EDITORIAL Issue 130 – October 09, 2008

Need and greed: corruption risks, perceptions and prevention in humanitarian assistance

Emergency environments present unique corruption risks for agencies operating within them. Relief is delivered amidst weak or absent rule of law, endemic corruption and immense need. The capacities of governments and humanitarian agencies to GHT

I assist affected people are stretched to the limit, and agencies are under pressure to intervene rapidly. Assistance is injected into L resource-poor settings where powerful people have

H disproportionate control over resources. In the case of armed conflicts, predatory economies often develop when influential

G groups attempt to direct these resources for their own ends. I The high level of needs of crisis-affected populations means that

H they can ill-afford corruption that compromises their access to assistance. While humanitarian agencies have taken steps to Y increase accountability and the quality of assistance through the L development of standards such as Sphere, the Humanitarian

K Accountability Partnership and codes of conduct, there remains limited shared analysis about the extent and impact of E corruption in humanitarian assistance. Aid agencies, many of E whom rely on donations to support their operations, are sensitive to how their image and funding could be affected by the negative attention that might result from a corruption scandal, W

I and are therefore often reluctant to talk about corruption openly.

The scale of corruption, corruption risks in specific programming areas and how corruption impacts people affected by emergencies all need to be more fully explored. The following

NCC findings are based on research that has begun this process: mapping risks of corruption in humanitarian assistance; extensive interviews with staff from seven international non-governmental organisations about corruption risks; and case studies on perceptions of corruption among crisis-affected populations in Afghanistan, Liberia, Northern Uganda and Sri Lanka.

Corruption in humanitarian assistance: definition and significance

Transparency International (TI)’s definition of corruption is: ‘the abuse of entrusted power for private gain’, including financial corruption such as fraud, bribery and kick-backs. It also encompasses non-financial forms of corruption, such as the manipulation or diversion of humanitarian assistance to benefit non-target groups; the allocation of relief resources in exchange for sexual favours; preferential treatment in the assistance or hiring processes for family members or friends; and the coercion and intimidation of staff or beneficiaries to turn a blind eye to or participate in corruption.

Corruption is notoriously hard to quantify. Indices rely on perceptions of how much corruption occurs, rather than data on losses. There is also ambiguity between corruption and wastage, mismanagement and gross inefficiency; a report on the Hurricane Katrina response, for example, noted that contracts worth an estimated $8.75 billion were plagued by the mutually reinforcing problems of ‘waste, fraud, abuse and mismanagement’. The narrow focus on financial forms of corruption and limited inter- and intra-agency dialogue on corruption ‘cases’ add to the difficulty of describing its scale. Because those affected by crisis have limited information to determine whether corruption is hindering their access to assistance and few channels to report such problems, agencies may not grasp the scope of corruption related to assistance in these communities.

Identifying the risks

Types of corruption risks and high-risk areas are better understood than issues of scale. From community leaders subverting the targeting process to logisticians accepting bribes to award contracts, the lists of areas where corruption can occur is long.

Interpretations of what acts constitute corruption differ according to contexts, cultures and individuals. Perceived corruption may or may not fall under a standard interpretation of ‘abuse of entrusted power for private gain’. For example, kinship and social networks may play a greater role in business interactions than in Western cultures, whereby ‘kickbacks’ and hiring or making purchases through relatives is considered normal practice – even one that ensures the quality of goods and services. For aid recipients, leaders benefiting disproportionately from assistance may be seen as an acceptable privilege, while aid agencies transporting undistributed relief supplies back to their warehouses may be perceived as the theft or diversion of relief commodities ‘belonging’ to those affected by the crisis. There is also the ethical question of whether the exaggeration of needs by crisis-affected populations is ‘corruption’ or a survival strategy when access to critical resources has been lost. Despite these issues, certain processes, sectors,

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programme support areas and methods of engagement in humanitarian assistance are considered by aid agency staff and aid recipients alike as particularly vulnerable.

Food aid, construction and other highly valued assistance are perceived as at highest risk of corruption. Bountiful and highly prized in humanitarian contexts, food aid can be diverted physically during transport and storage, or indirectly through the manipulation of assessments, targeting, registration and distributions to favour certain groups or individuals. In construction and shelter, the copious opportunities for diversion and profit through substandard workmanship, kickbacks for contracts and favouritism in the delivery of valuable shelter material make it a high-risk sector. Other commodities, such as expensive and scarce drugs, fishing boats and tents, are a target for diversion because of their value. In Sri Lanka following the tsunami, corruption was perceived in the allotment of newly constructed houses according to political support and affiliation, rather than need. In Northern Uganda, payment for inclusion on recipient lists was associated with highly valued tents and non-food items. In Liberia, diversion was chiefly related to food aid and medicines.

The assessment, targeting and registration of recipients determines ‘who gets what’ in humanitarian assistance. Efforts by aid agencies to reach the ‘right’ people are challenged by attempts to distort information, direct assistance to certain groups or solicit bribes for inclusion in assistance.

Whereas aid agencies are most concerned about ‘inclusion errors’ because this diverts their resources, recipients themselves are most concerned about exclusion. For people affected by crisis, being registered as a camp resident, for a food ration card, or home reconstruction or other assistance is the primary entry-point to accessing aid. Perceived corruption includes the deliberate inclusion of non-eligible households and the exclusion of eligible ones, multiple registration and bribes or sexual favours for inclusion on beneficiary lists. Refusing to submit to extortion can affect access to assistance, as in Liberia, where women have reported not receiving food aid because they would not have sex with camp leaders. Corruption in registration can also take the form of manipulating household statistics (e.g. family size) to increase or decrease assistance packages, the trafficking of fake ration cards and the sale of ration cards by those responsible for distributing them. The perceived ‘gains’ to those responsible include helping friends and family, rewarding supporters, punishing enemies or obtaining money, sex and increased assistance that can be gifted, used or sold.

Corruption in the distribution of material assistance occurs when those in charge of doling it out control the amounts or have the discretion to give it to people who are not registered for it. The distribution of pre-packaged food

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(rather than using scoops, which can be filled to varying amounts), using beneficiary lists in addition to beneficiary/ration cards (rather than only using cards), and direct oversight by aid agencies all reduce this discretion. Announcing the type and quantity of assistance enables recipients to determine if they received the correct amount. Even if people receive the correct amount, local elites can impose ‘taxes’ once the distribution is over and the aid agency has left. In Afghanistan, one bus driver reported that camp leaders would hire his truck once a week to take relief commodities to the local market – items that were either never distributed or were taken from people by force.

Among programme support areas, procurement and financial management provide numerous possibilities for fraud and collusion, compelling aid agencies to develop detailed procedures and regulations for these functions. The greatest risk in human resources is the favouring of certain groups in hiring, and the pressure to engage staff rapidly in emergencies may lead to procedural short-cuts that increase risks of corruption, such as skipping or delaying background checks and inductions. Logistics, particularly the transport of goods, storage in secondary warehouses and vehicle and fleet management, presents opportunities such as corruptly diverting goods and fuel by the staff involved. One scam involves removing relief items from pre- packaged kits that are normally not weighed, such as household non-food item kits, which are then resealed so as to appear unmolested.

The relationships and structures through which aid agencies implement their programmes create their own risks. Working through local partners builds local capacity to respond to emergencies, can increase local accountability and might provide greater knowledge of local power relations, but partnerships may also decrease oversight in comparison to the direct implementation of programmes. Partners could engage in any of the risk areas mentioned above; aid agencies often lack clear and predefined response strategies should corruption occur in partnership arrangements. Engaging through committees elected by crisis-affected populations opens these groups to potential control by local elites, while local leaders, often an asset in reaching people in need because of their influence and intimate knowledge of their communities, can use this power to divert assistance to unintended recipients. Corruption poses a threat in any process that passes through gate-keepers – people or groups who control access to information and assistance. The ‘best’ way for an agency to engage depends not on an isolated focus on corruption risks but on a variety of factors. However, many agencies shy away from analysing the risks inherent in these methods of engagement. Aid agencies’ policies, procedures and ethical standards are seldom specific to corruption or emergency settings; rather, they are measures with the intent or effect of preventing fraud and abuse, commingled with other procedures in finance, procurement, logistics, human

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resources and programming guidelines: codes of conduct, sexual exploitation policies, audits, spending and approval limits, adaptation of procedures to emergency settings, deployment of special surgecapacity staff, segregation of duties, rotation of key staff, complaints mechanisms, communication of information on entitlements, training on organisational values and the use of committees in hiring, contracting and procurement.

Agencies have also developed measures that directly address corruption risks in emergencies. ‘Whistle-blower’ policies are confidential mechanisms designed to encourage aid agency staff to report corruption. The effectiveness of these relatively new procedures is an open question, but many staff are simply not aware of their existence and perceive disincentives to reporting corruption, such as reduced job security or creating grudges. They are generally not accessible to local partners or aid recipients.

‘Zero tolerance’ policies can reduce corruption by conveying to local actors that the agency does not engage in corrupt actions, but can also discourage open discussion of corruption pressures by reinforcing taboos. One humanitarian worker described such a policy as a ‘dreamer’s opinion’, while others understand ‘zero tolerance’ as meaning that corruption must be addressed openly by the agency. In areas with endemic corruption, agencies may avoid direct involvement but end up ‘outsourcing’ corruption to intermediaries, transporters or even partners and lower-level staff, implicitly using a ‘don’t ask, don’t tell policy’ to accomplish tasks requiring bribery.

Actions taken by aid agencies in preparing for and undertaking emergency responses directly and indirectly address certain high-risk corruption areas. Inter-agency coordination offers a forum for sharing blacklists of contractors and discussing consolidated approaches for dealing with corrupt authorities. Developing a surge capacity of trained staff, including finance and procurement staff, who can deploy quickly to establish or support humanitarian operations reduces the risks inherent in the rapid scale-up of programmes. Establishing policies specific to emergency humanitarian programming (e.g. to permit rapid hiring and procurement) reduces the likelihood that standard procedures will be ineffective or unofficially short- circuited. Emergency preparedness should take into account corruption risks as time pressures in the early stages of response leave little space for this analysis; however, this is rarely done by aid agencies.

Policies alone are inadequate to address corruption risks. There is a clear gap between policy development in agency headquarters and implementation in the field. Project monitoring – key in verifying the effectiveness of systems, detecting corruption and more generally a standard good practice part of programme quality, learning and accountability – continues to be hampered by under-investment. Aid agencies are increasingly committed to enhancing

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accountability through complaints mechanisms and community participation in assessments, registration and targeting, but time, staff and training are still too limited. Even the basic act of communicating information about aid entitlements is not always undertaken.

When channels for aid recipients to file complaints do exist, fear of losing access to assistance discourages the reporting of corruption against those who control it. Yet complaints are often routed through the very aid governance systems responsible for the two high-risk areas of targeting and registration. Complaint mechanisms that require literacy or amount to symbolic gestures that do not result in action or resolution are likewise discouraging and ineffective. Aid recipients distinguish – and can identify by name – agencies that address their complaints and ones that do not. In Northern Uganda, whether or not these agencies had official complaints mechanisms was of little consequence in their ability to address complaints, evidenced by the fact that the one agency that actually had a complaints desk was considered the least responsive by aid recipients.

No system is fool-proof; it ultimately boils down to the individuals who operate it. However, human resources in emergencies has not received nearly as much emphasis as finance and procurement functions, even though successfully implementing programmes and addressing corruption risks depend on the quality and commitment of staff. Aid agency staff believe that organisational values, when communicated and reinforced through training, opportunities for advancement, appraisals and examples set by senior managers, promote honesty and loyalty to the agency. Finding the balance between trusting and empowering staff and partners on the one hand and control and effective verification on the other is complicated by the power imbalances between international aid agencies and local partners, and between expatriate and national staff.

The practices of individual aid agencies that address corruption risks have not been accompanied by system-wide analysis and action in the humanitarian community to promote information-sharing and joint action. In particular, coordination forums could be used to develop common strategies dealing with specific emergency environments where corruption is endemic.

Conclusion

Corruption poses a serious threat in the complex endeavour of humanitarian assistance – to the people trying to access life-saving resources, to the ability of agencies to programme assistance in exploitative and corrupt settings and to the reputations of all actors involved in saving lives and alleviating suffering in the wake of crisis. The extent to which agency practices that mitigate corruption risks do or do not slow down responses in the early stages of a crisis

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needs to be further explored, but there are clear steps that agencies can take. Reports, evaluations, guidelines and good practice reviews recommend investment in programme quality and accountability to aid recipients; preventing corruption is yet one more reason why these measures are essential. Humanitarian agencies can benefit from examining anti- corruption tools and strategies developed by institutions outside of the humanitarian world, and a handbook focusing on preventing corruption in humanitarian assistance is being developed by Transparency International. Donors can help by providing more resources for audits and monitoring, increasing the flexibility with which funds are allocated to programme support and quality enhancement functions, and refraining from pressuring agencies to unnecessarily accelerate spending. The humanitarian enterprise is inherently risky, and aid agencies and donors need to have realistic expectations about delivering relief in contexts where corruption and diversion are all but inevitable. Addressing corruption risks might not itself make headlines, but it may prevent attention grabbing scandals about greed, abuse and wastage. More importantly, it supports the fundamental objective of humanitarian assistance: to provide assistance wherever it is needed, to the people who need it.

Sarah Bailey Humanitarian Policy Group: Policy Brief 32 (Edited)

------Sallaam, NCCI Team

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______Iraq Context

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Document: Article ﺗﻌﻤﻞ اﻷﻣﻢ اﻟﻤﺘﺤﺪة ﻟﺘﻌﺰﻳﺰ اﻟﻌﺪاﻟﺔ واﻟﻨﺰاهﺔ ﻓﻲ اﻟﻌﺮاق Date: September 29, 2008 UN Works to Strengthen Justice and Access: Open Integrity in Iraq The United Nations today launched a five- Source : UN year plan to help Iraq prevent and Document: Article (Arabic and English) combat corruption, a key element in the Date: September 29 , 2008 Government’s efforts to rebuild the Access: Open fledgling democracy after years of strife and misrule. “In the past, Iraq’s national ﻓﻴﻴﻨﺎ ﻓﻲ 29 أﻳﻠﻮل/ ﺳﺒﺘﻤﺒﺮ (ﻣﺮآﺰ اﻷﻣﻢ اﻟﻤﺘﺤﺪة wealth was stolen, its public assets were ﻟﻠﻤﻌﻠﻮﻣﺎت -) أﻃﻠﻖ ﻣﻜﺘﺐ اﻷﻣﻢ اﻟﻤﺘﺤﺪة ﻟﻤﻜﺎﻓﺤﺔ squandered, and its common wealth was اﻟﻤﺨﺪرات واﻟﺠﺮﻳﻤﺔ (UNODC) وﺑﺮﻧﺎﻣﺞ اﻷﻣﻢ dished out to cronies of the regime. The اﻟﻤﺘﺤﺪة اﻹﻧﻤﺎﺋﻲ (UNDP) ، اﻟﻴﻮم، ﺑﺮﻧﺎﻣﺞ اﻟﺨﻤﺲ anti-corruption system needs a complete ﺳﻨﻮات ﻟﻤﻜﺎﻓﺤﺔ اﻟﻔﺴﺎد ﻓﻲ اﻟﻌﺮاق. The United Nations Office on Drugs and overhaul,” said Antonio Maria Costa, Crime (UNODC) and the United Nations Executive Director of the UN Office for Development Programme (UNDP) today Drugs and Crime (UNODC). “By ratifying launched a five-year programme to fight the United Nations Convention against corruption in Iraq. Corruption (UNCAC) last March, the Government of Iraq demonstrated its SRSG Staffan de Mistura Urges commitment to fight corruption. The UN is Reinstating Article 50 in the Election providing the tools to do the job,” he added. Law Source : UN Document: Article Iraq Index Date: October 2 , 2008 Source: Brookings Institute Access: Open Document: Report The Special Representative of the United Date: September 30, 2008 Access: Open Nations Secretary General for Iraq (SRSG) A report tracking the variables of Staffan de Mistura said the United Nations reconstruction and security in post- is concerned at the extraction of Article 50 Saddam Iraq. bearing on minority rights, from the provincial election law passed on 24 September 2008. Mr. de Mistura said, “I Kirkuk Conference in the European was surprised and disappointed that Parliament Article 50 was not included in the Source : SOITM Foundation provincial elections law.” He added, Document: Report “Article 50 has the backing of minority Date: Octobr 2, 2008 Access: Open groups, political blocs and UNAMI and The report of conference hold in the should now be reinstated into the European Parliament entitled "Kerkuk legislation as soon as possible so minorities Problem and Article 140: Defining can participate in the upcoming elections Alternatives. The Views of Kerkuk’s Turkmen to be held sometime before 31 January and Arabs” and Organized by the Iraqi 2009.” Turkmen Human Rights Research

Foundation (SOITM) in partnership with

Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Iraq’s anti-corruption efforts receive Organization (UNPO) with the assistance of boost from UN partners the office of Ms. Ana Maria Gomes, Source: UN Member of the European Parliament.

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Access: Open Egyptian foreign minister visits Iraq Iraqi Premier Nuri al-Maliki said Monday Source : Reuters that the government was ready to Document: Article compromise to reach a security accord Date: October 5 , 2008 with the United States, saying the country Access: Open still needs US troops despite the recent Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul drop in violence. The speech came after a Gheit made an unannounced visit to Iraq deadly spate of attacks took the lives of on Sunday and promised to reopen an 35 Iraqis Sunday night. In an interview with embassy in Baghdad soon, the latest sign The Associated Press, Maliki said neither he that fellow Arab nations are slowly nor Iraq's Parliament will accept any pact restoring ties. Aboul Gheit was that falls short of the country's national accompanied by Egypt's Oil Minister interests. A poorly constructed plan would Sameh Fahmy in the first high-level provoke so much discord inside Iraq that it Egyptian delegation to Iraq since al could threaten his government's survival, Qaeda killed Egypt's envoy to Baghdad in he said. Maliki said, however, that he was 2005. Washington and Baghdad have firmly committed to reaching an accord long complained that other Arab states, that would allow US troops to remain in the mostly run by Sunni Muslims, have given country beyond next year. the Shi'ite-led government in Baghdad the cold shoulder since the fall of Saddam Czechs to withdraw most of its Hussein, even as non-Arab Iran has troops from Iraq increased its clout. There has been some Source: IHT progress in recent months, however, with Document: Article the leaders of Jordan and Lebanon Date: October 1, 2008 making visits to Baghdad and the United Access: Open Arab Emirates sending an ambassador, The Czech government approved a the first Arab envoy based in Baghdad Defense Ministry plan to withdraw 15 of its since the slaying of the Egyptian. 20 troops from Iraq and increase the number of troops in Afghanistan by 230 New Zealand extends role in UNAMI next year, an official said Wednesday. Source: MET Czech officials consulted with the Document: Article country's allies about the withdrawal from Date: September 30, 2008 Iraq, Deputy Defense Minister Martin Access: Open Bartak said. He said the remaining The government of New Zealand Tuesday servicemen will train Iraqi officers. Earlier said it would extend its obligation to the this year, the Czech Republic withdrew 80 U.N. Assistance Mission in Iraq for another of its 100 troops from Iraq. The number of year to December 2009. New Zealand Czech troops serving in the NATO-led Defense Minister Phil Goff said that with International Security Assistance Force in the extension of the UNAMI mission to Afghanistan will reach 645 next year, August 2009, the country was obligated to Bartak said. Up to 415 Czech servicemen extend the presence of its military liaison can serve in the peacekeeping force in officer to the peacekeeping mission there. Afghanistan this year Goff noted New Zealand had maintained an officer with UNAMI since 2004, in addition to providing more than $17 million in humanitarian relief, the New Zealand US close to security deal with Iraq: government said in a statement Tuesday. Negroponte Maliki says Iraq ready to Source: Yahoo (AFP) Document: Article compromise on US security pact Date: October 4, 2008 Source: DS Access: Open Document: Article US and Iraqi officials are "very close" to an Date: September 30, 2008 agreement on a controversial security

NCCI Weekly Highlight 9 Issue 130- 09/10/2008 pact that would decide the future of US near a border outpost, in the rebels' single forces in Iraq, US Deputy Secretary of State deadliest attack against Turkish forces this John Negroponte said here on Saturday. year. Retaliatory strikes by Turkish "Negotiations are still on and there are warplanes, helicopter gunships and heavy very few issues still pending," Negroponte artillery into northern Iraq killed at least 23 told reporters in Arbil after meeting Massud of the Kurdish rebels, Brig. Gen. Metin Barzani, the president of the northern Gurak, a Turkish military spokesman, told Kurdish administration of Iraq. "We are very reporters in Ankara, the capital. Turkey close to reaching an agreement. It's not said its forces were seeking two soldiers wise to reveal the details until we reach a abducted during the fighting. A local final agreement, and we hope to reach a civilian official at the scene said final agreement very soon," said helicopters were patrolling the skies over Negroponte, who arrived in Iraq on Friday the border. Most of Turkey's casualties on a previously unannounced visit. Barzani occurred in fighting Friday near an army said the deal should be signed as it "was in post in the village of Aktutun, six miles from the interest of both the parties." the border, Gurak said.

Turkish military says its warplanes Turkey extends mandate for n. Iraq strike PKK bases in N Iraq operations Source: Xinhua Source: Reuters Document: Article Document: Article Date: October 6, 2008 Date: October 8, 2008 Access: Open Access: Open The Turkish General Staff said on Sunday Turkey's parliament on Wednesday that its warplanes have bombed the rebel approved a government request to bases of the banned Kurdish Workers' Party extend a mandate to launch military (PKK) in northern Iraq. The Turkish warplane operations against Kurdish rebels in hit the PKK bases in Avasin Basyan region northern Iraq, days after a cross-border in northern Iraq on Saturday after a PKK attack killed 17 soldiers. Prime Minister Friday attack that killed some 15 Turkish Tayyip Erdogan and the military have soldiers in southeastern province of pledged to step up a campaign to crush Hakkari, the military said in a statement. separatist guerrillas of the Kurdistan The statement said that the warplanes Workers Party (PKK) based in Iraq after have all safely returned to their bases. Friday's attack, the deadliest against the Earlier on Saturday, the Turkish military said military in a year. The vote, which had that 15 of its soldiers were killed when the been widely expected to pass, was PKK attacked Aktutun Gendarmerie approved by 511 to 18, a ruling AK Party Border Unit in Semdinli town in Hakkarion lawmaker told Reuters. The figures were province on Friday afternoon from later confirmed by parliament officials. northern Iraq. Twenty-three PKK militants Shortly before the vote, three police were also killed in the clashes between the trainees and a civilian were killed and 22 PKK and Turkish security forces, the military other people were wounded in an attack added. on a police bus in southeast Turkey, police said.

Turkey Presses Iraqis After Attack by Macedonia to withdraw troops Rebels from Iraq by year end Source: WP Source: Xinhua Document: Article Document: Article Date: October 5, 2008 Date: October 7, 2008 Access: Open Access: Open Turkey pressed neighboring Iraq on Macedonia is going to pull out its Saturday to take action against Kurdish peacekeepers in Iraq this December, rebels after they killed 15 Turkish soldiers Macedonian Defense Minister Zoran

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Konjanovski said on Tuesday. "The mission El Salvador's president says he'll keep has come to an end as the local troops in Iraq alongside U.S. forces as long authorities are now capable of taking as Baghdad needs them. President Tony care of themselves," news reaching here Saca estimates that could be "one more from Skopje quoted Konjanovski as saying. year," but says it depends on Macedonia has a contingent of 77 troops circumstances. He says his country will be stationed in the town of Taji, 95 kilometers there "with the coalition until it finishes north of Iraqi capital of Baghdad. its work." In his words, "We're going to finish Konjanovski said the troops will be pulled what we started." El Salvador has about out in the second half of December. 280 soldiers in Iraq and is the only Latin Konjanovski also said Macedonia will American nation that has had forces there always be ready to respond to NATO calls since the war started in 2003. Five for deployment of its soldiers wherever Salvadoran soldiers have died serving in they are needed. Macedonia has troops the Middle Eastern nation. Saca spoke serving in hot spots including Afghanistan. Monday while presenting medals to troops Macedonia hopes to join NATO, but at the returning from a six-month stint in Iraq. alliance's summit at Bucharest, capital of Romania in April its efforts were thwarted Stable Iraq could influence Mideast by Greece over name dispute between Source: Yahoo (AP) the two neighbors. Document: Article Date: October 3, 2008 Polish military marks close of Iraq Access: Open As violence in Iraq recedes, neighboring mission states are pondering how to deal with an Source: Reuters unwieldy country that could re-emerge as Document: Article a key player along with Saudi Arabia and Date: October 4, 2008 Access: Open Iran in one of the world's most strategic The Polish military marked the end of its regions. The role of regional power broker five-year partnership with U.S. forces in Iraq may seem far-fetched for Iraq — a on Saturday and prepared to withdraw. devastated land best known for car U.S. and Polish officials, including Polish bombs, death squads and suicide Defense Minister Bogdan Klich and U.S. attackers. Still, countries of the Middle East commander in Iraq General Ray Odierno, cannot ignore the potential role of a gathered in Diwaniya, 150 km (95 miles) resurgent Iraq, a nation of 28 million south of Baghdad, for a ceremony to people, bordering Iran to the east, Syria commemorate the mission's end. Poland, and Jordan to the west and sitting on one which supported the U.S.-led military of the world's major pools of oil. For those invasion in 2003, has some 900 troops reasons, the United States cannot afford to stationed in Iraq, down from a peak of lose focus on Iraq, which will remain a 2,500 in the first years of the war. Poland strategic and important country even was the only country other than the United after the last of the 140,000 American States and Britain to command a full soldiers have gone home. division of foreign troops in Iraq, and contingents from several other countries Battle for business begins as military initially served under Polish command in a hostilities in Iraq take peaceful turn broad area south of Baghdad. Source: The Times Document: Article El Salvador president vows to keep Date: October 6, 2008 Access: Open troops in Iraq A fall in the number of attacks across Iraq Source: IHT has emboldened a growing list of Document: Article companies, including ArcelorMittal, Royal Date: October 6, 2008 Dutch Shell and Cairn Energy, to explore Access: Open opportunities in the resources-rich country

NCCI Weekly Highlight 11 Issue 130- 09/10/2008 for the first time since the invasion. Since violence has significantly decreased Southern Iraq, where British forces have to four-year lows across Iraq in past been based since 2003, is an area of months, the Polish military marked the end particular interest, sitting on one of the of its five-year partnership with US forces in world’s biggest oil and gas reserves. It also Iraq on Saturday (October-4). A ceremony has a strong industrial and agricultural to commemorate the mission’s end was base and the country’s only port. In a held in Diwaniya, 95 miles (150 km) south reminder of the dangers that have kept of Baghdad, and US and Polish officials investors at bay, a bomb exploded were in attendance. Poland has yesterday in the path of a convoy of supported the US-led military invasion Western contractors in the main southern since 2003 and had originally contributed city of Basra. No one in the convoy was 2,500 troops during the first years of the hurt. war. The remaining 900 troops are preparing to withdraw. Other than the US, Arab League Ambassador Arrives Poland is the only country to command a in Baghdad full division of foreign troops in Iraq. With Source: WP most casualties occurring in 2004, more Document: Article than 20 Polish soldiers have died in Iraq. Date: October 7, 2008 (Reuters, October-4) Similarly, after a five- Access: Open year engagement, Macedonia will pull out The Arab League dispatched an its troops from Iraq by the end of 2008, the ambassador to Baghdad on Monday, the defense minister said. They have been latest sign of progress in the Iraqi and U.S. part of the US-led Iraq military mission since effort to ease this country's diplomatic 2003 and the remaining contingent of 77 isolation. Hani Khalaf arrived a day after soldiers will leave the military base in the the first visit by an Egyptian foreign minister town of Taji, 60 miles (95 km) north of in 18 years. The previous envoy of the 22- Baghdad, and will most likely be re- member Arab League quit in January deployed to Afghanistan. (Reuters, 2007, criticizing Arab countries for not October-7) doing more to ease Iraqis' suffering. The U.S. government has urged the Sunni- Juan Cole’s informed comment’s dominated Arab governments in the excerpt region to reestablish ties with Iraq's Shiite- Source: Informed Comment – Juan Cole’s Web led government. Many have been Blog. hesitant because of violence here and Document: Selection of daily comments concerns that they could appear to be Date: September 19-24, 2008 endorsing the U.S.-led invasion of 2003. In Access: Open addition, some nations are wary about the Juan Cole is a Professor of Modern Middle close ties the Iraqi government has East and South Asian History at the developed with Iran. University of Michigan. As such he brings daily much needed expertise and Iraq Crisis Report (IraqHAR) historical perspective to issues surrounding Source: Centre of Excellence on Disaster Iraq, Afghanistan and the Middle East. Management and Humanitarian Assistance Good reading to have a weekly review of Document: Weekly report the Iraq daily situation. Date: September 24, 2008 Access: Open

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Confusion over Sunni role in Iraq Document: Article Source: MET Date: September 30, 2008

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Access: Open Date: October 1, 2008 Media reports touting the role of the Access: Open Awakening councils in the fight against al- The dust storms that have blanketed Qaida point to confusion over sectarian Baghdad, making it hard to see for much distinctions in Iraq, a study shows. Several of the summer, seem a metaphor for the media outlets use the term Awakening times. The security situation is indisputably councils and Sons of Iraq interchangeably, good. Violence is down. Parliament whereas the former is a Sunni tribal passed both a law to hold a census for the political entity and the latter a U.S.- first time in more than three decades and backed paramilitary force, a report by The a provincial election law that would allow Foundation for Defense of Democracies the balloting to be held in all but one notes. The Anbar Awakening, the report province by the end of January. This is highlights, formed in 2006 under the clear progress. But look harder at this leadership of Abdul Sattar Abu Risha to moment — even at the passage of the establish an emergency provincial election law — and it is possible to make government after al-Qaida had disabled out paths leading either to failure or to much of the leadership there. He was success. From the American standpoint, assassinated in late 2007, and his brother, elections are a good thing, a chance to Ahmed Abu Risha, assumed leadership of sort out the division of power peacefully. the Awakening councils. The Awakening Elections would allow a number of groups did not form an official provincial now excluded from the political mix to government; however, it has maintained a have a place at the table. Chief among working relationship with Baghdad them are representatives of tribal Sunnis Is Kurdish-Arab "Honeymoon" Over? and impoverished Shiites. Source: IPS ﺗﺴﻴّﺐ وﻇﻴﻔﻲ ﻓﻲ اﻟﺒﺮﻟﻤﺎن وﻣﺆﺳﺴﺎت Document: Article اﻟﺪوﻟﺔ Date: September 30, 2008 Access: Open Offices without workers Tensions between Kurds and the Iraqi Source: Niqash government over disputed territory have Document: Article heightened recently, raising fears that Date: October 1, 2008 they might lead to ethnic clashes Access: Open ﻋﻨﺪﻣﺎ ﺗﺮوم ﺑﺎﻟﺪﺧﻮل إﻟﻰ داﺋﺮة ﺣﻜﻮﻣﻴﺔ ﻓﺎﻧﻚ between Kurds and Arabs at a time when ﺳﺘﻼﺣﻆ وﻋﻠﻰ اﻟﻔﻮر ﺣﺠﻢ ﺗﺴﻴﺐ وﻏﻴﺎﺑﺎت the war-torn country is slowly recovering ﻣﻮﻇﻔﻴﻬﺎ، وهﺬا اﻟﻤﺸﻬﺪ ﻳﺘﻜﺮر ﻓﻲ ﻣﻌﻈﻢ دواﺋﺮ from years of sectarian violence between اﻟﺪوﻟﺔ اﻟﻌﺮاﻗﻴﺔ وﻓﻲ أآﺜﺮ ﻣﻦ وزارة، وﺻﻮﻻ إﻟﻰ Shia and Sunni Arabs. Last month, the Iraqi ﻣﺠﻠﺲ اﻟﻨﻮاب (اﻟﺒﺮﻟﻤﺎن) اﻟﻌﺮاﻗﻲ. ﻓﻠﻢ ﺗﺤﺪ اﻟﻘﺮارات Army deployed units to areas under اﻟﺘﻲ أﺻﺪرﺗﻬﺎ اﻟﻬﻴﺌﺔ اﻟﺮﺋﺎﺳﻴﺔ ﻟﻠﺒﺮﻟﻤﺎن ﻣﻦ اﻟﻐﻴﺎﺑﺎت Kurdish control in volatile northern Diyala اﻟﻤﺘﻜﺮرة ﻟﻼﻋﻀﺎء ﻋﻦ ﺟﻠﺴﺎت اﻟﻤﺠﻠﺲ اﻟﻨﻴﺎﺑﻲ ، Province, as part of its "Operation Good واﺧﺬ اﻟﺒﻌﺾ ﻣﻨﻬﻢ ﻳﺼﺮ ﻋﻠﻰ اﻟﺘﺴﻴﺐ واﻟﻐﻴﺎب ﺑﺄﻋﺬار Tidings" to expand government authority وﺣﺠﺞ ﻣﺨﺘﻠﻔﺔ واﻟﺒﻌﺾ اﻷﺧﺮ ﻻ ﻳﻜﻠﻒ ﻧﻔﺴﻪ أ ﺻﻼ over the area. The centre of the ﺑﺘﻘﺪﻳﻢ أﻋﺬار ﻟﻐﻴﺎﺑﻪ اﻟﻤﺴﺘﻤﺮ. وﻳﻘﻮل اﻟﻘﺎﺿﻲ واﺋﻞ controversial move was Khanaqin, 140 ﻋﺒﺪ اﻟﻠﻄﻴﻒ اﻟﻨﺎﺋﺐ اﻟﻤﺴﺘﻘﻞ ﻓﻲ اﻟﺒﺮﻟﻤﺎن "أن kilometres northeast of Baghdad. It is a اﻟﻐﻴﺎﺑﺎت اﻟﻤﺘﻜﺮرة ﻟﻸﻋﻀﺎء أﺛﺮت آﺜﻴﺮا ﻋﻠﻰ ﻋﻤﻞ small, largely Kurdish town that has oil اﻟﻤﺠﻠﺲ اﻟﻨﻴﺎﺑﻲ وﻣﺼﺪاﻗﻴﺘﻪ أﻣﺎم اﻟﻨﺎس، وأﻓﻘﺪﺗﻪ .reserves and is close to the Iranian border اﻟﻤﻜﺎﻧﺔ اﻟﺘﻲ ﺗﺘﻤﺘﻊ ﺑﻬﺎ اﻟﺒﺮﻟﻤﺎﻧﺎت ﻓﻲ دول اﻟﻌﺎﻟﻢ Kurdish Peshmarga troops left their bases اﻷﺧﺮى" ، ﻣﺆآﺪا ﺑﺎن رﺋﺎﺳﺔ ﻣﺠﻠﺲ اﻟﻨﻮاب واﻟﻜﺘﻞ in the nearby districts of Jalawla, Saadiya اﻟﺴﻴﺎﺳﻴﺔ ﺗﺘﺤﻤﻞ ﺟﺰء آﺒﻴﺮ ﻣﻦ ﻣﺴﺆوﻟﻴﺔ ﺗﻐﻴﺐ and Qara Tapa in northern Diyala after اﻷﻋﻀﺎء ﻧﺘﻴﺠﺔ ﻋﺪم ﻣﺤﺎﺳﺒﺘﻬﻢ . .receiving warnings from the Iraqi Army When you enter a government Amid Progress in Iraq, Sides Have department in Iraq today you will Scores to Settle immediately notice the absence of employees. This scene repeats itself across Source: NYT the country’s governmental departments, Document: Article

NCCI Weekly Highlight 13 Issue 130- 09/10/2008 ministries and even parliament. Despite Source: Brookings decrees issued by the head of parliament Document: Article on the issue of poor attendance, they Date: October 2, 2008 have not prevented the repeated Access: Open absence of many members of parliament. Provincial elections are an important step Some provide excuses; others don't even toward national reconciliation in Iraq, but bother. According to parliamentarian steps must be taken to ensure that the Wael Abdul Latif, the “repeated absence displaced – both refugees and internally of members has greatly affected the displaced persons (IDPs) – are able to performance of parliament and its participate. A significant milestone was credibility.” Blaming political blocs for their reached on 24 September when Iraq’s failure to enforce attendance he said that Parliament adopted a provincial elections parliament’s standing was suffering greatly law. The agreement provides for elections as a result. before 31 January 2009 in 14 of the country’s 18 governorates while elections in Kirkuk, the key sticking point in previous ﻣﺤﺎﻓﻆ اﻟﺒﺼﺮة: ﻟﻢ ﻧﺘﻔﻖ ﻣﻊ أﻳﺔ ﻣﺤﺎﻓﻈﺔ negotiations, along with the three Kurdish- .controlled provinces, will be postponed ﻟﻐﺮض ﺗﺸﻜﻴﻞ إﻗﻠﻴﻢ Governor: political blocs to blame But it’s not enough for the law to be in for basra's problems place and for elections to be scheduled. Source: Niqash All Iraqi citizens must be able to vote and Document: Interview the turnout must be sufficiently high to Date: October 2, 2008 assure that the elections are seen as Access: Open legitimate. One of the major threats to this legitimacy is the way in which Iraq’s 2 ﺷﻬﺪت اﻟﺒﺼﺮة ﺻﺮاﻋﺎت ﺳﻴﺎﺳﻴﺔ واﺟﺘﻤﺎﻋﻴﺔ آﺒﻴﺮة million or so refugees and its 2.8 million ﺑﻌﺪ ﻋﺎم 2003 ﻧﺘﺞ ﻋﻨﻬﺎ ﺗﻐﻠﻐﻞ ﻣﻴﻠﻴﺸﻴﺎت اﻻﺣﺰاب internally displaced persons (IDPs) are واﻟﺘﻴﺎرات ﻓﻲ ﺟﻤﻴﻊ اﻟﻨﺸﺎﻃﺎت اﻟﺘﺠﺎرﻳﺔ واﻻﻗﺘﺼﺎدﻳﺔ .included in the electoral process واﻻﻣﻨﻴﺔ واﺗﺴﺎع ﻧﺸﺎﻃﻬﺎ ﻓﻲ ﻣﺠﺎل ﺗﻬﺮﻳﺐ اﻟﻨﻔﻂ اﻟﻰ دول اﻟﺠﻮار اﻻﻣﺮ اﻟﺬي دﻓﻊ ﺣﻜﻮﻣﺔ اﻟﻤﺎﻟﻜﻲ ﻓﻲ Iraq too dangerous for many 25 ﺁذار/ﻣﺎرس إﻟﻰ اﻟﻘﻴﺎم ﺑﻌﻤﻠﻴﺎت ﻋﺴﻜﺮﻳﺔ واﺳﻌﺔ ﻓﻲ اﻟﻤﺪﻳﻨﺔ ﻟﻠﻘﻀﺎء ﻋﻠﻰ ﺗﻠﻚ اﻟﻌﺼﺎﺑﺎت. وﺑﻌﺪ اﻳﺎم professionals ﻣﻦ اﻧﻄﻼق ﻋﻤﻠﻴﺔ "ﺻﻮﻟﺔ اﻟﻔﺮﺳﺎن" ﺗﻢ اﻟﻘﺒﺾ ﻋﻠﻰ Source: LAT ﺷﻘﻴﻖ ﻣﺤﺎﻓﻆ اﻟﺒﺼﺮة ﻣﺤﻤﺪ ﻣﺼﺒﺢ اﻟﻮاﺋﻠﻲ ﺑﻌﺪ Document: Article اﺗﻬﺎﻣﻪ ﺑﺎدارة ﺷﺒﻜﺔ ﻟﺘﻬﺮﻳﺐ اﻟﻨﻔﻂ ﻟﻜﻦ اﻟﻤﺤﺎﻓﻆ Date: October 5 , 2008 اﻟﺬي ﻳﻨﺘﻤﻲ اﻟﻰ ﺣﺰب اﻟﻔﻀﻴﻠﺔ ﻧﻔﻰ ﺣﻴﻨﻬﺎ ﺗﻠﻚ Access: Open اﻻﺗﻬﺎﻣﺎت واﺗﻬﻢ اﻷﺣﺰاب اﻟﺘﻲ ﺗﺘﻨﺎﻓﺲ ﻋﻠﻰ اﻟﻨﻔﻮذ Naqi Shakir sits on a sagging mattress ﻓﻲ اﻟﻤﺪﻳﻨﺔ ﺑﻤﺤﺎوﻟﺔ ﺳﺤﺐ اﻟﺒﺴﺎط ﻣﻦ ﺗﺤﺖ اﻟﺤﺰب pushed against a wall. His wife and two ﻓﻲ اﻟﻤﺪﻳﻨﺔ اﻟﻮﺣﻴﺪة اﻟﺘﻲ ﻳﺴﻴﻄﺮ ﻋﻠﻴﻬﺎ ﻓﻲ daughters perch on tattered sofas and اﻟﺠﻨﻮب. ﻧﻘﺎش اﻟﺘﻘﺖ اﻟﻮاﺋﻠﻲ وﺣﺎورﺗﻪ ﺣﻮل ﺻﺮاع chairs crowded into the one room of the اﻟﺘﻴﺎرات اﻟﺴﻴﺎﺳﻴﺔ واﻟﺪﻳﻨﻴﺔ ﻓﻲ ﻣﺪﻳﻨﺔ اﻟﺒﺼﺮة وﻧﺘﺎﺋﺞ house with signs of family life: personal اﻟﻌﻤﻠﻴﺎت اﻟﻌﺴﻜﺮﻳﺔ اﻷﺧﻴﺮة وأﺳﺌﻠﺔ أﺧﺮى. Since 2003, Basra has seen huge political photographs tacked to the wall, a TV, and social transformation and conflict. In books, and knickknacks on dusty shelves. March 2008, the government launched Except for a folding table and chairs in the Operation Knights Assault to free the city kitchen, nearly everything has been sold from the grip of militias. Days later, the so the family can bolt as soon as someone brother of Basra’s governor was arrested rents the two-story home in a relatively on charges of running an oil smuggling safe Baghdad neighborhood. At a time network. Niqash interviewed Governor when the Iraqi government is encouraging Muhammad Musbeh al-Waeli and its citizens to return and the U.S. military is discussed political and religious conflicts in highlighting security gains across Iraq, the Basra, the recent military operations and Shakirs want out. They see no future here other issues. for Iraqis such as themselves: well educated, affluent, secular or non-Muslim. Iraqi Elections and Displacement Their imminent departure is a major

NCCI Weekly Highlight 14 Issue 130- 09/10/2008 problem facing Iraq, which has suffered a Document: Article brain drain in the last five years and is Date: October 6, 2008 struggling to lure back or hang on to Access: Open educated professionals. Mahmoudiya, a town south of Baghdad, was part of the area long known as the "Triangle of Death" because of the UAE firms start pumping Kurdish gas extraordinary number of Sunni insurgent over Iraq objections attacks against coalition forces and Iraqi Source: Yahoo (AFP) civilians it suffered – often half a dozen Document: Article daily in 2006. Today, with violence down to Date: Octobr 4, 2008 only a few ineffective attacks in any given Access: Open week, it has earned the moniker "Triangle United Arab Emirates-based firms Dana of Love." The progress there is due in part Gas PJSC and Crescent Petroleum to the new US strategy. It involved living announced on Saturday that they had among the local population to break the begun producing gas under a deal with hold of the insurgents and now focuses Iraq's autonomous Kurdish region over more on partnering and empowering Baghdad's objections. The firms said that, local Iraqi forces than depending on US following completion of the project's first troops to target and capture enemies. This phase, they expected to supply 75 million switch in Mahmoudiya has spurred cubic feet (2.25 million cubic metres) per economic growth in the area and sheds day to two power stations under light on how to manage a drawdown of construction in the Kurdish cities of Arbil US forces without sacrificing the hard-won and Sulaimaniyah, the official WAM news security gains of the past 18 months. agency reported. The gas is to be carried through a 180 kilometre (115 mile) pipeline under a project signed last year that Assyrians Demonstrate in Los carries a total price tag of 650 million Angeles Against Iraq Election Law dollars. Source: AINA Document: Article Date: October 6, 2008 Iraq hopes shrine rebuild can Access: Open reconcile sects On Sunday October 5, 2008, the Assyrian Source: Reuters community of Southern California Document: Article gathered at the Federal Building in Date: October 6, 2008 Westwood to take a stance against the Access: Open Iraqi Parliament's recent removal of Article A ring of scaffolding around charred bricks 50. Ms. Rosie Malek-Yonan delivered the is all that now stands in place of the following speech at the rally that was golden dome that adorned one of Shi'ite attended by several hundred Assyrians Islam's holiest shrines. Militants bombed the from different groups, organizations and al-Askari mosque in the Iraqi city of churches of various denominations. “My Samarra in February 2006, destroying the name is Rosie Malek-Yonan. I am an dome and setting off a wave of sectarian Assyrian. Today I stand before you on bloodshed that killed tens of thousands of behalf of my Assyrian nation in Iraq. We people and nearly tipped the country into Assyrians come from many communities all-out civil war. Now, with violence sharply and belong to various churches, down and Iraq's coffers swollen with oil denominations, political groups and speak revenues, officials hope the mosque can many dialects. But today we have come be restored to its former majestic glory in a together in a voice of solidarity.” few years. That could help heal bitter divisions between majority Shi'ites and minority Sunnis, they say. Disintegration on the Way to Unity? Source: Al Hayat Document: Article How to smooth the transition in Iraq Date: October 5, 2008 Source: CS Monitor Access: Open

NCCI Weekly Highlight 15 Issue 130- 09/10/2008

Iraq's Presidential Council's approval of the since the 2003 invasion by an alliance led electoral law for provincial councils by the United States, as the seat of its represents a major step that could pull Coalition Provisional Authority which ruled Iraq out of the crisis that has brought its until June 2004. However, even after institutions into a state of paralysis and political power was given over to the new nearly sabotaged the relative government in Baghdad, the American improvement in security. This in spite of army kept control of the building, with its bombings shifting from one place to the caramel-coloured walls and flamboyant next, the last of which were the two blue tiled domes. The building has served massacres that targeted worshippers on as the location for thousands of foreign the morning of Eid Al-Fitr. However, such workers - including Britons - who have used an approval is not the end of the road, but it as an office and also for recreation: it rather it takes the internal struggle into a houses a gymnasium and coffee shop. The new phase, especially in light of the Western workers still situated at the palace ambiguity that continues to dominate the will now move to other offices in the Green national project, if indeed such a project Zone - which itself will soon be moved exists, as well as the role that occupation under Iraqi control. forces continue to play, at the levels of politics and security, in influencing the Costs of war: Iraq waste electoral process. Source: ISN Document: Article Iraqi women fear going public as Date: October 7, 2008 Access: Open candidates If you measured success by the amount of Source: Yahoo (AP) impressive statistics generated, US Document: Article reconstruction and security-building efforts Date: October 6, 2008 Access: Open in Iraq would have been, to coin a phrase, The 38-year-old teacher wanted to a slam dunk. A recent Senate hearing was participate in Iraq's first provincial elections told that since the invasion in 2003 484 in four years — until she realized that a freight pallets of US currency had been new law would require the ballot to list her flown to Iraq from New York, each name, not just her party. Even as violence weighing 1,500 lbs and bearing 640 has declined, lingering fear bred by bundles of 1,000 bills each: a total of more rampant crime and a small but die-hard than 363 tonnes, or US$12 billion, of cash insurgency has left many Iraqi women alone - leaving aside the tens of billions afraid to run in the elections, to be held by more paid by electronic transfers to US Jan. 31. "I feel that I am unprotected," said and Iraqi contractors. About US$44 billion the teacher, speaking by telephone on of US taxpayer funds have been spent on condition of anonymity because of her reconstruction alone, according to fears. "I am not going to run in the congressional auditors. And tens of billions elections because I fear for the safety of more have been funneled into the effort members of my family who might be through the Development Fund for Iraq - targeted." now controlled by the Iraqi government - money from the proceeds of American forces give Saddam internationally monitored oil sales and Iraqi funds seized by the US prior to the Hussain's republican palace back restoration of Iraqi sovereignty in 2004. to Iraq Source: Telegraph Helping Iraqis Succeed Document: Article Source: Mercy Corps Date: October 7, 2008 Document: Report Access: Open Date: June, 2008 The palace, once the headquarters of the Access: Open brutal Baathist dictator, has been used A report of Mercy Corps’ activities in Iraq

NCCI Weekly Highlight 16 Issue 130- 09/10/2008

country as their rights of representation fade, officials said. Several Iraqi إزاﻟــﺔ ﺟــﺪار اﻟﻔﺼــﻞ ﻓــﻲ ﺣــﻲ اﻟﻔﻀــﻞ Iraq removes separation wall lawmakers, including Prime Minister Nouri Source: Al Sumaria al-Maliki, have expressed concern over Document: Article the decision to exclude minority Date: October 8, 2008 representation in the provincial elections Access: Open law. The Iraqi Parliament in September passed the measure without earlier ﻧﻘﻄـــﺔ ﻋﻨﺪ اﻹﺛﻨﻴــــــﻦ ﻣﺘﻄﻮﻋــﻮن ﺣﺮاس وﻗــﻒ provisions for minority religious اﻟﺠﺪار ﻳﻘــــﻊ آﺎن ﺣﻴــﺚ ﺑﻐـــﺪاد ﻓــﻲ ﺗﻔﺘﻴـــــــﺶ representation, though it did set aside a اﻟﺴـــﻨﺔ ﺑﻴــــﻦ ﻟﻠﻔﺼــــــﻞ اﻟﻔﻀـــــﻞ ﺣﻲ ﻓــﻲ اﻟﻌــﺎزل certain number of seats for females. The ﻣﻦ ﺳـــﺎﺑﻖ وﻗــﺖ ﻓــﻲ أزﻳــﻞ واﻟــﺬي ،واﻟﺸـــــﻴﻌﺔ Rev. Louis al-Shabi with the Chaldean .اﻷﺳــــﺒﻮع هﺬا Iraqi recruits took position at a checkpoint church in Baghdad said despite the mass in Baghdad on Monday where was set the exodus of Iraqi Christians from the country, separation wall in Al Fadel District there is a growing call for an active role in between Sunnis and Shiites, which was the political process, Christian Today removed this week. reported Tuesday. "We do not want to immigrate to the United States or Britain," Iraqi Christians Lobby for he said. "We want to stay in Iraq and have Representation our representatives in both the provincial Source: UPI councils and the legislature. We want to Document: Report be treated equally as Iraqis living with the Date: October 7, 2008 Muslims and other nationals in a united Access: Open brotherly spirit." Iraqi Christians are growing concerned over their diminishing political voice in the

JViolence and Security IssuesJ

Iraq says doctors can carry guns Source: Reuters End of Iraq’s Awakening? Document: Article Source: The Nation Date: September 29, 2008 Document: Article Access: Open Date: September 30, 2008 Doctors in Iraq will have the right to carry Access: Open guns to protect themselves, the In an exclusive interview with The Nation, government said on Monday, in a bid to the commander of the Sunni-led address the security concerns of a Awakening movement in Baghdad says profession that has been targeted by that attacks by the Iraqi government and gangsters and militants. Thousands of Iraqi government-allied militiamen against doctors have fled over the past five years, Awakening leaders and rank-and-file leaving the country desperately short of members are likely to spark a new Sunni qualified medical personnel. Doctors held resistance movement. That resistance a conference in Baghdad in June to ask force will conduct attacks against for better protection. "Under a new American troops and Iraqi army and government decree, the cabinet has police forces, he says. "Look around," he directed that each doctor may carry one says. "It has already come back. It is weapon for self defence," the government getting stronger. Look at what is said in a statement. The cabinet also happening in Baghdad." The commander, recommended that the ministry of health Abu Azzam, spoke to The Nation by and provincial governments make plans telephone from Amman, Jordan, last to build secure residential compounds for week, before returning to Baghdad. He doctors, both inside and outside hospitals. laid out a scenario for a new explosion in

NCCI Weekly Highlight 17 Issue 130- 09/10/2008

Iraq, one that would shatter the Four years of anguish and despair have complacent American notion that the haunted the life of Umm Haydar. Now in 2007-08 "surge" of American troops in Iraq her sixties, she carries a wearied face that has stabilized that war-torn country. looks well beyond her years. In 2004, her Although the greater US force succeeded eldest son, Haydar, who worked as an in putting down some of the most violent interpreter for the US army, disappeared sectarian clashes, it was the emergence and since that date her life has been of the Awakening movement in 2006 that dominated by his vanishing. Whenever she crushed Al Qaeda in Iraq and brought leaves the house, whether it be to visit order to Anbar and Baghdad. neighbours or the market, she shares her painful story. “He left the house and, as Cost of massive unemployment could usual, I walked him to the door wishing him be paid in blood safety,” she says, recalling the last time she Source: McClatchy saw him. “I will never forget his last words: Document: Article “Don’t worry about me, God will protect Date: September 30, 2008 me.”” Tears well up in her eyes. Access: Open For Raad Abdulsada, every day starts the Suicide Bomber strikes in Mosul same way. He wakes up at sunrise, heads Source: BBC to a busy, dusty corner in Baghdad's Document: Article Karrada neighborhood and waits for work. Date: October 5, 2008 Most days, the waiting is in vain. "Maybe Access: Open once a week I am hired," said the 31-year- Eleven people have been killed during a old, his pink polo shirt and torn sweatpants American raid in the Iraqi city of Mosul in stained with dirt. When he's lucky enough which a suicide bomber blew himself up, to get picked up, his compensation for a the US military says. Three women and day of labor — usually construction work three children were among the dead at — is around 15,000 Iraqi dinars, or $13. "I the private home, the US military said, support a family of seven on this," adding that five "terrorists" had also died. Abdulsada said. "But for years I cannot get However, an official at a local morgue a steady job. So what else can I do? I told the BBC most of the dead showed have responsibilities. So I come here and signs of bullet wounds. Elsewhere in Mosul, wait." four people were killed when gunmen attacked a funeral. Three other people were wounded in the drive-by attack in ﻣﺘﺮﺟﻤﻮ اﻟﻘﻮات اﻷﻣﺮﻳﻜﻴﺔ: ﻣﺮاﻗﺒﺔ ﻣﺸﺪدة the Zanjili district, the BBC's Hugh Sykes .reports from Baghdad واﺳﺘﻬﺪاف ﺑﺎﻟﻘﺘﻞ Working for the Enemy Source: Niqash Document: Article Date: September 30, 2008 Access: Open Christian Security Forces Growing Stronger In Iraq ﺑﻌﺪ أرﺑﻊ ﺳﻨﻮات ﻣﻦ اﻻﻧﺘﻈﺎر، دﻓﻊ اﻟﻴﺄس أم ﺣﻴﺪر Source: NPR ﻟﻄﺮق ﺑﺎب اﻟﺼﺤﻔﻴﻴﻦ ﻃﻠﺒﺎ ﻟﻠﻤﺴﺎﻋﺪة ﻓﻲ ﻣﻌﺮﻓﺔ Document: Article ﻣﺼﻴﺮ وﻟﺪهﺎ اﻟﺬي آﺎن ﻳﻌﻤﻞ ﻣﺘﺮﺟﻤﺎ ﻟﺪى اﻟﻘﻮات Date: October 6, 2008 اﻻﻣﻴﺮآﻴﺔ واﺧﺘﻔﻰ ﺑﺸﻜﻞ ﻣﻔﺎﺟﺊ وﻟﻢ ﺗﻌﺜﺮ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ أو Access: Open ﻋﻠﻰ ﺟﺜﺘﻪ ﺣﺘﻰ اﻵن. أم ﺣﻴﺪر اﻟﻤﺮأة اﻟﺴﺘﻴﻨﻴﺔ اﻟﺘﻲ A new phenomenon is spreading through ﺗﺒﺪو أآﺒﺮ ﻣﻦ ﻋﻤﺮهﺎ ﺑﻜﺜﻴﺮ ﺗﺘﺤﺪث ﻋﻦ وﻟﺪهﺎ ﻟﻜﻞ ﻣﻦ the Christian towns and villages of ﺗﻠﻘﺎﻩ ﺧﻼل ذهﺎﺑﻬﺎ إﻟﻰ اﻟﺴﻮق أو ﻋﻨﺪ زﻳﺎرﺗﻬﺎ ﻟﺠﺎرﺗﻬﺎ ,northern Iraq: Christian security forces اﻟﺘﻲ اﺳﺘﻤﻌﺖ ﻟﻘﺼﺘﻬﺎ اﻟﻤﺆﻟﻤﺔ ﻋﺸﺮات اﻟﻤﺮات. ,organized through their local churches ﺗﺴﺘﻌﻴﺪ اﻷم اﻟﺼﻮرة اﻷﺧﻴﺮة ﻟﻼﺑﻦ ﻗﺎﺋﻠﺔ: " ﺧﺮج ﻣﻦ are manning checkpoints and working اﻟﺒﻴﺖ وآﻌﺎدﺗﻲ أوﺻﻠﺘﻪ إﻟﻰ اﻟﺒﺎب داﻋﻴﺔ ﻟﻪ ﺑﺎﻟﺤﻔﻆ with the Iraqi police. Many residents are واﻟﺴﻼﻣﺔ". وﺗﻀﻴﻒ وﻋﻴﻨﺎهﺎ ﻣﻐﺮورﻗﺘﺎن ﺑﺎﻟﺪﻣﻮع: "ﻻ delighted to see Christians standing up to أﻧﺴﻰ أﺑﺪا آﻠﻤﺎﺗﻪ اﻷﺧﻴﺮة: أﻣﻲ.. إﻧﻨﻲ ﻓﻲ أﻣﺎن اﷲ defend themselves. Some, however, worry ﻓﻼ ﺗﻘﻠﻘﻲ ﻋﻠﻲ".

NCCI Weekly Highlight 18 Issue 130- 09/10/2008 about the political implications of this Sherry Jones in the US after Random House latest sectarian armed force in Iraq and dropped it amid fears it could incite wonder where its money is coming from. A violence. Three men were charged in the few years ago, Christian churches were UK over a fire at offices of British publisher being bombed and thousands of Christian Gibson Square Books last month. The novel families in Baghdad and elsewhere were follows the life of A'isha from six until the terrorized into fleeing their homes. Many of Prophet's death. Beaufort Books said it was them wound up in the north, where they publishing the novel ahead of schedule so seem to be thriving. it could be assessed on its merits as literature rather than the potential offence Mosul, the relentless slaughter of it could cause to Muslims.

Iraqi Christians Iraqi police mobilise team to Source: AsiaNews Document: Article protect reporters Date: October 5, 2008 Source : Reuters Access: Open Document: Article A new attack against the Christians in Date: October 8, 2008 Mosul: yesterday afternoon, an armed Access: Open group assassinated Hazim Thomaso Iraqi authorities have unveiled a new Youssif, age 40. The ambush took place in hotline to protect journalists, but reporters front of his clothing store in Bab Sarray; it is in the world's most dangerous country still not yet known who ordered the killing, but fear for their lives. Police say they have it is suspected that it is the work of Islamic thwarted two attempts to assassinate fundamentalists, in a city that has long journalists in two weeks since setting up the been the theater of deadly attacks on the hotline with a journalists' rights group. One Christian community. On the same day, of the intended victims was Saad Qusay, a 15-year-old Ivan Nuwya, also a Christian, correspondent for the U.S.-funded Arabic- was killed. The young man was shot to language TV channel al-Hurra in the death in front of his home in the southern city of Basra. The Interior Ministry neighborhood of Tahrir, in front of the local says it captured a militia member who had mosque of Alzhara. A source for AsiaNews threatened to kill him. Qusay praised the in Mosul decries the "climate of panic" in operation, which has also provided him which the Christian community lives, the with a round-the-clock police guard near slaughter of which continues "to the his home, but said he still lives in fear. "I indifference" of the media, which "do not cannot hide the fact that I feel afraid. I even report the crimes that are feel afraid for my family because they committed." Speaking of the situation in arrested one person but the cell is still free," Mosul, the source emphasizes that the city Qusay, 25, told Reuters by telephone. "has become the holocaust of the

Christians," and that there is no sign of improvement despite the efforts in the war Analysis: Iraq violence could flare on terror. up again Source : McClatchy Prophet bride book appears in the Document: Article Date: October 7, 2008 US Access: Open Source: BBC A nearly completed high-level U.S. Document: Article intelligence analysis warns that unresolved Date: October 7, 2008 Access: Open ethnic and sectarian tensions in Iraq could A novel about the Prophet Muhammad's unleash a new wave of violence, child bride has been published in the US potentially reversing the major security ahead of schedule after the office of the and political gains achieved over the last British publisher was attacked. Beaufort year. U.S. officials familiar with the new Books is publishing The Jewel of Medina by National Intelligence Estimate said they

NCCI Weekly Highlight 19 Issue 130- 09/10/2008 were unsure when the top-secret report security forces in Baghdad as both would be completed and whether it countries say they are nearing a deal on a would be published before the Nov. 4 contested military pact. Interior ministry election. More than a half dozen officials spokesman Major General Abdel Karim spoke to McClatchy, on condition of Khalaf said Iraqi police are capable of anonymity. That's because NIE's, the most handling security duties across the capital, authoritative analyses produced by the a responsibility now held by US troops. "We U.S. intelligence community, are restricted have the ability to take over the internal to the president, his senior aides and security responsibility in Baghdad if members of Congress, except in rare American forces pull out of the city," he instances when just key findings are made said in a statement. "The interior ministry is public. able to take responsibility for protecting Baghdad." His remarks came a day after Iraq ready to replace US troops in Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari said Baghdad Washington and Baghdad are now "very Source : Yahoo (AFP) close" to an agreement on the presence Document: Article of American troops in the country beyond Date: October 8, 2008 this year. Access: Open Iraq said on Wednesday it was ready to take over security responsibilities from US

______-----__ Iraq Humanitarian Environment and Space

JIDPs and RefugeesJ

POT Minutes Access: Open Source: UNCHR The monthly report of the International Document: MoM Organization for Migration on Date: September 23, 2008 displacement and returns in Iraq. Access: Members ﻳﺒﺪأ ﺟ ﻮ اً اﻟﻌﺎﺋﺪﻳﻦ اﻟﻌﺮاﻗﻴﻴﻦ ﻧﻘﻞ : اﻷردن Minutes of the Protection Outcome Team اﻷﺳﺒﻮع هﺬا .meeting

Plane-load of Iraqis due to be Report on European Commission repatriated this week intervention to alleviate the Source: IRIN situation of Iraq's Refugees and Document: Article Internally Displaced Persons Date: September 29, 2008 Source: EC Access: Open ﺗﻨﻈﻢ اﻟﺴﻔﺎرة اﻟﻌﺮاﻗﻴﺔ ﺑﻌﻤﺎن رﺣﻠﺔ ﺟﻮﻳﺔ ﻧﻬﺎﻳﺔ هﺬا Document: Report اﻷﺳﺒﻮع ﻹﻋﺎدة ﻋﺸﺮات اﻷﺳﺮ اﻟﻌﺮاﻗﻴﺔ اﻟﺘﻲ ﺗﺮﻏﺐ ﻓﻲ Date: October 5, 2008 اﻟﻌﻮدة إﻟﻰ ﺑﻼدهﺎ ﺑﺎﻟﺮﻏﻢ ﻣﻦ ﺗﺤﺬﻳﺮات ﻣﻨﻈﻤﺎت اﻷﻣﻢ Access: Open اﻟﻤﺘﺤﺪة ﻣﻦ هﺸﺎﺷﺔ اﻟﻮﺿﻊ اﻷﻣﻨﻲ هﻨﺎك. A report detailing the work of the EC, with ﻭﻗﺩ ﺃﻓﺎﺩ regards refugees and IDP in Iraq ﺩﺒﻠﻭﻤﺎﺴﻴﻭﻥ ﻋﺭﺍﻗﻴﻭﻥ ﻓﻲ ﻋﻤﺎﻥ ﺃﻨﻬﻡ ﺍﺴﺘﺄﺠﺭﻭﺍ ﻁﺎﺌﺭﺓ ﻟﻨﻘل ﺍﻟﺭﺍﻏﺒﻴﻥ ﺒﺎﻟﻌﻭﺩﺓ ﺇﻟﻰ ﺍﻟﻌﺭﺍﻕ ﺃﻭﺍﺨﺭ ﻫﺫﺍ ﺍﻷﺴﺒﻭﻉ، IOM’s Displacement and Return ﺃﻱ ﺨﻼل ﻋﻁﻠﺔ ﻋﻴﺩ ﺍﻟﻔﻁﺭ. Assessment and Statistics Source: IOM The Iraqi embassy in Amman is organising Document: Report the repatriation by plane of dozens of Iraqi Date: October, 2008 families who wish to return home, despite

NCCI Weekly Highlight 20 Issue 130- 09/10/2008 warnings from UN agencies about the of Baghdad's Hurriyah neighborhood by security situation. Iraqi diplomats in Shiite militiamen in one of Iraq's worst Amman said they had chartered a plane eruptions of ethnic bloodletting. Shiite to repatriate the Iraqis later this week, families soon occupied Sunni houses. In during the Muslim holiday of Eid al Fitr. late September, Mashadani came back for the first time, along with Iraqi soldiers, Iraq’s Forgotten Refugees determined to recover his property. A Source: Uruknet Shiite man and his wife stepped out, their Document: Article faces infused with fear, and said they Date: October 2, 2008 were renting the house. Angrily, Access: Open Mashadani informed them that he was the When I walked into Samia Kouzah’s dingy owner. "This is illegal," he shouted. An Iraqi two-room flat in Zarqa, Jordan, I almost army officer ordered the family to report didn’t recognize her daughter as human. to a nearby military outpost, a step that Rahma, age twenty months, has a could lead to their eviction. severely deformed skull, shaped like a mushroom, and her eyes bulge out like a Iraq offers free returns for its Syrian cartoon character’s. Samia became pregnant with her daughter while living in refugees Baghdad. She suspects radioactive Source: Yahoo (AP) materials used in U.S. bombs caused the Document: Article Date: October 8, 2008 deformities. The doctor who delivered Access: Open Rahma said she wouldn’t live past one The Iraqi embassy in Damascus is year old. In September, Rahma turns two. organizing free journeys for refugees who Rahma sits on her mother’s lap, enveloped want to return from Syria — the second in Samia’s blue and beige veil, and begins such project in as many years — though to fuss. "She has a fever," Samia explains. two days into the campaign Wednesday, "She’s teething." Samia is a thirty-three- there have been no takers. A large black year-old Palestinian woman born in Iraq. banner plastered on the wall of the She shows me her ID. She is technically not embassy urged Iraqis to register to return an Iraqi. And she is not Jordanian. Her six- home. Similar posters have been placed year-old son, Mohammed, isn’t able to on religious centers and offices of Iraqi attend public schools. parties in Damascus. Adnan al-Shourifi, the commercial secretary at the Iraqi For Sunnis, an Uneasy Return Home embassy, said that free convoys and Source: WP plane tickets would be provided for the Document: Article returnees, along with about US$1,300 in Date: October 8, 2008 cash to each family from the Iraqi Access: Open government and US$500 from the U.N. Last Khalid al-Mashadani pounded on the November, the Iraqi embassy organized white gate of his house. Two years ago, he similar free convoys. was among thousands of Sunnis driven out

JHuman RightsJ

Iraqi LGBT Leader Gunned Down in Outrage! reported on the most recent Baghdad atrocity on Sept. 25, when an LGBT leader Source : Alternet was gunned down: This morning, I Document: Article received news from Iraq that the Date: September 29, 2008 coordinator of Iraqi LGBT in Baghdad, Access: Open Bashar, aged 27, a university student, has LGBT publication EDGE writes that in Iraq, been assassinated in a barber shop. "for gays and lesbians at least, times have Militias burst in and sprayed his body with never been worse." Peter Tatchell of bullets at point blank range. He was the

NCCI Weekly Highlight 21 Issue 130- 09/10/2008 organizer of the safe houses for gays and Guaranteeing rights of minorities lesbians in Baghdad. His efforts saved the Source : JT lives of dozens of people. "Homosexuality Document: Article was generally tolerated under Saddam," Date: October 5, 2008 Hali, founder of Iraqi LGBT, said in 2007. Access: Open "There certainly was no danger of gay The last-minute amendment of Iraq’s law people being assassinated in the street by on provincial elections through removal of police. ... Life in Iraq now is hell for all LGBT a provision calling for a quota to be people; no one can be openly gay and reserved for minorities in provincial alive." councils reaffirms the reality that the country’s jingoist Shiites are trying to misuse their newfound power and deny fellow ﻗﺎﻧﻮن اﻟﻌﻤﻞ اﻟﺼﺤﻔﻲ اﻟﻜﺮدي: ﻻ ﺳﺠﻦ ﺑﻌﺪ Iraqis their legitimate rights. The former اﻟﻴﻮم regime had offered special privileges to Kurdish journalists welcome press law the small Christian minority in Iraq. Since Source : Niqash Saddam Husseins’ ouster in April 2003, Iraqi Document: Article Christians have come under a systematic Date: October 6, 2008 Access: Open campaign that, according to their leaders, aims at driving them out of the ﺻﺎدق ﺑﺮﻟﻤﺎن إﻗﻠﻴﻢ آﺮدﺳﺘﺎن ﻓﻲ 22 ﻣﻦ -country. Priests, churches and Christian أﻳﻠﻮل /ﺳﺒﺘﻤﺒﺮ 2008 ﻋﻠﻰ ﻗﺎﻧﻮن اﻟﻌﻤﻞ اﻟﺼﺤﻔﻲ ﻓﻲ owned businesses have come under اﻹﻗﻠﻴﻢ، وذﻟﻚ ﺑﻌﺪ إﺟﺮاء ﺗﻌﺪﻳﻼت ﻋﻠﻰ ﻣﻮاد ﻣﻦ repeated attacks. Christian women in ﻣﺴﻮدة اﻟﻘﺎﻧﻮن أﺛﺎرت اﻋﺘﺮاض اﻟﺼﺤﻔﻴﻴﻦ اﻟﻜﺮد. some parts of Iraq have been attacked for وﻗﻮﺑﻞ إﺻﺪار اﻟﻘﺎﻧﻮن اﻟﺠﺪﻳﺪ ﺑﺘﺮﺣﻴﺐ واﺳﻊ ﻟﺪى not following the Islamic dress code. The اﻷوﺳﺎط اﻹﻋﻼﻣﻴﺔ اﻟﻜﺮدﻳﺔ. ﻧﻘﻴﺐ ﺻﺤﺎﻓﻴﻲ آﺮدﺳﺘﺎن official explanation for the removal of ﻓﺮهﺎد ﻋﻮﻧﻲ أﺑﺪى ﺳﺮورﻩ ﻟﻠﻤﺼﺎدﻗﺔ ﻋﻠﻰ اﻟﻘﺎﻧﻮن seats reserved for minorities in local وأآﺪ ﻟـ (ﻧﻘﺎش) ﺑﺎن "ﻳﻮم ﺻﺪور اﻟﻘﺎﻧﻮن هﻮ ﻳﻮم councils was that there was no census ﺗﺎرﻳﺨﻲ ﻟﺠﻤﻴﻊ ﺻﺤﻔﻴﻲ آﺮدﺳﺘﺎن اﻟﺬﻳﻦ ﺗﻤﻜﻨﻮا أﺧﻴﺮا data to determine what the quotas should ﻣﻦ ﺗﺤﻘﻴﻖ اﻧﺠﺎز ﻟﻨﺎ وﻟﻸﺟﻴﺎل اﻟﻼﺣﻘﺔ" ﻣﻄﺎﻟﺒﺎً ﺑﺠﻌﻞ .be اﻟﺜﺎﻧﻲ ﻣﻦ أﻳﻠﻮل /ﺳﺒﺘﻤﺒﺮ "ﻳﻮم ﺻﺤﺎﻓﻴﻲ آﺮدﺳﺘﺎن". وﻳﻌﺘﻘﺪ ﻋﻮﻧﻲ ﺑﺎن ﺗﻤﺮﻳﺮ ﻗﺎﻧﻮن اﻟﻌﻤﻞ اﻟﺼﺤﻔﻲ ﺑﻤﻮادﻩ Secrets of Iraq's death chamber وﻓﻘﺮاﺗﻪ اﻟﺤﺎﻟﻴﺔ ﺟﻌﻠﺖ ﻣﻦ إﻗﻠﻴﻢ آﺮدﺳﺘﺎن "اﻟﻤﻨﻄﻘﺔ " Source : Independant اﻟﻮﺣﻴﺪة ﻓﻲ اﻟﺸﺮق اﻷوﺳﻂ اﻟﺘﻲ ﺗﻀﻤﻦ ﻟﺼﺤﺎﻓﻴﻬﺎ Document: Article هﺬﻩ اﻟﺤﺮﻳﺔ اﻹﻋﻼﻣﻴﺔ اﻟﻮاﺳﻌﺔ". وأآﺪ اﻟﻨﻘﻴﺐ ﺑﺎن Date: October 7, 2008 "ﺟﻤﻴﻊ ﻣﻄﺎﻟﺐ اﻟﻨﻘﺎﺑﺔ ﻗﺪ أﺧﺬت ﺑﻌﻴﻦ اﻻﻋﺘﺒﺎر وذﻟﻚ Access: Open ﻓﻲ ﺟﻤﻴﻊ اﻟﻤﻮاد واﻟﻔﻘﺮات اﻟﺘﻲ آﺎﻧﺖ ﻣﻮﺿﻊ اﻧﺘﻘﺎد Like all wars, the dark, untold stories of the اﻟﻨﻘﺎﺑﺔ ﺑﺼﻮرة ﺧﺎﺻﺔ وﺻﺤﺎﻓﻴﻲ آﺮدﺳﺘﺎن ﺑﺼﻮرة Iraqi conflict drain from its shattered ﻋﺎﻣﺔ". On September 22, Iraqi Kurdistan’s landscape like the filthy waters of the Tigris. regional parliament passed a regional And still the revelations come. The media law sparking an outpouring of Independent has learnt that secret support from Kurdish journalists and media executions are being carried out in the outlets. The law, they say, gives them prisons run by Nouri al-Maliki's "democratic" unprecedented freedoms. An earlier government. The hangings are carried out version of the law, passed by parliament in regularly – from a wooden gallows in a December 2007, was met with widespread small, cramped cell – in Saddam Hussein's opposition from Kurdish journalists who old intelligence headquarters at pressured Massoud Barzani, president of Kazimiyah. There is no public record of Kurdistan’s regional government, to reject these killings in what is now called the law and send it back to parliament. Baghdad's "high-security detention facility" Critics said the draft restricted journalistic but most of the victims – there have been freedom. The law remained pending until hundreds since America introduced amendments were passed by parliament "democracy" to Iraq – are said to be on September 22. insurgents, given the same summary

NCCI Weekly Highlight 22 Issue 130- 09/10/2008 justice they mete out to their own month. A female suicide bomber also captives. blew herself up near government offices in Baqouba, northeast of the capital, killing Attacks on Christians in Iraqi city 11 people, Iraqi officials said. The violence raise concern in both cities occurred despite U.S.-Iraqi Source : Google (AP) operations launched over the summer Document: Article aimed at routing al-Qaida in Iraq and Date: October 8, 2008 other insurgents from remaining Access: Open strongholds north of the capital. Iraqi An Iraqi archbishop expressed concern police in Mosul, 225 miles northwest of Wednesday over what he called a Baghdad, have reported finding the "campaign of killings and deportations" bullet-riddled bodies of seven Christians in against Christians in the northern city of separate attacks so far in October, the Mosul after police reported seven latest a day laborer found on Wednesday. Christians killed in separate attacks this

JGender and Cross-Cutting IssuesJ

Navigating gender in the increasing number of floods, hurricanes, development of Watsan in urban droughts and other humanitarian crises. Speaking in Geneva to humanitarian aid areas experts from the UN including UN High Source : UNICEF Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Document: Report Date: October 4, 2008 Guterres, Gareth Thomas said that whilst Access: Open there have been improvements we are still An assessment of gender in the letting too many people down when they development of water and sanitation in need help the most. This is because of lack urban areas, carried out in India. of co-ordination and strong leadership within the countries affected to get the International Development Minister job done. The number of reported says UN humanitarian system must disasters over the last ten years is 60% get smarter higher than over the previous decade, Source : NDS and in 2006 alone there was a 40% Document: Article increase in the number of global floods Date: October 4, 2008 and natural disasters. Over half of all Access: Open public appeals since 2004 for help in the International Development Minister Gareth wake of a disaster have been climate Thomas today said that the world needed related. to get smarter at dealing with the

JFood security and livelihoodsJ

Widows Face Challenges, Tough Conditions In Iraq Source: NPR Document: Article Date: October 1, 2008

NCCI Weekly Highlight 23 Issue 130- 09/10/2008

Access: Open The violence in Iraq has displaced millions — and among the most vulnerable are widows. Frequently with no means of support or protection, some of these women are reduced to begging or prostitution to survive. Baghdad's local government recently opened a trailer park refuge for women who have lost their husbands, but the women and the shelter are victims of neglect. "My baby boy, your enemy is lost in the desert, don't be afraid," sings Hiba Attiyah, one of the women in the refuge, to her crying child. The child won't be soothed and clutches desperately at Attiyah's dress. The youngest of seven children, he was only 1 month old when his father was killed by gunmen, Attiyah says. Then she was displaced from her neighborhood.

JWater and HealthcareJ

Cholera outbreak in Maysan World Health Organisation weekly Source: NCCI feedback report on measles in Iraq Document: Report Date: September, 2008 Over 400 confirmed cholera cases Access: Open so far A collection of reports and articles about Source: IRIN the “cholera outbreak” in Maysan; Document: Article updated regularly. Date: October 6, 2008 Access: Open WatSan SOT The number of confirmed cholera cases Source: UNICEF has risen to 418 in central and southern Document: MoM Iraq, with six dead since an outbreak Date: September 23, 2008 began on 20 August, a government Access: Members spokesman said on 5 October. “We’ve Minutes of the Water and Sanitation registered 418 cholera cases in 10 Sectoral Outcome Team Meeting held on provinces so far: Babil 222 cases, Baghdad th the 27 September 2008. 71, Basra 44, Karbala 34, Qadissiyah 30, Anbar seven, Najaf five, Maysan three, HNSOT Cholera Situation Report and Diyala and Kut one case each," said Source: OCHA Ihsan Jaafar, director-general of the Document: Report public health directorate and spokesman Date: September 30 and October 2, 2008 for the ministry's cholera control Access: Open Health and Nutrition Sectoral Outcome unit. Jaafar told IRIN that one new Team situation report on cholera. cholera-related death - a child under five in Qadissiyah Province - had been added to the already registered five fatalities: a WHO Weekly Feedback on Measles 10-year-old girl and a 61-year-old man in Source: WHO Babil Province; a three-year-old boy in Document: Report Date: September 21, 2007 Maysan; and an adult and child in Access: Open Baghdad.

JCoordinationJ

Iraqi National Development Strategy 2007-2010 Source: GOI Document: Strategy Paper Date: March, 2007 Access: Open

NCCI Weekly Highlight 24 Issue 130- 09/10/2008

The National Development Strategy of Iraq for the period 2007-2010

JFinance and FundingJ

CAP Workshop Criteria for the selection and prioritization Source: OCHA of projects submitted under the CAP 2009. Document: MoM Date: September 24-25, 2008 Education SOT CAP Outcomes Access: Open Source: UNICEF Minutes of the CAP 2009 workshop Document: Report Date: September 29, 2008 Health and Nutrition SOT CAP Access: Members Outcomes Minutes of the Education SOT’s CAP Source: WHO workshop outcomes. Document: Report Date: September 29, 2008 NGO Micro Grant and Access: Open Expanded Humanitarian Response Criteria for the selection and prioritization of projects submitted under the CAP 2009. Fund Bulletin No. 11 Source: OCHA

Document: Newsletter (Arabic and Kurdish) Food SOT CAP Outcomes Date: August, 2008 Source: FAO Access: Open Document: Report August 2008 edition of the NGO Micro Date: September 29, 2008 Grant and Expanded Humanitarian Access: Members Response Fund Bulletin. Priorities of the FOOD SOT for the CAP 2009

ITF 25th Funding Framework POT CAP Outcomes Source: UNDP Source: UNHCR Document: Report Document: Report Date: September 30, 2008 Date: September 29, 2008 Access: Open Access: Open The 25th Funding Framework document for the Iraq Trust Fund.

______Reference Documents

The Code of Conduct for the ICRC Document: Code of Conduct Date: 1994 and NGOs in Disaster Relief Access: Open Source: ICRC

NCCI Weekly Highlight 25 Issue 130- 09/10/2008

The international code of standards for the The full text of the Helsinki II agreements ICRC and humanitarian NGOs, working in disaster relief situations. International Reconstruction Fund for Iraq UN SC Resolution 1830 Source: IRFFI Source: UN Document: Fund Document: SC Resolution Date: 2004 Date: 2008 Access: Open Access: Open Information about the International The latest UN Security Council resolution Reconstruction Fund for Iraq regarding Iraq and UNAMI. Sphere Standards: English/Arabic UN SC Resolution 1770 Source: Sphere Project Source: UN Document: Code of Practice Document: SC Resolution Date: 2004 Date: 2007 Access: Open Access: Open The Sphere Charter and Minimum The UN Security Council resolution Standards in Disaster Response. regarding Iraq for 2007, including the expanded UNAMI mandate Iraq’s Political Structure Source: USAID UN SC Resolution 1546 Document: Report Source: UN Date: 2008 Document: SC Resolution Access: Open Date: 2003 A description of the political structure of Access: Open Iraq. The UN Security Council resolution setting the mandate of UNAMI Iraqi Legal Database Source: ILD UN SC Resolution 1500 Document: Database (Arabic) Source: UN Date: September 2008 Document: SC Resolution Access: Open Date: 2003 All laws, regulations, constitutions and Access: Open orders etc. of Iraq from 1917to 2008. The UN Security Council resolution establishing UNAMI Guidelines for relations between US armed forces and NGOs International Compact with Iraq Source: InterAction Source: GoI Document: Guidelines Document: Compact Date: 2005 Date: 2006 Access: Open Access: Open Guidelines for relations between US Armed The International Compact is the initiative Forces and NGOs in hostile or potentially of the Government of Iraq for a new hostile environments partnership with the international Air Serv Timetable community. Source: NCCI Document: Timetable Helsinki II Date: October 2008 Source: CMI Access: Members Document: Multi-National Agreement Air Serv’s timetable for October 2008 Date: July 2008 Access: Open

NCCI Weekly Highlight 26 Issue 130- 09/10/2008

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

¾ Wednesday 15 October – IDP Working Group Meeting 10am, IOM Amman

NCCI Weekly Highlight 27 Issue 130- 09/10/2008

Upcoming important dates

¾ Shawwal 10/October 10 - Ghaibat Al Kubra Imam Al-Zemana (Mahdi)

¾ Shawwal 14/October 14 – Saddam Hussein sentenced to death

¾ Shawwal 15/October 15 - Anniversary of Iraq's Referendum (2005)/ Auhad Battle / Anniversary of Hamza's Death

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]

¾ Call for candidates fro the 30th International Human Rights Training Program,

Montreal, Canada, June 14 to July 3, 2009. Further information can be found here

¾ Call for nominations of candidates for the 2nd Tri-Cluster training (Health, Nutrition and WASH), to be held 3rd-8th November 2008. Further information can be found here

¾ A conference entitled "Ten years of Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement – Achievements and Future Challenges", held by iDMC will take place in Oslo on the 16th and 17th October 2008. Further information can be found here. * if an link in the NCCI newsletter is not working anymore, it might be ¾ becauseAir Serv theOct sourceober 2008 of theschedul documene cant be removed checked the here article from the open access website. Generally, you can find the article by clicking here.

¾ CVs can be uploaded here

¾ CVs can be checked here

¾ Employment opportunities can be examined here

NCCI Weekly Highlight 28 Issue 130- 09/10/2008