‘THEY KILL PEOPLE LIKE US,’ SAYS GAY IRAQI
By Cheryll Simpson, NBC News Producer
May 4, 2009
BAGHDAD – Widespread violence is down across Baghdad, but not for one minority group.
Iraq’s gay population is being targeted by militia groups in a wave of killings that has claimed the lives of up to 25 young men and boys in the past month.
"They know I am gay. I don’t know if I am going to be killed, this is up to God," said Moyad, a 38-year-old Baghdad resident who would not give his last name out of fear for his safety.
Visibly frightened, he said that he has many friends who have been sadistically tortured, some even murdered. "They are sticking glue up their anuses; some hospitals refuse to treat them. Is it a war waged against homosexuals?" he asked.
International outrage
Most of the attacks have happened in Baghdad’s Shia neighborhoods, and many believe that religious leaders have used Friday sermons in Sadr City as a platform to incite hatred and violence toward homosexuals. The bodies of three gay men were reported to have been found in Sadr City in April with pieces of paper bearing the word for "pervert" attached to them.
Posters and leaflets have been distributed in the Baghdad neighborhoods of al-Shola, al-Hurya and Sadr City with orders to, "Cleanse Iraq from the crime of homosexuality."
Please read the complete article at:
http://worldblog.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2009/05/04/1921277.aspx--------------------------------------------------
Document - Iraq: Grave concern at recent killings of men because of their sexual orientation
AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL
PUBLIC STATEMENT
9 April 2009
Iraq: Grave concern at recent killings of men because of their sexual orientation
Amnesty international has written to Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki expressing grave concern about a reported spate of killings of young men solely because of their sexual orientation and calling for urgent and concerted action by the government to bring those responsible to justice and to afford effective protection to the gay community in Iraq.
Over the last few weeks at least 25 boys and men are reported to have been killed in Baghdad because they were, or were perceived to be, gay. The killings are said to have been carried out by armed Shi’a militiamen as well as by members of the tribes and families of the victims. Certain religious leaders, especially in al-Sadr City neighbourhood, are also reported in recent weeks to have urged their followers to take action to eradicate homosexuality in Iraqi society, in terms which appear effectively to constitute at least an implicit, if not explicit, incitement to violence against members of the gay community. Three corpses of gay men are reported to have been found in al-Sadr City on 2 and 3 April 2009; two of the bodies are said to have had pieces of paper bearing the word “pervert” attached to them, suggesting that the victims had been murdered on account of their sexual identity.
In the letter sent to the Prime Minister Amnesty International expressed concern at the government's failure to publicly condemn the killings and ensure that they are promptly and effective investigated, and that the perpetrators are brought to justice. The letter also drew attention to reported statements by one senior police officer that appear to condone or even encourage the targeting of members of the gay community in Baghdad, in gross breach of the law and international human rights standards.
Amnesty International reminded the Iraqi government that it is a fundamental principle of international human rights law, including international treaties that have been ratified by and are binding on Iraq, that "All human beings are equal in dignity and rights" and are entitled to all rights and freedom set forth in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, without distinction of any kind, such as on grounds of race, sex, religion, political, or other status, including sexual orientation and gender identity. The organization called on Prime Minister al-Malikito take immediate and concrete steps to address this situation, including to publicly condemn, unreservedly and in the strongest terms, all attacks on members of the gay community or others on account of their sexual, gender, ethnic or other identity, and to commit to ensuring that those responsible for such abuses are identified and brought to justice. Further, police officers or other officials who encourage, condone or acquiesce in such attacks must also be held to account and either prosecuted or disciplined and removed from office.
Public Document
http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/asset/MDE14/010/2009/en/7c1167b7-1c98-45b0-9dec-478af87575a2/mde140102009en.html--------------------------------------------
Widespread Murders Of Iraq Gays by Islamic Militia (Mehdi Army) Condemned By Iraq Freedom Congress
IRAQ FREEDOM CONGRESS
Working For a Democratic, Secular and Progressive Alternative to both the US Occupation and Political Islam in Iraq
Massacring Gays in the Open Is the New Islamic forces' Means to Impose their Hegemony Over the Society
April 23, 2009
For more than a month in Iraq, the LGBT community has been facing death at the hands of Islamic militias. These militias have also prevented the LGBT victims' families from holding funerals for their loved ones, and threatened families members so as to prevent them from re-claiming their loved ones’ dignity through criminal prosecution.
Through these latest episodes, the Islamic militia (Mehdi Army), which was defeated by government militiamen in the last year, is attempting to reinvent itself and impose its inhumane laws through abusing and killing homosexuals. Even more serious is that these crimes are being committed before the eyes of the government. The government claims in its election campaign that a “State of Law” exists and makes misleading statements that it is proud to bring back security and stability, amid claims that the law is above all.
The killing of homosexuals in the streets and alleys of the city of Althawra (currently called Sadir), the escalation of killings and assassinations in Basra and Baghdad, and the car bombings in several Iraqi cities are an integrated series of events. These attacks reflect the political struggle in Iraq and the intensification of conflicts among sectarian and nationalist forces hoping to extract as much authority, privilege and influence as they can.
The “State of Law” that the current sectarian government is so arrogantly proud of cannot prevail without getting rid of its sectarian ideology and hitting with an iron fist all the forces that violate human rights and dignity. This current government is ignoring such crimes against homosexuals and sending weak messages to those who must be prosecuted. Instead, the militias are gaining power and influence.
The timid appeals made by the Iraqi Human Rights Commission on the killing of Iraqi homosexuals reflects the weakness of this government and its poor reaction to the violation of human rights and its disrespect to the values of human dignity in “the New Iraq.”
The State of Law will not take form without a secular non-ethnic government that defines human beings on the basis of human identity. The Iraq Freedom Congress condemns the criminal acts committed against homosexuals and appeals to the progressive forces in the world to put pressure on the Iraqi government to take the necessary measures to protect the right of homosexuals to enjoy full human rights and to arrest the criminals that commit such crimes.
Iraq Freedom Congress
23-4-2009
- The above is a public statement released by the Iraq Freedom Congress and is not copyrighted material -
http://www.ifcongress.com/English/News/2009/0409/gays-assasin.htm
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