The following is an archived copy of a message sent to a Discussion List run by the Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq.
Views expressed in this archived message are those of the author, not of the Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq.
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Dear List, I received this letter from Ghazwan through Nermin who asked me to forward it to the parties to whom it is addressed and to CASI and any other interested party. I am forwarding the letter, and posting it here so you can forward it too. At least we know Ghazwan is well... Hassan -------------------------- Open letter to: Amnesty International, London Human Rights Watch, USA American Civil Liberties Union, USA Dear Sir; It is said that "give an inch to the ruler and he will take a mile". It is with this sprit that I am writing to you. The American occupation civilian authority in Iraq has issued an order May 16, 2003 prohibiting 1) the public display of pictures of Saddam Hussein. 2) the expulsion from government service of all "high" ranking members of the Baath party. 3) members of the Baath party can not be appointed to any administrative or managerial job in the future. The world was aware that Saddam was a ruthless dictator for more than 20 years. The world also knows that he used every "means" to force people into joining his party or else. Those who did not join his party, and I am one of them, were discriminated against or imprisoned. The following is NOT a defense of the Baath party or its members but a shear conviction that the above American order is a violation of human rights of people in Iraq by the occupation authority which, falsely, claims to protect human rights. I do not believe that there are any legal or moral grounds to ban the public display of pictures of any person irrespective of how good or bad the person is. Hitler pictures were never banned in the aftermath of WWII nor that of Melosovich, or Karadich. Sadly after 50 years of human right efforts we are seeing the leader of "democracy" degenerate into banning Saddam pictures. The "high" ranking members of the Baath party are COLLECTIVeLY being punished for crimes that state of Iraq, not the party, committed. It is assuming that the members are GUILTY until they are proven INNOCENT. They are being accused of crimes by ASSOCIATION with a legally established party at that time. The order does not distinguish between those members who were FORCED to join the party and those who were not. Furthermore the order did not take into account the well known fact that once one joins the party it is very unwise to leave it without paying high price. Iraqis living under a dictatorship were not allowed to read except what the dictator wants them to read. On the other hands people in America and Europe are free to read any thing they want. Iraqis did not have access to Amnesty International reports about human rights violations of their government. I know ignorance is not an excuse but Governments in the west, UK and USA governments in particular, had all the information about the human right violations in Iraq. With this full knowledge these governments supported, aided and financed the regime in Iraq. Shouldn't these governments be also accused by ASSOCIATION with the regime? If these governments want to claim national interest, geopolitical interest or what ever interest as an excuse for supporting the regime, wouldn't the Baathist claim that the fear for their life as a more valid excuse? Mr. Donald Rumsfield must have been aware of Amnesty International report of human rights violations of the Iraqi government in 1983; he would be stupid if he did not, yet he visited Baghdad and met Saddam and helped reestablish the diplomatic relations with the dictator. In 2003 the same Mr. Donald Rumsfield is denying the human rights of some Iraqis for crime that HE DEFINATLY KNEW about without taking into consideration the fact that THEY DID NOT KNOW about them. The crime by association should not be limited to individuals but should include governments if justice is to be done. This might sound a trivial violation of our human rights by the occupation authority compared others. I have read a sub-title on TV that Amnesty International has accused the occupation authorities in Baghdad of torturing Iraqi prisoners and POWs. I think AI need to wage a real TV campaign especially on Arabic Satellite channels to expose these violations and force the occupation authorities to adhere to the Geneva conventions before the whole country of Iraq be converted, with its 22 millions, into another Guantanamo camp. I refuse to give them an inch. Help me in not letting them TAKE the mile. Thank you. Ghazwan Al-Mukhtar Baghdad, Iraq Sat phone: +88216 21235506 Sorry I have been "liberated" from civilization, NO internet, NO email, NO telephone, NO electricity, NO clean water... and above all NO sense of SECURITY. PS: 1- The occupation authorities have dissolved the Iraqi army yesterday. This order made nearly half a million men out of work. They do not know if they will be compensated for years served in the army or not. What are their rights? What about their families? How can they find a job, any job, when unemployment is extremely high? How can this be done in the name of "democracy"? Is this another form of collective punishment? Even the RUTHLESS dictator would NOT dream of doing this to his subjects!!! 2- Similarly the dissolved the ministry of information. 75% of them are highly technical people engineers, cameramen, TV and radio producers, artists..etc. The same questions as above 3- As can be seen in the last week they have taken a yard, instead of the inch. They will take more in the coming weeks! In no time they will take the mile!! __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? The New Yahoo! Search - Faster. Easier. Bingo. http://search.yahoo.com _______________________________________________ Sent via the discussion list of the Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq. 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