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NCCI WEEKLY HIGHLIGHT I t t O a t A b u E i w J c s “ c n Q C B r A o m r F w f a c a n n o o e i r e e a o o T o o s d x f u n e o B m t y f u y h i v e s r n s p m s i h c n r t n r m w r t p I s d C i i g h t o e e i B c m h r “ r s e r e n i e e e h t t g h y l , i e a o e i o p i l n s L i r R M r p , g n a t f n o o v I J r n e b , s C q a w i t s u r h i t l r a u t i I b e d e r n y t p k i a e P e e g a c A B i r t , r s A n e t s . a s u d e i , d A s l . o t o c r s h e n r q n t , S N a o l e n r m r t s e e h r e n n r a t t . h U t m Y i f t a ” t a a s e h i a , o b o n a h s g d r S w h a e 2 o A t o n i t c n d t p a e v f t e t o n e d o T e v i r r 0 i n o i r l h t a o d d o e s m o v e i t t t s e y t e t E n r 0 h c r s t u e e h h n h t e e r a r g L n t f i a 8 d ; e t N i a a r n t r d m e s e n r s T , f o o t i w ’ i e I t s n i n m m , o e B s s e T - r o n a E r f h n e t U S w r e e d e c m a w i o o h y o C d a R e a t a e l , f t o l f n n o q l a , A r a e e t o t h d s j o t i i I T d i u f o o r h o n f I n ’ c n t r , p m c t t i r r r i o w n N s o ’ e e n V n a t a e h r e a n t m s e e t c f d h t T r e A s c q e w t r a t d e e h i o b e A m d u a r l l h g u e t N B e r . w f r f o i r y n a p r h e i f s n i g n n o h r e t r S a m n c e o b g n i e h e s y l a h d e e r o t n t r Y a e a v e h r r a C g c w a c i a t w i a a t d n o l n o i n t t n t a d e w h o e w r y s c t c n B h i t s r g a e n e i n c r u s t e s r a t h k u k s h i e t a o o e d o i a h a s . s i o s l t t h e e s o s g r n W l p r v n t c T A h d s h e e t O r i l e y t k s a h p o t a r n e i i t g t e e r a a f p m . a s t c n e i b c d l g s r s r v i g w a n r r m n n e v e o n e n M s t o , y e a h e i a n e t l , e e s i p e a a n s a n e m w d m o e d a d S i s i l n d t i s o k r i r t z f o e v t n d s c w e s s l i e t l o h e r a C a r p i o n . i a i n b i e i e o n a n e s e c e f t t e s o o h a D c d t c u i n M i w n n n u i p t t t n a r l o r m o e n a a i t e a r o t t t d e e o o n t k o n c o h n s t n e l i e i i n h f 2 l o c s a p r e c h g w f i a w d r a i , a s t a v z t e h 0 n n t l n k a o e t w N l n i u i a e t b M o r a 0 g f a s a o e a n n o e a s v n d e r o B o r f c e r n 3 w 4 l e y l r o s o c e r i e . e d e c r u k e m C t O l t e . t , h n o h m n k c i s n 2 o , e a c r h t m w Y i m i t i N o P , o i p 0 f c t v d a o e o a r t n o 3 i t i r s b r a e e e o 0 i e c b t e r f o t r i m d 0 n e d c n k I o g r t ” w r r n r t w r d i , o A u , f i . g o m a t n v 0 h m a a a s o t s i r I h a m a n h a i t v 0 b a e q r , r r h t t o i l t a i n a d i i e l o 0 e n l y o i a n s h z i s e l y e n o q t C t n e c a s r d a i u g I e r , o w a i A o , A a r e p , N n ” i n s n t i t a d r c n e s f i i a m w o i s o c c d N A y n s o t h b g t t a t s s e o u n h h u h s e n h i n e f i o e o t I u g o d s o l e s e e p e a w s h a r s h u r d a t h s n n r e f i a ’ e n i n a n r t c r f c h a a 1 a c t n c q a c n a e t d v i o a c 1 i r o n o I n u s e o n o b t 4 , d t x d e y a r n u t 3 u s d e e r t t n i n p i . t a 1 e a b s s l l m b h 0 n w g h h d t i f e i s t “ n a n l q a t n a a i , l i r e a a t e a – N c n 0 i y a s s . n t n e o c c s n C , r s t t c t 0 W u a o k t t c s e o o p a r s D h . N u m o , 0 e n r e t s s o e w t t r p e . n “ h u E N l s e i a r p g v e h U t a e o r a a A m t d a a b r e o e c i r o e v a i a d p n c t n n D r f e s e n s r n e c r i a ’ t g v t e p s c i i s a s o t t t i s i a a e d t i e h m s o o i v e a e e n g w e o p l l t s r e e I a e a r n l i v r t r e e h a d w n n d n e o d i b m n T a e e d t h l a w w e o d a d l . a e S d i n n r e d n y t s a i d d m e i t p O n i A a y h , i t t d r e n s t s a n y t c a h p e r o o t a h a t g i h o a t e 3 i a n n e w d i s p g e n e z n t e t I R c n r a 1 i r r h o h f s e f r a d o o w g o w e n a e u u t e t , r e n O e r n s r e v l u q e l I a c l t a p w p i k e r e 2 l l t e s e d b e e m - s - r s A l o s o . r t t t h r 0 a s a a n a i t t v a r i i i v B t b t h c a e h m m m m m s i i 0 t i n o h h e t n c e u e r L e r a a , 8 d d n e e e e a e e a e e e g ” s r t r t t said the staff adjustments reflected the evolution of the conflict in from a story primarily about violence to one about reconstruction and politics.

In , ABC, CBS and NBC still maintain skeleton bureaus in heavily fortified compounds. Correspondents rotate in and out when stories warrant, and with producers and Iraqi employees remaining in Baghdad, the networks can still react to breaking news. But employees who are familiar with the staffing pressures of the networks say the bureaus are a shadow of what they used to be. Some of the offices have only one Western staff member.

The staff cuts appear to be the latest evidence of budget pressures at the networks. And those pressures are not unique to television: many newspapers and magazines have also curtailed their presence in Baghdad. As a consequence, the war is gradually fading from television screens, newspapers and, some worry, the consciousness of the American public.

The TV networks have talked about sharing some resources in Iraq, although similar discussions have stalled in the past because of concerns about editorial independence. Parisa Khosravi, CNN’s senior vice president for international newsgathering, said such talks among the networks were not currently under way.

But journalists in Iraq expect further cooperative agreements and other pooling of resources in the months ahead. ABC and the British Broadcasting Corporation, longtime partners on polling in Iraq, may consolidate some back office operations early in 2009, two people with knowledge of the talks said. The people spoke anonymously because they were not authorized by the networks to talk about the plans.

One result is that, as the war claims fewer American lives, Iraq is fading from TV screens. The three network evening newscasts devoted 423 minutes to Iraq this year as of Dec. 19, compared with 1,888 minutes in 2007, said Andrew Tyndall, a television news consultant.

In the early months of the war, television images out of Iraq were abundant. “But clearly, viewers’ appetite for stories from Iraq waned when it turned from all-out battle into something equally important but more difficult to describe and cover,” Ms. Arraf said. She recalled hearing one of her TV editors say, “I don’t want to see the same old pictures of soldiers kicking down doors.”

“You can imagine how much more tedious it would be to watch soldiers running meetings on irrigation,” she said It is an expensive and dangerous operation to run at a time of diminishing resources and audience interest. “Some news organizations just cannot afford to be there,” Mr. Yon, the independent reporter, said. “And the ones who can are starting to shift resources over to .”

CNN and the Channel, both cable news channels with 24 hours to fill, each keep one correspondent in Iraq. Among newspapers, and The Washington Post continue to assign multiple reporters to the country. The Associated Press and Reuters also have significant operations in Iraq.

Stories from Iraq that are strongly visual — as when an Iraqi journalist tossed two shoes at President Bush this month — are still covered by the networks, though often with footage from freelance crews and video agencies. “But these other stories — ones that require knowledge of Iraq, like the political struggles that are going on — are going uncovered,” Mr. Angotti said.

Mike Boettcher, a Baghdad correspondent for NBC News from 2005 to 2007, said nightly news segments and embed assignments with military units occurred less frequently as the war continued. “Americans like their wars movie length and with a happy ending,” Mr. Boettcher said. “If the war drags on and there is no happy ending, Americans start to squirm in their seats. In the case of television news, they began changing the channel when a story from Iraq appeared.”

A year ago, Mr. Boettcher left NBC after the network rejected his proposal for a “permanent embed” in Iraq and he started the project on his own. In August, he and his son Carlos, 22, started a 15-month embed

NCCI Weekly Highlight 2 Issue 141- 31/12/2008 Create PDF with GO2PDF for free, if you wish to remove this line, click here to buy Virtual PDF Printer assignment with American forces in Iraq. His reporting appears online at NoIgnoring.com. Iraq has been, according to some executives, the most expensive war ever for TV news organizations.

Most of the costs go for the security teams that protect each bureau and travel with reporters. Iraq remains the deadliest country in the world for journalists, according to a report compiled by the Committee to Protect Journalists. On Nov. 30, a National Public Radio correspondent and three local staff members survived an apparent assassination attempt in Baghdad when a bomb detonated under their armored vehicle.

Keeping fewer people stationed in Iraq and traveling on assignment often cuts costs for the news organizations. In an unrelated interview this month, Alexandra Wallace, an NBC News vice president, said the network had correspondents in Iraq “most of the time.”

“If a bomb blew up in the green zone and Richard Engel wasn’t there, we do have an option,” she said. Mr. Engel, NBC’s chief foreign correspondent, rotates in and out of Baghdad.

Mr. Boettcher is not convinced. “Like it or not, the country is at war and there is not a correspondent to cover it,” he said. “Sad.

------Sallaam, NCCI Team1

Contents Page

Iraq Context

International – pg. 5 National – pg. 6 Violence and Security – pg. 8

Iraq Humanitarian Environment and Space

IDPs and Refugees – pg. 10 Human Rights – pg. 12

1 If a link in the NCCI newsletter is not working anymore, it may be because the article has been removed from the open access website. Generally, you can access these articles by clicking here.

NCCI Weekly Highlight 3 Issue 141- 31/12/2008 Create PDF with GO2PDF for free, if you wish to remove this line, click here to buy Virtual PDF Printer Water and Healthcare – pg. 12 Humanitarian Space – pg. 12 Economy – pg. 13 Coordination – pg. 13

Reference Documents – pg. 14

Schedule Updates – pg. 16

Updates and Announcements – pg. 16

______Iraq Context

JInternationalJ

US prepares to handover Baghdad base Christmas Eve, the few soldiers still there spent the Source: Washington Post day packing, emptying rooms and carting out Document: Article boxes. Bulletin boards are bare. The dumbbells and Date: December 24, 2008 workout equipment have been schlepped away. Access: Open A year ago, Forward Operating Base Callahan in northern Baghdad was one of the key U.S. military Shock and Awe replaced by rule of law: US nerve centers in the battered capital. Hundreds of forces must get court approval for raids soldiers slept in crowded rooms. Humvees zipped in Source : The Times (London) and out the gate around the clock to keep a vast Document: Article Date: December 26 , 2008 network of inner-city outposts humming. On Access: Open

NCCI Weekly Highlight 4 Issue 141- 31/12/2008 Create PDF with GO2PDF for free, if you wish to remove this line, click here to buy Virtual PDF Printer US soldiers have had to learn new tactics, develop commit serious offenses while off base and new defences, make new allies and fine-tune the offduty. It will decide what U.S. bases must be way they raid their enemies’ hideouts. Now they closed come June 30. are having to learn another skill in the fight against Iraqi insurgents: applying for an arrest warrant. American exit increases optimism in Commanders at US bases across the country are Falluja preparing for a big change in their ground rules Source : New York Times when the Status of Forces Agreement (Sofa) comes Document: Article into force on January 1. Date: December 29, 2008 Access: Open In Falluja, a town that rises abruptly out of the vast Syrian Desert an hour west of Baghdad, nearly every building left standing has some sort of hole in it. Mosques are without their minarets. Apartment walls have been peeled away by Iraq’s milestone for new year artillery shells. A family’s kitchen is full of tiny holes Source : UPI made by a fragmentary grenade. Of all the places Document: Article fighting has raged since the American invasion Date: December 29, 2008 nearly six years ago, Falluja — the site of two Access: Open major battles and the town where American Iraq reaches a crossroads and a milestone in its security contractors were killed and their bodies post-Saddam history Thursday when it takes full hung from a local bridge — stands out as one of authority and responsibility for the nation's the bloodiest and most intractable. security from American forces. Iraq in the new year can approve, rein in or squelch U.S. combat and security operations; Iraq will decide who can be detained for suspected terrorist offenses; and Iraq can try to jail U.S. troops who Iraq situation still fragile says US General Source: Reuters Document: Report Date: December 23, 2008 Access: Open The situation in Iraq after five years of war is fragile and remains under threat from al Qaeda, possible meddling by and unresolved political tensions, the top U.S. commander in Iraq said on JNationalJ Tuesday. Army General Ray Odierno said a series of elections next year, beginning with provincial IAF has the right to Parliament’s elections on January 31 and culminating in a general election at the end of the year, would be speakership the test of whether Iraq can attain greater Source: Iraq Updates stability. Document: Article Date: December 23, 2008 Access: Open Iraq appeals to exiled professionals to Under agreements between political blocs, the come home Iraqi Accord Front (IAF) has the Source: Reuters right to nominate a candidate for the position of Document: Article the Parliament’s speaker, a spokesperson for the Date: December 23, 2008 front said on Wednesday.“Mahmoud al- Access: Open Mashhadani’s resignation from his position does Iraq has appealed to exiled doctors, university not mean that the front has given up the post,” professors, scientists and other qualified Iraqis to Saleem Abdullah al-Juburi told Aswat al-Iraq. come back now that security has improved, but few exiles said on Tuesday they were ready to return.

NCCI Weekly Highlight 5 Issue 141- 31/12/2008 Create PDF with GO2PDF for free, if you wish to remove this line, click here to buy Virtual PDF Printer At a two-day conference aimed at luring back tens of thousands of skilled Iraqi professionals after Iraq’s children drug addicts, dealers years of war, sanctions and sectarian violence Source: online drove them away, Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki Document: Article asked the elite diaspora to help rebuild Iraq. Date: December 12, 2008 Access: Open Iraqi journalists rue shoe assault In new Iraq, many children do not go to school or Source: IWPR play in the streets but rather hid in corners to take Document: Article drugs or even worse sell them. Ahmed, 12, is one Date: December 19, 2008 of them. "Smoking marijuana makes me happy Access: Open even being orphan," the child, who has lost his The man who flung his shoes at George Bush has parents to the bloody violence, told irritated many of his fellow journalists – even as he IslamOnline.net. "I like to feel the sensation that, is applauded on the streets of Baghdad. Several for a period of time, can help me forget all the Iraqis working in the press have told IWPR they problems I have," said Ahmed, not his real name. fear the actions of TV correspondent Muntadar al- Zaidi will make their jobs harder. Many Iraq’s main Sunni Arab bloc splinters acknowledge the symbolic power of his gesture Source: Reuters and some even admire it. But they also dismiss Document: Article Zaidi as an attention-seeker whose conduct has Date: December 24, 2008 brought their profession into disrepute. Access: Open A quarter of Iraq's largest Sunni Arab parliamentary bloc left on Wednesday, weakening Kirkuk pledges unity in wake of attack the main political voice of the nation's once- Source: IWPR dominant minority. Ten parliamentarians Document: Article Date: December 19, 2008 abandoned the Accordance Front bloc over Access: Open quarrels with fellow members from the Iraqi Kirkuk leaders have vowed that the city will remain Islamic Party, said Khalaf al-Ilayan, who heads the united despite a recent suicide bombing that Iraqi National Dialogue Council, one of the parties appeared to target reconciliation efforts .Once that makes up the bloc. called “Little Iraq” due to its mixed population of Turkomans, Arabs, Kurds and nearly all of Iraq’s Iraq prison riot leaves 13 dead religious communities, Kirkuk is now often referred Source: LA Times to as a “powder keg”, with fears of an explosive Document: Article power struggle over control of the oil-rich city. Date: December 27, 2008 Access: Open A suspected Sunni Arab insurgent with ties to the Turks and Iraqi Kurds Don’t Let Politics group Al Qaeda in Iraq persuaded a prison guard Get in Way of Business to open his cell door, then overpowered him and Source: IWPR stole his weapon, setting off a deadly riot that left Document: Article 13 people dead in Ramadi, west of Baghdad, Date: December 19, 2008 authorities said. Seven detainees, including the Access: Open suspected insurgent, and six police officers were Trade between and Iraqi Kurds is booming, killed in the clash early Friday. but stronger political relations still seem a long way off, say observers. Turkish construction projects can be found all over Thousands demand separate region for northern Iraq, while the region’s supermarket Iraq’s shelves are stacked with consumer products Source: Reuters imported from across the border. However, Document: Article Date: December 27, 2008 analysts told IWPR that this economic activity Access: Open largely reflects the opportunism of Turkish Thousands of protesters in Iraq's southern oil city enterprises, rather than a deeper cooperation of Basra demanded their own federal region on between Turkey and Iraqi Kurdistan. Saturday, akin to minority Kurds' peaceful, prosperous enclave in the country's north. Some

NCCI Weekly Highlight 6 Issue 141- 31/12/2008 Create PDF with GO2PDF for free, if you wish to remove this line, click here to buy Virtual PDF Printer three thousand people took to the streets in mainly Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Barham Salih has Shi'ite Basra, demanding a referendum on whether warned against turning disagreements within the city and surrounding province might become a Iraq's multi-faction government into an Arab- semi-autonomous state. Kurdish conflict.In an interview with the French news agency, AFP, Salih said there are "vicious and Politics of fear enter the homes of widows dangerous" attempts to convert political and Source: The National economic problems in Baghdad into a gulf Document: Article between Iraq's Arab and Kurdish communities. He Date: December 24, 2008 did not say who is behind such attempts. Access: Open Major religious parties in Iraq have been accused Iraq shoe thrower trial postponed of putting pressure on widows in an effort to scare Source: AFP them into voting in the upcoming provincial Document: Article elections. Date: December 30, 2008 Several widows have said they were warned they Access: Open would lose essential government payouts unless Iraq's Central Criminal Court decided on Tuesday to they supported ruling Shiite parties in the January postpone the trial of an Iraqi journalist who won ballot. global fame for throwing his shoes at US President George W. Bush, a court spokesman said. "The Iraqi government to take control of Sunni postponement came after Zaidi's lawyers militia in Diyala presented an appeal to a higher court," Abdel Sattar Beyraqdar told AFP. "The Supreme Criminal Source: McClatchy Document: Article Court decided to postpone the trial of journalist Date: December 27, 2008 Muntazer al-Zaidi until the higher court issues its Access: Open decision," he said, adding that a new trial date This week will see an important test of Iraqi would be set later. reconciliation on Jan. 1, when the Shiite-led central government takes control of Sunni Muslim militias ?ù?ù ?ù?ù?ù?ù?ù?ù?ù ßù?ù?ù?ù?ù?ù?ù ?ù?ù?ù?ù?ùTù?ù?ù ?ù?ùµù?ù ?á?ù?ù?ù?ù?ù that have supported a U.S.-led security program in volatile Diyala province. The province is a fault line ?ð?á?ð?ð?ð?ð of sectarian tensions, with Sunni tribal leaders Iraq votes – audio and video reports fleeing Diyala because of fears that they’d be online targeted by the Baghdad government. Source: Niqash Document: Special reports Date: December 30, 2008 Ex-Hussein officials and others go on trial Access: Open over execution of thousands Source: New York Times Special audio and visual reports on upcoming Document: Article elections from Niqash. Date: December 28, 2008 Access: Open Two dozen people, including some of the most ?á????? ??? ??T?? senior figures of Saddam Hussein’s government, Vote for Iraq went on trial on Sunday for what prosecutors said Source: Unami was their role in the execution of thousands of Document: Blog members of Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki’s Date: December 30, 2008 political party during Mr. Hussein’s rule. Many Access: Open welcomed the action, especially relatives of victims hoping for a measure of long-awaited justice. A new blog site has been launched with the support of the International Election Assistance Team (IEAT) in Baghdad to encourage voters to Iraqi official warns against ethnic divide participate in the country’s nascent political Source: Voice of America process. The site is the newest addition to an Document: Article Date: December 29, 2008 innovative series of initiatives taking place in Access: Open cyberspace to engage voters in discussion and

NCCI Weekly Highlight 7 Issue 141- 31/12/2008 Create PDF with GO2PDF for free, if you wish to remove this line, click here to buy Virtual PDF Printer motivate them to go to polls on January 31 next year.

JViolence and Security IssuesJ

Seven killed in Iraqi bomb blasts Post surge violence: Its extent and nature Source: UPI Source: Iraq Body Count Document: Article Date: December 26, 2008 Access: Open A roadside bomb killed three Iraqi soldiers Friday in Diyala Province, the Diyala Operations Command said. Three other soldiers were hurt when the Document: Report bomb exploded as their patrol passed by, the Date: December 28, 2008 Access: Open Kuwait News Agency KUNA reported. The blast With only a few days of 2008 remaining, the year also damaged several vehicles.The U.S. military so far has seen another 8,315–9,028 civilian deaths announced Friday that a soldier injured by mortar added to the IBC database. This compares to fire near had died of his wounds, al-Sumaria 25,774–27,599 deaths reported in 2006, and reported. The Iraqi news agency also said that a 22,671–24,295 in 2007. This is a substantial drop car bomb killed four people and hurt 25, including on the preceding two years: on a per-day rate, it some police officers. represents a reduction from 76 per day (2006) and 67 per day (2007) to 25 per day in 2008. Car bomb near Iraq shrine kills 24, as Iraqi Shiites’ holiest month approaches US forces suppress terror by hunting Source: New York Times weapons arsenal Document: Article Source: UPI Date: December 27, 2008 Document: Article Access: Open Date: December 29, 2008 A car bomb killed at least 24 people, many of them Access: Open Shiite pilgrims, and wounded 46 others when it Violence is way down in Iraq, but the U.S. armed exploded Saturday on a busy road in Baghdad that forces and the Iraqi National Police are continuing leads to the revered shrine of Kadhimiya, according to net large quantities of the weapons needed to to the Ministry of Interior. That bombing, along sustain terrorist attacks and guerrilla war. In one with several others in re recent operation, U.S. Black Hawk helicopters recent weeks, was a stark reminder that even as nosedived, banked hard to the left and then violence has sharply fallen, insurgents still have the touched down in an open field. Soldiers jumped power to carry out deadly strikes in the heart of out, took three steps and then threw themselves the capital. The attack’s timing and location on the ground, letting a vortex of dust and debris appeared to be intended to reignite sectarian stirred up by the spinning props wash over them passions. before they could sprint to a tree line.

Bus bombing kills as many as 24 in wounding 46 less than a week before the Iraqi Baghdad government is scheduled to assume responsibility Source: LA Times for its security from the United States. Document: Article The attack in the Kadhimiya neighborhood, near a Date: December 28, 2008 popular flea market and bus stop, underscored Access: Open Iraq's continued instability, after days of relative A minibus laden with explosives blew up in a Shiite calm. Muslim neighborhood in west Baghdad on Saturday, killing as many as 24 people and ______-----__

NCCI Weekly Highlight 8 Issue 141- 31/12/2008 Create PDF with GO2PDF for free, if you wish to remove this line, click here to buy Virtual PDF Printer Iraq Humanitarian Environment and Space

JIDPs and RefugeesJ

From fast death to slow death: Palestinan guard could pat them down for suicide vests or refugees from Iraq stuck on the Syria/Iraq dangerous weapons. The juxtaposition of faith and fear is one that resonates across Iraq, where as border violence drops people are cautiously venturing out Source: Refugees International from homes bunkered by blast walls and sand bags Document: Summary report Date: November 2008 and taking up activities abandoned during years of Access: Open bloodshed. Having fled killings, kidnappings, , and death threats, about 3,000 Palestinian refugees Christian refugees from Iraq pack pews in from Iraq are currently stranded in three camps Lebanon along the border between Syria and Iraq. Denied Source: Chicago Tribune asylum and refugee rights, they are extremely Document: Article vulnerable in poorly situated camps. Date: December 26, 2008 Access: Open Greatest gift for Iraqi Christians – In Iraq, the priests routinely celebrate mass in nearly empty churches—if they dare open their returning home church doors at all. Source: LA Times At the Church of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in this Document: Article working-class Christian suburb east of Beirut, Rev. Date: December 26, 2008 Access: Open Joseph Malkoum preaches to an Iraqi congregation Three years ago, a note appeared at Lita Kaseer's that expands every Sunday, swelled by the ranks of door. It contained a bullet and a one-word Christians fleeing Iraq. message: "Leave." Kaseer fled, along with In recent weeks, he has noticed an increase in the hundreds of other Christian families in the Dora number of new faces crowded into the pews as a neighborhood in southwest Baghdad, once a surge in violence directed against Christians in the vibrant Christian community. This year, she northern Iraqi city of Mosul fuels a fresh wave of returned home from Syria, and on Thursday, refugees. attended Christmas Mass with her husband and 7- month-old son. Challenges of forced displacement within "It's always better to come home," said her Iraq husband, Khalid Kamil, 34. "In any other place, you Source: IDMC are a stranger. . . . This is not the way our life Document: Article should be." Date: (updated) December 2008 Access: Open More than 2.8 million people were estimated to On Christmas, Iraqi Christians eye have been internally displaced in Iraq as of uncertain future November 2008. Approximately 1.6 million were Source: Reuters thought to have been displaced by sectarian and Document: Article generalised violence since the Al Askari mosque Date: December 25, 2008 bombing of February 2006, and approximately Access: Open 190,000 more had been displaced by military Rushing to Christmas mass, Iraqis in their Sunday operations and generalised violence from 2003 to best hurried into Baghdad's Sacred Heart church, 2005. pausing just long enough so a uniformed security

NCCI Weekly Highlight 9 Issue 141- 31/12/2008 Create PDF with GO2PDF for free, if you wish to remove this line, click here to buy Virtual PDF Printer Minorities, displacement and Iraq’s future more secure, but he has run out of money and has Source: Brookings been unable to find work. He is thinking of trying Document: Report his luck in Baghdad. Date: December 30, 2008 Hassam Abdul Rahman might join him. Life in Iraq, Access: Open the 42-year-old mechanical engineer says, "is very It is no coincidence that many internally displaced bad." But he, too, has exhausted his savings in persons and refugees are members of minority Syria. groups. In every region of the world, minorities have been repressed, killed and displaced by Iraqis keep low profile in neighboring governments and other armed actors seeking to take over their territory, command their loyalty, states Source: Baltimore Sun and control their actions. Sometimes this has Document: Article occurred in the context of nation-building as Date: December 28, 2008 governments try to assert national control over Access: Open areas traditionally ruled by minorities. These refugees aren't in camps. And that's making it more difficult for aid workers to address their Iran exiles say won safety for Iraq camp growing needs. inmates The great majority of Iraqis who have come to Source: Reuters Syria have settled in and around the capital. Most Document: Article have disappeared into the cosmopolitan Date: December 29, 2008 population of this Middle Eastern hub; many are Access: Open intentionally keeping their profiles low, for fear of Iranian opposition leaders on Monday claimed being caught, detained, and sent back to Iraq. The victory in their campaign to ensure continued U.S. pattern is the same in Jordan, Lebanon and other protection for 3,500 fellow exiles in a camp north Iraqi neighbors. of Baghdad that the Iraqi government says it wants to close. Speaking as a five-month No place to go demonstration in Geneva in support of the camp in Source: Baltimore Sun the township of Ashraf concluded, they said a Document: Article statement from the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad Date: December 29, 2008 meant the people there could stay on in safety. Access: Open Najim Abid Hajwal thought he would be back in A few are willing to risk the return to Baghdad by now. Baghdad The 49-year-old businessman fled Iraq after a Source: Baltimore Sun worker in one of his factories warned that his Document: Article name had appeared on a local hit list. He needed Date: December 30, 2008 no convincing: By then, he says, two of his sons Access: Open had narrowly escaped kidnappers, and a brother Hasem Abed is thinking about going back to Iraq. and a nephew had been shot to death.Still, he The small-time auto trader, 32, left Diyala earlier expected the exile to be brief. Packing up his wife this year after members of a Shia militia destroyed and their seven children, he imagined a sojourn his house. lasting weeks. He says this town outside Damascus has been That was four years ago.

JHuman RightsJ

For Kurdish Girls, a Painful Ancient Ritual Document: Article Source: Washington Post Date: December 29, 2008

NCCI Weekly Highlight 10 Issue 141- 31/12/2008 Create PDF with GO2PDF for free, if you wish to remove this line, click here to buy Virtual PDF Printer Access: Open Document: Article Sheelan Anwar Omer, a shy 7-year-old Kurdish girl, Date: December 29, 2008 bounded into her neighbor's house with an ear-to- Access: Open ear smile, looking for the party her mother had The US Army is investigating allegations that it promised. There was no celebration. Instead, a executed a suspected al Qaeda member in cold local woman quickly locked a rusty red door behind blood during a special forces raid outside Baghdad Sheelan, who looked bewildered when her mother two weeks ago. The military initially issued a ordered the girl to remove her underpants. Sheelan statement saying the killing was provoked when began to whimper, then tremble, while the women the victim "initially complied with Coalition Forces pushed apart her legs and a midwife raised a instructions but then returned inside the house. stainless-steel razor blade in the air. "I do this in When he returned outside, he attempted to the name of Allah!" she intoned. engage the forces with an AK-47."

Did secret US unit execute suspected insurgent in cold blood? Source: CNN

JWater and HealthcareJ

Cholera outbreak in Maysan Source: NCCI Document: Report Date: September-December, 2008 Access: Open A collection of reports and articles about the “cholera outbreak” in Maysan; updated regularly.

JHumanitarian SpaceJ

Iraq humanitarian assistance report Weekly humanitarian report compiled by the Source: Centre of Excellence DMHA Pacific Disaster Management Information Network Document: Weekly report Date: Decmber 24, 2008 Access: Open

JEconomyJ

Hashemi calls for Lebanon investment in in Iraq after security improvement. Al Hashemi Iraq made this call after meeting with Lebanese Prime Source: al-Sumaria Minister Foad Al Siniora especially that Lebanon Document: Article used to be the first trade partner of Iraq. Date: December 24, 2008 Access: Open Winners and losers in Baghdad property Iraqi Vice President Tarek Al Hashemi addressed an boom economic call to Lebanese businessmen to reinvest Source: IWPR

NCCI Weekly Highlight 11 Issue 141- 31/12/2008 Create PDF with GO2PDF for free, if you wish to remove this line, click here to buy Virtual PDF Printer Document: Report Document: Report Date: December 19, 2008 Date: December 28, 2008 Access: Open Access: Open Mohammad Sadun wants to step back in time to THE residents of Shiwashok, a dusty village 2006, when the killings in Baghdad had reached a sprouting from the hard-scrabble landscape of peak – and he still had a house to his name in the Kurdistan in northern Iraq, have simple desires: city's violent Al-Doura district. The 59-year-old drinking water; fuel for the electricity generator; a transport ministry worker says the property he sold toilet for the primary school. Sadi, the village chief, for 40 million Iraqi dinars (34,000 US dollars) two rattled off the wish list to Pradeep Kabra, an years ago would fetch 150 million dinars (128,000 executive from Addax Petroleum who had flown in dollars) on the market today. from Geneva to check on progress at the company’s Taq Taq oilfield. Oil giants are itching to invade Iraq Source: The Times (London)

JCoordinationJ Source: GOI Document: Strategy Paper Coordination Meetings for Iraq Date: March, 2007 Source: NCCI Access: Open Document: Article The National Development Strategy of Iraq for the Date: October 29, 2008 period 2007-2010 Access: Open Details of coordination meetings concerning Iraq.

Iraqi National Development Strategy 2007-2010

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Reference Documents

SOFA Text Strategic Framework Agreement between Source: US Government the US and Iraq Document: Status of Forces Agreement Source: US Government Date: November 2008 Document: SFA Access: Open Date: November 2008 Text of the Status of Forces Agreement between Access: Open the USA and Iraq. Text of the Strategic Framework Agreement between the USA and Iraq.

NCCI Weekly Highlight 12 Issue 141- 31/12/2008 Create PDF with GO2PDF for free, if you wish to remove this line, click here to buy Virtual PDF Printer Date: 2003 Access: Open The Code of Conduct for the ICRC and The UN Security Council Resolution giving MNF-I NGOs in Disaster Relief the mandate to be in Iraq. Source: ICRC Document: Code of Conduct Date: 1994 UN SC Resolution 1790 Access: Open Source: UN The international code of standards for the ICRC Document: SC Resolution Date: 2007 and humanitarian NGOs, working in disaster relief Access: Open situations. The UN Security Council Resolution renewing the MNF-I the mandate to be in Iraq until 31st UN SC Resolution 1830 December 2008. Source: UN Document: SC Resolution Date: 2008 UN SC Resolution 661 Access: Open Source: UN The latest UN Security Council resolution regarding Document: SC Resolution Date: 1990 Iraq and UNAMI. Access: Open The UN Security Council Resolution imposing UN SC Resolution 1770 sanctions on Iraq after the invasion of Kuwait Source: UN Document: SC Resolution Date: 2007 Helsinki II Access: Open Source: CMI Document: Multi-National Agreement The UN Security Council resolution regarding Iraq Date: July 2008 for 2007, including the expanded UNAMI mandate Access: Open The full text of the Helsinki II agreements UN SC Resolution 1546 Source: UN International Reconstruction Fund for Iraq Document: SC Resolution Source: IRFFI Date: 2003 Document: Fund Access: Open Date: 2004 The UN Security Council resolution setting the Access: Open mandate of UNAMI Information about the International Reconstruction Fund for Iraq UN SC Resolution 1500 Source: UN Sphere Standards: English/Arabic Document: SC Resolution Source: Sphere Project Date: 2003 Document: Code of Practice Access: Open Date: 2004 The UN Security Council resolution establishing Access: Open UNAMI The Sphere Charter and Minimum Standards in Disaster Response. International Compact with Iraq Source: GoI Iraq’s Political Structure Document: Compact Source: USAID Date: 2006 Document: Report Access: Open Date: 2008 The International Compact is the initiative of the Access: Open Government of Iraq for a new partnership with the A description of the political structure of Iraq. international community. Iraqi Legal Database UN SC Resolution 1511 Source: ILD Source: UN Document: Database (Arabic) Document: SC Resolution Date: September 2008

NCCI Weekly Highlight 13 Issue 141- 31/12/2008 Create PDF with GO2PDF for free, if you wish to remove this line, click here to buy Virtual PDF Printer Access: Open Date: December 2008 and January 2009 All laws, regulations, constitutions and orders etc. Access: Members of Iraq from 1917to 2008. Air Serv’s timetable for December 2008 and January 2009 Guidelines for relations between US armed forces and NGOs NGO Assistance Office Guidelines for Source: InterAction registering International NGOs in Iraq Document: Guidelines Source: NCCI Date: 2005 Document: Guidelines Access: Open Date: November 2008 Guidelines for relations between US Armed Forces Access: Open and NGOs in hostile or potentially hostile Guidelines of the Iraq Ngo Assistance Office for environments registering international NGOs in Iraq.Please also see the NGO Assistance Office website (in Arabic Air Serv Timetable only at the moment): http://www.ngoao.gov.iq/ Source: NCCI Document: Timetable

Schedule Updates We encourage you to check regularly our Weekly Schedule on our Website for updates.

Ø No meetings this week

NCCI Weekly Highlight 14 Issue 141- 31/12/2008 Create PDF with GO2PDF for free, if you wish to remove this line, click here to buy Virtual PDF Printer Updates & Announcements If you have an announcement, if you are aware of meetings, events, humanitarian update or if you would like to make known some information, please details to [email protected]

Ø NCCI is seeking a new Executive Coordinator. Further details and how to apply for this position can be found here.

Ø Call for candidates for the 30th International Human Rights Training Program, Montreal, Canada, June 14 to July 3, 2009. Further information can be found here

Ø Global WASH Cluster is holding a workshop on the right to water and sanitation in emergencies, 26-27 January 2009, Amman. Further information can be found here

Ø CVs can be uploaded here

Ø CVs can be checked here

Ø Employment opportunities can be examined here

NCCI Weekly Highlight 15 Issue 141- 31/12/2008 Create PDF with GO2PDF for free, if you wish to remove this line, click here to buy Virtual PDF Printer