US policy in Iraq: A War Launched to Erase both the Culture and Future of the Iraqi people

Final Resolution

US policy in Iraq: A War Launched to Erase both the Culture
and Future of the Iraqi people

The Association of Iraqi Academics estimates that more than 180 academics, from a wide range of academic and scientific fields of study from all over Iraq, have been assassinated since the US invasion in 2003. Many hundreds more have been forced into exile. Most were high-level academic staff members. The Spanish Campaign Against the Occupation and for the Sovereignty of Iraq (CEOSI) has confirmed 162 names of targeted academics (http://nodo50.org/iraq/). The BRussells Tribunal has a confirmed list of 220 killed Iraqi academics (http://www.brusselstribunal.org/academicsList.htm) .

In addition, according to official Iraqi sources, 311 teachers of both sexes have been killed in Iraq during the last four months alone (The Independent, 29 March, 2006).

Equally, staff of the National Iraqi Medical System - a model of civic courage during 15 years of sanctions, war and occupation - are being targeted in a campaign of extortion, threats and murder. In violation of the foundations of international humanitarian law, Iraqi hospitals and clinics are being attacked and systematically raided by US occupation forces.

Occupation is responsible for these killings. Every week more evidence emerges of a deliberate criminal campaign

conducted by death squads and encouraged by those who want to erase all secular and qualified layers of Iraqi society:

academics, scientists, professionals and intellectuals; women and men who would be the foundation of the rebuilding

of a democratic and non-sectarian society in a free and sovereign Iraq following the end of occupation.

Within the framework of the conclusions of the World Tribunal on Iraq, CEOSI, The BRussells Tribunal and the New York-based International Action Center (IAC), will convene an international seminar on the assassination of Iraqi academics and health professionals in Madrid, Saturday 22 April 2006.

On Sunday 23 April will follow an international meeting of both European and US organizations with the purpose of encouraging international solidarity with Iraq.

Iraqi guests will participate in the public session, including:
Eman A Khamas, journalist and writer, former director of Occupation Watch
Dr Ali Abdulah, professor of molecular genetics, University of Baghdad
Dr Sami Wasfi FRCS, expert in cardiothoracic surgery. Dr Wasfi was the target of a failed assassination attempt
Dr Ghazwan Al-Mukhtar, engineer, leading voice in the anti-sanctions movement
Dr. Ismail Kaidar Jalili (Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon, Chair and Secretary General of National Association of British Arabs (NABA) Past President of Iraqi Medical Association UK and of the British Arab Medical Association and existing Executive Council Member of the latter - Iraq / UK)

The international campaign will be introduced by Dirk Adriaensens (BRussells Tribunal and organizer of the World Tribunal on Iraq, Belgium), John Catalinotto (IAC, USA) and Ian Douglas (BRussells Tribunal, UK).

In addition, we are pleased to highlight the presence of two of the most eminent Spanish experts on the Arab world: Professor Pedro Martínez Montávez (Occupation and Sectarianism in Iraq) and Joaquín Córdoba Zoilo, lecturer at the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (The Plundering of World Heritage in Iraq).

The meeting will be opened by the Chancellor of Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Mr Ángel Gabilondo, and will be closed by Ms Rosa Regás, Director of The National Library, and by Mr Pedro Martinez Lillo, Vice Chancellor for University Cooperation. Ms Cármen Ruiz Rivas, University General Director at the Spanish Education Ministry, has confirmed her participation at the Opening Session.

Organizers

Spanish Campaign Against the Occupation and for the Sovereignty of Iraq (CEOSI)

The BRussells Tribunal and International Action Center

With the cooperation of

Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM)

And support of

Escuela Julián Besteiro and The National Library

Place

Escuela Julián Besterio, Calle Azcona, 53

How to get there

Subway/Metro: “Parque de Las Avenidas” (Line 7), “Diego León”

(Lines 4, 5 and 6) and “Ventas” (Line 2)

Buses: From “Callao” (Nos. 21, 53 and 74), from “Manuel Becerra” (No. 48)

Opening (Saturday): 10:30 am

Entrance free / Simultaneous translation

Further information

www.iraqsolidaridad.org / iraq@nodo50.org
A War Launched to Erase both the Culture and Future of the Iraqi people
International Seminar on the assassination of Iraqi Academics and Health Professionals
Madrid (Spain)

Saturday 22 April

FIRST SESSION

10:30 a.m.

Opening

Participants: Angel Gabilondo Pujol, Rector of the Autonomous University of Madrid, and Carmen Ruiz Rivs, Director General of Universities, with the Ministry of Education and Science.

10:50 a.m.

The assassinations of Iraqi educational and health professionals during the occupation of Iraq: Presentations of the international campaign.

Participants: John Catalinotto, representative of International Action Center in the U.S.A.; Dirk Adriaensens, member of the Executive Committee of the BRussells Tribunal, Belgium; and Ian Douglas, Visiting professor at the University of Nahah (Palestine), U.K.

Speaking and moderating will be Carlos Varea, coordinator of the Spanish Campaign against the Occupation and for the Sovereignty of Iraq.

11:30 - 11:45 a.m.: BREAK

[Meeting with mass media]

11:45 h.

– Inaugural Conference

“Occupation and sectarianism in Iraq,” presented by Pedro Martinez Montávez, who holds the Emeritus Chair in Arabic at the Autonomous University of Madrid.

Introducing and moderating: Jose Luis Gordillo, professor of Philosophy at the Law University of Barcelona and representative of its Rector, Màrius Rubiralta.

SECOND SESSION

12:30 p.m.

The assassinations of Iraqi educational and health professionals: Testimonies and evaluation of their impact on Iraqi society and the future of the country

Participants: Eman A. Khamas, journalist and writer, ex- director of Occupation Watch, Baghdad, and member of the Women Will Association; Ali Abdulah, university professor of Molecular Genetics, University of Baghdad; Salem Wasfi, medical surgeon in Cardiac and Thoracic Surgery, General University Hospital in Baghdad; and Ghazwan al-Mukhtar (pending confirmation).

Introducing and moderating: Carmen Ruiz Bravo-Villasante, Chair in Arabic and director of the Arabic and Islamic Department at the Autonomous University of Madrid.

2:15 - 4:00 p.m.: LUNCK BREAK

SECOND SESSION (Cont.)

4:00 p.m.

The assassinations of Iraqi educational and health professionals: Testimonies and evaluation of the impact on the Iraqi society and the future of the country

Participants: Eman A. Khamas, journalist and writer, ex- director of Occupation Watch, Baghdad, and member of the Women’s Volunteer Association; Ali Abdulah, university professor of Molecular Genetics, University of Baghdad; Salem Wasfi, medical surgeon in Cardiac and Thoracic Surgery, General University Hospital in Baghdad; Ghazwan al-Mukhtar (pending confirmation); and Ismail Kaidar Jalili, Chair and Secretary General of National Association of British Arabs (NABA) Past President of Iraqi Medical Association UK and of the British Arab Medical Association.

Order of interventions

Introducing and moderating: Joachim Guillard, coordinator of the German Tribunal on Iraq and spokesperson for the Iraq Coordination, Germany.

5:00 - 5:15 p.m.: BREAK

THIRD SESSION

5:15 p.m.

Conference closing

“The plunder and destruction of the Wealth of Humanity in Iraq,” with Joaquin M. Cordoba Zoilo, professor in the Department of Ancient History and co-director of the Center of Higher Learning on Ancient Egypt and the Near East at the Autonomous University of Madrid.

Introducing and moderating: Manuel Raposo, coordinator of the Portuguese Session of the International Tribunal on Iraq, Portugal.

6:00 p.m..

Conference closing

The commitment to the Iraqian people under occupation: for a sovereign future in an democratic and integrated Iraq

Participating: Rosa Regás, writer and General Director of the National Library, and Pedro Martinez Lillo, Vicerector of the University Extension and Cooperation with the Autonomous University of Madrid.

Introducing: Jaume Botey, professor of the History Sciences at the Autonomous University of Barcelona and representative of its Rector, Lluís Ferrer.

6:20 p.m..

– End the conference and leave for the commemorative demonstration on the occasion of the 75th Anniversary of the II Spanish Republic.

Final Resolution of the Madrid International Seminar

on the Assassination of Iraqi Academics

and Health Professionals

22-23 April 2006

This weekend participants from 8 countries - including Iraq - met in Madrid, along with active committees working within the framework of the conclusions of the World Tribunal on Iraq and participants from Spanish universities, to discuss and hear firsthand the plight of Iraqi academics and medical professionals who struggle to live amid constant threats, physical violence, kidnappings and the operation of death squads.

To date, over 220 Iraqi health professionals have been murdered. The BRussells Tribunal and The Spanish Campaign Against the Occupation and for the Sovereignty of Iraq (CEOSI) has, with the help and support of Iraqis, compiled a list of over 190 assassinated Iraqi academics.

During the second day of the international seminar, participants focused on what actions can be taken to bring global attention to the destruction of Iraq’s intellectual and professional resources and hold accountable those directly responsible, including occupying powers that have failed their obligations under international law to protect the lives of Iraqi civilians.

We affirm the following:

· The defence of Iraqi academics and medical professionals should begin by condemning the illegal war and occupation that created the situation in Iraq where assassinations are endemic and go unpunished

· Occupying powers and their collaborators are responsible for the protection of the lives of Iraqi civilians and imputable under international law for the failure to do so

· The assassination of Iraqi academics and health professionals is part of a conscious attempt to prevent Iraq from regaining its just independent and sovereign status

· Defending Iraqi academics and health professionals is not separate from the necessity of being in solidarity with the Iraqi people and their national anti-occupation movement

· Iraqis, like all people, have a right to science and education and to enjoy the inalienable rights of freedom of thought, expression, research and innovation

· The right of families of assassinated health professionals and academics to have the killing of their loved ones investigated by an independent and competent body, and compensation paid, must be assured in all cases

In terms of action, delegates reaffirm their commitment to work with determination to raise at all levels the issue of the criminal destruction of Iraq’s professional and intellectual wealth. In particular, delegations committed to:

· Demand that UNESCO act in defence of Iraq’s intellectuals and professionals

· Demand that the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights fulfil its duty to protect the lives and human rights of Iraqi doctors and academics, and all Iraqi civilians

· Spread awareness of the issue of the assassination of Iraqi academics and doctors with the appreciated commitment of Autonomous University, Madrid, to transmit the key concerns of this campaign to Spanish universities, the International Federation of Universities and the Association of Arab Universities of the Arab League

· Call upon the world’s media to understand that the killing of Iraqi academics and health professionals is a result of the occupation, not sectarian civil war

· Continue working to build an international solidarity campaign linking Iraqi academics in exile and in Iraq with their peers in universities worldwide

· Press national and regional parliaments to raise and discuss the criminal destruction of Iraq’s intellectual and professional class

The undersigned affirm that they will continue to cooperate in their denunciation of the occupation and its numberless crimes and always stand in solidarity with the people of Iraq.

The Iraqi delegation of witnesses

The Spanish Campaign Against the Occupation and for the Sovereignty of Iraq (CEOSI)

http://nodo50.org/iraq/

The BRussells Tribunal

http://brusselstribunal.org

The International Action Center

http://iac.org

Women’s Will Association (Iraq)

http://iraqiwomenswill.org/

Iraq Solidarity Association in Stockholm

http://iraksolidaritet.se

Iraq Tribunal Initiative, Germany

http://iraktribunal.de

Tribunal-Iraque (Portugal)

http://tribunaliraque.info

The National Association of British Arabs

http://naba.org.uk

Medical Aid for the Third World

http://m3m.be

STOP USA (Stop United States of Aggression), Belgium

http://stopusa.be

Iraqi Patriots in Media and Culture

Plaforma Aturem la Guerra de Barcelona