Occupation Immunity Undermines Sovereignty: Iraqis
Iraqis fear abuses by U.S. occupation troops may go unpunished
By Samir Haddad & Mazen Ghazi, IOL Baghdad Correspondents
BAGHDAD, May 24 (IslamOnline.net) - Iraqi figures and citizens have expressed their resentment over the U.S.-British attempts to seek immunity to their occupation troops from being prosecuted in Iraq for the torture crimes they perpetrated, deeming such a decision a violation of the Iraqi sovereignty.
"The attempts made by the occupation troops to get such a decision emphasize what has previously been mentioned to the effect that handing over the power to Iraqis (due June 30) will not be effective and will be in violation of Iraq's sovereignty over its territories," Muslim Scholars Association spokesman Dr. Mathna Hareth al-Dhari told IslamOnline.net Sunday, May 23.
Al-Dhari has expressed his belief such a subject at this particular timing will "put more obstacles on the way of handing over the power to Iraqis. It also proves how careless the U.S. troops are in regard to Iraqi souls, dignity and all values of justice."
"The occupation forces are currently in dire need to apologize for their scandalous deeds perpetrated against our people. They should put all perpetrators of these crimes to trial outside the U.S. and Britain," he added.
We Oppose: Islamic Party
On the position of the Iraqi Islamic Party in case the occupation forces succeeded in issuing such a decision, the party's political bureau member Dr. Alaa Mekki said, "We'd strongly oppose this decision. We'll oppose the Iraqi government that will take over once power is handed over if it accepts responsibility in light of this decision."
He said that the ability of Iraqi courts to try the occupation elements that perpetrated torture crimes against Iraqi detainees is a major issue to restore sovereignty to the Iraqi people.
He pointed out that the Iraqi Islamic party has previously called in a conference on "Iraqi Detainees Defense", held April 24, for an Iraqi tribunal and judges to try the U.S. and British troops involved in torture crimes against detainees, in accordance with the Iraqi laws and in front of Iraqi people.
Political Parade
Iraqi clans' national council member Sheikh Tareq El-Barzangy, for his part, said the trial of those involved in torture crimes is a political parade by the occupation troops to appease world public opinion.
The Iraqi public opinion was not much different, as an Iraqi lawyer, Anis al-Dolany expressed his resentment over the U.S. attempt to get immunity for the occupation troops, saying "the U.S. troops should be committed to the international agreements and covenants regarding treatment of POWs."
"Had the Americans truly wanted justice, they should have assigned the trial of their soldiers to Iraqi judges, as torture crimes occurred on Iraqi territories and the victims are Iraqis," Hamad Farag, a student of the Law and Politics in Baghdad University, weighed in.
Umm Ali, an Iraqi citizen whose three sons are still under arrest, had another opinion, as she said that she was not concerned about putting the occupation forces to trial for their violations in Iraq.
"What matters most is the immediate release of my three detained sons."
"In case the Americans want to apply justice, they should release innocents. Trial of criminals while keeping thousands of innocent people in prisons is complete injustice," Umm Ali added.
Anglo-American occupation troops in Iraq are to enjoy immunity - as per a reported agreement with the U.N. - from being prosecuted by Iraqis for the crimes perpetrated against POWs after the planned power transfer to an Iraqi interim government, stealing away the right of Iraqis to sue them over abuses and other war crimes, according to the British Observer newspaper Sunday, May 23."
That issue has been a pre-requisite of the negotiations between the coalition authorities in Iraq and the U.N. over a new international resolution that would be issued following the handover of power to Iraqis by the end of June 2004," the paper quoted a British military official as saying.
The American CBS News has aired on April 28 photos taken in Abu Ghraib prison in late 2003, where U.S. soldiers appeared laughing in front of naked Iraqis who were forced to pose in shameful positions.
Several U.S. and British media, such as the U.S. Washington Post and New Yorker magazine, followed suit in revealing photos and documents that proved the violations committed by the Anglo-American troops against Iraqi male and female prisoners in Abu Ghraib prison, including rape of Iraqi women.
The published photos have deeply influenced the reputation of the U.S. army in Iraq amidst growing occupation resistance.
Samir Haddad & Mazen Ghazi, IOL Baghdad Correspondents
Article republished, courtesy of IslamOnline http://www.islamonline.net
Please also see:
Iraqis Lose Right to Sue Troops Over War Crimes
http://www.truthout.org/docs_04/052404D.shtml
Video Shows Death, Destruction At Iraqi Wedding
http://www.islamonline.net/English/News/2004-05/24/article02.shtml
People Against Prisoner Abuse
http://www.islamonline.net/English/In_Depth/AgainstAbuse/index.shtml
Iraqi Scientist Killed In U.S. Detention: Report
http://www.islamonline.net/English/News/2004-05/24/article01.shtml
U.S. Text on Iraq Gives Troops Control of Security (Update1)
http://quote.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000085&sid=a6saD62LFMSc&refer=europe
Torture of Iraqi POWs
http://www.whatreallyhappened.com/torture_pow.html
Torture Of Iraqi Prisoners By US Service Personnel
http://www.rense.com/Datapages/torturedat.htm
Iraqis fear abuses by U.S. occupation troops may go unpunished
By Samir Haddad & Mazen Ghazi, IOL Baghdad Correspondents
BAGHDAD, May 24 (IslamOnline.net) - Iraqi figures and citizens have expressed their resentment over the U.S.-British attempts to seek immunity to their occupation troops from being prosecuted in Iraq for the torture crimes they perpetrated, deeming such a decision a violation of the Iraqi sovereignty.
"The attempts made by the occupation troops to get such a decision emphasize what has previously been mentioned to the effect that handing over the power to Iraqis (due June 30) will not be effective and will be in violation of Iraq's sovereignty over its territories," Muslim Scholars Association spokesman Dr. Mathna Hareth al-Dhari told IslamOnline.net Sunday, May 23.
Al-Dhari has expressed his belief such a subject at this particular timing will "put more obstacles on the way of handing over the power to Iraqis. It also proves how careless the U.S. troops are in regard to Iraqi souls, dignity and all values of justice."
"The occupation forces are currently in dire need to apologize for their scandalous deeds perpetrated against our people. They should put all perpetrators of these crimes to trial outside the U.S. and Britain," he added.
We Oppose: Islamic Party
On the position of the Iraqi Islamic Party in case the occupation forces succeeded in issuing such a decision, the party's political bureau member Dr. Alaa Mekki said, "We'd strongly oppose this decision. We'll oppose the Iraqi government that will take over once power is handed over if it accepts responsibility in light of this decision."
He said that the ability of Iraqi courts to try the occupation elements that perpetrated torture crimes against Iraqi detainees is a major issue to restore sovereignty to the Iraqi people.
He pointed out that the Iraqi Islamic party has previously called in a conference on "Iraqi Detainees Defense", held April 24, for an Iraqi tribunal and judges to try the U.S. and British troops involved in torture crimes against detainees, in accordance with the Iraqi laws and in front of Iraqi people.
Political Parade
Iraqi clans' national council member Sheikh Tareq El-Barzangy, for his part, said the trial of those involved in torture crimes is a political parade by the occupation troops to appease world public opinion.
The Iraqi public opinion was not much different, as an Iraqi lawyer, Anis al-Dolany expressed his resentment over the U.S. attempt to get immunity for the occupation troops, saying "the U.S. troops should be committed to the international agreements and covenants regarding treatment of POWs."
"Had the Americans truly wanted justice, they should have assigned the trial of their soldiers to Iraqi judges, as torture crimes occurred on Iraqi territories and the victims are Iraqis," Hamad Farag, a student of the Law and Politics in Baghdad University, weighed in.
Umm Ali, an Iraqi citizen whose three sons are still under arrest, had another opinion, as she said that she was not concerned about putting the occupation forces to trial for their violations in Iraq.
"What matters most is the immediate release of my three detained sons."
"In case the Americans want to apply justice, they should release innocents. Trial of criminals while keeping thousands of innocent people in prisons is complete injustice," Umm Ali added.
Anglo-American occupation troops in Iraq are to enjoy immunity - as per a reported agreement with the U.N. - from being prosecuted by Iraqis for the crimes perpetrated against POWs after the planned power transfer to an Iraqi interim government, stealing away the right of Iraqis to sue them over abuses and other war crimes, according to the British Observer newspaper Sunday, May 23."
That issue has been a pre-requisite of the negotiations between the coalition authorities in Iraq and the U.N. over a new international resolution that would be issued following the handover of power to Iraqis by the end of June 2004," the paper quoted a British military official as saying.
The American CBS News has aired on April 28 photos taken in Abu Ghraib prison in late 2003, where U.S. soldiers appeared laughing in front of naked Iraqis who were forced to pose in shameful positions.
Several U.S. and British media, such as the U.S. Washington Post and New Yorker magazine, followed suit in revealing photos and documents that proved the violations committed by the Anglo-American troops against Iraqi male and female prisoners in Abu Ghraib prison, including rape of Iraqi women.
The published photos have deeply influenced the reputation of the U.S. army in Iraq amidst growing occupation resistance.
Samir Haddad & Mazen Ghazi, IOL Baghdad Correspondents
Article republished, courtesy of IslamOnline http://www.islamonline.net
Please also see:
Iraqis Lose Right to Sue Troops Over War Crimes
http://www.truthout.org/docs_04/052404D.shtml
Video Shows Death, Destruction At Iraqi Wedding
http://www.islamonline.net/English/News/2004-05/24/article02.shtml
People Against Prisoner Abuse
http://www.islamonline.net/English/In_Depth/AgainstAbuse/index.shtml
Iraqi Scientist Killed In U.S. Detention: Report
http://www.islamonline.net/English/News/2004-05/24/article01.shtml
U.S. Text on Iraq Gives Troops Control of Security (Update1)
http://quote.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000085&sid=a6saD62LFMSc&refer=europe
Torture of Iraqi POWs
http://www.whatreallyhappened.com/torture_pow.html
Torture Of Iraqi Prisoners By US Service Personnel
http://www.rense.com/Datapages/torturedat.htm