Sexual violence: weapon of war, impediment to peace

Download Options

Whole issue - PDF (2,824 KB)
Single articles - PDF

FMR 27 explores the challenges and opportunities for combating sexual violence in conflict, post-conflict and development recovery contexts. Produced in partnership with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), it builds on momentum generated by the June 2006 International Symposium on Sexual Violence in Conflict and Beyond jointly convened by UNFPA, the European Commission and the Government of Belgium. Practice-oriented submissions from 40 specialists from a wide range of humanitarian agencies highlight key issues and challenges, best practices, innovative programmes and recommendations.  Read more 

There’s no doubt what today’s most alarming development is the detention of Abdul-Hadi al-Darraji. This represents a major escalation. The report in today’s Guardian headlined:

Sadr fears for life in security crackdown

that al-Sadr has sent his family into hiding accords with other reports from Iraq. I have chosen to headline tonight’s posting with it rather than the Arabic language reports from Aswat Al Iraq.

I dread the coming bloodbath. So do the Iraqis - they know what’s coming next. It’s why the Iraqi contingent who post here [on Gorilla’s Guides, they evacuated all their women relatives, dependents, and males under 16 a week ago - markfromireland] evacuated their families once they’d confirmed the reports that American forces were sealing off Sadr city. Thank God they were on time to do that.

markfromireland

Detention of Sheikh Abdul-Hadi al-Darraji

The fall out from the American detention of Sheikh Abdul-Hadi al-Darraji continues. This report is the second update. Aswat al Iraq have published an English translation of this report. There are no significant diffences between the English and Arabic versions. The text below is from the English version a previous English language update can be found here:

U.S.-Sadr-Update 2

Sadr aide detained without Iraqi government knowledge - MP  Read more 

I started to translate the news from Arabic late this afternoon - I do have other things to do, and this was the first report to hit my screen. Increasingly frequently I want to scream as I do this and I’m not publishing anything else tonight I’m simply too revolted.

1. Maysan: A Teenager and Two Children Die Scavenging For Copper
Five people were killed today by exploding ordinance from previous wars in two separate incidents.

In the first incident in West Amarah three brothers Hussein Sabri Matanch (Aged 18) and Rafael Qasim (Aged 12) and Jasim (Aged 9) were trying to dismantle a mortar shell to get at the copper inside it so that they could sell it to scrap dealers. Here’s how eyewitnesses to their deaths describe what happened:

“they were trying to dismantle a mortar shell to get at the copper to sell it to scrap dealers when it exploded in their hands and they died on the spot”

In the second incident this one 45 Km west of Amarah two people were killed extracting the contents of a mortar shell again to sell the copper inside to scrap dealers. It exploded. They died. Source: Aswat al Iraq [Arabic]

The report on Aswat al Iraq concludes by pointing out that there are many such incidents in Maysan every year. This is because it borders Iran and there’s lots and lots of unexploded ordinance littering the landscape just waiting for poverty stricken desperate people to try their luck at earning a few cents from scrap dealers.

2. Iraqi children picking garbage
Every time I’ve been to Iraq since the Americans invaded I’ve seen something I never saw before - children scavenging in garbage dumps for food. I get reports like this every week from Iraq, sometimes I get several reports a day. Most often they come from the border provinces. Erdla and myself have written here and published photographs like the one you see now time and time and again.

We’ve written about the desperate plight of the people of Iraq. We’ve written repeatedly about children living in garbage dumps scavenging for food. Every time I go to Iraq I see children risk their lives by doing what as a former felix I can tell you is one of the most difficult and dangerous things you can do - defuse, by hand, corroded ordinance. That’s why you mostly don’t try to do it by hand. You get a sharpshooter, like Declan or Anto or Smurph* to shoot the damned thing from a very safe distance and explode it that way. Only if that can’t be done do you go in and try to defuse it by hand.

3. Iraqi children sold into paedophile brothels

There is now a thriving trade of children being kidnapped, sold, and exported to paedophile brothels. My last few trips I’ve seen something that I’ve never ever ever seen before in Iraq. Children with the tell-tale red rash around their mouths. That’s not even the worst of it.  Read more 

These are the main security incidents reported this evening from Iraq by the Independent Iraqi News Agency Aswat Al Iraq translated and summarised from Arabic. Additionally I can now have confirmation from the team members resident in Iraq of the reports from Baghdad yesterday that the American army of occupation in Iraq is completing it’s preparations to besiege and assault Sadr city. Given their record of disregard for the lives of civilians during such operations all of us expect massive civilian casualties. In this context it is worth noting that both Generals Odierno and Petraeus have overseen such operations during their previous terms in Iraq.

Baghdad: Sadr City: American Preparations for Siege And Assault Confirmed

The reports yesterday in the Iraqi media such as the one below from WNA that American Army of occupation troops are attempting to encircle seal off Sadr city have now been confirmed by all the Gorilla’s Guides team members resident in Baghdad separately:

Eyewitnesses said that a joint American Iraqi forces imposed a security barricade on the Sadr City since early morning today, Tuesday.
The witnesses said to Iraqi National News Agency that the joint forces closed tight on the movement of incoming and outgoing of the city and demanded departures to leave their cars and to head out of the city on foot.
Joint forces did not explain the reason for these sudden measures.
The Sadr City, which is considered the stronghold of the Mahdi Army loyal to the Shiite leader Muqtada AL-Sadr, has in the past weeks witnessed a raid in search of gunmen believed to be the work of sectarian violence in Baghdad

Source: وكالة الانباء الوطنية العراقية - ونا: American Iraqi forces imposed a security barricade on Sadr City

Mohammed, Ali, Laith, and Omar all have now all confirmed this and similar reports separately by mail.  Read more 

Summary: Main Storys translated from the Arabic Language pages of the independent Iraqi News Service Aswat al Iraq (Voices of Iraq) in Iraq on Friday Dec 15 2006

Al Sadr

Al Sadr's attempts to reach out to the Sunni continue apace and appear to be bearing fruit.

Diwaniya

Two Iraqi policemen were killed in Diwaniya.

Falluja

A bomb exploded targeting an Iraqi army patrol in al-Halabsa village west of Falluja their vehicle was destroyed there are known to be casualties.

Deloiya (Salah Adin)

U.S. invader forces raided several houses and took into captivity several citizens, an arms cache was discovered.

Hilla

Car bomb one civilian killed.

Basra

Gunmen "dressed in police uniform" killed Sheikh Mohsen al-Kanaan of Bani Tamim tribe and two of his escorts.

Baquba

Three people carrying Iranian nationality documents arrested for illegally entering Iraq.

Baghdad

Three U.S. invader army troops were killed and two others wounded in military operations in Anbar and Ninewa.

Most Important Story:

Al-Sadr Issues Statement Favour of Istanbul Conference: Sadrists Attend Meeting Basra Great Mosque Pledge To Protect Sunnis:  Read more 

This is a very big story. The story is about Muqtada al-Sadr supporting the "Iraqi People's Support Conference" in Istanbul. This was the Sunni conference held in Istanbul yesterday and the day before.

Babak Makkinejad has posted the following joke about Bush on Pat Lang’s site in the comments to: “Iran - Revisited”

A fellow goes hunting. He sees a grizzly bear, aims, shoots, and misses. The grizzly runs after him, grabs him, fucks him in the butt, and lets him go.  Read more 

Saddam's Nephew Escapes Prison:

Ayman Sabawi Ibrahim Hasan, the nephew of Saddam Hussein has escaped from prison. According to the story he was helped by a guard. He was arrested during a raid in northern Tikrit on May 4th 2005. عنوان هذا المقال على الانترنت: here

Iraq Through To Semi-finals:

Our Soccer Olympic team won and qualified for the semi-finals in the Asian Games championship after beating the Uzbeka by two goals against their one goal in the match today in Doha. They now have to beet the winner of the game between China and Iran. عنوان هذا المقال على الانترنت: Here

American Invaders Killed in al Anbar:

The American army announced Saturday that two American soldiers from the Marines were killed in Anbar province. The killing of the two invaders brings the number of American invaders killed in Iraq to 37 this month. The number of American forces killed in Iraq since the invasion of my home, led by the United States in March 2003 is 2927 according to data sent to Aswat Al Iraq from the American army official. عنوان هذا المقال على الانترنت: Here  Read more 

[News translated from Arabic media in Iraq]  Read more 

Baghdad-America

The American army announced today, Saturday, that an American soldier was killed during a military operation in Al-Anbar governorate. The killing of the soldier brings the number of American soldiers killed in Iraq according to American official data since the invasion, led by the United States against Iraq in March 2003 to 2886 troops.

Basra-security

One person killed another injured in two incidents. The dead man was shot by a British soldier. According to Karim Zeidi the dead man was shot in Karma (15 km northof Basra proper).

The road to Baghdad was blocked for 8 hours. A guard at the British compound was shot.

Sulaymaniyah

The security forces arrested three people suspected of involvement in bombings. The security forces commander stated to Aswataliraq that the suspects confessed and to have found explosives.

Baquba (East of)

A sweep by US and green zone government troops led to 43 people were arrested, they are suspected of being in the resistance. The green zone government spokesman claimed to Aswataliraq that some of the detainees had dual citizenship.

The Americans have announced yet another one of their “massive security sweeps” of Baquba. As usual they say it’s based on accurate intelligence. And also as usual they complain that the resistance activities “destabilise economic growth in the city. ” This is puzzling. Are they upset that the local McDonalds franchise in the city isn’t making enough to bribe the regional Halliburton rep or what?

Here’s a round up of what Iraqis are hearing and reading tonight.

The 2 big stories are:

1. The Baghdad curfew
2. The Iranian offer to treat Sadr city bombing victims.

Baghdad Curfew

Starting 6a.m. tomorrow the curfew will be lifted for pedestrians only at present it is planned to lift the curfew fully on Monday morning.

Iran’s Hospitalisation Offer

Here’s part of the health ministry statement:

“The Iranian ambassador in Baghdad has contacted the Department of Health in the Ministry of Health and expressed his country’s readiness to treat the Sadr City wounded in hospital in Tehran.”
………
“the process of transporting the wounded will begin tomorrow, Sunday.”

[This is a very big deal indeed. They’ll be treated free. At present there’s no free treatment in Iraq for anyone. - markfromireland]

Mosul:

The body of a young man was found in the Karama neighbourhood (East Mosul.) A young woman was shot in the afternoon. wounding a woman in Mosul. Source - Brigadier Abdul Karim Khalaf al-Jabouri to Voices of Iraq

An army officer - Jassim Ahmed Saleh, was shot by a sniper in west Mosul. His condition is said to be serious.

A police checkpoint came under mortar fire - no casualties reported.

Salah al-Din:

A soldier was shot in Ad Duluiyah (near Tikrit).

a police officer holding the rank of major was kidnapped together with three civilians north of Samarra.

Basra

A barrage of six 60-mm mortar shells was fired last night in Abu al-Khasib (20 kilometers south of Basra) to four landed in the main square which injured five civilians.

The British installation near Basra governorate building was mortared . Some civilian I haven’t been able to get figures. That installation is attacked with monotonous regularity. I’m surprisedit’s even being reported.

Babil (Babylon)

bomb explosion north of Hilla (about 50km). Two Iraqi soldiers wounded. The bombing was the signal for a gunfire attack.

Aziziyah (Kut) Wasit

Clashes occurred five p.m. Baghdad time today in the town of Aziziyah (90 km north of Kut) between Iraqi security forces and a group of unidentified gunmen. No details of casualties yet. The report says that the police in Aziziyah weren’t contactable.

Al-Anbar - Fallujah

A Marines sniper deployed on the rooves of buildings in hand Amiriyat al-Fallujah (about 20 km south of the city) shot an elderly man who died of his wounds. There is no indication that he was anything other than an innocent civilian.

A suicide car bomber attacked an American patrol, east of Fallujah today Saturday 25/11/2006 killing four civilians and wounding eight others, including children. He was targeting an American patrol that had just finished a raid on houses in east Fallujah.

Al-Anbar - Hit

Eyewitnesses reported to Aswataliraq that armed men attacked before noon today, a military bridge at the town of Hit in Anbar province. The confrontation lasted about 15 minutes. no reports of casualties. Interestingly they were armed with precision rifles as well as machine guns.

There’ve been a lot of “incidents in Hit lately - mfi.

Baghdad: - abduction

Armed men kidnapped 12 Iraqi citizens living in Western Baghdad yesterday evening. They demanded a US$40,000 ransom for their release.

[That’s a big jump until a few weeks ago the standard ransom was US$30,000 - markfromireland ]

According to witnesses some of whom were relatives of the hostages the kidnappers were traveling in government cars and wearing the uniform of the Iraqi National Guard.

[Surprise surprise - markfromireland ]

Najaf - kidnap gang

According to Aswataliraq the gang that’s been operating in Al-Ansar, Najaf, kidnapping women for sale in “neighbouring countries” suffered a major setback. Police stormed a house and arrested several of them - all the accused are from Al-Azhar. The accused include Hassan Jawad Kadhim Algelaui and his wife.

Kirkuk: failed bombing

Two men were killed as they tried to plant a bomb according to Colonel Yadkar Muhammad of the police in Kirkuk.

[Their colleagues who blew themselves to smithereens in Kirkuk on Monday trying the same thing still haven’t been identified chiefly because the pieces were so small. - mfi]

Sources:  Read more