ASSASSINATIONS OF IRAQI ACADEMICS

Despite Baghdad "Security" plan: increase in assassinations of Iraqi academics

Dirk Adriaensens, member of the BRussells Tribunal executive committee (19 April 2007)
The following is the complete translation of a document (copied underneath) issued by the Iraqi Association of University Professors and lecturers. The Association protests against the deterioration of the security situation in the universities, and the growing number of assassinations among academic personnel.

March 2007 was a deadly month for Iraq's academics, despite the "surge" of US troops, despite the different security plans. They all failed and will continue to fail, because, to put it in very simple words: the Iraqis don't want foreign occupation.

The new security plan of "gated communities" - whose genesis was in the Vietnam War - has been used - and has spectacularly failed - in the past. The system of "gating" areas under foreign occupation failed during the French war against FLN insurgents in Algeria and again during the American war in Vietnam. Israel has employed similar practices during its occupation of Palestinian territory - again, with little success", writes Robert Fisk in the Independent on April 11.
How much more useless blood must be spilled before the US understands that it has to leave Iraq? That it's time for them to go? How much more educators must be assassinated before the international community fulfils its duty and denounces the illegal occupation of Iraq?

THE ASSOCIATION OF UNIVERSITY PROFESSORS AND LECTURERS

Date : 7.4.2007

STATEMENT ABOUT THE CONTINUING ATTACKS ON STUDENTS, PROFESSORS AND LECTURERS

As part of the continuing and unceasing criminal attacks on university lecturers and Iraqi education facilities, terrorist groups have carried out the killing and attempted assassinations a number of university lecturers. They have assassinated the following :

1- Dr. Ridha Abdul Hussein Al Qureaishi
Mustansiriya University
Assistant to Dean of The Management and Economics College
Kidnapped on Wednesday 28.3.2007 and found assassinated on Thursday 29th March 2007.

2 - Prof. Dr. Khalid Tariq Al Naid
Assistant ot Dean of Medical School for Higher Studies
Al Nahrain University
Kidnapped on Wednesday 28th March and found assassinated on Thursday 29th March 2007 in The Morgue.

3 - Professor Khalid AL Hassan
Secretary to Dean of Political Science College
Baghdad University
Found assassinated in March 2007

4 - Dr. Munthir Ahmed Al Ani
(Medical)
Found assassinated with his wife and 2 sons , by the militias, in Al Seydiyya District on Saturday 31st March 2007

5 - The Physicist , Thair Ahmed Jebr,
Physics Department
College of Science
El Nehrain University
Martyred Thursday 5/4/2007
in the terrorist bombing of Al Baghdadiya Satellite Station

6 - The Lecturer, Ameer Mekki El Zihairi
Technology Institute of Baghdad
Assassinated March 2007

7 - Prof. Dr. Sami Sitrak
Prof. of English in The College of Law
Al Nahrain University
Was acting Dean of the College of Law, since the resignation of the Dean after an attempted terrorist attack as well as after the assassination of the 3 Law Professors on the 29th March 2007

We hold The Iraqi Government and The Occupation Forces responsible for the deterioration of the security situation in the universities, and we hold them responsible for the targeting of the lecturers, the educational and scientific facilities, the students and the staff. We demand that the Iraqi Government takes up its responsibilities and orders a serious investigation and takes all necessary measurers to protect the lecturers, students and universities. We ask them to protect this important aspect of the Iraqi Society as well as to expose those who are committing these ugly crimes, which have increased exponentially as a result of the total absence of law enforcement, the lack of investigation into these crimes, and as a result of the cover-up at times.

Signed by

Dr. Ahmed Kamal Ahmed
Head of The Association