Iraq: despite security boost, human rights situation still worrying, says UN

Although the security situation continues to improve in Iraq, a range of human rights abuses continue to be perpetrated in the strife-torn nation, according to a new United Nations report.

The second half of 2008, the period covered in the study, was marked by a further drop in the number of high-visibility mass casualty attacks by militias, insurgents and others, with the numbers of Iraqi civilians and soldiers killed reaching their lowest levels in October since 2003.

“Nonetheless, the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) remains concerned about the overall human rights situation in Iraq since indiscriminate attacks remained a frequent occurrence,” the report noted.

“The targeted killings of security forces, high ranking officials and civil servants, religious and political leaders, professional groups such as journalists, educators, medical doctors, judges and lawyers and other civilians continued at a high rate, as did criminal abductions for ransom.”

Further, the reporting period saw attacks against minority leaders, as well as the uprooting of more than 12,000 Christians from the northern city of Mosul in October.

Staffan de Mistura, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Iraq, called on the Iraqi Government to seize the opportunity presented by the improved security situation.

“This is an opportunity for Iraq to advance all aspects of the rule of law and human rights by introducing legal reforms, strengthening the judiciary, improving the conditions of detention and enabling access to justice,” he said.

Gender-based violence continues to claim the lives of many women, and most of these cases are unreported, the new report said. “The sensitivity of Iraqi communities to issues concerning women is such that families are frequently not reporting to the authorities incidents of violence against women,” with the vast majority if women in Iraq facing at least one form of domestic violence on a regular basis, it added.

“Violence against women in the Region of Kurdistan and the rest of Iraq remained one of the issues of serious concern as the pattern of the recorded incidents of suicide often points towards ‘honour’-related homicides,” the study, produced jointly by UNAMI and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), said.

In the Kurdistan, it said that female genital mutilation (FGM) remains a tolerated practice.

“The situation of Iraqi women is extremely difficult,” said High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay. “Violent actions are taken against them on a daily basis and I urge the authorities to make it a priority to both improve legislation and law enforcement in order to protect them properly.”