Kurdish Human Rights Project - KHRP Publishes Fact-Finding Mission Report on the Human Rights Situation in Kurdistan, Iraq

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KHRP Publishes Fact-Finding Mission Report on the Human Rights Situation in Kurdistan, Iraq

Wednesday, 30 July 2008

KHRP is pleased to announce the publication of its latest fact-finding mission report on the human rights situation in Kurdistan, Iraq, and the role of international actors there.

A Fact-Finding Mission in Kurdistan, Iraq: Gaps in the Human Rights Infrastructure includes a timely discussion of the humanitarian impact of ongoing bombardments by the Turkish and Iranian militaries into Iraqi territory with the tacit approval of the United States and others in the international community. It further highlights the long-term struggles faced by people living in the Kurdish regions of Iraq as a result of their ethnic, cultural and linguistic heritage. The legacy of the Baathist regime and the political sensitivity of supporting development in these areas have meant that a part of the country that could be thriving instead remains in a precarious position with its citizens vulnerable to violations of their basic rights.

The report is based on a series of visits to Kurdistan, Iraq, in the course of 2007 and early 2008, during which mission members detected an enormous desire amongst civil society representatives and government officials for proper implementation of human rights norms, accountability and the rule of law. The reality, however, is a region where there remains a lack of awareness amongst members of the public about their human rights and a dearth of effective systems in place to ensure that these rights are protected. While the mission noted that all countries in transition need time to develop their infrastructure, such weaknesses are also partly due to a lack of strategic planning for long-term strengthening of mechanisms for human rights protection, and in particular to a disappointing absence of investment by the international community in support of this end.

The report explains the historical and political context of the current human rights situation in Kurdistan, Iraq, and goes on to explore this situation with special reference to women’s rights, minority rights, freedom of expression, and the rights of prisoners and other detainees. Further sections are dedicated to the human rights situation in Kirkuk and other ‘disputed areas’, and the impact of the military incursions into Kurdistan, Iraq, by neighbouring countries. It concludes with a set of recommendations for the Government of Iraq, the Kurdistan Regional Government, local civil society organisations, the international community and international NGOs working in the region.

Free copies of the report can be downloaded from the KHRP website here. Printed copies are available for £10.00 + P&P through our online shop.

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