Madeleine Albright questioned by David Swanson says she is sorry for having said that killing half a million Iraqi children was worth it

Madeleine Albright questioned by David Swanson on October 31, 2012, in Charlottesville, Va.,says she is sorry for having said that killing half a million Iraqi children was worth it.

 Thank you David Swanson for speaking the truth and not letting war criminals go unchallenged!

David Swanson: I asked Ms. Albright whether she thought the price of half a million children's lives lost due to Iraq sanctions was worth it during a talk at the  Chicago Council on Foreign Relations, while she was still Secretary of State. She didn't answer me and I got hauled off by security guards along with several other friends including Kathy Kelly. 

Now that it's too late she's apologizing. How can she sleep at night? And sanctions are now causing untold suffering on the people of Iran.

Türkiye Cumhuriyeti’nin kuruluşunun 89. yıldönümü töreni Brüksel’de muhteşem bir resepsiyonla kutlandı.

Türkiye Cumhuriyeti Devleti´nin Belçika´daki temsilcileri, 29 Ekim 2012 akşamı,  Tervuren Palais des Colonies salonun’da, Cumhuriyet’in 89. yılına yakışır bir resepsiyon düzenlediler.
Türkiye Cumhuriyeti Brüksel Maslahatgüzarı Oya Turan Yazar´ın ev sahipliğinde düzenlenen resepsiyonda, bayram tebriklerini Maslahatgüzar Oya Turan Yazar, eşi AB nezdinde Müsteşar Mustafa Turan, Brüksel Başkonsolosu Ali Barış Ulusoy, eşi Esin Ulusoy, Askeri Ataşe Kurmay Albay Ömer Faruk Demirbilek ve eşi Nurcihan Demirbilek, birlikte kabul ettiler.

Katılımın yüksek olduğu resepsiyonda seçkin konuklar arasında ITC Avrupa Birliği Temsilcisi Dr Hassan Aydınlı ve eşi davetli olarak yer aldılar.

Resepsiyona  katılanlar  arasında  Belçikanın federal ve bölgesel hükümeti Temsilcileri, Milletvekili ve siyasileri çok sayıda bulundu, bunlaradan beraber

Belçikadaki yabancı misyon şefleri, AB nezdinde yabancı Büyükelçiler, NATO nezdinde Askeri Temsilciler, AB nezdinde T.C. Büyükelçisi İzzet Selim Yenel, eşi Sefire Serap Yenel, NATO nezdinde T.C. Büyükelçisi Haydar Berk, eşi Şeniz Berk, NATO Genel Sekreter Yardımcısı Büyükelçi Hüseyin Diriöz, KKTC Temsilcisi Büyükelçi Gizem Alpman, NATO Askeri Temsil Heyeti Başkanı Korgeneral Tahir Berkoğlu, Anvers Başkonsolosu Deniz Çakar, Türk kökenli Belçika senatörü Fatma Pehlivan, Brüksel bölge milletvekili Mahinur Özdemir, Brüksel Saint-Josse Belediye Başkan Yardımcısı Hava Ardıçlık, Belediye Meclis Üyeleri Derya Alıc, Sadık Köksal, Filiz Güles, Belma Tek, Alperen Özdemir, Mustafa Ulusoy, Türk sivil ve askeri delegasyon temsilcileri, siyasiler, sivil örgüt temsilcileri, iş adamları, sanatçılar ve basın mensupları yer aldı.

Resepsiyon’da Irak’taki son siyasi gelişmeler ve özelikle Türkmeneli’de Türkmenlerin siyasi ve güvenlik durumu tartışıldı.  

Büyük bir katılımın gerçekleştiği resepsiyonda konuklara lezzetli Türk mutfak ürünleri ikram edildi, resepsiyon da çok güzel bir ortamda gecti.

ITC Avrupa Birliği Temsilciliği

Brüksel-Belçika.

30 Ekim 2012.

ITF EU Representative attended the reception held by the Turkish Embassy at the Palais des Colonies in Brussels to celebrate the 89th Anniversary of the Proclamation of the Republic of Turkey

Dr. Hassan Aydinli and Mrs. Hassan Aydinli received an invitation from Mrs. Oya Yazar Turan, Chargé d'Affaires a.i. and Mr. Turan of the Embassy of Turkey in Brussels to attend the reception at the Palais des Colonies in Tervuren, on the occasion of the 89th Anniversary of the Declaration of the Republic of Turkey.

Commemorating the 89th Anniversary of the Republic of Turkey

Republic Day marks the creation of the Turkish Republic in 1923. After Turkey’s victory in the War of Independence (1919-1923), the Turkish parliament proclaimed the new Turkish state as a republic. A new constitution, which the parliament adopted on October 29, 1923, replaced the constitution of the Ottoman Empire. The leader in the Turkish War of Independence, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, became the country’s first president on the same day. 

Attacks on Shabak families in Mosul

In the northern city of Mosul, gunmen broke into the houses of two Shabak families, killing a boy and his parents in one and a mother and daughter in the other, according to police. A bomb exploded near the house of another Shabak family, wounding six family members.

Shabaks are ethnically Turkmen and Shiite by religion. Most Shabaks were driven out of Mosul by Sunni militants during the sectarian fighting a few years ago.

Medics in nearby hospitals confirmed the casualties.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/18-killed-in-iraq-attacks-during-eid-aladha-holiday-8229168.html#

Turkey’s Changing Relations with Iraq: Kurdistan Up, Baghdad Down

The Washington Institute

POLICY ANALYSIS

POLICY FOCUS 122

Turkey’s Changing Relations with Iraq: Kurdistan Up, Baghdad Down

Soner Cagaptay and Tyler Evans

October 2012

DOWNLOAD PDF

Turkey's ties with the Kurdistan Regional Government in northern Iraq have reached a level unimaginable a few years ago. From rapidly growing business and oil deals to numerous high-level diplomatic visits, Ankara is in the midst of an unprecedented rapprochement with the Iraqi Kurds, one that has come largely at the expense of the Maliki government in Baghdad.

In this Policy Focus, Soner Cagaptay and Tyler Evans explain how that shift came about and, more important, how much further it might go in terms of pushing Ankara away from Baghdad and toward the Kurds. At a time when the uprising in Syria continues to boil on Turkey's border, they offer a detailed timeline of the changes in the relationship thus far, as well as a practical assessment of what Washington can expect going forward.

THE AUTHORS

Soner Cagaptay is the Beyer Family fellow and director of the Turkish Research Program at The Washington Institute.

Tyler Evans is a Schusterman young scholar at the Institute.

  

http://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/view/turkeys-changing-relations-with-iraq-kurdistan-up-baghdad-down

Celebration message of the Holy Eid from ITF Turkey representative Kazancı

I pray to Allah that this Holy Eid Feast will bring especially to our Turkmeneli region and to our country Iraq an athmosphere of Justice and Peace instead of force and violence.


I wish that this time of feast will bring serenity and peace to our country Iraq where feasts cannot be celebrated with enjoyment by the Turkmen people who coexist in a land of bloodshed and tears caused by explosive attacks and assassinations.

With these emotions and thoughts I take this opportunity to celebrate the Holy Eid of the whole Islam Community and pray that Allah grants you and your family a celebration in health and serenity.

Sincerely,

  Dr. Hicran Kazancı
  Iraqi Turkmen Front -  Turkey Representative

Remembering our Irish Martyrs : Michael Fitzgerald, Terence MacSwiney and Patrick Joseph Murphy

Michael Fitzgerald was a member of the Irish Republican Army who died on Hunger strike at Cork Jail on 17 October 1920.

A native of Ballyoran, Fermoy, County Cork, Fitzgerald was educated at the Christian Brothers School in the town and subsequently found work as a mill worker in the locality. He joined the Irish Volunteers in 1914 and played an important role in building the local organisation which was soon to become the Irish Republican Army (IRA). He soon rose to the rank of Battalion Commandant, 1st Battalion, Cork No.2 Brigade.

On Easter Sunday, April 20 1919 Michael Fitzgerald led a small group of IRA volunteers who captured Araglin Royal Irish Constabulary baracks on the Cork / Tipperary border. He was subsequently arrested and sentenced to three months imprisonment at Cork Jail.

Fitzgerald was released from prison in August 1919 and immediately returned to active IRA duty. He was involved in the holding up of a party of British Army troops at the Wesleyan Church in Fermoy. The troops were disarmed although one of them was killed.

Michael Fitzgerald was again arrested and jailed on 8 September 1920. Once again in Cork Jail he joined a major hunger strike of IRA prisoners at the jail in 1920 and died at the jail on 17 October 1920 after a sixty-seven day hunger strike which also claimed the life of his comrade Joe Murphy and Terence McSwiney.

Michael Fitzgerald is buried at Kilcrumper Cemetery, on the outskirts of Fermoy.

On this day in 1920 - Terence MacSwiney, the Mayor of Cork, dies in a London prison after 73 days on hunger strike. His last words to a priest by his side were, "I want you to bear witness that I die as a soldier of the Irish Republic."

Terence Joseph MacSwiney (28 March 1879 – 25 October 1920) was an Irish playwright, author and politician. He was elected as Sinn Féin Lord Mayor of Cork during the Irish War of Independence in 1920. He was arrested by the British on charges of sedition and imprisoned in Brixton prison in England. His death there in October 1920 after 74 days on hunger strike brought him and the Irish struggle to international attention.

Described as a sensitive poet-intellectual, MacSwiney's writings in the newspaper Irish Freedom brought him to the attention of the Irish Republican Brotherhood. He was one of the founders of the Cork Brigade of the Irish Volunteers in 1913, and was President of the Cork branch of Sinn Féin. He founded a newspaper, Fianna Fáil, in 1914, but it was suppressed after only 11 issues.

In April 1916, he was intended to be second in command of the Easter Rising in Cork and Kerry, but stood down his forces on the order of Eoin MacNeill. Following the rising, he was interned under the Defence of the Realm Act in Reading and Wakefield Gaols until December 1916. In February 1917 he was deported from Ireland and interned in Shrewsbury and Bromyard internment camps until his release in June 1917. It was during his exile in Bromyard that he married Muriel Murphy of the Cork distillery-owning family. In November 1917, he was arrested in Cork for wearing an Irish Republican Army (IRA) uniform, and, inspired by the example of Thomas Ashe, went on a hunger strike for three days prior to his release.

In the 1918 general election, MacSwiney was returned unopposed to the first Dáil Éireann as Sinn Féin representative for Mid Cork, succeeding the Nationalist MP D. D. Sheehan. After the murder of his friend Tomás Mac Curtain, the Lord Mayor of Cork on 20 March 1920, MacSwiney was elected as Lord Mayor. On 12 August 1920, he was arrested in Dublin for possession of seditious articles and documents, and also possession of a cipher key. He was summarily tried by court martial on 16 August and sentenced to two years' imprisonment in Brixton Prison.

Read more about his Hunger strike, the Aftermath and legacy and for more links: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terence_MacSwiney

Volunteer Patrick Joseph Murphy, who died on hunger strike on October 25, 1920, was educated at Togher National School, Cork. He was an avid sportsman who played hurling for the old Plunketts club in Togher and also enjoyed a game of road bowling on most Sunday mornings.

His life changed dramatically when he, along with many of his friends, joined the local company of the Irish Republican Army in the early stages of the War of Independence. Following a raid on his home on the night of July 15, 1920 he was arrested and imprisoned at Cork County Jail.

Two months later, he was one of a group of sixty Cork republicans - including Terence MacSwiney - who embarked on hunger strike. The mass protest captured the sympathy of the general public and large crowds congregated outside the jail gates each day, many reciting the rosary. However, after a fast lasting seventy-six days, twenty four year old Joe Murphy died. Thousands attended his removal to the Lough Chapel. The funeral ceremonies were dominated by a strong British military presence and no more than a hundred people were allowed to follow the hearse to St. Finbarr’s Cemetery.

Turkmen politician, Ali Hashim Muhtaroğlu was targeted in Kerkuk today,one killed and four wounded in the attack

24th October 2012

One dead and four wounded in an explosion in Kirkuk

Iraqi Turkmen Front (ITF) Vice President, Mr. Ali Hashim Muhtaroğlu escaped unharmed when a parked motorcycle packed with explosives went off when his convoy was passing in a street in the city of  Kirkuk today.

According to a report, a young boy, Ahmed Al-Obeidi, was killed in the attack. The boy and his brother were on their way to buy clothes for the holiday of Eid al-Adha.

Four other people were wounded in the attack.

Iraq: Attacks kill 12, including schoolboy

Horrors of war: US, UK munitions ‘cause birth defects in Iraq’

Please see:

Horrors of war: US, UK munitions ‘cause birth defects in Iraq’

  http://rt.com/news/birth-defects-iraq-report-385/

ممثل الجبهة التركمانية العراقية في الاتحاد الأوربي الدكتور حسن أيدنلي يلتقي في بروكسل مع ممثل منظمة الأمم المتحدة للطفولة في العراق

ممثل الجبهة التركمانية العراقية في الاتحاد الأوربي الدكتور حسن أيدنلي يلتقي في بروكسل مع ممثل منظمة الأمم المتحدة للطفولة في العراق

حضر ممثل الجبهة التركمانية العراقية في الاتحاد الأوربي الدكتور حسن أيدنلي الجلسة الشهرية الاعتيادية للجنة العلاقات الأوربية العراقية في البرلمان الأوربي التي انعقدت يوم الخميس المصادف 18 تشرين الأول 2012 و التي خصصت لبحث و مناقشة الوضع المعاش من قبل أطفال العراق ومدى اكتسابهم حقوقهم الأساسية و مدى احترام السلطات العراقية لهذه الحقوق واعترافها بها. 

انعقدت الجلسة كالعادة تحت رئاسة السيد ستروان ستيفنسون عضو البرلمان الأوربي ورئيس لجنة العلاقات الأوربية العراقية وحضرها عدد من البرلمانيين الأوربيين وكذلك عدد من ممثلي شعبة الفعاليات الخارجية للاتحاد الأوربي ( (EEAS وممثلين من منظمة مراقبة حقوق الإنسان ( Human Rights Watch) كما حضر الجلسة ممثلين من السفارة العراقية وممثلين من الأحزاب الكردية و من حكومة الإقليم الكردي و ممثل من جمعية الصداقة الأوربية التركمانية مع عدد من الصحفيين و قنوات التلفزيون المعتمدين في بروكسل

أفتتح السيد ستروان ستيفنسون الجلسة بكلمة تتطرق فيها إلى العملية الإرهابية التي تعرضت لها الطفلة الباكستانية ملالة أخيرا و التي أدت إلى إصابتها بجروح خطيرة جراء إطلاق النار عليها وهي في الطريق إلى مدرستها وشجب بشده هذه العملية وكل العمليات الإرهابية التي تستهدف الأبرياء من المدنيين وبالأخص تلك التي تستهدف الأطفال و النساء. 

بعد ذلك تحدث عن وضع أطفال العراق وعن حياتهم المعيشية الصعبة بسبب ظروف الحرب و الاحتلال التي تعرض إليها بلدهم في العقود الأخيرة مذكرا بان الحرب على العراق في 2003 والاحتلال الأجنبي الذي دام سنينا عديدة بعدها قد سببا قتل مئات الآلاف من العراقيين المدنيين وأدى ذلك إلى خلل كبير داخل المجتمع العراقي بسبب مئات الآلاف من اليتامى و الأرامل نتيجة تلك الحرب وسنين الاحتلال مؤكدا بان هؤلاء اليتامى و الأرامل لا شك إنهم بحاجة إلى مساعدة مادية وعناية اجتماعية إذا أردنا حمايتهم ضد المعاملة السيئة و العنف و الاستغلال كما إنهم بحاجة إلى إرشاد صحي و تعليم وإلى باقي متطلبات الحياة الأساسية إذا أردنا إعطائهم حقوقهم الإنسانية و إذا أردنا احترام حقوقهم كما ينبغي.

ثم تتطرق إلى موضوع الولادة و الطفولة في العراق وعبر عن قلقه من ما يسمعه وما يقرئه في تقارير عن النسبة العالية لولادة ألأطفال المشوهين في العراق وعزا ذلك إلى استعمال القوات الأمريكية و البريطانية للأسلحة الفتاكة وقذائف من المعادن الثقيلة و اليورونيوم المخضب و أنهى كلمته بتقديم ضيف الجلسة و المتحدث الأساسي فيها و هو الدكتور مارزيو بابيل ممثل منظمة الأمم المتحدة للطفولة(اليونيسيف) في العراق الذي ألقى محاضرة قيمة عن فعاليات منظمة اليونيسيف في العراق وقدم تقريرا مفصلا مع خرائط وبيانات دقيقة عن أوضاع الأطفال و النساء في جميع محافظات العراق جمعتها منظمة اليونيسيف في السنين الخمسة الأخيرة ( 2006 - 2011 ) 

وقبل الدخول إلى تفاصيل الموضوع قدم الدكتور مارزيو بابيل زميله السيد سوباش ميسرا رئيس قسم التخطيط و المتابعة و التقييم لمنظمة اليونيسيف في العراق إلى الحاضرين وشكره لإسهامه الفعال في عمليات الإحصاء وتجميع البيانات و لدوره في تحضير التقرير الذي يتضمن نتائج الكشف الميداني الأخير الذي يعتبر اشمل كشف ميداني يجرى في العراق و يساهم فيه اليونيسيف حيث جند له 800 إحصائي ومتخصص توزعوا إلى المدن و القرى لجمع المعلومات من 36.000 منزل و استجوبوا 55.000 امرأة وجمعوا معلومات عن 36.000 طفل تحت الخامسة من العمر كحالته الصحية و الغذائية و نوعية الحماية و التربية التي يحظى بها من داخل الأسرة وكذلك نوعية وكمية الخدمات الأساسية التي توفرها له الدولة كالماء والكهرباء والدواء وكذلك المرافق الصحية و مجاري صرف المياه الملوثة ... ألخ

ثم تكلم عن التاريخ الطويل لليونيسيف في العراق وفعالياته هناك قائلا بان اليونيسيف بدء نشاطه في العراق في 1952 ثم فتح مكتبا دائما له في بغداد عام 1983 مركزا اهتمامه وحاشدا جهوده في المحا فضه على حياة الأطفال والدفاع عن حقوقهم و خاصة أثناء الأزمات والحروب لذا استمر اليونيسيف في عمله في العراق طوال فترات الحروب و الحصار الاقتصادي من 1990 حتى 2003 وانه قد كثف حضوره و فعالياته في العراق وفتح مكتبا ثانيا له في اربيل وسيفتح مكتبا ثالثا في البصره وسيسلط جل اهتمامه إلى مشاكل الأطفال و النساء في ميادين الصحة ،التعليم، الغذاء ،الماء الصالح للشرب، المرافق الصحية، الحماية و الوقاية. 

وأضاف بان اليونيسيف يقدم الآن معونات تقنية و استشارات إلى الحكومة العراقية في ميادين التخطيط و الضمان الاجتماعي ويسعى على أن يحظى الأطفال العراقيون بحياة كريمة كي يتمكنوا من تحقيق إمكاناتهم و يدعم اليونيسيف الحكومة العراقية لوضع سياسات مراعية للأطفال و بناء قدرات المؤسسات المعنية في تقديم الخدمات الأساسية للأطفال كما يسعى اليونيسيف وضع جميع المسئولين أمام واجباتهم لضمان كافة حقوق الأطفال العراقيين.

ثم أضاف مؤكدا بان برامج اليونيسيف تساهم في تحسين الخدمات الصحية الأساسية ، نوعية التعليم ، إعادة بناء شبكات الماء و الصرف الصحي ، حماية الأطفال ضد المعاملة السيئة و العنف و الاستغلال و الاستجابة لحاجات الأكثر تهميشا خلال الأزمات. 

وأكد أيضا بان العراق بحاجة إلى إستراتيجية عادلة وبرامج شاملة كي يكشف ويصل إلى الأطفال و الأمهات الأكثر فقرا و الأكثر حرمانا وهم كثيرون في العراق لان استطلاعات اليونيسيف تظهر بان ثلث أطفال العراق ( 5.2 مليون طفل عراقي) محرومون من معظم حقوقهم الأساسية وإنهم موجودون و منتشرون في جميع محافظات العراق ولكن بنسب متباينة. 

وفي حديثه عن المحافظات قال ما يلي:-

نعلم إن الاستقرار السياسي في أي بلد أو محافظة شرط ضروري لاستتاب الأمن فيه والأمن ضروري للاستثمار والاستثمار ضروري للنمو الاقتصادي و النمو الاقتصادي ضروري لتوفير فرص العمل والعمل هو الذي يسمح كسب الرزق للمواطن وعائلته ويمكنه تطوير حياته العائلية والاستجابة لحاجات أفراد عائلته و أطفاله.

ولو نظرنا إلى الوضع في العراق نراه غير مستقر سياسيا وفيه صراع سياسي مستمر بين الأحزاب السياسية على السلطة والمناصب و صراع ثاني مستمر أيضا بين مكونات الشعب العراقي على الامتيازات وصراع ثالث بين حكومة المركز في بغداد و حكومة الإقليم في اربيل على الأرض وما تحتها من ثروات طبيعية والتي تسمى الان بالمناطق المتنازع عليها!

بطبيعة الحال كل هذه الصراعات تسبب اضطرابات في البلد وتخل بالأمن ولا تشجع الاستثمار و تؤدي في النهاية إلى الركود الاقتصادي وانعدام فرص العمل للمواطنين والى البطالة وهذه بدورها تؤدي إلى الفقر والفقر عدو لدود للأطفال. 

وذكر بان معدل البطالة في العراق كان 17% حسب الإحصائيات الأخيرة و العاطلون عن العمل وعددهم ( 5.6 ) مليون موجودون و منتشرون في جميع محافظات العراق وهذه مشكلة كبيرة للسلطات العراقية لان معظم العاطلين عن العمل هم من الشباب وبإمكانهم تحدي السلطة وتعطيل العملية السياسية على غرار ما حدث في بعض البلدان العربية أخيرا .

تعترف الحكومة العراقية بأنها تجابه تحديات كبيرة مثل الركود الاقتصادي و البطالة وتسعى إيجاد حلول لها بتحديث القطاع العام وتشجيع القطاع الخاص للاستثمار في العراق ويساعدها في هذا المسعى اليونيسيف الذي يقدم الاستشارات ويحث المسئولين السياسيين إلى المصالحة و الوفاق وحل المشاكل ليستقر الوضع ولينمو الاقتصاد وتتقلص البطالة.

و في موضوع المحافظات الشمالية (كركوك ،موصل، صلاح الدين و ديالى ) و المناطق المتنازع عليها قال الدكتور مارزيو بابيل إن هذه المحافظات تعاني من مشاكل سياسية واثنيه لكون سكانها خليط من مكونات العراق ( العرب والكرد و التركمان) ومن نزاعات حدودية لكونها محافظات متاخمة للمحافظات الكردية و يدعي المكون الكردي بان أجزاء من هذه المحافظات هي مناطق كرديه استقطعت من محافظاتهم ويريد استرجاعها وضمها إلى الإقليم الكردي الأمر الذي يرفضه المكونان الآخران ولهذا السبب أطلق اسم المناطق المتنازع عليها على هذه المناطق. 

لا شك إن هذه المشاكل و النزاعات تؤثر سلبا على حياة سكان هذه المحافظات لذا يوصي اليونيسيف المسئولين في هذه المحافظات إلى الحوار البناء ويقدم لهم العون قدر الإمكان لإزالة العقبات وتقريب المواقف ولهذا السبب قام الدكتور مارزيو بابيل بزيارة الموصل وكركوك

بعد نهاية الجلسة التقى ممثل الجبهة التركمانية العراقية في الاتحاد الأوربي الدكتور حسن أيدنلي مع ممثل اليونيسيف في العراق الدكتور مارزيو بابيل وتباحث معه مطولا حول الوضع السياسي و الاقتصادي و الأمني في العراق و خاصة في المناطق التركمانية التي عانت كثيرا من الإهمال المتعمد و قلة الاستثمار الحكومي في العقود الماضية مما اثر سلبا على دخل المواطن التركماني و تتطور المجتمع التركماني و تعاني الآن ومنذ بداية الاحتلال في نيسان 2003 من الإرهاب العنصري الذي يسبب ضحايا بالآلاف وينتج يتامى و أرامل بالآلاف أيضا وطلب فتح مكتب لليونيسيف في كركوك لمساعدة هؤلاء الاطفال اليتامى و الأرامل 

المكتب الإعلامي

ممثلية الجبهة التركمانية العراقية

في الاتحاد الاوربي.

.

ITF EU representative Dr. Hassan Aydinli met with UNICEF representative for Iraq, Dr. Marzio Babille, at the EU Parliament in Brussels

Iraqi Turkmen Front EU representative Dr. Hassan Aydinli attended the Delegation for relations with Iraq Meeting at the EU Parliament in Brussels on 18^th October 2012.

On the agenda of the Iraq Delegation Meeting was the Exchange of views on conditions of children and Children Rights in Iraq. The key speaker was Dr. Marzio BABILLE, UNICEF representative for Iraq, he was accompanied by Dr. Subhash MISRA, United Nations Children’s Fund Iraq. Several members of UNICEF (United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund – Brussels Office)  also attended the meeting.

ITF EU representative Dr. Hassan Aydinli discussed the situation of the Turkmens with Dr. Marzio BABILLE, he spoke of the need to open a UNICEF Office in Kirkuk, like the ones already opened in Baghdad and Erbil.  Dr. Babille said that UNICEF had plans to open one in Kirkuk in the near future. He informed Dr. Aydinli that he had met with Mr. Hasan TURAN, the head of the Kirkuk provincial council, when he was in Kirkuk.  Dr. Babille also told him that he would be going back to Iraq on the next day. Dr. Aydinli wished him success in his Mission.

The meeting was chaired by MEP Struan STEVENSON.

It was attended by:

-          Representatives of the EEAS (European External Action Service)

-          A Delegation from the Iraqi Embassy Brussels

-          Representatives of UNICEF Children’s Fund Brussels Office

-          Mr. Perello RODRIGUEZ, D IQ MEP

-          Dr. Hassan AYDINLI, Iraqi Turkmen Front EU Representative

-          Mrs. Merry FITZGERALD, Europe-Turkmen Friendships

-          Mr. Carlos KURDI, accompanied by several other Kurdish representatives in Brussels

-          Human Rights Watch representative

-          Representatives of several EU organizations

-          Journalists and TV crews from EU and Iraq.

Summary of the Meeting

The Chair began the Meeting by pronouncing a firm condemnation of the barbaric attack by the Taliban on Malala, the young Pakistani girl, he said that the EU Parliament will never allow violence against the weak.  He also condemned female genital mutilation and girl labour.

Afterwards Mr. Stevenson spoke of the Iraqi children’s difficult situation, especially the thousands of orphans who need urgent attention as many of them are victims of human trafficking and sexual slavery.  He also deplored the fact that Al-Quaeda is using children in Iraq. He said that children are being kidnapped for ransoms in Iraq and that if the parents are unable to pay the ransom, these children are killed.

The Chair said he was concerned about the grave deterioration of children's health in Iraq due to heavy metal and Depleted Uranium used by the US and UK military during the war and occupation of the country.

Mr. Stevenson then introduced the UNICEF representative for Iraq, Dr. Marzio BABILLE, and said that it was a great opportunity to have him at the Meeting.

Dr. Marzio Babille is a Medical Doctor with Postgraduate Degree in Advanced and Clinical epidemiology  by the New England Epidemiology Institute at Tufts University, Boston, USA, with a Master’s degree in Public Health, the University of Leeds, U.K., and he holds a Diploma in Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, he also has Postgraduate Fellowship in Emergency Medicine and Trauma and a Specialization in Internal Medicine.

The Chair said that Dr. Babille is a most highly qualified guest with experience in conflict zones.  Dr. Babille has participated in emergency planning, coordination and relief operations in various countries, such as Libya, Chad, India, the Sahel regions of Chad, the Jammu & Kashmir, the assistance to Iraqi-Kurdish IDPs and refugees in north-western Iran, Ethiopia, etc. Dr. Babille,  joined the Iraq Country Office in his capacity of UNICEF representative in February 2012.

After that, the Chair asked Dr. Babille what the EU can do to help the Iraqi children.

Dr. Marzio BABILLE started his presentation by saying that he and Dr. Subhash MISRA, Chief of Planning, Monitoring & Evaluation, UN Children’s Fund Iraq, have prepared the presentation and the documents which will be distributed during the Meeting. 

He spoke of the MICS  4  (The Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey collects data on the well-being of children including the status of children's health, nutrition, education, child protection and other indicators related to children's fundamental rights) which is the largest household survey to be carried out in Iraq to date and is the second Government survey to gather data at the district level. He said that more than 800 people were mobilized by Iraq's Central Statistics Organization and the Kurdistan Regional Statistics Office to assess a representative sample of around 36,000 households across the country, the largest ever. In total, over 55,000 women were interviewed with information collected on over 36,000 children under the age of five.

Dr. Babille said that there is need for Equity Strategy: Identifying the Most Deprived, (for children and women’s rights). He said that one in three children is deprived of several rights. Dr. Babille added that wide disparities of most deprived exist between and within Governorates and that Iraq needs wide private partnerships and collaboration for new policies.

Dr. Babille then spoke about the northern part of Iraq (Dohuk, Erbil, Ninewah, Kirkuk, and Salaheddin) which has a mixed population of Arabs, Turkmens and Kurds, where there is need to enhance national dialogue. He said that UNICEF is starting an interesting programme of Community Dialogue and added that this was important for Turkmens in particular. Dr. Babille said that he had personally visited Mosul and Kirkuk.

Regarding the 'disputed areas', Dr. Babille said  that Governance of the two regions of Iraq (Central-South) and the northern region of Kurdistan has several positive elements but it has potential of resulting in uneven development. Besides, in the 'disputed areas' a child is likely to be deprived and affected in many ways as the duty bearers are to organise the administrative roles and responsibilities. If the Government cannot, for political compulsions, address the 'disputed areas' and provide for additional funds, the development agencies and donors need to consider support for the child there. UNICEF is mindful of such situations and data collected through MICS 4  provide ample evidence for planning in deprived districts in disputed areas and elsewhere in the country. The access to basic services is weak across the board and this requires improving as growth and development of children will depend on it. UNICEF supports quality essential services for health, education, water & sanitation and will continue to do so in the most deprived governorates and districts based on the equity analysis, but it is not possible for UNICEF to do so alone.

Below are data taken from Dr. Babille's presentation:-

2006-2011 Trends: Progress

There is Progress in:

• Birth registration
• Gender parity in school
• Primary school attendance
• Fully immunized children

But there is Insufficient Progress in:

• Infant Mortality (newborns)
• Immunization coverage (Measles)
• Malnutrition (stunting)*
• Child Labour

*Stunting: low height for age in children, which is the irreversible outcome of chronic nutritional deficiency during the first 1.000 days of a child’s life.

2006-2011 Trends: What needs to improve:

Regression in:

• Breastfeeding
• Treatment of Diarrhoea
• Pneumonia
• Early Marriage

Stalled in:

• Low birth weight rate
• Net primary school completion rate
• Domestic violence and violent discipline
• Knowledge of HIV
• Iodized salt supplementation

Dr. Babille showed graphics on the following topics, adding that all data had been validated by the Ministry in Baghdad:

• Socio-Demographic
• Human Development
• Security Levels in Iraq, October 2012
• Disputed Internal Borders
• Children & Women in Iraq
• Equity Strategy: Identifying the Most Deprived
• Trends on Children’s Issues 2006-2011
• Children’s Issues today, Maternal, Newborn and Child Health
• Child Mortality
• Nutrition: Underweight, Stunting and Wasting
• Children’s Issues today, Water and Sanitation
• Children’s Issues today, Education
• Children’s Issues today, Child Protection: Violence and Child Labour
• Key Issues for Youth
• Youth Unemployment
• Key Governorate Priorities
• Adolescents Out of School & Youth Unemployment
• Policy and Strategic Level Work
• Programmatic Way Ahead

On the Socio-Demographic item, he gave the following information:

• Population: 33.4 million (est.)
• Children: 16.8 million (50%)
• Under-5 Children: 5.6 million (17%)
• 23% living on less than 2.2 USD/day (WB, 2008)
• 17% unemployment rate (Labour Surv. MoLSA, 2008)
• 18% female force participation
• 5% internet users
• 78% mobile subscribers
• 86% with access to electricity (public grid and private generator).

Human Development Index:  Iraq has low comparative development, ranking:

• 16^th in the Middle East
• 132^ND Globally

Concerning security issues he said that in the last 4 years Iraq has accomplished good work and he added that the UN has personnel who observe the security issue on a daily basis.

UNICEF is present in refugee camps of Duhok and Al-Quaim (for Syrian refugees and Iraqi returnees); in both camps they are looking after women and children.

Dr. Babille said that almost 2 million children suffer from lack of rights in Iraq and that UNICEF can influence the Iraqi government to improve children’s rights, therefore access of the UN to the poor is essential.

He added that there are cases of violence on children at home:

• 4 in 5 children experience violent discipline; 1 in 20 in child labour.
• 9.6 million children 2-14 years suffer from any violent discipline method; one third of them (3.3m) suffer from severe physical punishment.

After that he gave the following information: -

• 98% of Iraqi children are registered at birth.
•  More than half of all children under 5 die in their first month of life.
• A very positive point is that the Iraqi Ministry of Health has immunized children, but Measles and chronic malnutrition are still a problem.
•  There is another big problem: only 62% of children complete primary school and 11% of children under 14 are out of school.
• Neonatal Health assessment is needed and UNICEF will help the Iraqi government.
• Forced marriages are a problem.

Key Issues for Youth: (info taken from Dr. Mabille’s presentation)

Youth/Adolescent aspiring for participation, economic opportunities and better quality of life (minimum standards of service delivery):

1.       Employment:

-          High youth unemployment (30%) – exacerbated by low education and skill levels

-          Youth unemployment rising: 450,000 youngsters join the labour market each year

2.       Governance:

-          Social participation in governance

-          Accountability and transparency mechanisms

3.       Service Delivery:

-          85% households suffering weekly or daily electricity cuts

-          Very low intermediate (39%) and secondary enrolment (21%)

-          Second highest maternal and child mortality rates in the region

-          Only half of urban households have some form of garbage collection, less than 5% in rural areas

-          Only 1 out of 3 urban households access the sanitation network, less than 3% in rural areas.

Dr. Babille added that these issues vary across country, gender, age groups – needing complex responses.

Dr. Babille said that another issue was Food Security; due to low income (Iraqis have relatively low income per capita). Water access is a serious problem, 25% of households have no access to water.  As for literacy of poor women he said that there has not been any progress.

He said that investment in Teacher Training is important, that we need to  enhance understanding, a new way to bring up children;  to eliminate trauma due to war.

Regarding female genital mutilation and cutting (1.3 million women suffer from FGM/C) Dr. Babille said it is principally concentrated in the Kurdish region of Iraq (with highest percentages in Erbil and Suleymaniya), he added that women parliamentarians in the Kurdistan Region have been mobilized and that UNICEF will offer support to end such practices, but that this requires means. He said that the Iraqi government does not recognize this practice.

Dr. Babille declared that for the next 2 years UNICEF in Iraq will concentrate on public sector reforms, decentralization and that it is mobilizing academic networks to boost decentralization:-

Policy and Strategic Level Work:

-          Public sector reform, role of private sector, and empowerment of civil society – institution and capacity building

-          The Data Storm: evidence for decision making, monitoring and reporting

-          Social policy, social protection and SCT – the Equity Strategy

-          PPP and Decentralization, the role of catalytic funding

-          Demand generation, public information, and community dialogue

-          Quality improvement of essential services

-          Strategic partnerships and S-S cooperation

-          DIBS: Confidence building and inclusive participatory processes to improve national dialogue

Programmatic Way Ahead:

·         Education: curriculum development and modernization, teaching methods and upgraded infrastructure

·         Youth empowerment and social cohesion

·         Social justice for children, institution building: Rule of Law framework for administration of, and access to justice

·         GBV (Gender-based Violence) and FGM – women citizenship

·         Child maltreatment is everybody’s business

·         Environmental management and compliance with Intl. Treaties

·         The Promise to Keep: Child Survival unfinished agenda – Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN): food insecurity, stunting.

Dr. Babille declared that UNICEF will expand its support to the Government to develop policies and interventions to make Iraq a better place for all of its children in the coming months and years. He ended his presentation by thanking the European Union for the great support it provides.

Mr. Perello RODRIGUEZ, D IQ MEP took the floor to say that with Iraq’s important oil revenues it is necessary to discuss the distribution of resources. As the meeting was running out of time, Mr. Stevenson said this discussion will be for another Meeting.

The Chair thanked Dr. Babille for his excellent and very informative presentation.

ITF EU representative Information Office

Meaning of Acronyms:

UNICEF: United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund

MICS: Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey

MICS 4: is the largest household survey to be carried out in Iraq to date and is the second Government survey to gather data at the district level. Over the past year and a half, more than 800 people were mobilized by Iraq's Central Statistics Organization and the Kurdistan Regional Statistics Office to assess a representative sample of around 36,000 households across the country, the largest ever. In total, over 55,000 women were interviewed with information collected on over 36,000 children under the age of five.

FGM/C: Female Genital Mutilation and Cutting

GBV: Gender-based Violence