NINEWA: HUMAN RIGHTS COMMITTEE TAKING THE FIRST

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BAGHDAD 002979 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPT FOR NEA/I, DRL E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PHUM KDEM PINR IZ SUBJECT: NINEWA: HUMAN RIGHTS COMMITTEE TAKING THE FIRST STEPS TOWARD EFFECTIVENESS REF: BAGHDAD 2691 This is a message from the Ninewa Provincial Reconstruction Team. Summary -------------- ¶1. (SBU) The chairman and two other representatives from the Human Rights Committee (HRC) of the Ninewa Provincial Council, northern Iraq, told the Rule of Law Section of the Ninewa Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) in August that the committee was committed to protecting the dignity and human rights of the people in Ninewa, despite criticism that the HRC was unwilling to engage local human rights NGOs. However, it appeared that the newly re-formed committee was waiting for the Provincial Council to approve its charter before engaging organizations or beginning its work. The chairman of the HRC said that he planned to work with registered NGOs in the province. He stressed that the HRC would not play favorites when investigating cases, and planned to investigate cases, including against the security forces, with equal vigor. HRC Committed to Human Rights -------------- ¶2. (SBU) In an August 13 meeting, the chairman and two members of the Human Rights Committee of the Provincial Council for Ninewa Province, northern Iraq, told the PRT that the committee was committed to protecting the dignity and human rights of the people in Ninewa. Human rights was a new concept for Iraqis, but the committee wanted to see respect for individual rights become a part of Iraqi society. The committee saw its main tasks as investigating allegations of abuse against detainees and problems relating to internally displaced persons. There would be an open line of communications between the HRC and the various groups, both Government of Iraq (GOI) and NGOs. HRC Has Five Main Goals -------------- ¶3. (SBU) Based on a training provided to them from the Research Triangle Institute (RTI) (an executing agent of USAID) on local government procedures, the HRC created a committee charter with five main goals. (Note: The RTI training focused on helping committees develop charters and to define roles, responsibilities, authorities, and limitations, among other things. End note.) These five goals are: - To establish a database of human rights violations in the province, working with the Iraqi Ministry of Human Rights. - To adopt a system for human rights education in the province, through conferences, meetings, and the media. - To provide support and coordination with the government authorities, government offices and not-for-profit organizations working on human rights issues. - To submit ideas to the Iraqi Parliament and the Provincial Council for laws and regulations to protect and defend human rights. - To investigate allegations of human rights abuses through site visits to jails and other means. ¶4. (SBU) The chairman of the HRC stressed that, in order to begin its work, the committee needed authorization from the PC for its charter. Once the charter is approved, the HRC would begin to compile the database of allegations and produce a "periodic report" to the head of the PC. HRC Will Work With Registered NGOs -------------- ¶5. (SBU) The chairman of the HRC stated that he planned to work with any "legally registered NGO in the province" on human rights issues. However, he stressed that the HRC would not work with unregistered NGOs. The deputy chairman of the HRC added that there were at least 213 human rights NGOs working in the province. Of this number, only 32 were registered with the government. The chairman said that he would push the GOI to force the unregistered NGOs to register or close down. The committee members said they would provide the PRT with a list of the 32 registered and the 213 total NGOs in the province. ¶6. (SBU) The chairman of the HRC said he had "received a letter" asking the HRC not to work with unregistered NGOs in the province. Until the charter was approved by the PC and BAGHDAD 00002979 002 OF 002 the HRC had a mandate to work, the HRC did not plan to meet with any human rights groups. The HRC would focus on procedure in the beginning, ensuring that things were done correctly and in accordance to the laws. Only after that would they begin to meet with groups and do their work. Comment -------------- ¶7. (SBU) The PRT will continue to meet with the HRC to encourage and support it as it moves forward with its plans. The PRT also plans to seek out and meet with as many of the registered human rights NGOs as possible to get a better grasp on the human rights activities in the province, and support the Iraqis, taking steps in the right direction toward solving their own problems themselves. CROCKER