Ask Amnesty: Iraq

Question

From Denise, Springs, LA:

Are things much worse in Iraq i.e. looting, violent crimes than are being reported on the news?

Answer

International USA's Refugee Program Director Bill Frelick responds. Bill Frelick served as a delegate on an Amnesty International mission to Iraq in late April/early May 2003. In addition to visiting the POW/civilian internee camp at Umm Qasr and searching for hidden detention centers, Frelick assessed humanitarian conditions and the delivery of humanitarian aid.

The answer to this depends, I suppose, on your news sources. I have found the Washington Post and the New York Times to report accurately and extensively on looting, lawlessness, and violent crimes, consistent with what I saw when I was in Iraq in late April and early May.

ANSWER ARCHIVE

Iraq

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The human rights of Iraqi people have suffered greatly from decades of conflict, a brutal regime, and economic sanctions. Amnesty International is gravely concerned that the current military campaign in Iraq will likely provoke a human rights and humanitarian catastrophe in the country. Urge Secretary of State Powell to ask the UN Security Council to immediately deploy human rights monitors in Iraq as soon as the situation permits.

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