UNHCR's ELIGIBILITY GUIDELINES FOR ASSESSING THE ...

More documents

Recommendations

Info

4. Doctors and Medical Personnel Doctors and other health workers in Iraq continue to be threatened, killed or kidnapped. 620 Large numbers of them have fled to the three Northern Governorates or have left the country, often due to threats against their lives. Estimates of doctors and other medical personnel that have been killed or who have fled the country are generally not available. The International Committee of the Red Cross said in January 2007 that more than half of the 34,000 registered doctors in Iraq had left the country and hundreds had been killed. 621 The Iraqi Medical Association (IMA) estimates that roughly half of Iraq’s 34,000 physicians, who had been registered prior to 2003, have fled the country since and puts the figure of those killed at about 2,000. 622 IMA in Mosul reported that at least 11 doctors had been killed in Mosul alone and another 66 had left the city since 2003. 623 UNAMI HRO, referring to figures received from the Ministry of Health, reported that between April 2003 and 31 May 2006, 102 doctors were killed; 164 nurses were killed and 77 wounded; and, 142 non-medical staff (drivers, guards, administration personnel) were killed and 117 wounded. In May 2006 alone, eight doctors were killed and 42 wounded; eight nurses were killed and seven wounded and six non-medical staff were killed and four wounded. It further said that some reports suggest that approximately 250 doctors have been kidnapped in the past two years. 624 The Institute for War and Peace Reporting (IWPR) said that in Baghdad those doctors still practicing medicine have moved their clinics into residential areas or inside medical compounds for safety. 625 Others use prolonged unpaid leave as a way to avoid security risks. 626 As with other professionals, a number of motives drive such attacks. With the Ministry of Health and hospitals under control of religious militias, health personnel may be targeted for belonging to either sect. 627 They might be threatened by the police, militias or insurgent 620 For a (non-comprehensive) list of attacks on doctors and other medical personnel, see “Annex VI: Attacks on Doctors and Other Medical Personnel”. 621 IRIN, Iraq: Baghdad hospitals in crisis as they lack security and drugs, say specialists, 28 January 2007, http://www.irinnews.org/report.aspx?reportid=65825. 622 Ibidem, Iraq: Country’s healthcare system rapidly deteriorating, 7 November 2006, http://www.irinnews. org/report.aspx?reportid=61923. 623 UNAMI HRO, June 2006 Human Rights Report, p. 6, see above footnote 27. 624 Ibid. The Iraqi Doctors Association believes that at least 65 physicians were killed in 2005 alone; see Scott Johnson, Doctors in the Cross Hairs, Newsweek, 9 January 2006, http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/ 10655555/site/newsweek. Unofficial data suggests that at least 200 health professionals have left Basrah since January 2006; see: David Wilson, Where Have All the Doctors Gone? The Collapse of Iraq’s Health Care Services, Counterpunch, 14-15 October 2006, http://www.counterpunch.org/wilson10162006.html. According to the Ministry of Health’s Strategy Department, more than 160 nurses have been murdered and more than 400 wounded since 2003; see: IRIN, Iraq: Neglected nurses fight their own war, 19 November 2006, http://www.irinnews.org/report.aspx?reportid=61948. 625 IWPR, Violence Drives Doctors From Iraq, Iraqi Crisis Report, ICR No. 170, 29 March 2006, http://iwpr.net/?p=icr&s=f&o=260625&apc_state=henh. 626 IRIN, Iraq: Baghdad hospitals in crisis as they lack security and drugs, say specialists, 28 January 2007, http://www.irinnews.org/report.aspx?reportid=65825. 627 Louise Roug, Decrepit healthcare adds to toll in Iraq, Los Angeles Times, 11 November 2006, http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-health11nov11,0,3477207.story?coll=la-homeheadlines; Lara Logan, Death Squads In Iraqi Hospitals, CBS, 4 October 2006, http://www.cbsnews.com/ stories/2006/10/04/eveningnews/main2064668.shtml. Amit R. Paley, Iraqi Hospitals Are War’s New “Killing 118
groups for not giving priority to the treatment of their injured members. 628 Others have been threatened and killed for engaging in “un-Islamic” activities, e.g. a male doctor treating female patients. 629 In addition, they might be identified as representing Iraq’s intelligentsia, which is needed to establish a democratic and functioning state. Targeting Iraq’s health system also serves the purpose of terrorizing the population at large so that it would lose confidence in the abilities of the current Iraqi Government, especially to protect its citizens. 630 In addition, criminal motives might be a reason as doctors are regarded as wealthy. 631 Attacks against medical personnel are further exacerbating the current health crisis in the country. Hospitals have had to close and newly built clinics have not been opened due to the lack of health personnel. IRIN reported that the emergency unit in Basrah’s Teaching Hospital was closed for five months after a number of doctors were killed by unidentified attackers. Many doctors and nurses refuse to go to work, fearing for their lives. 632 5. Judges and Lawyers According to UNAMI HRO, the independence of the Iraqi judiciary is compromised by “consistent attacks on and killings of judges and lawyers” and attacks on courthouses. Such violence aggravates the already serious shortage of legal professionals in the country and negatively impacts on the rule of law. In addition, the families and relatives of legal professionals have been targeted. 633 Judges and lawyers engaged in the Dujail and Anfal trials against senior officials of the former regime have been repeatedly targeted. 634 To date, four lawyers involved in the defence of former regime officials have been killed. Most are working from outside Iraq. 635 Most judges and other legal staff working at the Iraqi High Tribunal have not been identified in public because of concerns for their safety. 636 Fields”, The Washington Post, 30 August 2006, http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/ 2006/08/29/AR2006082901680.html. 628 Aaron Glantz, Doctors Under Fire in Iraq, AntiWar.com, 20 September 2006, http://www.antiwar.com/ glantz/?articleid=9719; UNAMI HRO, October 2006 Human Rights Report, p. 7, see above footnote 66. 629 See also “Persons Accused of “Un-Islamic” Behaviour”. 630 Doug Struck, Professionals Fleeing Iraq As Violence, Threats Persist, The Washington Post, 23 January 2006, http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/22/AR2006012201112.html. See also “Government Officials and Other Persons Associated With the Current Iraqi Government, Administration and Institutions”. 631 IRIN, Iraq: Facing threats, local doctors flee Mosul, 1 May 2006, http://www.irinnews.org/ report.aspx?reportid=26331. 632 Ibidem, Iraq: Insecurity, under-funding threaten children’s health in Basra, 9 July 2006, http://www.irinnews.org/report.aspx?reportid=27117. 633 UNAMI HRO, December 2006 Human Rights Report, p. 3, 15 and 18, see above footnote 10. 634 UNAMI HRO, June 2006 Human Rights Report, p. 5, see above footnote 27. 635 Kamal Taha, Saddam lawyers determined to defend him despite threats, Middle East Online, 2 November 2006, http://www.iraqupdates.com/p_articles.php?refid=DH-S-02-11-2006&article=11507. See also “Members and Associates of the Ba’ath Party and the Former Regime”. 636 AP, Judge, lawyer on Iraq war crimes tribunal killed, 2 March 2005, http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/ 7064658/. 119
Page 1 and 2:
UNHCR’s ELIGIBILITY GUIDELINES FO
Page 3 and 4:
iii) Current Situation ............
Page 5 and 6:
a) Overall Situation ..............
Page 7 and 8:
IOM International Organization for
Page 9 and 10:
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY A. Current Situat
Page 11 and 12:
and gatherings, Shi’ite religious
Page 13 and 14:
Government Officials and Other Pers
Page 15 and 16:
Iraqi Asylum-Seekers From Central a
Page 17 and 18:
considered to be well-founded. To t
Page 19:
affiliated with criminal groups. In
Page 22 and 23:
expand on the legal and policy guid
Page 24 and 25:
The general chaos following the inv
Page 26 and 27:
countries. While a good part of the
Page 28 and 29:
evenues. 41 An understanding of var
Page 30 and 31:
Article 140 of the Constitution cal
Page 32 and 33:
the Middle East in terms of women
Page 34 and 35:
epealed the CPA’s decision to sus
Page 36 and 37:
The Iraqi judiciary continues to be
Page 38 and 39:
Several groups, including the Mujah
Page 40 and 41:
Al-Sunna. In addition, members of t
Page 42 and 43:
dominated Special Police Commando u
Page 44 and 45:
military commander in Iraq, General
Page 47 and 48:
IV. PARTICULAR GROUPS AT RISK A. Re
Page 49 and 50:
to Osama Bin Laden, the Shi’ites
Page 51 and 52:
Shi’ite militias on the other han
Page 53 and 54:
underscored how explosive the confl
Page 55 and 56:
of the latest security crack-down i
Page 57 and 58:
Ninewa Plains in particular have be
Page 59 and 60:
The overall climate results in non-
Page 61 and 62:
efuge in the three Northern Governo
Page 63 and 64:
an international court. 261 Several
Page 65 and 66:
The alleged main perpetrators of at
Page 67 and 68: In the current climate of religious
Page 69 and 70: prohibition to kill, lie, commit ad
Page 71 and 72: Mandaeans as belonging to the “Pe
Page 73 and 74: have found refuge with the Sabaean-
Page 75 and 76: distributed to homes in Baghdad gav
Page 77 and 78: Estimates of the number of Yazidis
Page 79 and 80: Yazidis are furthermore organized i
Page 81 and 82: AP reported in October 2006 that
Page 83 and 84: apostasy and a threat to public ord
Page 85 and 86: KRG. Mr. Falak Al-Deen Kakai, senio
Page 87 and 88: “those Iraqis who had lost their
Page 89 and 90: government offices, 441 and changin
Page 91 and 92: security, of transferring hundreds
Page 93 and 94: 2. Roma (Kawliyah) 461 a) Introduct
Page 95 and 96: Ghraib and was known for its strong
Page 97 and 98: Sunnis willing to denounce violence
Page 99 and 100: CPA began to allow some vetted ex-B
Page 101 and 102: It has been documented that attacks
Page 103 and 104: een killed in Iraq and another 491
Page 105 and 106: Acts committed against employees or
Page 107 and 108: E. Government Officials and Other P
Page 109 and 110: 3. Persons Opposing the Ruling Part
Page 111 and 112: 3,250 professors had fled Iraq sinc
Page 113 and 114: There are a number of possible moti
Page 115 and 116: inside the media compound, refrain
Page 117: 3. Artists Iraqi artists, actors an
Page 121 and 122: population at large and bring the c
Page 123 and 124: after their release. 660 UNAMI HRO
Page 125 and 126: International Covenant on Civil and
Page 127 and 128: evidence that over forty people had
Page 129 and 130: Both sexes have become victims of s
Page 131 and 132: V. ELIGIBILITY FOR INTERNATIONAL PR
Page 133 and 134: those countries, even only on a tem
Page 135 and 136: violence on a daily basis. Ordinary
Page 137 and 138: cause. 733 More than one Convention
Page 139 and 140: C. Exclusion From International Ref
Page 141 and 142: a) Before the Fall of the Former Re
Page 143 and 144: ) War Crimes War crimes are serious
Page 145 and 146: in mind when assessing crimes commi
Page 147 and 148: groups (pre-2003) or insurgency or
Page 149 and 150: A plausible explanation regarding t
Page 151 and 152: D. Internal Flight or Relocation Al
Page 153 and 154: Travel by Road Road travel in Iraq,
Page 155 and 156: with armed conflict between the MNF
Page 157 and 158: egulations regarding entry and resi
Page 159 and 160: It has been reported that new IDPs,
Page 161 and 162: Interior and Finance. While the Min
Page 163 and 164: and generally describe the three No
Page 165 and 166: In order to access the three Northe
Page 167 and 168: Governorate of Sulaymaniyah Persons
Page 169 and 170:
v. Risk of Persecution or Other Ser
Page 171 and 172:
In addition, non-Kurdish persons, p
Page 173 and 174:
Conclusion Availability of an inter
Page 175 and 176:
to flee Iraq have done so illegally
Page 177 and 178:
explosives blew up. Two people were
Page 179 and 180:
• On 2 July 2003, an armed assaul
Page 181 and 182:
• 18 September 2006: Gunmen kille
Page 183 and 184:
• 17 December 2003: An angry mob
Page 185 and 186:
Annex IV: Attacks on Government Off
Page 187 and 188:
• 2 May 2006: A suicide car bombe
Page 189 and 190:
• 5 December 2006: Dr. Mohammed H
Page 191 and 192:
Annex VI: Attacks on Doctors and Ot
Page 193 and 194:
• 1 July - 31 August 2006: Accord
Page 195 and 196:
Annex VIII: Attacks on Athletes and
Page 197 and 198:
Annex IX: Attacks on Palestinian Re
Page 199 and 200:
Palestinian family fled the hospita
Page 201 and 202:
Annex X: Selected Bibliography Note
Page 203 and 204:
IWPR, Baghdad Gays Fear for Their L
Page 205 and 206:
Senanayake, Sumedha, Iraq: Ethnic T
Page 207 and 208:
W Wilson, Scott, Iraqis Killing For
Page 209:
s�—�2q��
show all

UNHCR's ELIGIBILITY GUIDELINES FOR ASSESSING THE ...

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?