UNHCR's ELIGIBILITY GUIDELINES FOR ASSESSING THE ...

3,250 professors had fled Iraq since the escalation of sectarian violence following the
bombing of a major Shi’ite shrine in Samarra. 565
On 18 January 2007, Koïchiro Matsuura, the Director-General of UNESCO, called for the
protection of academics and intellectuals from violence. 566
Academics are targeted for mixed reasons. According to UNAMI HRO,
“Academics have apparently been singled out for their relatively respected public status,
vulnerability and views on controversial issues in a climate of deepening Islamic
extremism.” 567
Armed groups also appear to be driving a campaign of emptying the country of its
intellectual elite with the goal of destroying prospects for establishing a functioning
democratic society and bring the country and its institutions to a collapse. 568 Some
intellectuals may become victims of sectarian violence 569 or religiously-motivated attacks
when considered too liberal, “Westernized” or critical. 570 Others have been singled out for
their previous membership in the Ba’ath Party. 571 In addition, their perceived wealth may
also be a motive. 572 It has also been reported that due to the general lawlessness, students
angered over poor grades have killed some professors. 573
In addition, schools and other educational institutes have become regular targets of attacks.
For example, at least 70 people, including students and teachers, were killed and more than
170 others injured when a suicide car bomb exploded at the entrance of Al-Mustansiriya
University in east Baghdad in January 2007. 574
565
Aparisim Ghosh, Baghdad Bulletin: Death Stalks the Campus, Time Magazine, 2 November 2006,
http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1553793,00.html.
566
UNESCO, UNESCO Director-General condemns killing of Iraqi students and deplores the violence
against academics and intellectuals, Press Release N°2007-04, 18 January 2007, http://portal.unesco.org/
en/ev.php-URL_ID=36484&URL_DO=DO_PRINTPAGE&URL_SECTION=201.html.
567
UNAMI HRO, December 2006 Human Rights Report, p. 16, see above footnote 10.
568
See also “Government Officials and Other Persons Associated With the Current Iraqi Government,
Administration and Institutions”.
569
UNAMI HRO reported that “HRO has received numerous reports that sectarian divisions have engulfed
universities”. Reportedly, thousands of students have requested to be transferred to other universities since the
escalation in sectarian violence after the Samarra bombing; see UNAMI HRO, April 2006 Human Rights
Report, p. 9-10, see above footnote 74.
570
See also “Persons Accused of “Un-Islamic” Behaviour”.
571
See also “Members and Associates of the Ba’ath Party and the Former Regime”.
572
Sumedha Senanayake, Iraq: Brain Drain Poses Threat To Future, RFE/RL, 16 November 2006,
http://www.rferl.org/featuresarticle/2006/11/D0C40243-4975-49F8-9FE4-536F108B95A9.html.
573
Sinan Salaheddin, Sunni activist professor killed in Iraq, AP, 30 October 2006, http://www.thestate.com/
mld/mercurynews/news/world/15883645.htm; IRIN, Iraq: Threatened teachers fleeing the country,
24 August 2006, http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=55261.
574
BBC News, Bombers rock Baghdad university, 17 January 2007, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/
middle_east/6266707.stm. On addition, on 11 December 2006, a car bomb exploded in a car park of Al-
Ma’amoon College in Al-Iskan District in Baghdad, killing one person and injuring four. On the same day,
one student was killed and another six injured in a roadside bomb explosion in front of the Al-Mustansiriya
University; UNAMI HRO, December 2006 Human Rights Report, p. 16, see above footnote 10. One of the
most spectacular incidents was the mass kidnapping of an estimated 150 employees from the Ministry of
Higher Education and Scientific Research by perpetrators in police uniform in central Baghdad on
14 November 2006. The mass kidnapping led to the temporary shutdown of most universities; The Guardian,
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