NGOs lament dangerous working conditions, urge release of colleagues

NGOs working in Iraq complained bitterly on Wednesday about dangerous working conditions coupled with the absence of legal protection, calling for the release of all kidnapped humanitarian workers. A statement issued by the NGO Coordination Committee in Iraq (NCCI) appealed for the general recognition of aid workers as non-combatants and decried the overall lack of state protection despite the high-risk environment. “There’s no place for aid workers to address their complaints,” explained NCCI Executive Coordinator Kasra Mofarah. “The situation is so chaotic that no court in Iraq will take account of cases involving aid workers, mainly because terrorist groups carrying out the violations haven’t been identified by the authorities.” The United Nations Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, also called for the "immediate, safe and unconditional release," of the aid workers. He strongly reiterated his appeal to all sides to respect at all times the fundamental principles of international humanitarian law. Among other daily abuses, humanitarian workers can face arbitrary detention and attacks on aid convoys. According to the statement, this is due mainly to the general lack of distinction made between military and civilian personnel. Extreme cases have included abductions and executions. According to NCCI figures, at least 50 aid workers have been killed in Iraq in the last two and a half years, including 13 staff members from international NGOs. “This is the highest ratio of humanitarian aid workers killed in one country worldwide for the past ten years,” Mofarah pointed out. Within the same period, at least ten international aid workers and many more of Iraqi nationality, have been kidnapped. In the last two weeks alone, six Western peace activists and aid workers have been taken hostage. On 26 November, two Canadians, an American and a Briton were kidnapped by an Iraqi militant group calling itself the Swords of Truth, which accused them of being spies. A German woman and a Frenchman have also been abducted. Despite the grim circumstances, however, NGOs have continued to work in the field, “mainly through the efforts of Iraqi colleagues in areas where international staff cannot be present,” said Mofarah.