GENERAL
A/51/496/Add.1
8 November 1996
ORIGINAL : ENGLISH
| UNITED NATIONS |
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Distr. GENERAL A/51/496/Add.1 8 November 1996 ORIGINAL : ENGLISH |
| 1. In implementation of paragraph 8 of Commission on Human Rights resolution 1996/72 of 23 April
1996 regarding the sending of human rights monitors " to such locations as would facilitate improved information flows and
assessment and would help in the independent verification of reports on the situation of human rights in Iraq", and taking into
accound the refusal of the Government of Iraq to cooperate with the placement of human rights monitors inside Iraq, the Special
Rapporteur reguested the sending of staff memebers of the Centre for Human Rights of the Secretariat to the Islamic Republic of
Iran. This location was chosen in order to receive testimonies and reports from Iraqi citizens who had recently crossed the border
into the Islamic Republic of Iran as a result of the fighting that took place in northern Iraq in early September 1996 and who
claimed to be victims of, or eye-witnesses to, human rights violatons committed by the Iraqi Army and Iraqi Security, particularly in
the city of Arbil and its surrounding areas. 2. The present section describes the results of the mission based upon information received during the visit to the Islamic Republic of Iran by two staff members from the Centre for Human Rights from 14 to 24 October 1996, taken into consideration documentation subsequently received in geneva. During the mission, the staff members visited five refugee campsand received detailed testimony froma total of 50 refugees from northern Iraq. They also met with other persons of interest from intergovernmental and non-governmental humaniration organizations. The interviewed refugees may be divided into three groups : (a) Kursh who had lived their whole life in northern Iraq; (b) Arabs who had lived only for a certain period in northern Iraq (which many had used as a refuge in order to escape the Iraqi authorities), including army deserters and persons who participated in some Iraqi oppositional groups; and (c) Turkomen who had recently arrived in northern Iraq after having been forced to move from their homes in Kirkuk as a result of the allaged policy of Arabization. The population living in the camps that were visited had arrived in the Islamic Republic of Iran following the events that took place in early September 1996. Therefore, the events mentioned below do not refer to the outbreak of the fighting that took place in October and has resulted in another flow of persons crossing the border into the Islamic Republic of Iran; the mission was simply unable to meet with the new arrivals. The Special Rapporteur acknowledges the cooperation of the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran in responding promptly to his request for the mission and in facilitating unobstructed access to the region and camps identified by the United Nations staff members, who were able to speak in freedom and confidence with the persons of their choosing. The Special Rapporteur also notes the efforts made by the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran to provide humaniratian assistance to the thousands of persons in need. 3. All interviewees provided recent information on the situation in northern Iraq. The interviewees came from different regions in northern Iraq, including the urban centres of Arbil, Suleimaniyah and Kirkuk and the rural Communities of Chooman, Kesri, Rowandiz, Koysanjak, Rabiah and Qalidizah. Army deserters and those involved in the opposition often had a story of personel persecution in the past. However, the interviews concentrated on information pertaining to the current situation in northernIraq following the recent fighting between the two main factions, i. E., the Kurdish Democratic Party (KDP) and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) 5. Several persons who escaped from Arbil in the week following the eventsestimated the number of dead in Arbil to be in the hundresds. Most, if not all, of the people interviewed explained that Iraqi security forces, helped by members of KDP, conducted on the very first day of their intervention in Arbil operations against all the offices which belonged to the oppositional groups. These operations resulted in the destruction of several offices of the Iraqi National Congress (INC), the Iraqi National Turkoman Party (INTP), the Iraqi National party, the Supreme Council of the Islamic Revolution in Iraq (SCIRI) and PUK. Members of these political parties who were found in their offices at that time were reportedly subject to summary executions. Many interviewees stated that because all of these operations were conducted the first day of the intervention, such actions were evidently prepared well in advance and were aimed at destroying and silencing all opposition groups active in the area. 6. Most of the interviewees reported that the Iraqi security forces, helped by KDP members, had executed members of INC, INTP and PUK. The fooloving specific avidence was received through testimony. (a)On 31 August 1996, 96 militarymembers who belonged to Brigade No. 3 of the forces of INC were executed on the sport in the area of Qushtapa, near their military camp. The mother of one of the victims who was looking for her son described the scene, stating that more than 70 dead bodies were found laying on the ground. They were divided into two groups. The first one was composed of 50 dead bodies who were grouped as if their execotions had t aken place at the same time. Another 20 bodies lay about the yard as if they had been shot one by one; (aOn the same day, it is alleged that a joint operation conducted by members of the Iraqi Army and KDP had resulted in an attack on one of the offices of INTP located in western Arbil. The fighting between the members of INTP and the Iraqi forces was said have resulted in the death of more than 11 Turkomen; (a)In a third case, a groups of Iraqi Arab students who were studying at Sallahudin University in Arbil, was also said to have been specially targeted by the Iraqi security forces. Of a total of 70 Arab studentsi one third were allegedly captured and executed, one third fled to the Syrian Arab republic and the remaining one theird are now in the Islamic Republic of Iran; (a)Four Arab medical doctors are also said to have been executed during the events. 8. Many refugees stated that scores of houses belonging to Arabs, Turkomen and Kurds (especially those presumed to be sympathizers of PUK) were looted and taken over by KDP members and Iraqi security agents. Many other houses that were unoccupied by their owners during the intervention were also looted because those who were not at their homes were considered to be PUK supporters or members of the opposition. A large number of private cars (most of which belonged to Arabs, Turkomen and presumed sympathizers of PUK) were also stolen by members of the Iraqi Army and KDP forces 9. Some of the interviewees reported that the Iraqi forces (Mukhabarat and Istikhbarat) conducted house-to-house searches with lists bearing specific names of Arabs, Turkomen and Kurds who wre supposedly members of the opposirion. They were assisted in their searches by members of KDP, who were well-informed about locations and personalities of interest to the government agents. All persons found were reportedly taken for initial questioning in temporary places of detention in Arbil, such as the building of the Kurdish Parliament. If the persons were believed to be members of oppositional groups with clear responsibilities, they were immediately transferred to Mossul, Kirkuk or Baghdad for further guestioning. According to reports received, the Iraqi Army attacked several houses looking for Arabs in the city of Inqawa. When the persons were not found, their relatives were taken i nstead as ""ostages"". About 20 families were said to have been subjected to such a practice in this locality. In the city of Salahuddin, in which the headquartesrs of INC was located, members of about 150 families were allegedly arrested and taken to unknown destinations. The same practice is said to have occurred in the city of arbil, from where dozens of families were also abducted. Most of rhe interviewees witnessed the transfer of all these persons and a number of buses involved for their transportation. 10. (a)On 1 September 1996, eight people working at the INTP radio, television and newspaper building in Arbil wwere abducted by a joint group of KDP and Iraqi Mukhabarat and Istikhbarat when attacked these locations. Interviewees also atated that, on 2 september 1996, the headquarters on INTP located in Arbil was attacked by a joint group of KDP Iraqi agents. Fourt INTP members were repottedly killed during the attack and over 11 persons were taken away. Other members of Yurkomen organizations, such as student and women's organizations, were also allegedly taken away, bringing the total number of Turkomen taken away to over 250. 11.All of the Turkomen encountered in the refugee camps alleged constant oppression and persecution, which they claimed to have been subjected to while living in Kirkuk. These acts included arrest without charge, internal deportation or exile, and confiscation of personal property and real government policy to replace the Turkomen with Arabs in Kirkuk, where the Turkomen constitute a significant part of the population and have lied for a long time. In addition, Turkomen citizens of Kirkuk Governorate who were interviewed testified that they had been subjected to restrictions on the purchase and sale of real estate; they claim only to have been allowed to sell to Arabs. For example, one Turkomen woman (a graduate from Baghdad University who was most example, one Turkomen woman (a graduate from Baghdad University who was most recently residing in Arbil) testified that she was living with her family in Kirkuk when, in 1994, they were ordered to move either to southern Iraq or to the northern region. In order to force compliance with this instruction, they arrested her brother who was to be released as soon as her family moved away. When her family agrees to move, it was given an administrative paper from the police office authorizing them to sell their belongings and house, but only to Arabs. Another Turkomen from Kirkuk recounted the same story stating that, on 23 November 1995, the Iraqi authorities has arrested his father in order to oblige them to leave the city either for Arbil or Suleimaniyah in the north or to somewhere in the south. His familiy was given 10 days notice, which was not sufficient to sell their belongings in an appropriate manner or to sell the house. On 3 December 1995, his father was released from detention and they left Kirkuk for Suleimaniyah. This patritice is consistent with that previosusly reported upon by the Special Rapporteur (see, e.g., E/CN.4/1994/58, paras. 59 and 140) . 13.The testimonies r eceived during the mission to the Islamic republic of Iran confirm reports previously received by the Special Rapporteur. They detail typical and well-documented ptactices of the Government of Iraq. The undeniable effect of these practices is to instil terroro into the population, to eradicate opposition and to force the population into submission. In the face of such terror, large numbers of persons have again chosen to flee across international frontiers through difficult terrain and to unknown circumstances in search of refuge. Overall, the testimonies received confirm that the nature and conduct of the Government of Iraq has in no way changed from that reported upon by the Special Rapporteur through the course of his appointment. |
