Iraq Needs Actual Aid More Than Ever

Statement Adopted at the Annual Meeting of the Iraq Solidarity Association

May 19, 2016

The people of Iraq are tormented by continued violence and destruction.

Decades of war are never ending. It is one of the world ́s worst crises. The UN

fears that 10 million Iraqis are in need of immediate humanitarian assistance.

The number of refugees continues to increase both internally and to other

countries. The corrupt, dysfunctional regime in Baghdad is unable to mobilize

the country ́s defence against IS-terrorism, as large parts of the population are

excluded from participation and influence. Mass protests have been met with

violence from the government ́s side. Those areas not controlled by the regime

are ruthlessly bombed and attacked, even by the US and by Iranian-supported

militia. Ethnic cleansing is taking place in many villages and cities. Large scale

torture and executions are being carried out by both the government and by IS.

Every day the bombing results in a massive number of victims. The civilian

population is held captive, squeezed between government military forces, IS

and uncontrolled pro-Iranian militia.

Iraq Solidarity is opposed to Swedish military participation in the ongoing war

by the sending of Swedish soldiers to train Persmerga forces. The US-led

military coalition has no basis in the UN resolution against terrorism. Terrorism

is best fought (by us) through a total stop for financial and material support to

those groups and by an effective stop to recruitment of jihad volunteers from

Sweden. The work being done in that area against violent extremism is

important. Sweden has also contributed large sums of money in aid to above all

humanitarian efforts under the direction of UN agencies. But this is very far

from enough.

We encourage the Swedish government to act for a massive UN-led effort for

a real humanitarian UN-coalition to come to the aid of the Iraqi people!

We encourage the government to demand a stop for all foreign military

involvement in Iraq, including the US bombing which primarily afflicts

civilians in large numbers.

We encourage the government to actively and publically use its diplomatic

means to further a political solution that includes all Iraqi forces that can be

united against terrorism and in defence of Iraq ́s unity and independence!