Iraq: Head of University Professors’ Union Killed Outside His Home

Alert-Iraq Iraq Date: 03 Nov 2006 Source: Council for Assisting Refugee Academics Classification: NEAR Member Violation: Person Killed Affected Institutions: Head of University  eMail this Alert to a Friend  Comment on this Alert  Printer-Friendly Version NEAR Mailinglist Your email:

BACKGROUND INFORMATION:

As reported in the past by NEAR, the situation affecting Iraqi academics is of considerable concern. The Iraqi Ministry of Higher Education informs that from February to August 2006, nearly 180 professors have been killed and at least 3,250 have fled Iraq to neighbouring countries. But others figures from the well respected Brussels Tribunal state this to be a very considerable underestimate. Since 2003 they report that over 300 have been killed with over 100 at Baghdad University alone. The country’s education system on the whole is at risk, with teachers and pupil’s fleeing preoccupied with facing daily violence, threats of kidnapping and death. Many academics are now in Jordan fearing to go home.

In August 2006 Dr Essam al-Rawi, in an interview to the UN news website stated that several of them had been targeted by their own students, commenting that such targeting is driving teachers out of the country. This, he said, has created a big hole in the education system.

He said: “We cannot approve [or pass] someone who is not up to it. But today we are in a situation where sectarian violence is forcing us to do it and whoever does not accept this has fled Iraq for their won safety.”

On the same website Hala Jumeiri’s, an engineering professor at Mustansiriyah University Baghdad declared: “Gangs want to destroy the scientific minds of Iraq and with the current lack of security, even giving a low mark to a student in an exam can be reason enough to be threatened or killed.”

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