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US Offensive In Najaf 'Genocide': Law Experts
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Trying to save an Iraqi child (AFP)
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By
Abdul Raheem Ali, IOL Correspondent
CAIRO,
August 13 (IsmamOnline.net) – As Arabs called for an immediate halt
to sweeping US offensives in the holy Iraqi city of Najaf, law experts
underlined that such offensives, under the pretext of confronting
Moqtada Sadr's Mehdi Army militia, are classified as
"genocide", according to the recognized rules of
international law.
The
Arab League and the Egyptian government have Thursday, August 12,
voiced their concern over the deadly fighting in Najaf, calling for
the resumption of dialogue.
Arab
League Secretary General Amr Mussa issued a statement warning that any
attack on the holy sites of Najaf could have "dangerous
consequences".
The
head of the 22-member pan-Arab body urged "all the warring
parties to immediately halt military operations under way in Najaf in
order to allow the evacuation of the dead and wounded."
As
US troops, backed by some Iraqi forces, sealed off all
approaches to the heart of Najaf, which includes the revered Imam Ali
shrine, US warplanes pounded Mehdi Army positions, forcing civilians
to flee. The unprecedented intensity of the fighting in Najaf raised
fears of a high casualty toll.
Mussa
also said he was "confident the interim Iraqi government could
start an immediate dialogue in order to stop the fighting."
Egyptian
Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit also issued a statement saying
Cairo
had "expressed its concern over the latest developments in Najaf
... and urged restraint on all parties."
Genocide
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Victims of the US-led sweeping offensive in Najaf (AFP) |
Commenting
on the deteriorating situation in Najaf, an Egyptian international law
expert said, "What's happening in Najaf is classified as genocide
and a humanitarian crisis by all means".
Hassan
Ahmed Omar, speaking to IslamOnline.net, further emphasized the
necessity of calling "upon the UN General Assembly to
convene" in order to take decisions with regard to trying
perpetrators of such massacres.
Omar
accused the UN Security Council of conspiring with the
United States
, underlining that the Security Council could not be trusted to
"make any calls" as long as the situation in
Iraq
is concerned.
"According
to the rules of the international law, it is impermissible that a
state acts as an adversary and arbitrator simultaneously. The
United States
and
Britain
take part in the violations perpetrated in
Iraq
and control the UNSC. Their involvement in the UNSC decision-making
regarding such violations contradicts the simple rules of the
international law."
Omar
sets the example of the 1956 Tripartite Aggression against
Egypt
, when
Washington
insisted not to resort to the UNSC to issue a decision in this regard.
Britain
and France, the offending states, permanent members of the Security
Council, have the right to veto any decision taken.
He
added that the
United States
managed then to refer the whole issue to the UN General Assembly that
issued a resolution demanding the aggressive troops withdraw and to be
replaced by peace-keeping forces.
"Based
on this incident, the UN General Assembly should be resorted to, with
regard to all violations attributed to the
United States
and
Britain
against
Iraq
," Omar said.
Omar
expressed his confidence that a condemnation resolution would be
issued against the occupation powers, once the international community
refers the case to the UN General Assembly.
Days
ago, Iraqi Sunni and Shiite leaders slammed what they saw as a "bloodbath"
and called upon the international community to step in to rein the
Americans.
Intensive
Move Required
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US troops in Iraq enjoy immunity under a deal signed with the Allawi government (AFP) |
Professor
of international law Dr. Ali Al-Ghatit agreed on this viewpoint,
emphasizing that what occurs in Najaf and other Iraqi cities is
classified as an organized criminal genocide.
He
underlined that what occurs "is as clear and evident as the sun
itself," and attention should be focused on "planning the
steps of confrontations."
"We
have a lesson to be learnt through the West Bank separation barrier
campaign, when the Palestinian and Arab organizations have managed to
obtain a historical verdict by the International Court of Justice
(ICJ) condemning Israel for setting up that barrier," Al-Ghatit
said.
He
called upon the Arab and Muslim governments and peoples to take the
necessary steps for launching a similar campaign against the
US
violations in
Iraq
, including genocide operations, human rights violations and organized
torture campaigns.
Amnesty
Follows Up
On
his part, director of Amnesty International ME Office Al-Baqer
Al-Afeef has emphasized that the organization follows up closely the
situation in
Iraq
through its Iraqi correspondent.
He
added that the representatives of the organization have not obtained
accurate information or evident statistics regarding the situation in
Najaf so far. Yet, he said, all messages emphasize the warnings by the
United States
for civilians to get out of the holy city and a large number of
families have already been seen departing.
Al-Afeef
underlined that the organization is about to issue a report on the
situation in Najaf within 24 hours.
News
agencies reported that 165 have been killed and about 600 wounded
during the past 24 hours.
Iraqi
Ministry of Health media official Mai Abdel-Karim said Thursday that
"165 Iraqis have been killed and 594 wounded as a result of the
military confrontations in
Baghdad
and other southern Iraqi cities during the past 24 hours."
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