Auteur(s): International Peace Bureau IPB
Date: 06/05/2003
The IPB calls on the world community - states, international agencies and civil society -- to rally in support of the United Nations. Peace and security are under threat and the UN itself is in danger of being marginalized. The experience and impartiality of the UN are crucial to the successful rebuilding of the Iraqi nation, and it must assume the principal role. The UN's centrality in the reconstruction process, and its firm rejection of Washington's 'pre-emptive strikes' policy are essential for the stability of the region and for prospects for peace and justice all over the world in the years to come. Fall of Saddam Hussein: The IPB welcomes the fall of the Iraqi dictatorship and expresses abhorrence at the human rights abuses committed under the regime. The end of a tyrant is a cause for joy. However the method of achieving this result calls for strong criticism and will have unforeseeable and dire consequences. The war and the law: This was a war of aggression carried out in pursuit of a pre-emptive policy not recognised in international law. As such it was contrary to the fundamental principles of the UN Charter. The majority of the world community (states and public opinion) was resolutely opposed to the military invasion and yet their voices were utterly disregarded by the Coalition governments. Iraq's alleged weapons of mass destruction - which constituted the rationale for the war - have yet to be discovered, and even if they are found, would offer no legal justification for the use of force. IPB welcomes and supports independent and multilateral investigations, documentation and where possible legal proceedings, to determine if war crimes or crimes against peace were committed, and whether compensation should be awarded. Humanitarian and security crisis: IPB shares the worldwide concerns regarding the humanitarian situation. We have all been appalled by the scenes of chaos, the large-scale looting, the assassinations of leading clerics and the general lawlessness and fear gripping the population. Media reports have highlighted the acute shortages of water and electricity, and the ransacking of hospitals, museums, libraries and other public institutions. While there are now signs of improvement, the ability of the aid agencies to operate effectively and for ordinary life to continue depends on resolving the security crisis. Kofi Annan and other authorities have clearly pointed out the responsibility of the occupying forces' obligations under the Geneva Conventions to maintain order and protect the civilian population. IPB calls for the rapid establishment of secure conditions so the Coalition forces do not linger in Iraq any longer than necessary. New administration: President Bush and Prime Minister Blair have yet to secure a Security Council Resolution endorsing the White House plan for an Iraqi Interim Authority (IIA) - a legal precondition for the release of funds from the World Bank and other agencies. The new administration, led by retired US General Jay Garner, has been rejected by Shia opposition groups; and meetings of 'invited leaders' have been boycotted. In addition, there remains widespread cynicism about the US and UK's plans to seize/privatise Iraqi oil, and anti-American demonstrations are spreading. Iraqi citizens and TV viewers everywhere are furious at the military's inaction in the face of the chaos they themselves, at least in part, have generated. An alternative approach is urgently needed. Role of the UN: Under the White House plan, the UN would serve as a vehicle for humanitarian aid and financial contributions towards the reconstruction, and also as a political adviser "suggesting people" for the IIA. However, as President Chirac says, "The reconstruction of Iraq is a matter for the United Nations and it alone. We are no longer in an era where one or two countries can control the fate of another country." Although a UN-run transitional administration can only be phased in gradually, it is nevertheless a prerequisite to handing control of the country back to its people. Moreover, only resumed UN inspections can render a convincing verdict on any remaining Iraqi weapons of mass destruction. US-only inspections are no guarantee of impartiality. UN control must not be seen to confer legitimacy upon the war but rather upon a reconstructed Iraqi state. While recognising US de facto control, the IPB calls for a Security Council Resolution, authorising a UN-led civil administration in conjunction with all sections of Iraqi civil society, including women's organisations, to be approved as soon as security is assured. Cluster bombs and depleted uranium: given the serious nature of recent allegations regarding the conduct of the war, IPB calls for an international investigation, covering especially the use of cluster bombs and depleted uranium in civilian areas, (see reports by Amnesty International and WISE/NIRS Nuclear Monitor respectively). Middle East: It is vital that the commitment secured from President Bush to the "Roadmap" towards an Israeli-Palestinian peace and the creation of a Palestinian state by 2005 be adhered to; rapid progress on this is imperative in order to ensure a lasting peace in the wider region. The IPB calls on the UN to encourage the establishment of a Middle East zone free of weapons of mass destruction at an early date. To achieve this, the continuing taboo surrounding Israel's nuclear arsenal must be broken. Pre-emptive attacks: The most serious menace to international order in the coming period is the US's so-called 'right' to conduct 'pre-emptive strikes'. This is a doctrine that already shows alarming signs of spreading to other states. IPB believes it is now urgent for the UN as a whole to categorically reject such pre-emptive strikes, and to insist upon the peaceful resolution of disputes as provided for in the UN Charter. Such a declaration should give the Bush administration cause to review its doctrines. Weapons proliferation should be dealt with through existing multilateral chemical, biological and nuclear weapons treaties. Furthermore, as long as the nuclear weapons states adhere to their nuclear weapons in violation of their legal obligations, there will always be other countries which will acquire them and use them as bargaining chips, as North Korea is doing. ---------------------------------------------- The IPB is the world´s oldest and most comprehensive international peace federation, bringing together people working for peace in many different sectors: not only pacifists but also women´s, youth, labour, religious and professional bodies. IPB was founded in 1892 and won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1910. By early 2003 its network had grown to 235 member organizations, both internationals and national/local groups in over 60 countries. IPB´s role is to support initiatives taken by the UN, by governments, and especially by citizens. We devote our main resources to informing and servicing grassroots peace campaigns, and creating international projects. The Geneva Secretariat acts as publishing house and conference organiser, and offers support for visiting NGOs. Every year IPB awards the Sean MacBride Peace Prize to a prominent individual or group. Our main programmes focus on disarmament and human security. Other current priorities of IPB include conflict prevention and resolution, human rights, women and peace, peace history and peace education - which covers all these topic areas. In the early 1990s, IPB was active in the World Court Project, which secured an historic Advisory Opinion on nuclear weapons from the International Court of Justice. In May 1999, IPB played a central role in organizing a major end-of-century congress, the Hague Appeal for Peace, held in the Dutch capital, which led to the creation of the Global Campaign for Peace Education. (www.haguepeace.org). IPB's 2003 Triennial Conference will be held in Athens from 23-26 October 2003 and from 23-27 June 2004 IPB will organise a major 5-day conference in Barcelona as part of the Universal Forum of Cultures.