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!
