag">News</a>, Tags: <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/defamation/" rel="tag">defamation</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/freedom-of-expression/" rel="tag">freedom of expression</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/ghaith-abdul-ahad/" rel="tag">Ghaith Abdul-Ahad</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/guardian-the/" rel="tag">Guardian The</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/inis/" rel="tag">INIS</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/intelligence-officers/" rel="tag">intelligence officers</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/international-federation-of-journalists/" rel="tag">International Federation of Journalists</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/international-law/" rel="tag">International Law</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/libel-actions/" rel="tag">libel actions</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/maliki-vs-guardian-newspaper/" rel="tag">Maliki vs. Guardian newspaper</a></p> <div class="entry" dir="rtl" align="right"> <p><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/theguardian" class="external" target="_blank">The Guardian</a> has won its appeal against an Iraqi court ruling which judged that the paper had defamed the country’s prime minister, Nouri al-Maliki.</p> <p>The Iraqi National Intelligence Service (INIS) brought the libel action after the Guardian reported criticism of al-Maliki and the INIS in <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/apr/30/iraqi-prime-minister-maliki" class="external" target="_blank">an article published in April 2009</a>. The Al-Karakh primary court judged in November 2009 that the report was defamatory and ordered the Guardian to pay a fine of 100m dinar (£52,000).</p> <p>However, the Iraqi appeal court ruled on 28 December that the article did not cause any defamation or harm to al-Maliki or the INIS, overturning the earlier court ruling.</p> <p>The Guardian welcomed the appeal court ruling, saying that the earlier defamation charge "amounted to an unjustified interference with the media’s right to report on the activities of politicians and public officials".</p> <p>In making its decision, the appeal court consulted nine experts nominated by the Iraqi Union of Journalists who unanimously agreed that the article was not defamatory. The court ordered the INIS pay costs and legal fees.</p> <p>The article in question, written by the Guardian’s award-winning <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/iraq" class="external" target="_blank">Iraq</a> correspondent, Ghaith Abdul-Ahad, described fears inside Iraq that the prime minister was ruling in an increasingly autocratic manner. It reported the views of three intelligence officers, and a range of others, who commented on the nature of al-Maliki’s rule.</p> <p>Article 19, the campaign group for freedom of expression, and the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), submitted a joint amicus brief in support of the Guardian and reviewing international standards for freedom of expression.</p> <p>The organisations also argued that the charge of defamation "disregarded well-established international law which guarantees the rights of the media to critically evaluate the activities of governments and their elected leaders".</p> <p>Source: <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2011/jan/12/guardian-appeal-iraq-libel" class="external" target="_blank">Guardian wins appeal against Iraq libel ruling | Media | guardian.co.uk</a></p> </div> </div> <hr/> <div class="post clearfix" id="post-12137"> <div class="postmetadata"><span class="comments"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/2011/01/06/who-assassinated-iraqi-academics/#respond" title="Comment on Who Assassinated Iraqi Academics?">No Comments</a></span> Posted on January 6th, 2011 by Nabil</div> <h3><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/2011/01/06/who-assassinated-iraqi-academics/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent Link to Who Assassinated Iraqi Academics?">Who Assassinated Iraqi Academics?</a></h3> <p class="postmetadata">Category: <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/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/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/category/human-rights/" title="View all posts in Human Rights" rel="category tag">Human Rights</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/category/war-crimes/" title="View all posts in War Crimes" rel="category tag">War Crimes</a>, Tags: <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/academics/" rel="tag">academics</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/adil-e-shamoo/" rel="tag">Adil E. Shamoo</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/america/" rel="tag">America</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/american-imperialism/" rel="tag">American Imperialism</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/analysis/" rel="tag">Analysis</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/assassination/" rel="tag">assassination</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/assassination-campaigns/" rel="tag">Assassination campaigns</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/assassinations/" rel="tag">Assassinations</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/attacks-on-academics-students-teachers/" rel="tag">Attacks on academics students teachers</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/automatic-weapons/" rel="tag">automatic weapons</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/baghdad/" rel="tag">Baghdad</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/basra/" rel="tag">Basra</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/cia/" rel="tag">CIA</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/civilians/" rel="tag">Civilians</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/contractors/" rel="tag">Contractors</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/crimes-against-humanity/" rel="tag">Crimes against humanity</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/death-squads/" rel="tag">Death Squads</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/death-threats/" rel="tag">Death Threats</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/detainees/" rel="tag">detainees</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/dirk-adriaensens/" rel="tag">Dirk Adriaensens</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/gulf-cooperation-council/" rel="tag">Gulf Cooperation Council</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/human-rights/" rel="tag">Human Rights</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/international-law/" rel="tag">International Law</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/intimidation/" rel="tag">intimidation</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/invasion/" rel="tag">invasion</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/invasion-of-iraq/" rel="tag">invasion of iraq</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/murder/" rel="tag">murder</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/newspaper/" rel="tag">newspaper</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/robert-fisk/" rel="tag">Robert Fisk</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/sectarian-violence/" rel="tag">sectarian violence</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/torture/" rel="tag">Torture</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/universities/" rel="tag">Universities</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/university-teachers/" rel="tag">university teachers</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/us/" rel="tag">US</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/violence/" rel="tag">violence</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/washington-post/" rel="tag">washington post</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/wikileaks/" rel="tag">Wikileaks</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/women-and-children/" rel="tag">Women and Children</a></p> <div class="entry" dir="rtl" align="right"> <p>By April 2004, just a little over a year after the U.S. invasion of Iraq and before the sectarian violence began, the Iraqi Association of University Teachers (AUT) reported that <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?storyCode=191084&sectioncode=26" class="external" target="_blank">250 academics had been killed</a>. Award-winning British journalist Robert Fisk <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://www.thetruthseeker.co.uk/article.asp?ID=2042" class="external" target="_blank">had warned</a> early that year of the assassinations of Iraqi academics, but few U.S. newspapers picked up on the story.  By the end of 2006, according to<a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/education/higher/iraqs-universities-are-in-meltdown-427316.html" class="external" target="_blank"> <em>The Independent</em></a>, over 470 academics had been killed. Another British paper, <em>The Guardian</em>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2006/dec/12/internationaleducationnews.highereducation" class="external" target="_blank">reported</a> that about 500 academics were killed just from the Universities of Baghdad and Basra alone.</p> <p>Based on multiple sources, the B<em>Russell</em>s Tribunal sifted through such reports and <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://www.brusselstribunal.org/Academics.htm" class="external" target="_blank">published on its website</a> the names of over 400 murdered academics and when they were killed. Although the exact total number of assassinated academics is not really known, the indefatigable advocate for human rights Dirk Adriaensens gives a detailed analysis of the data available so far in his contribution to the book <em><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://us.macmillan.com/culturalcleansinginiraq" class="external" target="_blank">Cultural Cleansing in Iraq</a></em>. According to Adriaensens, most of those killed were from the Universities of Bagdad (57 percent) and Basra (14 percent). In addition, 35 percent died in detention after being arrested/kidnapped by some security forces. The modus operandi for the killings was a professional, well-organized assassination. Fifty-four percent of the deaths occurred as a targeted killing, at point-blank range with hand guns or automatic weapons. The killing of academics did not follow any sectarian agenda since the murdered were Sunni and Shia. No one has taken responsibility for the killings, and no one has been arrested.</p> <p>The reports of these murdered Iraqi academics have been around for a few years, mostly in the foreign press and on websites. I admit to an initial skepticism about their veracity. I was even more concerned about who was responsible for these heinous crimes and why. Iraqis living in Iraq knew of these murders first-hand, but did not know the culprits. Their suspicions fell naturally on the occupying power.</p> <p>Along with these tragic deaths was the concomitant wave of death threats and intimidation against other Iraqi academics, which resulted in tens of thousands of Iraqi academics literally running abroad for their life. <em>The Washington Post </em>recently described the <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/11/23/AR2010112306747.html" class="external" target="_blank">plight of one Iraqi family</a> living in the United States after the husband, a professor, was assassinated and the wife, a physician, survived but gravely wounded. For some, the escape abroad was only temporary. A<a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://iraqiacademicsunderattack.wordpress.com/2010/10/27/two-iraqi-academics-killed-after-their-returning-to-iraq-english-arabic-castellano/" class="external" target="_blank"> professor and a dean</a> who left and returned in the past six months to Iraq were professionally assassinated.  Iraq has suffered the decapitation of its intellectual class on a staggering scale, which has thrown the country back to the dark ages.</p> <p>According to the new revelations of Wikileaks, in some cases the United States, through the military, contractors, and others, killed innocent Iraqi civilians including women and children. As a matter of policy we handed over Iraqi detainees to Iraqi security forces with full knowledge that they would be subjected to torture, rape, and murder. Moreover, when our military received the reports of torture, rape, and murder it chose to ignore them. Such a policy is contrary to international law, U.S. laws, and American values.</p> <p>It’s not clear whether the U.S. government or the U.S. military knows who assassinated the Iraqi academics. We don’t know if U.S. officials or military commanders looked the other way when local security forces committed those crimes. But the Wikileaks documents raise many disturbing questions about a possible U.S. role in these assassinations. Even the Gulf Cooperation Council, and its half-dozen U.S.-friendly Arab members, has <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5hiUt15hxCn1JG0tU8iLw_Oj6yb8A?docId=CNG.1c29e0b64ef02ac621d8a8911f61ba89.191" class="external" target="_blank">called on</a> the Obama administration to "open a serious and transparent investigation" into possible "crimes against humanity."</p> <p>The evidence so far is sufficient to warrant a thorough investigation by an independent body. Iraqis, Americans, and the world need to know the truth.</p> <div style="border-right: lightgrey 1px solid; padding-right: 5px; border-top: lightgrey 1px solid; padding-left: 5px; float: right; padding-bottom: 15px; margin: 15px auto 5px; border-left: lightgrey 1px solid; width: 95%; padding-top: 5px; border-bottom: lightgrey 1px solid"> <p><em>Adil E. Shamoo, is a senior analyst for Foreign Policy In Focus, and writes on ethics and public policy. He is a Professor at </em><em>University</em><em> of </em><em>Maryland School</em><em> of Medicine. He can be reached at </em><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/mailto:ashamoo@umaryland.edu"><em>ashamoo@umaryland.edu</em></a><em>.</em></p> </p></div> <div></div> <p><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://www.fpif.org/articles/who_assassinated_iraqi_academics?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+FPIF+%28Foreign+Policy+In+Focus+%28All+News%29%29" class="external" target="_blank"><strong>Source: </strong>Foreign Policy In Focus | Who Assassinated Iraqi Academics?</a></p> </div> </div> <hr/> <div class="post clearfix" id="post-11560"> <div class="postmetadata"><span class="comments"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/2010/10/06/%d9%85%d8%b3%d9%8a%d8%ad%d9%8a%d9%88-%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%b9%d8%b1%d8%a7%d9%82-%d9%8a%d9%81%d8%b1%d9%88%d9%86-%d9%85%d9%86-%d8%a8%d9%84%d8%a7%d8%af%d9%87%d9%85-%d8%ad%d8%aa%d9%89-%d9%85%d8%b9-%d8%aa%d8%b1/#respond" title="Comment on مسيحيو العراق يفرون من بلادهم حتى مع تراجع حدة التوتر">No Comments</a></span> Posted on October 6th, 2010 by Khalil Ibn Hussein</div> <h3><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/2010/10/06/%d9%85%d8%b3%d9%8a%d8%ad%d9%8a%d9%88-%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%b9%d8%b1%d8%a7%d9%82-%d9%8a%d9%81%d8%b1%d9%88%d9%86-%d9%85%d9%86-%d8%a8%d9%84%d8%a7%d8%af%d9%87%d9%85-%d8%ad%d8%aa%d9%89-%d9%85%d8%b9-%d8%aa%d8%b1/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent Link to مسيحيو العراق يفرون من بلادهم حتى مع تراجع حدة التوتر">مسيحيو العراق يفرون من بلادهم حتى مع تراجع حدة التوتر</a></h3> <p class="postmetadata">Category: <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/category/human-rights/" title="View all posts in Human Rights" rel="category tag">Human Rights</a>, Tags: <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/al-qaeda/" rel="tag">Al Qaeda</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/christian-university-students/" rel="tag">christian university students</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/christianity/" rel="tag">Christianity</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/christians/" rel="tag">Christians</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/christians-killing-of/" rel="tag">Christians - killing of</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/christians-persecution-of/" rel="tag">Christians - persecution of</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/churches/" rel="tag">churches</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/ethnic-cleansing/" rel="tag">Ethnic Cleansing</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/ethnic-cleansing-of-christians/" rel="tag">Ethnic cleansing of Christians</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/gzg-failure-to-protect-christians/" rel="tag">GZG failure to protect Christians</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/holland/" rel="tag">Holland</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/human-rights/" rel="tag">Human Rights</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/international-law/" rel="tag">International Law</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/iraqi-christians/" rel="tag">iraqi christians</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/kidnapping/" rel="tag">kidnapping</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/kidnappings/" rel="tag">Kidnappings</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/ninawa-governorate/" rel="tag">Ninawa (Governorate)</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/nineveh/" rel="tag">Nineveh</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/northern-iraq/" rel="tag">northern iraq</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/parliamentary-election/" rel="tag">parliamentary election</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/pope/" rel="tag">Pope</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/security-forces/" rel="tag">security forces</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/violence/" rel="tag">violence</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/%d8%a8%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%85%d8%b3%d9%8a%d8%ad%d9%8a%d9%8a%d9%86/" rel="tag">بالمسيحيين</a></p> <div class="entry" dir="rtl" align="right"> <div dir="rtl" align="right"> <blockquote> <p>الموصل (العراق) (<a title="رويترز" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://ara.reuters.com/article/topNews/idARACAE6950U020101006?sp=true" class="external" target="_blank">رويترز</a>) – خفض بسام هرمز أسعار بضائعه لتصفية مخزونه من الاجهزة الكهربائية كي يغلق متجره وينضم لعدة الاف من العراقيين المسيحيين في الخارج.</p> <p>وبلغ عدد مسيحيي العراق في وقت من الاوقات 750 ألفا في بلد غالبية سكانه من المسلمين. ويبلغ عدد سكان العراق 30 مليونا. ووقع المسيحيون في مرمى نيران العنف الطائفي التي أشعلها الغزو الذي قادته الولايات المتحدة للاطاحة بنظام صدام حسين العلماني عام 2003.</p> <p>وخوفا على أنفسهم ناشد القادة المسيحيون في العراق البابا بنديكت تقديم العون.</p> <p>ودعا البابا الذي يساوره القلق أيضا بشأن تراجع الوجود المسيحي في المناطق الفلسطينية التي تحتلها اسرائيل مجلس أساقفة للاجتماع بين 10 و24 من أكتوبر تشرين الاول لبحث سبل عمل الكنائس معا من أجل الحفاظ على أقدم الطوائف المسيحية.</p> <p>وسيبحث الاجتماع وثيقة أعدها الفاتيكان تنتقد "عدم احترام القانون الدولي" وانتهاكات حقوق الانسان وخروج المسيحيين من الشرق الاوسط فرارا من الصراعات.</p> <p>وتفيد الوثيقة التي نشرت في يونيو حزيران بأن هجرة المسيحيين "زادت على نحو خاص جراء الصراع الفلسطيني الاسرائيلي وحالة عدم الاستقرار في الشرق الاوسط."</p> <p>وتشير الوثيقة الى عدم الاستقرار السياسي في لبنان والاوضاع الخطرة في العراق "حيث أطلقت الحرب قوى الشر".</p> <p>وأدت أعمال العنف وحالة انعدام الامن الطويلة الامد التي سادت بعد الحرب الى اخافة المسيحيين الذين يشعر كثير منهم بأنهم لا مستقبل لهم في العراق.</p> <p>وقال هرمز صاحب المتجر الذي سيأخذ أسرته من مدينة الموصل المضطربة في شمال العراق الى هولندا التي يعيش فيها شقيقه "قررنا المغادرة بعدما فقدنا الامل في العيش في سلام في العراق. لم يكن هذا خيارنا."</p> <p>وألقى نظرة ملؤها الحسرة على البقية الباقية من البضائع في متجره. كما يبدو منزل أسرته خاويا بعدما تم بيع معظم أثاثه.</p> <p>ومنذ عام 2003 غادر العراق مئات الالاف من المسيحيين الذين وصفهم البابا بنديكت بأنهم "أضعف أقلية دينية" في العراق وذلك في مناشدة من أجل تحسين الامن هذا العام.</p> <p>وربما لم يعد من الاقلية المسيحية الراسخة القدم في العراق منذ قرون الا نصفها على الرغم من عدم وجود بيانات رسمية بشأن عددهم.</p> <p>ويغادر البلاد المزيد من المسيحيين على الرغم من تراجع حدة العنف بشكل عام في الاعوام الثلاثة الاخيرة مع انحسار اراقة الدماء بين الاغلبية الشيعية والاقلية السنية التي كانت تحكم البلاد فيما سبق.</p> <p>وما زال المسيحيون يتعرضون لهجمات بين الحين والاخر ولاسيما في محافظة نينوى في شمال البلاد والتي تعتبر اخر معقل حضري لمتشددي القاعدة الاسلاميين.</p> <p>ولم يتضح ما اذا كانت الهجمات تستهدفهم بسبب دينهم أو بسبب العناوين التي تنشرها وسائل الاعلام الغربية بشأن معاناتهم أو بسبب انتمائهم السياسي أو لاسباب أخرى.</p> <p>وفي فبراير شباط قتل مسلحون ثمانية مسيحيين في الشوارع أو في أماكن عملهم في الموصل مما دفع بالالاف للفرار.</p> <p>ووقعت أعمال القتل تلك قبل أسبوعين من انتخابات برلمانية لم تسفر عن فائز واضح ولم تتشكل حكومة جديدة حتى بعد مرور ستة شهور على اجرائها.</p> <p>وفي مايو أيار انفجرت قنبلة بالقرب من حافلة تقل طلابا جامعيين مسيحيين في الموصل مما أدى الى مقتل واحد منهم على الاقل واصابة مئة.</p> <p>ومهاجمة المسيحيين وسيلة ناجعة لتسليط الضوء على قصور قوات الامن العراقية فهي تجتذب اهتماما اعلاميا أكبر بكثير من الاهتمام الذي يجتذبه قتل أعداد أكبر كثيرا من المسلمين.</p> <p>ويشعر المسيحيون كغيرهم من أبناء الاقليات في شمال العراق بعدم الامان بينما يتقاتل العرب والاكراد على الاراضي وعلى النفط.</p> <p>وقال باسم بلو رئيس بلدية تلكيف القريبة من الموصل ان مغادرتهم على أشدها لعدة أسباب منها الوضع الاقتصادي والامني والهجمات المباشرة وأعمال الخطف التي يتعرض لها المسيحيون. وأشار الى أن 1050 أسرة في بلدته ذات الاغلبية المسيحية نزحت الى الخارج في عام 2008 وحده.</p> <p>ويكون الخروج في الاغلب عاطفيا كما هو الحال بالنسبة لهرمز وأسرته التي تغادر منزلها الذي بنته قبل 20 عاما في الموصل.</p> <p>وقالت أم ادوارد زوجة هرمز "كنت أرفض فكرة المغادرة.. ولكنني تقبلتها بمضي الوقت وخصوصا حينما أسمع بمقتل أصدقاء وأشعر بالحزن أيضا على حديقتنا التي أحبها كثيرا لن يعتني بها أحد كما أعتني بها."</p> </blockquote> <p><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://ara.reuters.com/article/topNews/idARACAE6950U020101006?sp=true" class="external" target="_blank">مسيحيو العراق يفرون من بلادهم حتى مع تراجع حدة التوتر | أخبار الشرق الأوسط | Reuters</a></p> </p></div> </div> </div> <hr/> <div class="post clearfix" id="post-11557"> <div class="postmetadata"><span class="comments"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/2010/10/06/iraqi-christians-flee-homeland-even-as-war-fades-reuters/#respond" title="Comment on Iraqi Christians flee homeland even as war fades | Reuters">No Comments</a></span> Posted on October 6th, 2010 by Khalil Ibn Hussein</div> <h3><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/2010/10/06/iraqi-christians-flee-homeland-even-as-war-fades-reuters/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent Link to Iraqi Christians flee homeland even as war fades | Reuters">Iraqi Christians flee homeland even as war fades | Reuters</a></h3> <p class="postmetadata">Category: <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/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/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/category/human-rights/" title="View all posts in Human Rights" rel="category tag">Human Rights</a>, Tags: <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/al-qaeda/" rel="tag">Al Qaeda</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/christian-university-students/" rel="tag">christian university students</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/christianity/" rel="tag">Christianity</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/christians/" rel="tag">Christians</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/christians-killing-of/" rel="tag">Christians - killing of</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/christians-persecution-of/" rel="tag">Christians - persecution of</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/churches/" rel="tag">churches</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/ethnic-cleansing/" rel="tag">Ethnic Cleansing</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/ethnic-cleansing-of-christians/" rel="tag">Ethnic cleansing of Christians</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/gzg-failure-to-protect-christians/" rel="tag">GZG failure to protect Christians</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/holland/" rel="tag">Holland</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/human-rights/" rel="tag">Human Rights</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/international-law/" rel="tag">International Law</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/iraqi-christians/" rel="tag">iraqi christians</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/kidnapping/" rel="tag">kidnapping</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/kidnappings/" rel="tag">Kidnappings</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/ninawa-governorate/" rel="tag">Ninawa (Governorate)</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/nineveh/" rel="tag">Nineveh</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/northern-iraq/" rel="tag">northern iraq</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/parliamentary-election/" rel="tag">parliamentary election</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/pope/" rel="tag">Pope</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/security-forces/" rel="tag">security forces</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/violence/" rel="tag">violence</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/%d8%a8%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%85%d8%b3%d9%8a%d8%ad%d9%8a%d9%8a%d9%86/" rel="tag">بالمسيحيين</a></p> <div class="entry" dir="rtl" align="right"> <p>Bassam Hermiz has slashed prices to clear his stock of electrical appliances, close his shop and join many thousands of other Iraqi Christians abroad.</p> <p>Once numbering some 750,000 in this mainly Muslim country of 30 million, Christians have been trapped in the crossfire of sectarian strife ignited after the U.S.-led invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein’s secular dictatorship in 2003.</p> <p>Alarmed that their flock could face extinction, Iraqi Christian leaders appealed to the Vatican for help.</p> <p>Pope Benedict, also worried about the shrinking Christian presence in the Israeli-occupied Palestinian territories, has called a synod of bishops for October 10-24 to discuss how churches can work together to preserve Christianity’s oldest communities.</p> <p>The special assembly will consider a Vatican document that decries "disregard for international law," human rights abuses and an exodus of Christians fleeing conflict in the Middle East.</p> <p>The document, released in June, says Christian emigration is "particularly prevalent because of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the resulting instability in the Middle East."</p> <p>It also cites political instability in Lebanon and menacing conditions in Iraq, "where the war has unleashed evil forces."</p> <p>Post-invasion bloodshed and chronic insecurity have spooked Iraqi Christians, many of whom feel they have no future here.</p> <p>"We decided to leave after we lost hope of living in peace in Iraq. It was not our choice," said Hermiz, the shopkeeper who is taking his family from the volatile northern city of Mosul to Holland, where his brother already lives.</p> <p>He cast a dejected eye over the few remaining goods in his shop. His two-storey family home, replete with balconies and marble, also looks forlorn with most of the furniture sold.</p> <p>Hundreds of thousands of Christians, described by Pope Benedict as Iraq’s "most vulnerable religious minority" in an appeal for better security this year, have left since 2003.</p> <h3>CHRISTIAN EXODUS</h3> <p>Perhaps only half of a Christian community rooted here for centuries remains, although no official figures exist.</p> <p>And more Christians are leaving, despite a plunge in overall violence in the past three years as bloodletting between majority Shi’ites and once dominant Sunni Muslims tapers off.</p> <p>Every now and then Christians still come under attack, especially in the northern province of Nineveh, considered the last urban stronghold of al Qaeda Islamist militants.</p> <p>It is not always clear whether they are targeted for their faith, for the headlines their woes generate in Western media, for their political allegiances or for other reasons.</p> <p>In February, gunmen killed eight Christians in the streets or at work in Mosul, prompting thousands of others to flee.</p> <p>The slayings occurred two weeks before an inconclusive parliamentary election that has produced no new government six months later. The stalemate threatens Iraq’s fragile security, along with most other aspects of life in a traumatized nation.</p> <p>In May bomb blasts near a bus carrying Christian university students in Mosul killed at least one and wounded 100.</p> <p>Attacking Christians is an effective way to highlight the shortcomings of Iraq’s security forces, attracting more media attention than the far higher casualties among Iraqi Muslims.</p> <p>Christians, like other minorities in northern Iraq, feel insecure as the region’s Arabs and Kurds feud over land and oil.</p> <p>"The departure is in full swing for many reasons: the security and economic situation, and the direct attacks and kidnappings that Christians have been exposed to," said Bassim Bello, mayor of Telkaif near Mosul. He said 1,050 families in the mainly Christian town had fled abroad in 2008 alone.</p> <p>Exile is often heart-breaking, as it is for Hirmiz and his family, quitting the home they built 20 years ago in Mosul.</p> <p>"I used to reject the idea of leaving, but I’ve got used to it over time, especially when I hear of the killing of friends," sighed Um Edwar, Hermiz’s wife. "I also feel sad about the garden, which I adore. No one will take care of it like I do."</p> <p><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE69535E20101006" class="external" target="_blank">Iraqi Christians flee homeland even as war fades | Reuters</a></p> </div> </div> <hr/> <div class="post clearfix" id="post-11501"> <div class="postmetadata"><span class="comments"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/2010/09/23/israeli-attack-on-mv-marmara-no-case-can-be-made-for-the-legality-of-the-interception-and-the-mission-therefore-finds-that-the-interception-was-illegal/#comments" title="Comment on Israeli Attack on MV Marmara "no case can be made for the legality of the interception and the Mission therefore finds that the interception was illegal"">1 Comment</a></span> Posted on September 23rd, 2010 by markfromireland</div> <h3><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/2010/09/23/israeli-attack-on-mv-marmara-no-case-can-be-made-for-the-legality-of-the-interception-and-the-mission-therefore-finds-that-the-interception-was-illegal/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent Link to Israeli Attack on MV Marmara "no case can be made for the legality of the interception and the Mission therefore finds that the interception was illegal"">Israeli Attack on MV Marmara "no case can be made for the legality of the interception and the Mission therefore finds that the interception was illegal"</a></h3> <p class="postmetadata">Category: <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/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/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/category/human-rights/" title="View all posts in Human Rights" rel="category tag">Human Rights</a>, Tags: <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/ahmet-davutoglu/" rel="tag">Ahmet Davutoglu</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/civilians/" rel="tag">Civilians</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/gaza/" rel="tag">Gaza</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/gaza-flotilla/" rel="tag">Gaza flotilla</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/international-law/" rel="tag">International Law</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/international-waters/" rel="tag">international waters</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/israel/" rel="tag">Israel</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/israeli-attacks-on-civilians/" rel="tag">Israeli attacks on civilians</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/israeli-commandos/" rel="tag">israeli commandos</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/israeli-war-crimes/" rel="tag">Israeli war crimes</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/mavi-marmara/" rel="tag">Mavi Marmara</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/murder/" rel="tag">murder</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/richard-goldstone/" rel="tag">richard goldstone</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/turkey/" rel="tag">Turkey</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/un-security-council/" rel="tag">un security council</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/war-crimes/" rel="tag">War Crimes</a></p> <div class="entry" dir="rtl" align="right"> <p>There’s a report in <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://www.guardian.co.uk/" target="_blank" class="external">The Guardian</a> on the UN’s Human Rights Council’s investigation of the unlawful Israeli attack on a flotilla of aid ships in international waters and in particular on the "<em>clearly unlawful</em>" attack on the <em>MV Mavi Marmara</em> and the brutal and disproportionate treatment of the passengers and crew. Here’s a few juicy bits from The Guardian’s report:</p> <blockquote><p>The report by three experts appointed by the UN’s Human Rights Council (UNHRC) described the seizure of MV Mavi Marmara, a Turkish vessel, by Israeli commandos as illegal under international law. </p> <p>It condemned the treatment of the passengers and crew as brutal and disproportionate. It also said that the Israeli blockade of the Palestinian enclave is illegal because of the scale of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. </p> <p>"There is clear evidence to support prosecutions of the following crimes within the terms of article 147 of the fourth Geneva convention: wilful killing; torture or inhuman treatment; wilfully causing great suffering or serious injury to body or health," the report said.</p> </blockquote> <p><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/sep/23/un-panel-israel-war-crimes" class="external" target="_blank">UN panel accuses Israel of war crimes for ‘unlawful’ assault on Gaza flotilla | World news | The Guardian</a></p> <p>Instead of reading what The Guardian has to say about the report I prefer read the report itself . You can get the report here: </p> <p><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/hrcouncil/15session/reports.htm" class="external" target="_blank">http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/hrcouncil/15session/reports.htm</a> </p> <blockquote><p>58. Given the evidence at the Turkel Committee, it is clear that there was no reasonable suspicion that the Flotilla posed any military risk of itself. As a result, no case could be made to intercept the vessels in the exercise of belligerent rights or Article 51 self-defence. Thus, no case can be made for the legality of the interception and the Mission therefore finds that the interception was illegal. </p> <p>59. The Mission finds that the policy of blockade or closure regime, including the naval blockade imposed by Israel on Gaza was inflicting isproportionate civilian damage. The Mission considers that the naval blockade was implemented in support of the overall closure regime. As such it was part of a single disproportionate measure of armed conflict and as such cannot itself be found proportionate. </p> <p>60. Furthermore, the closure regime is considered by the Mission to constitute collective punishment of the people living in the Gaza Strip and thus illegal and contrary to article 33 of the Fourth Geneva Convention. </p> <p>61. The Mission considers that the enforcement of an illegal blockade does not only constitute a violation of the laws of war, but also a violation of the laws of neutrality giving rise to State responsibility.</p> </blockquote> <p>Source: <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/hrcouncil/docs/15session/A.HRC.15.21_en.pdf" class="external" target="_blank">Report of the international fact-finding mission to investigate violations of international law, including international humanitarian and human rights law, resulting from the Israeli attacks on the flotilla of ships carrying humanitarian assistance</a></p> <p>As well as the sections cited above I respectfully draw the readers’ attention to sections Articles 49, 55, 56, 57.</p> <p>Told you so.</p> <p>markfromireland</p> </div> </div> <hr/> <div class="post clearfix" id="post-11015"> <div class="postmetadata"><span class="comments"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/2010/06/11/turkey-muddies-the-water/#respond" title="Comment on Turkey muddies the water">No Comments</a></span> Posted on June 11th, 2010 by Nur Hussein Ghazali</div> <h3><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/2010/06/11/turkey-muddies-the-water/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent Link to Turkey muddies the water">Turkey muddies the water</a></h3> <p class="postmetadata">Category: <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/category/analysis-briefings-commentary/" title="View all posts in Analysis Briefings Commentary" rel="category tag">Analysis Briefings Commentary</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/category/english-articles/" title="View all posts in English Language Articles" rel="category tag">English Language Articles</a>, Tags: <a 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href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/dams/" rel="tag">Dams</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/drought/" rel="tag">drought</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/economy/" rel="tag">Economy</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/france/" rel="tag">France</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/international-law/" rel="tag">International Law</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/iraqi-refugees/" rel="tag">iraqi refugees</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/israel/" rel="tag">Israel</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/kuwait/" rel="tag">kuwait</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/kuwaiti-investment-in-syrian-dams/" rel="tag">Kuwaiti investment in Syrian dams</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/large-dams/" rel="tag">large dams</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/neighbouring-states/" rel="tag">neighbouring states</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/northeastern-syria/" rel="tag">northeastern syria</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/rate-of-flow/" rel="tag">rate of flow</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/resources/" rel="tag">Resources</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/resources-ministry/" rel="tag">resources ministry</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/river-water/" rel="tag">river water</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/syria/" rel="tag">Syria</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/tigris/" rel="tag">Tigris</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/tigris-and-euphrates/" rel="tag">tigris and euphrates</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/tigris-and-euphrates-rivers/" rel="tag">tigris and euphrates rivers</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/turkey/" rel="tag">Turkey</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/water/" rel="tag">Water</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/water-crisis-iraq/" rel="tag">Water Crisis (Iraq)</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/water-flow/" rel="tag">water flow</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/water-issue/" rel="tag">water issue</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/water-resources/" rel="tag">water resources</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/water-treaty/" rel="tag">Water Treaty</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/water-treaty-negotiations/" rel="tag">Water Treaty negotiations</a></p> <div class="entry" dir="rtl" align="right"> <p> </p> <blockquote><p>Syria’s plan to divert the waters of the Tigris portends a long and bitter quarrel with Iraq, reports <b>Bassel Oudat</b> from Damascus </p> <hr noshade="noshade"/> <p>Last year’s severe drought in northeastern Syria dried up the Khabur River which is the lifeline in that region, causing some 500,000 Syrians to migrate to other areas inside Syria. In response, the government signed a deal with the Kuwaiti Fund for Arab Economic Development to begin a project on the Tigris close to the Syrian-Turkish-Iraqi border, diverting enough water to fertilise 200,000 hectares.</p> <p>Baghdad was infuriated by the project and called Damascus to an "emergency meeting" to clarify the details of the "surprise plan" which would divert river water over long distances inside Syrian territories. Iraq’s Water Resources Ministry stated that any diverted water will affect Iraq’s already meagre water quota, which would negatively influence local agriculture and the economy. Iraqi officials also predicted that the plan will jeopardise already worsening relations between the two neighbouring states.</p> <p>Syria has not responded to Iraq’s invitation. Informed Syrian sources asserted that the project was conceived decades ago, and not a new concept at all, as the Iraqis are claiming. In fact, it is an indicator of warming relations between Syria and Turkey, because Ankara gave Damascus the green light to go ahead and begin the project.</p> <p>The plan is indeed old, but was delayed because previous governments in Turkey refused to sign any agreement to share water with Syria and Iraq. With encouragement from abroad, Ankara was fooled into believing that it would be stronger and have more leverage by controlling the water flow.</p> <p>Syria and Iraq have fought over water resources in the past. In the 1980s, it threatened to ignite a war. Eventually the quarrel came to include Turkey, especially after Ankara began building large dams on the Euphrates and Tigris. So far, no three-way agreement has been reached because Turkey refuses to share the water with Syria and Iraq.</p> <p>The heart of the problem lies in differences of interpretation of Syria and Iraq on the one hand, and Turkey on the other. Turkey believes the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, which originate in the Taurus Mountains in Turkey and pass through Syria and Iraq, to be "marginally cross-border rivers" because they barely pass inside the borders of Syria and Iraq. But Syria and Iraq consider them major international water bodies which should be evenly divided among everyone.</p> <p>When the regimes in Damascus and Baghdad fell out in the 1970-80s, this negatively affected their rights to the waters of the Euphrates and Tigris and a number of smaller rivers, because they refused to sit together or with the Turkish side. Ankara used Syrian- Iraqi tensions to exercise control over the waters of the rivers and keep a much larger share than stipulated in international water agreements for itself. It constructed massive dams on the rivers, using their waters in agricultural and industrial projects along their banks. It cut down the amount of water going to each country, and refused to recognise that the two rivers were international waterways but rather local Turkish rivers which happen to pass through Syria and Iraq on their way to the Arab shore, south of Basra in Iraq.</p> <p>In 1974, Turkey began the Southeastern Anatolian (GAP) project which consists of 21 dams, 17 of which on the Euphrates including Ataturk Dam and four others on the River Tigris. It also included 19 power stations and 47 water reservoirs, and a variety of other projects in the fields of agriculture, industry, transportation, irrigation and communication. Ankara earmarked $32 billion for the project and received a large part of the budget from international funding in the form of loans and grants, especially from the US, Canada, Israel and France.</p> <p>In 1987, Syria and Iraq tried to gain some recognition over the waters of the two rivers, but it was too late. Turkey refused to negotiate with them as one party and dealt with each side separately, taking a disproportionate amount for itself. Damascus and Baghdad could do nothing, especially in light of the fact that Ankara continued its plans to construct dams and was able to cut off the flow of the river altogether to both neighbours.</p> <p>In 1989, Syria and Iraq agreed to divide the quota of the Euphrates River given to them, whereby Syria’s share amounted to 42 per cent and 52 per cent went to Iraq. Later, in 2000, the two sides agreed that Syria should receive a share of the Tigris water (which flows 50km inside its border), enough to irrigate almost 200,000 hectares of land.</p> <p>In the end, sharing the waters of the Euphrates and Tigris became a capricious matter, not relying on clear and precise agreements based on international law. Turkey’s whims dictate quotas with no base in international law. In 2007, a three-way meeting failed to result in a comprehensive agreement on the issue because Turkey refused to change the status quo and wanted to make it a de facto arrangement.</p> <p>Syria’s project to divert Tigris water, which it started publicly planning at the beginning of this year, has antagonised the Iraqis to an unexpected degree, and Baghdad’s reaction came as a surprise to Damascus. This is especially true since there is a preliminary agreement regarding this issue with the previous regime in Iraq, which Iraqis today consider invalid. The Syrians counter that the agreement was concluded with a legitimate Iraqi government and not one person per se, and it is illogical to annul agreements between countries every time the regime changes.</p> <p>Syrian political circles feel that Iraq’s reasoning is another attempt by Iraq’s government to raise tensions between the two countries, and manipulate this domestically now that Iraq is about to form a new government.</p> <p>Relations between the two neighbours have not been at their best for almost one year, after Iraq’s Prime Minister Nuri Al-Maliki accused Syria of hosting and assisting Al-Baath Party elements who support the ousted regime in Baghdad. Iraq claims these elements are behind a number of attacks in Baghdad which have killed hundreds of Iraqis. These accusations also came as a surprise for the Syrians who said they have tried their utmost in the past few years to prevent fighters from going into Iraq by more vigilant control of the border. At the same time, Syria is home to 1.5 million Iraqi refugees and says it has cooperated with Iraqi authorities.</p> <p>Syrian officials believe that Iraq’s objections to the Tigris project are not a result of Iraqi concerns over water but have other political goals to do with domestic Iraqi politics, power struggles among Iraqi factions, and complications in forming Iraq’s new cabinet.</p> <p>No doubt, the quarrel between Syria and Iraq over the past decades has allowed Turkey to do as it pleases with the waters of the Euphrates and Tigris. Today, closer ties between Damascus and Ankara — which could almost be described as a strategic alliance — are still not enough to convince Turkey to admit that these are international rivers, and it continues to control them unilaterally.</p> <p>Observers believe that rising political friction between Syria and Iraq, their distraction with secondary issues over more important ones, and their lax positions towards Turkey on the water issue and other matters have not only caused tension, but resulted in immense strategic losses for both parties. </p> <p>They will have to look beyond this current spat and focus on the real problem — resolving the quota issue with Turkey.</p> </blockquote> <p><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2010/1002/re85.htm" class="external" target="_blank">Al-Ahram Weekly | Region | Turkey muddies the water</a></p> </div> </div> <hr/> <div class="post clearfix" id="post-10865"> <div class="postmetadata"><span class="comments"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/2010/06/01/who-has-the-legal-power-to-investigate-and-prosecute-the-israeli-attackers/#comments" title="Comment on Who Has The Legal Power To Investigate and Prosecute The Israeli Attackers?">2 Comments</a></span> Posted on June 1st, 2010 by markfromireland</div> <h3><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/2010/06/01/who-has-the-legal-power-to-investigate-and-prosecute-the-israeli-attackers/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent Link to Who Has The Legal Power To Investigate and Prosecute The Israeli Attackers?">Who Has The Legal Power To Investigate and Prosecute The Israeli Attackers?</a></h3> <p class="postmetadata">Category: <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/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/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/ahmet-davutoglu/" rel="tag">Ahmet Davutoglu</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/civilians/" rel="tag">Civilians</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/gaza/" rel="tag">Gaza</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/gaza-flotilla/" rel="tag">Gaza flotilla</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/international-law/" rel="tag">International Law</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/international-waters/" rel="tag">international waters</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/israel/" rel="tag">Israel</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/israeli-attacks-on-civilians/" rel="tag">Israeli attacks on civilians</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/israeli-commandos/" rel="tag">israeli commandos</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/israeli-war-crimes/" rel="tag">Israeli war crimes</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/mavi-marmara/" rel="tag">Mavi Marmara</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/murder/" rel="tag">murder</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/richard-goldstone/" rel="tag">richard goldstone</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/turkey/" rel="tag">Turkey</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/un-security-council/" rel="tag">un security council</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/war-crimes/" rel="tag">War Crimes</a></p> <div class="entry" dir="rtl" align="right"> <p>There is an awful lot of nonsense being spouted about the legal position of the Israeli commandos, and their commanders, who attacked and killed civilians in a Turkish owned, flagged, and operated, ship in international waters. </p> <p><strong>Israel should lead investigation into attack on Gaza flotilla, says US | World news | The Guardian</strong><strong>: </strong></p> <blockquote><p>The United States has blocked demands at the UN security council for an international inquiry into Israel’s assault on the Turkish ship carrying aid to Gaza that left nine pro-Palestinian activists dead.</p> <p>A compromise statement instead calls for an impartial investigation which Washington indicated could be carried out by Israel.</p> <p>Turkey pressed for the security council to launch an investigation similar to Richard Goldstone’s inquiry into last year’s fighting in Gaza which prompted protests from Israel when it concluded that Israel and Hamas were probably guilty of war crimes and crimes against humanity.</p> <p>Ankara wanted the investigation into the raid on the Mavi Marmara to result in the prosecution of officials responsible for the assault and the payment of compensation to the victims.</p> <p><strong><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/jun/01/israel-investigation-attack-gaza-flotilla-us?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter" class="external" target="_blank">read in full</a></strong><strong>: </strong></p> </blockquote> <p>What the above excerpt from <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://www.guardian.co.uk/" target="_blank" class="external">the Guardian</a> doesn’t make plain is that the request by Turkey for an international inquiry into Israel’s illegal assault on the Turkish vessel <em>Mavi Marmara</em> was in fact an attempt by the Turkish government to cool the situation down. The craven response by the American government led by President Obama will not go either unnoticed or unpunished. </p> <blockquote><p>But in hours of diplomatic wrangling, the US blocked the move and instead forced a statement that called for "a prompt, impartial, credible and transparent investigation conforming to international standards". The US representative at the security council discussions, Alejandro Wolff, indicated that Washington would be satisfied with Israel investigating itself when he called for it to undertake a credible investigation.</p> <p><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/jun/01/israel-investigation-attack-gaza-flotilla-us?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter" class="external" target="_blank"><strong>ibid</strong></a>: </p> </blockquote> <p>In fact the legal position is very straightforward: </p> <p>The Israeli commandos attacked the Turkish vessel <em>Mavi Marmara.</em> That is they attacked a foreign flagged, operated, and owned ship in international waters. This was <em>not</em> an act of piracy and anybody who tries to tell you it was an act of piracy so manifestly hasn’t got the faintest idea what they’re talking about that I suggest you reward their buffoonery by laughing at them. </p> <blockquote><p>Turkey’s foreign minister, Ahmet Davutoglu, called the raid on the Mavi Marmara "<em><strong>tantamount</strong></em> to banditry and piracy; it is murder conducted by a state". </p> <p><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/jun/01/israel-investigation-attack-gaza-flotilla-us?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter" class="external" target="_blank"><strong>ibid</strong></a> (emphasis added).</p></blockquote> <p>Minister Davutoglu is no fool and has very competent advisers at his beck and call. He is also known to choose his words very carefully and with precision. That is why he said that the illegal assault by Israeli commandos on the Turkish flagged, operated, and owned <em>Mavi Marmara </em>in international waters was <cite>"tantamount to banditry and piracy; it is murder conducted by a state".</cite></p> <p><cite></cite>The attack by Israeli forces on a Turkish flagged, operated, and owned ship in international waters carried a military commission — it was ordered by the Israeli government. Because the attack carried a military commission it was an act of illegal warfare.</p> <p>The fact that the incident took place on the high seas does not, contrary to what the Israelis and their American sponsors led by President Obama would have you believe, mean that international law is the primary law source of relief to be relied upon. Far from it. </p> <p>The legal position is in fact very clear. It is a well-established principle of International Maritime Law that the applicalble law to be applied to any criminal act that occurs on a ship while on the high seas is that of the flagging country — in this case Turkey. In other words the ship is legally Turkish territory therefore the laws that apply are the laws of the Turkish republic.</p> <p>The Israelis have placed themselves in the invidious situation of having two equally unpalatable legal remedies being applicable against them:</p> <ol> <li>If the Israeli commandos were carrying out an order on behalf of the government of Israel in attacking the Turkish vessel <em>Mavi Marmara</em> on the high seas and killing some of its civilian passagers some of whom  also happen to be Turkish citizens then Israel is has placed itself in a position of war with Turkey without having declared war. The deliberate assault on Turkish civilians leading to their deaths is therefore a warcrime and falls within international jurisdiction. </p> <ul> <li>Those who ordered the assault. </li> <li>Those who aided and abetted it. </li> </ul> </li> <li>The second scenario is that the Israelis will try to pretend that the killings by their soldiers were not authorised Israeli military actions. They could, for instance, try to claim that this was a "rogue" operation. Or they could simply say that the commandos exceeded their orders or they could try saying that the commandos used excessive force.  <p>All of these would mean that that applicable law would be Turkish law. That the killings were acts of murder under Turkish criminal jurisdiction. </p> <p>In other words if the Israeli  government says it does not consider Israel to be at war with Turkey, then its commandos are liable for prosecution for murder in Turkey under Turkish law. The commandos, those who gave them their orders, and those who aided and abetted them in carrying out those orders could all be the subject of an international arrest warrant issued to all interpol countries by the Turkish authorities. </li> </ol> <p>It is for Turkey to investigate the events – not as the Americans are trying to pretend the Israelis, and the decision on whether or not to prosecute is for the Turkish authorites, not  as the Americans are trying to pretend, the Israelis.</p> <p>markfromireland</p> </div> </div> <hr/> <div class="post clearfix" id="post-10285"> <div class="postmetadata"><span class="comments"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/2010/05/03/asharq-al-awsat-talks-hoshyar-zebari/#respond" title="Comment on Asharq Al-Awsat Talks Hoshyar Zebari">No Comments</a></span> Posted on May 3rd, 2010 by Um Thalit</div> <h3><a 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rel="tag">Turkey</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/universities/" rel="tag">Universities</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/water/" rel="tag">Water</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/xe/" rel="tag">Xe</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/zebari-hoshyar/" rel="tag">Zebari - Hoshyar</a></p> <div class="entry" dir="rtl" align="right"> <p>London, <a title="Asharq Al-Awsat" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://www.aawsat.com/english/news.asp?section=3&id=20813" class="external" target="_blank">Asharq Al-Awsat</a>- Since the change of the Iraqi regime in 2003, four governments have succeeded each other in administering Iraq ranging between the government of Paul Bremer, US civil Administrator, and interim, and permanent governments. The Kurdish politician Hoshyar Zebari – leading member of the Kurdistan Democratic Party [KDP] led by Masud Barzani -has been a foreign minister in all these governments. In fact he was the first foreign minister after the end of the regime of former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, and he still is while the prime ministers and other ministers have been changed.</p> <p>On the basis of this, Zebari has shouldered all the burdens, difficulties, and complications of the new construction of one of the most important ministries of the government, the Foreign Ministry, and he has become the most prominent engineer of the Iraqi foreign policy. Perhaps one of the most complex issues is being the first Iraqi foreign minister from the Kurdish nation, which constitutes the second national group in Iraq, and all these years he has had to sit down and confer with his Arab opposite numbers, who, according to his expression, have forged distinguished links with him.</p> <p>During his private visit to London, Zebari gave Asharq Al-Awsat exclusively an expanded and comprehensive interview about his work experience at the Foreign Ministry in which he explains the difficulties facing the Iraqi foreign policy. Today, Zebari is on the verge of leaving his post as the term of the government ends, and he is a member of the upcoming Iraqi Parliament for the Kurdistan Alliance, and of the committee stemming from the alliance for dialog with the other political blocs about the formation of the new government.</p> <p>The following is the text of the interview:</p> <p>[Asharq Al-Awsat] At the end of the term of the Government, what is your assessment of Iraqi foreign policy?</p> <p>[Zebari] I am greatly honored to have served in this post in four consecutive governments. This is a record achieved under the most difficult circumstances through which Iraq has gone. I take pride in my service during this period in which we have tried to serve our country. Our record testifies to the achievements and accomplishments we have made. The state was in ruins when we took over in September 2003 during the period of the Government Council; and the Foreign Ministry consisted of some isolated, besieged, burned, and ruined embassies. Thus, praise be to God, we have been able, through collective efforts and not individual ones, to rebuild and restore the ministry. This has been achieved as a result of us working on the basis of the principle of national reconciliation.</p> <p>We have been the first ministry to apply this principle. When we took over the ministry it included 1,200 employees ranging between diplomats and administrative officials, and supplemented them from among former members of the intelligence and the Baathists. We have dismissed more than 550 employees, because the Foreign Ministry under the previous regime was one of the security ministries, and was a closed shop for the Baath Party. We have kept the professional diplomats and administrators, and in practice they have proved their high level of efficiency and national sense. This is why we have been accused, while our aim was, and still is, to keep the wheel of work turning.</p> <p>It is true that when we took over the ministry we had the experience of working abroad, and of the foreign relations of the KDP, but the partisan work, or work in the opposition remains different from official work, the ministry, and work in the state. However, we utilized our previous relations for the benefit of our work in the Foreign Ministry.</p> <p>Moreover, we opened the work in the Foreign Ministry for all, and not only for the elite, the sons of the wealthy or upper-class families, and officials. Two years after we started work, we advertised in the media a training course for diplomatic work, and any Iraqi who satisfied the conditions was able to work in the ministry. We have accepted the highest grade graduates of the Iraqi universities. Also the issue in which I personally take pride is our interest in training and qualifying the cadres of diplomatic work.</p> <p>Moreover, the number of the employees of our ministry is the lowest among the Iraqi ministries compared to its services and importance, as there are less than 2,000 diplomats and administrators in the Foreign Ministry, which is a very small number. We have sent most of them, more then 1,200 employees, to training courses in diplomatic and language training abroad, which is something that is admired by our Arab counterparts. We also changed the culture of work in the Ministry, which used to be characterized by domination, militarism, and centralization, and the employee used to stand before the official as if he was his servant or slave; we have removed all these barriers. I am entitled to take pride in this issue.</p> <p>It is well known that Iraq is a big and old country in international politics. It is one of the founders of the United Nations, the Arab League, and the Non-Aligned Movement. Thus, we have decided to make the diplomatic representation extensive, or at least acceptable; now there are more than 83 diplomatic missions around the world, 67 embassies, and 16 consulates. Therefore, I can say that the upcoming Iraqi Government will take over a developed institution. Add to this that we have ratified the Foreign Service law, which is at the level of the international laws in this field.</p> <p>Despite all the suspicions and distortion that accompanied the work of the ministry, such as claiming that it is a Kurdish ministry and similar things, I do not say that our ministry is an ideal one that is devoid of administrative or financial corruption, but I say that compared to other ministries, the Foreign Ministry is one of the cleanest and most impartial ministries from the point of view of the good reports of the auditing departments and the Commission on Public Integrity.</p> <p>[Asharq Al-Awsat] There are accusations leveled at Iraqi foreign policy because of the bad relations between Iraq and some regional countries?</p> <p>[Zebari] Iraq was isolated, punished, and marginalized in all Arab and international forums. However, with great efforts we have been able to restore it to its important status, and we broke the isolation ring. To be frank and explicit, this has not taken place only as a result of our efforts, but also with the help and support of our allies in the US and UK Administrations, which liberated Iraq from dictatorship.</p> <p>The work of the Foreign Ministry is a reflection of the domestic policy of the country and its stances; if there is no united stance or a united domestic policy coupled with strong will, there will be no success in the foreign policy however relentless the efforts might be, because the foreign policy will reflect what is taking place domestically. [The same applies] if there is reconstruction, the security situation is solid, the economic situation is good, and the national unity is strong.</p> <p>I admit that one of the problems in which we failed is that we have not been able to play any role in the Arab forums. We have not been able to fulfill our commitments to the issues of destiny, such as the Palestinian issue, supporting the Palestinian Authority, or supporting the regional or international issues to which Iraq was contributing. We have inherited a huge legacy of international sanctions, effects of siege, fragile relations, and problems of water and borders with nearly all the neighboring countries. This is what we have been focusing on, and that is what any government ought to focus on, try to close all these dossiers, and rectify its relations.</p> <p>In the midst of this hysterical and difficult political situation, we have been able to progress with our work, and to reflect a positive image of the situation and work of the government. The Foreign Ministry does not make the policy, but it implements it; our policy exists in the Constitution, and in the government decisions and viewpoint, because the government is the one that determines Iraq’s foreign policy. One of the problems which we faced at the level of our foreign operations is the multiplicity of the sources of media statements and stances given by MP’s, advisers, and others. In many cases we receive instructions, but we act according to the interest of the country; thus we have adopted some stances that the others understood.</p> <p>[Asharq Al-Awsat] Was your stance at the last Arab summit in Libya one of these policies?</p> <p>[Zebari] At the last summit, and other summits, we acted according to our relations, and as representatives of the Iraqi Government. The other sides relied on what we said and not on the statement of this MP, or that adviser or politician.</p> <p>[Asharq Al-Awsat] How do the Arab officials receive you as a Kurd in your capacity as foreign minister of Iraq?</p> <p>[Zebari] In the beginning it was a surprise and a strange and odd thing. I remember that I attended my first meeting of Arab foreign ministers in the Arab League in September 2003. The Arab foreign ministers, in jest, said: Let us have fun at his (broken) Arabic. After I talked and delivered speeches, they said: We were wrong, because your Arabic is better than ours. This is a real experience. We behave as a national Iraqi official, and not as a Kurd, and we defend Iraq and the interests of Iraq. Now they have got used to us. At the Arab summit in Sirte (Libya) they said: We have become used to you. I said: This is politics, and we have a diplomatic system; today I am here, and tomorrow there is someone else. I have had excellent relations with my Arab counterparts, and achieved good relations with the Arab officials and leaders, and with the Arab League.</p> <p>[Asharq Al-Awsat] How do you explain the delay of some Arab countries in opening their embassies in Baghdad?</p> <p>[Zebari] The fact is this subject has been exaggerated, and politicized by some Iraqi political sides. They say that Iraq is distant from its Arab and Islamic environment; this is political one-upmanship. When an Iraqi politician meets an Arab leader, does this mean that he is close to that leader and we cannot do the same? For instance, I can meet Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak or any other Arab official any day. We tolerate the fact that Iraqi politicians meet Arab leaders outside the government framework; have we had a strong government, it would not have allowed to hold such meetings. This is not supposed to occur. I remember once that the leader of the British Conservative Party met Clinton or Bush in Washington, and there was a commotion that raised Cain in London, because it was considered defiance. Unfortunately, our leaders or politicians are complacent about this issue, and hence they lose their value.</p> <p>[Asharq Al-Awsat] How do you explain the bad relations between Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki and some Arab countries, such as Syria, Saudi Arabia, and others?</p> <p>[Zebari] The prime minister is not responsible for these stances. Perhaps I have many issues related to work over which I disagree with the prime minister, but over this issue we have to be realistic. If there is a country or a side that wants to harm Iraq, we must not kiss their hands; this is inadmissible. Today, for instance, there are public activities by Muhammad Yunus al-Ahmad – leading member of the Iraqi Baath Party – in Damascus. We have asked the Syrians about him, and we told them that he was active against Iraq; they said: We do not know him at all. Now, here he is. What is his program or aims? Are his programs and aims related to participating in government, or developing the political process in Iraq? Definitely not, because he (Al-Ahmad) wants to destroy and blow up everything. There are some issues on which we have to draw the line. For instance, with regard to the relations with Saudi Arabia, the Saudi brethren are the ones who opened the doors, and they opened up to receive various Iraqi leaders, and are the ones who became convinced that there ought to be good relations with Iraq, with which they have the longest common borders; the initiative came from them. The Egyptians, after they realized that they were absent and that the non-Arab neighboring countries were the ones that would fill the vacuum, woke up and came and opened their embassy in Baghdad.</p> <p>[Asharq Al-Awsat] Have Iran and Turkey filled in the vacuum resulting from the Arab absence in Iraq?</p> <p>[Zebari] I have visited Tehran, Ankara, and even Damascus, and I have said to them beware, and do not think that you will fill in the vacuum that will occur due to the withdrawal of the US forces. The Iraqis will not accept anyone other then themselves to fill in the vacuum in their country. We have the legitimate right to do so. Iran, Turkey, and others are waiting for the withdrawal of the US forces, which are in a hurry to leave Iraq in August, to fill in the vacuum; this is a huge disaster.</p> <p>[Asharq Al-Awsat] What do you think of the Kuwaiti claims over the airplane hired by the Iraqi Airways, which they tried to detain in Britain? How will you deal with the problems with Kuwait?</p> <p>[Zebari] Let me tell you something, several times we have discussed the pending relations with the Kuwaiti brethren. At Sirte summit, we sat with the Amir, deputy prime minister, and foreign minister of Kuwait. There are pending problems between Kuwait and Iraq, and they ought to be resolved. The most prominent of these problems is the issue of the borders that have been demarcated according to UN Security Council Resolution 833, the recognition of which the constitutional Iraqi Government is supposed to reiterate. As for the rest of the issues, they are treatable. These borders have been imposed on Iraq following Saddam’s invasion of Kuwait.</p> <p>[Asharq Al-Awsat] Does Iraq recognize these borders?</p> <p>[Zebari] Saddam Hussein agreed to them in 1993. What is required of this government or the upcoming government is to reiterate its recognition of these borders. This is the key to the resolution of all the pending problems between Iraq and Kuwait. I say it frankly, neither the issue of the missing, the prisoners, nor the properties are the obstacles; this issue (the borders) still is pending. We have tried, and we have exerted huge efforts to resolve it; however, we have become convinced that it is a political and not a technical issue. The government has said, now we are on the verge of elections and we will leave this dossier to the upcoming government.</p> <p>[Asharq Al-Awsat] You have spoken of the professionalism of the Iraqi ambassadors, but the issue of the ambassadors constitutes a subject for the accusations leveled at the Foreign Ministry, as there are ambassadors who have been appointed at the level of extraordinary ambassador without any diplomatic background. How do you explain this?</p> <p>[Zebari] The ambassador is supposed to be a professional diplomat who has progressed in his diplomatic career until he reaches the grade of ambassador. However, in many countries there are political appointments, i.e. the government or the head of state chooses a former minister, military officer, or a friend as (former US President) Bush or (US President) Obama did. If you look into the background of some US ambassadors you will discover that they are friends of the president. However this happens within certain percentage such as 10 percent or more, and could be as much as 25 percent. The highest percentage of such appointments, as far as we know, is in Egypt. Also we have fixed a percentage of such appointment in the Foreign Service Law, which has been ratified by Parliament and government. However, we are in an interim stage, and all the political sides want to be represented in the diplomatic corpse.</p> <p>I would like to explain the mechanism we used. We have accepted 57 ambassadors out of 150 nominated by the various political blocs; and we have said to all the blocs that we would not accept anyone who does not satisfy even the minimum of the conditions set by our ministry. This is what has taken place, and it was my decision. Among those accepted there have been a large percentage of professional diplomats, and also there have been ambassadors nominated by sides not participating in the government, such as the former Al-Iraqiya List, national and religious minorities, and also women. The process has not taken place on the basis of quotas alone, but we also took into consideration the diversity of the Iraqi society in addition to those who have been nominated by sides in the government. Moreover, the deliberations and the discussions of the names between the ministry and the Parliament continued for two years until the list of names was given back to us; during that period we sent the candidates to training courses, and attached them to work within the departments of the ministry. After that came the difficult stage, even the most complex one, namely the organization and distribution of the ambassadors. This is a more complex process than forming the government. We were obliged to meet the political leaders and explain to them that the standard of the ambassador nominated by them is not suitable to be appointed to this-or-that country, but he has to be appointed to another country, and so on.</p> <p>There have been many opinions saying that we should not send the names to the countries until after the elections, but I insisted on sending them before the elections. I said: I will send them and you will see the confidence of the countries in us. Indeed, we sent the names of the ambassadors to the countries to which they were nominated. This is an achievement that ought to be recorded for the government and for our ministry. Ten days ago, we received 43 approvals out of 52 nominations to Arab and western countries, and to international organizations.</p> <p>[Asharq Al-Awsat] Why is the Foreign Ministry accused of being a Kurdish ministry?</p> <p>[Zebari] This is not true. If you count the number of Kurds among the administrators and diplomats in the Foreign Ministry you will realize that it is very small, and less than the percentage they deserve. The Kurds are Iraqis, and have the right to work in the diplomatic corps. Moreover, I am not promoting the Kurdish interests, but I promote the Iraqi interests, and the Kurds come within this context.</p> <p>[Asharq Al-Awsat] The Iraqi embassy in London has been, and still is without an ambassador. What are the reasons behind this?</p> <p>[Zebari] Indeed this is a problem. However, there is an ambassador who is a candidate for this post, but I cannot divulge his name now.</p> <p>[Asharq Al-Awsat] Will you remain the foreign minister in the upcoming government?</p> <p>[Zebari] I belong to the Kurdistan Alliance, and this issue is up to the alliance and not to me. When I served as a foreign minister, I was nominated by the Kurdistan Alliance. I am one of the people who consider themselves soldiers in the service of the leadership; this means that today we serve in this post, and tomorrow in another one that is chosen for us by the leadership. This is the first factor. Secondly, this depends of whether or not the Kurdistan Alliance will participate in the government.</p> <p>[Asharq Al-Awsat] Is there any doubt that you will participate in the upcoming government?</p> <p>[Zebari] It is possible to forge coalitions that will be able to form the government with no need for the Kurdistan Alliance, and it is possible to include some Kurds from outside the alliance in the upcoming government.</p> <p>[Asharq Al-Awsat] Do you think that such a possibility might take place?</p> <p>[Zebari] Theoretically, it is possible. The Kurdistan Alliance was strong in the previous elections, and it constituted the second parliamentary bloc. Today, it is the fourth list. However, politically and realistically I do not think that such a possibility might materialize, and all the other blocs agree on the importance of our participation in government. If the negotiations to form the government take place, one of the sovereignty ministries will be in our share. In the past, the choice and agreement was the Foreign Ministry because of the accumulation of expertise and other factors; today, as I said, this is not up to me, but to our leadership.</p> <p>[Asharq Al-Awsat] If the decision is up to you, will you stay at the Foreign Ministry?</p> <p>[Zebari] I can serve at this ministry, because we have accumulated developed experiences, and we have established good relations with our Arab and non-Arab counterparts. However, I reiterate that the political decision is not up to me.</p> <p>[Asharq Al-Awsat] As long as we are talking about the formation of the government, what do you think of the existing dispute on the political arena over this issue, I mean the formation of the new government?</p> <p>[Zebari] The disputes are very severe, and the situation has become extremely complicated for a number of reasons. One of those reasons is that the results are close between the two major blocs, the Al-Iraqiya (led by Iyad Allawi, former prime minister of the Iraqi Government) and the State of Law (led by Nuri al-Maliki, prime minister of the government whose term has ended). In the previous election there was one bloc that won the majority of the seats and formed the government. As for the current situation, the events will lead to prolonged and complicated negotiations; no serious alliances or dialogs will take place until the ratification of the results of the elections. You know that there are the manual recounting, the looking into the issue of the excluded because of the Debathification commission, and other issues; the longer the period, the more complications will appear.</p> <p>[Asharq Al-Awsat] Would you have preferred the results to be ratified without the issuing of the decision to have a manual recount?</p> <p>[Zebari] The problem lies in the electoral system. The (Independent High Electoral) Commission has done its utmost to make the elections succeed, but there are frightening shortcomings in its work, and it has not taken into consideration many issues. Moreover, there is the absence of the support and help from the United States and Britain that had a clear role in the previous elections; this role has been absent in these elections, which contributed to the increase in the difficulties despite the presence of the United Nations. What I mean exactly is the absence of a side that helps and contributes to gathering the winning blocs in order to agree and form the government.</p> <p>[Asharq Al-Awsat] Do you think that the US Administration has withdrawn its hand completely from Iraq?</p> <p>[Zebari] Unfortunately I say that the United States now is not bothered about anything other that withdrawing its forces from Iraq. If the new government is not formed by August, and in the light of these difficult security conditions, the withdrawal of the US forces will be too early, and immature. The US Administration has a problem now, if the government is not formed, the security challenges escalate, and the political problems get complicated, the situation will be extremely complicated, and in my opinion this might affect the timetable of the withdrawal of the US forces.</p> <p>[Asharq Al-Awsat] Have you explained this viewpoint of yours to the US side?</p> <p>[Zebari] Yes, we always meet the US ambassador to Baghdad, and there are dialogs with US Vice President Joe Biden, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and also her assistants. However, so far their viewpoint is to leave the Iraqis to solve their problems on their own. Their message to us is: Solve your problems quickly so that we can get out quickly.</p> <p>[Asharq Al-Awsat] Do you think that the current problem, with regard to the issue of manual recounting and the exclusion of some winners from Parliament, will be internationalized in order to find solutions for it?</p> <p>[Zebari] When the situation gets complicated, it is inevitable that an acceptable side intervenes to help in finding solutions; the candidate for such a role is the United Nations. The issue is not one of internationalization as much as it is giving help, especially as there is an international authorization to the United Nations from the UN Security Council with the agreement of the Iraqi Government to intervene in the situation in Iraq. This authorization is under Chapter 7. Therefore, the United Nations can play a clear role and to express its views in order to help in bringing the various sides together.</p> <p>[Asharq Al-Awsat] Are you optimistic about finding solutions and proceeding with the formation of the government?</p> <p>[Zebari] They call me the eternal optimist; however, after these elections the situation has become difficult.</p> <p>[Asharq Al-Awsat] Difficult?</p> <p>[Zebari] Yes, difficult.</p> <p><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://www.aawsat.com/english/news.asp?section=3&id=20813" class="external" target="_blank">Asharq Al-Awsat Talks to Iraqi FM Hoshyar Zebari Asharq Alawsat Newspaper (English)</a> By Ma’ad Fayad</p> </div> </div> <hr/> <div class="post clearfix" id="post-8283"> <div class="postmetadata"><span class="comments"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/2010/01/12/iraq-war-was-illegal-dutch-panel-rules/#respond" title="Comment on Iraq war was illegal, Dutch panel rules">No Comments</a></span> Posted on January 12th, 2010 by Ali</div> <h3><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/2010/01/12/iraq-war-was-illegal-dutch-panel-rules/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent Link to Iraq war was illegal, Dutch panel rules">Iraq war was illegal, Dutch panel rules</a></h3> <p class="postmetadata">Category: <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/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/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/category/iraq/" title="View all posts in News" rel="category tag">News</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/category/war-crimes/" title="View all posts in War Crimes" rel="category tag">War Crimes</a>, Tags: <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/british-government/" rel="tag">british government</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/chilcot-inquiry/" rel="tag">Chilcot inquiry</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/davids-commission/" rel="tag">Davids Commission</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/davids-inquiry/" rel="tag">Davids Inquiry</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/dutch-government/" rel="tag">dutch government</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/dutch-prime-minister/" rel="tag">dutch prime minister</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/international-law/" rel="tag">International Law</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/jan-peter-balkenende/" rel="tag">Jan Peter Balkenende</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/netherlands/" rel="tag">Netherlands</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/tony-blair/" rel="tag">Tony Blair</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/willibrord-davids/" rel="tag">Willibrord Davids</a></p> <div class="entry" dir="rtl" align="right"> <blockquote> <p>"The military action had no sound mandate in international law."</p> </blockquote> <div style="border-right: lightgrey 1px solid; padding-right: 5px; border-top: lightgrey 1px solid; padding-left: 5px; float: right; padding-bottom: 5px; margin: 5px 0px 5px 15px; border-left: lightgrey 1px solid; width: 360px; padding-top: 5px; border-bottom: lightgrey 1px solid"> <p>Inquiry says conflict had no sound mandate in international law as it emerges UK denied key letter to seven-judge tribunal.</p> </p></div> <p>The war in Iraq had "no basis in international law", a Dutch inquiry found today, in the first ever independent legal assessment of the decision to invade. </p> <p>In a series of damning findings, a seven-member panel in the Netherlands concluded that the war, which was supported by the Dutch government following intelligence from Britain and the US, had not been justified in law. </p> <p>"The Dutch government lent its political support to a war whose purpose was not consistent with Dutch government policy," the inquiry in the Hague concluded. "The military action had no sound mandate in international law." </p> <p>In a further twist, it emerged that the UK government refused to disclose a key document requested by the Dutch panel. </p> <p>The document – allegedly a letter from Tony Blair asking for the support of the Dutch prime minister, Jan Peter Balkenende – was handed over in a breach of diplomatic protocol and on the basis that it was for Balkenende’s eyes only, an inquiry official told the Guardian. </p> <p>"It was a surprise for our committee when we discovered information about this letter," said Rob Sebes, a spokesman for the Dutch inquiry. "It was not sent with a normal procedure between countries – instead it was a personal message from Tony Blair to our prime minister Jan Peter Balkanende, and had to be returned and not stored in our archives. </p> <p>"We asked the British government to hand over the letter but they refused," Sebes said. </p> <p>Details of the Dutch inquiry’s findings and the refusal of the British government to disclose the letter are likely to increase international scrutiny on the Chilcot inquiry, as it emerged that the UK was instrumental in influencing the Dutch decision to back the war. </p> <p>"In its depiction of Iraq’s [weapons of mass destruction] programme, the [Dutch] government was to a considerable extent led by public and other information from the US and the UK," the Dutch report says. </p> <p>"This report is an objective finding – it was not political, we searched for the truth," said Sebes. "We think that over 10 months the seven members of committee made a real effort to make a finding of high quality." </p> <p>Philippe Sands QC, a professor of international law, who gave evidence to the Dutch inquiry, said: "There has been no other independent assessment on the legality of the war in Iraq and the findings of this inquiry are unambiguous. It concludes that the case argued by the Dutch and British governments, including the then attorney general, Lord Goldsmith, could not reasonably be argued. </p> <p>"This is the authoritative view of seven commissioners including the former president of the Dutch supreme court, a former judge of the European court of justice, and two legal academics." </p> <p>The findings have prompted controversy in the Netherlands, where Balkenende has so far resisted calls for a formal parliamentary inquiry into his government’s decision to back the war. </p> <p>However, the report is likely to influence analysis of the events in the UK, experts say, with senior judicial figures among those concerned that the Chilcot inquiry lacks the expertise on issues of legality in comparison to the Dutch panel. </p> <p>"The findings of the Dutch inquiry that the war had no basis in international law are even more important for a domestic audience in Britain," said Sands. "I do not see how the five members of the Chilcot inquiry, none of whom is legally qualified, could possibly summon the means to reach an alternative conclusion."</p> <p><strong>Source:</strong> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130126180134/http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/jan/12/iraq-war-illegal-dutch-tribunal" class="external" target="_blank">Iraq war was illegal, Dutch panel rules | World news | guardian.co.uk</a></p> </div> </div> <hr/> <div class="navigation"> <div class="alignleft"></div> <div class="alignright"></div> </div> </div> <div id="sidebar" class="span-10 last"> <div class="span-10" id="tabs"> <ul> <li class="ui-tabs-nav-item"><a href="#featured-articles">Featured Articles</a></li> <li class="ui-tabs-nav-item"><a href="#latest-articles">Latest Articles</a></li> </ul> <div id="featured-articles" class="widget"> <ul> <li><a 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