Iraq: Universities Closed, Academic Personnel Kidnapped, Professors Killed

Action Alert-Iraq Iraq Date: 14 Nov 2006 Source: Scholars at Risk Classification: NEAR Member Violation: Person(s) Kidnapped, Person(s) Killed  eMail this Alert to a Friend  Comment on this Alert  Printer-Friendly Version NEAR Mailinglist Your email:

In a statement issued by the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq, Secretary-General Kofi Annan’s Special Representative Ashraf Qazi condemned the kidnappings as “a nefarious crime,” and called on the authorities to take immediate action to free the victims.

Scholars at Risk and NEAR call for urgent letters, faxes and emails to officials and media outlets at the campus, local, national and international levels demanding an immediate response to the terrible assault.

The most immediate concerns are for the safe return of 120–150 men reported abducted in the assault and for significant increases in the levels, training and equipment of security forces dedicated to the protection of higher education facilities and personnel.  These actions are essential to preserving the physical and intellectual capacity of Iraq’s higher education institutions—institutions vital to the future of Iraq and the Iraqi people.  Particular efforts must be made to protect the higher education’s most valuable and irreplaceable resources—the trained Iraqi professionals who will help not only in the present rebuilding but must train Iraq’s future leaders and decision-makers for generations to come.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION:

The kidnappings happened the 13 November 2006. About 80 gunmen dressed as police commandos broke into the Ministry of Higher Education’s scientific research directorate in the downtown Karradah district of Baghdad. The men acted quickly in about 10-15 minutes and had 30 vehicles waiting outside.

This latest attack has come amid systematic killings aimed at Iraq's academic community. This has prompted thousands of professors and researchers to flee to neighbouring countries. Just recently Dr al-Rawi's, head of the University Professors' Union, was in his car, accompanied by two bodyguards, when three gunmen blocked the road with their car and sprayed his vehicle with machine gun fire the 30 October 2006 (see related NEAR Alerts). Three days later on 2 November 2006 Professor Jassim al-Asadi, a dean at the university was shot along with his wife and son while driving in northern Baghdad.  It is believed that Professor al-Asadi’s murder was in retaliation for the death of Professor al-Rawi. 

In issuing its release, Scholars at Risk joins many international academic organizations, including the Middle East Studies Association, the American Association of University Professors, and NEAR, in demanding that Iraqi and international officers in Iraq make every effort to investigate thoroughly attacks on academics and universities and to provide improved security to the Iraqi higher education sector and its constituents. 

RECOMMENDED ACTION  :

Recognizing the vital role that the higher education sector must play in building any better future for Iraq and its people, Scholars at Risk and NEAR join in calls for letters, emails and faxes respectfully calling on Iraqi and relevant international authorities to:

- make a firm commitment to protect Iraq’s higher education institutions, including the physical space of the universities as well as their administrators, faculties, staff and students; 

- make every effort to secure the safe release of all persons kidnapped this morning; 

- investigate the deaths of higher education personnel, including the two professors assassinated last week, Professor al-Rawi and Professor Jassim al-Asadi, making every effort to identify the individuals responsible and to bring them to justice in accordance with Iraqi law and internationally recognized fair trial principles; and  

-  provide open, firm and public support for principles of freedom of thought, free exchange of ideas, and academic freedom as central to the mission of higher education and to the role of higher education institutions in society and in a better future for Iraq.

APPEALS TO :

Honorable Nuri Kamal al-Maliki
Prime Minister of the Republic of Iraq
c/o The Embassy of Iraq
1801 P Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C.  20036 USA
Fax: (202) 462-5066

Ambassador Samir Sumaidaie
The Embassy of Iraq
1801 P Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C.  20036 USA
Fax: (202) 462-5066

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice
U.S. Department of State
2201 C Street NW
Washington, DC 20520 USA

Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad
US Ambassador to Iraq
Embassy of the United States
APO AE 09316
Baghdad, Iraq USA

H.E. Dr. Salah Al-Shaikhly
Ambassador of The Republic of Iraq
Embassy of Iraq in London
9 Holland Villas Road
London
W14 8BP, UK

The Honorable Dominic Asquith CMG
Her Majesty's Ambassador to the Republic of Iraq
c/o Iraq Policy Unit
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
King Charles Street
London
SW1A 2AH, UK


PLEASE SEND COPIES OF YOUR APPEALS TO:

Natalie Nicora, NEAR,

90 London Road

SE1 9LN, London, UK

Fax: 0044(0) 207 021 0881

natalie.nicora@nearinternational.org

Scholars at Risk
c/o New York University
194 Mercer Street, Rm 410
New York, New York 10012
1-212-995-4402 (fax)
scholarsatrisk@nyu.edu

To ensure that appeals are current and credible, please do not continue to write appeals on this case after 60 days from the date of the posting unless an update has been issued.

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