UNHCR's ELIGIBILITY GUIDELINES FOR ASSESSING THE ...

threat circulated in Kirkuk accused “several foreign-based aid organizations of working for
the benefit of a foreign country and against the interests of Iraq.” 524
Several Iraqi human rights defenders have been targeted since 2003. For example, human
rights activist Hussein Al-Ibrahemi survived an assassination attempt on 25 July 2006 when
unknown gunmen shot him in Kerbala. In May 2006, Al-Ibrahemi had received threatening
letters accusing him of being a “spy” for the US and for facilitating operations for the
“occupation forces”. 525 Dr. Ahmed Al-Mosawi, the head of the Iraqi Human Rights
Society, was kidnapped on 6 March 2006 from the headquarters of his organization. In
April 2006, Zuhair Yaseen, a member of the Prisoners of War Organization, was
assassinated in front of his home in Baqouba and another member was injured. Also in
April 2006, Mehdi Mchaitheer Al-Azawi, Director of the Association of Disabled Females,
was killed by gunmen in front of his home. 526
The former regime had strictly limited the activities of NGOs in Iraq and, according to
NCCI, portrayed humanitarian workers as “foreign spies”. In addition, the UN is often seen
negatively, mainly for its role in imposing sanctions on the country since 1990 and for its
close relationship with MNF forces. These perceptions continue to prevail in certain
segments of Iraqi society and may add to the risks of humanitarian workers.
Other factors such as an individual’s religion, ethnicity or gender may, in the eyes of
perpetrators, constitute additional criteria for targeting specific persons. The ongoing
sectarianism makes it almost impossible for aid workers to convey their neutrality and
impartiality and may put them at risk of being targeted for providing aid to the “wrong”
sect or ethnic group. 527
In addition, Iraqis working for international organizations may be perceived as receiving
a high salary and are therefore at particular risk for kidnapping for ransom.
The Iraqi Red Crescent Society (IRCS), which has a staff of 1,000 and 200,000 volunteers
and is the only Iraqi aid group working across the country’s 18 Governorates, has been the
target of frequent attacks. On 17 December 2006, armed men wearing uniforms similar to
those of the Ministry of Interior’s Police Commandoes staged a mass kidnapping at the
IRCS’ office in central Baghdad, seizing 30 male staff and visitors. Some were later
released, although several still remain unaccounted for. The IRCS temporarily suspended
its activities in Baghdad. Possible motives could be sectarianism or to demonstrate the
government’s inability to provide security for its citizens, thereby undermining the
Government’s legitimacy. 528
524
UNAMI HRO, August 2006 Human Rights Report, p. 10, see above footnote 26.
525
Ibid.
526
UNAMI HRO, April 2006 Human Rights Report, p. 3, see above footnote 74.
527
IRIN, Aid workers threatened by sectarian violence, 16 August 2006, http://www.irinnews.org/
report.aspx?reportid=60378; UNAMI HRO, August 2006 Human Rights Report, p. 10, see above footnote 26.
528
ICRC, Joint statement: Iraqi Red Crescent abduction, 21 December 2006, http://www.icrc.org/Web/Eng/
siteeng0.nsf/html/iraq-news-211206!OpenDocument. See also: IRIN, Iraq: Suspension of Red Crescent work
could affect the lives of thousands, 19 December 2006, http://www.irinnews.org/report.aspx?reportid=62857;
ibidem, Iraq: Aid Agencies Call for Respect from Armed Groups, 18 December 2006,
104