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UNAMI Newsletter United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq Newsletter - Issue 11 April 2011 IN THIS ISSUE SRSG Melkert to the UN Security Council: Iraqis have legitimate concerns that the Government SRSG Melkert to the UN Security Council: Iraqis have legitimate concerns that the needs to meet Government needs to meet ................... 1 SRSG Ad Melkert guest of Frost Over the World show ............................................ 2 Syriac museum revives memories and hope ....................................................... 4 Protecting Iraq’s cultural heritage for fu- ture generations: First ICC plenary held in Iraq ........................................................ 5 Iraqi Youth Conference: Making youth views and voices heard .......................... 6 One woman’s battle with tuberculosis: Fighting off ignorance and stigma .......... 8 First distributions for school feeding in Iraq ......................................................... 9 Assessing the Iraqi civil registration sys- tem ....................................................... 10 IOM continues to support families affected !"#\%%&'()#*+,%-)+%-*#.,/0#111111111111111111#23 SRSG Ad Melkert briefs the Security Council on the work of UNAMI and on recent developments in Iraq. News Briefs .......................................... 11 UN Photo/Evan Schneider List of UN Acronyms ............................. 12 Photo Essay: Inauguration of Syriac Mu- peaking to the UN Security Council “Unless these demands are addressed, the seum .................................................... 13 on 8 April, Mr. Ad Melkert, the Special political and democratic gains made thus SRepresentative of the UN Secretary- far may seem hollow to many ordinary General (SRSG) for Iraq and the head of Iraqis. And this will be no easy task for the UNAMI , updated the Council members on Government of Iraq,” he warned. the latest developments in Iraq. At the core of the protests Mr. Melkert also expressed the hope that that have been taking place “While Iraq has made remarkable strides the relevant authorities will look into vio- in its democratic transition in recent years, lent incidents that took place in di!erent across Iraq since 25 February of which included the adoption of a constitu- parts of the country resulting in the deaths this year are legitimate concerns tion, credible national elections, a broad and injuries of many Iraqi citizens and take around better employment op- national partnership government and steps to ensure that these basic rights are portunities, the delivery of basic an opening environment for media and protected. services and accountability. Unless civil society, the people of Iraq are now Mr. Melkert acknowledged the e!orts of demanding the dividends that were prom- these demands are addressed, Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki to act deci- ised by their leaders,” Mr. Melkert said. the political and democratic gains sively to meet these demands, including made thus far may seem hollow to Referring to the protests that have been the 100-day plan for job creation and ser- many ordinary Iraqis taking place in Iraq since 25 February as vice delivery and the announcement of part of a larger movement across the re- cuts in defence expenditures and govern- gion, Mr. Melkert said the protesters have ment salaries as well as tackling corruption. Mr. Ad Melkert, legitimate concerns about employment Highlighting the UNAMI and UN response the Special Representative of the opportunities, the delivery of basic servic- to support the government’s e!orts, UN Secretary-General for Iraq es and accountability. Mr. Melkert said: “Subject to the govern- a signi#cant decrease. the encouraging reports on the positive ment’s approval and co-#nancing support, atmosphere of the meeting as well as the Mr. Melkert also touched on the violent in- we proposed to implement a list of projects constructive discussions that took place on cidents that took place in Ashraf Camp last that could rapidly be expanded and fast highly sensitive issues for both sides. month resulting in death and injuries. He tracked to address in particular youth em- reiterated that e!orts are needed to stop “I have expressed the hope that both par- ployment, health and nutrition, solid waste violence and aim at peacefully resolving all ties will now seize this unique opportunity management, public distribution of food issues. to show leadership in settling a complex rations, and access to water.” and painful con%ict at a time the region is Referring to the deployment of the Pesh- Mr. Melkert also informed that bilateral do- searching for new perspectives of coopera- merga forces into Kirkuk province, which nors, the World Bank and the UN, will be tion and development as a substitute for occurred outside the Combined Security meeting in May with a cabinet delegation con%ict and stagnation,’ Mr. Melkert added. Mechanism framework, he stressed that to review the policy recommendations re- these events “underscore the need for dis- SRSG Melkert concluded his brie#ng to the lating to Iraq’s economic and social devel- cussion on the future of the triangular Com- Council with a personal note by saying he opment and institutional capacity building bined Security Mechanism and the process had observed “the start of removing end- which were presented to the Government to resolve the country’s disputed internal less lines of concrete T-walls over the past by the Iraq Partners’ Forum in The Iraq Brief- boundaries.” months. It is symbolic of considerable ing Book . progress to overcome years of wars, con- Mr. Melkert reported that some encourag- Turning to the delay in completing the %icts and sanctions that have plagued the ing preliminary progress has been made formation of the Government, Mr. Melkert country, and to bring normality to Iraq’s in- towards a negotiated political agreement. urged Iraqi leaders to “set aside their di!er- ternational standing and the daily life of its “With our assistance, on 27 March an agree- ences and bring the government formation people.” ment was reached by Government o$cials process to a close.” and representatives of the main political In his most recent report on the activities of The country’s stability is still under pres- parties to work with UNAMI on key out- UNAMI, the UN Secretary General, Mr. Ban sure, with terror attacks and sectarian ten- standing issues through a ‘Standing Con- Ki-moon commended Iraq’s political lead- sions continuing, he warned. “As US forces sultation Mechanism’ that would provide a ers for their commitment to dialogue and prepare to leave, Iraq should not be for- forum for preventive multilateral consulta- consensus-building and called on them gotten and the international community tion in cases of potential con%ict,” he added. to complete the formation of their new should stand ready to continue support,” he government and to establish the National Signi#cant progress has also been made stated, noting that the overall trend of se- Council for Strategic Policies. in the Iraq-Kuwait relationship in light of curity incidents in recent months suggests PM Al-Maliki’s historic visit to Kuwait and Interview SRSG Ad Melkert guest of Frost Over the World show he Special Representative of the UN Secretary- General for Iraq (SRSG), Mr. Ad Melkert, was the Tguest of Sir David Frost in his Al-Jazeera Inter- national show, Frost Over the World on 15 April. The following is the full text of the interview on the over- all situation in Iraq: Sir David Frost: Whilst the eyes of the world are on countries like Libya, Syria and Yemen, Iraq has also been having its own protests since late February. Unlike elsewhere though, Iraqis are not seeking re- gime change, but want more jobs, less corruption, better standards of living and, I suppose, more secu- rity too. Meanwhile, America is due to withdraw all its troops by December, but some say the country is SRSG Ad Melkert appears live on Al-Jazeera’s Frost Over the World show as a guest of Sir David Frost. not ready for that yet. So is it? I am joined right now Photo courtesy of Al-Jazeera International TV by the Special Representative in Iraq, Ad Melkert, who has just produced the latest of his three-times- a-year report on the situation. How is the situation www.uniraq.org UNAMI Newsletter 2 right now? I mean, what is life like now were understa!ed after the war was SRSG Ad Melkert: It is di$cult to say. for the Iraqis? Good? Better? Not good technically won. There are still multiple sources of po- enough? tential violence around and, as I said, SRSG Ad Melkert: I think that there is we also see it on everyday basis. It may SRSG Ad Melkert: Not good enough consensus that there was no plan for be on the decline. There certainly may and better at the same time. Better after the invasion, and that it took the be also an impact from what is happen- when one compares it with some years international community a long time ing elsewhere in the region. Because, I ago when there was really bloodshed all to get the kind of support in place, in- think, many countries are now very fo- over the place. Although, still the aver- cluding reconstructing the fabric, so to cused also on their own business, which age number of incidents per day is cer- speak, of Iraqi governance. Now, that is may leave Iraq also, a bit more, to its tainly abnormal. But it is getting better. certainly in better shape, although there own business. Because there was a lot are capacity shortages in many areas, Sir David Frost: How many incidents? of interference from many sides and but increasingly Iraqis show determi- perhaps that o!ers the space and the SRSG Ad Melkert: There are 25 inci- nation to govern, to be more e!ective, opportunity for Iraq to show that is al- dents per day in the whole country. And investors are certainly more interested, ready one stage ahead after the consti- that is certainly not a situation that one particularly in the northern part of the tution, after elections, now trying to put would like to see in the future but the country.

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