End the Embargo
Against Iraq
UN organizations, UNICEF and the World Health Organization (WHO) report that more than a million people have died in Iraq over the past decade, as a consequence of the blockade. More than 500.000 children, below the age of five are to be counted among its victims. The comprehensive economic sanctions against Iraq were initiated in 1990 as a means of forcing Iraq to withdraw its troops from Kuwait. But the withdrawal of Iraqi troops and the recognition of all UN resolutions pending on this matter, did not bring a lifting of the sanctions. Instead the sanctions were linked to new demands.
These sanctions are the most severe sanctions in history, and also the most fateful: Child mortality in Iraq has more than doubled, one third of Iraqi children suffer under malnutrition, and many are permanently stunted in their physical and mental development. Even with humanitarian exemptions from the embargo and subsequent aid programs e.g. the "oil for food" program, are entirely insufficient to be able to prevent also the devastating social and psychological consequences of the sanctions.
US scientists Noam Chomsky and Edward Said have written that the embargo against Iraq is "not a foreign policy - it is state-sanctioned mass murder."
No political or other objectives can justify sanctions with such horrendous consequences for the life and health of the general population. The sanctions are in violation of fundamental human rights, numerous internationally binding conventions and international humanitarian law.
Article (1) of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights states: "In no case may a people be deprived of its own means of subsistence." The Geneva Convention also bans the "starving of civilians as a means of warfare."
In an expert opinion for the Subcommittee of the UN Human Rights Commission in August 2000, the renowned Belgian jurist, Marc Bossuyt, observed that the Security Council is fully responsible for the horrifying consequences of the embargo. According to Bossuyt, the sanctions are clearly illegal.
Since, under international law, the sanctions are illegal, the resolutions of the UN Security Council upon which they are based, should no longer be honored. The UN Security Council is not above international law. Article (24) of the UN Charter stipulates that the Security Council is allowed to act only "in accordance with the goals and principles of the United Nations."
In addition, the "Principles of the Nuremberg Trials" accentuate personal responsibility in connection with carrying out of orders entailing acts incompatible with international law.
It is unacceptable that the Security Council, an organ of the UN, violates the fundamental rights of the entire population of a country - in the name of "peace and security."
To begin to disregard those resolutions against Iraq, that are in violation of international law, would also constitute a step toward the restoring the authority of the United Nations.
In June 2000, the Italian parliament, with a large majority, took a stand against the embargo. In February 2000, 70 members of the US Congress did the same. Russia, France and a number of other states have also stated their unambiguous desire to end the sanctions.
For all these reasons, we are calling upon the Federal Government of Germany and the members of the German Federal Parliament to endorse these demands and in addition to decide upon the following steps:
Signed by:
Hans-C. von Sponeck, ehem. Leiter des Öl-für-Nahrungsmittel-Programms der UNO im Irak
Prof. Norman Paech, Hochschule für Wirtschaft und Politik, Hamburg
Prof. Werner Ruf, Gesamthochschule Kassel
Prof. Hans Köchler, Universität Innsbruck
Prof. Dr. med. Ulrich Gottstein , Internationale Ärzte für die Verhütung von Atomkrieg (IPPNW)
Jutta Burghardt, ehem. Leiterin des Welternährungsprogramms im Irak
Eckart Spoo, Journalist, Redakteur von OSSIETZKY
Dr. Peter Strutynski, Bundesausschuß Friedensratschlag
Laura von Wimmersberg, Friedenskoordination Berlin
Tobias Pflüger, Informationsstelle Militarisierung, Tübingen
Rüdiger Göbel, Tageszeitung "junge Welt"
George und Doris Pumphrey, Berlin
Rainer Rupp, Publizist
Klaus von Raussendorff, Publizist, Bonn
Michael Schiffmann und Joachim Guilliard, Heidelberger Forum gegen Militarismus und Krieg
Prof. Dieter Fehrenz, VVN/Bund der AntifaschistInnen Heidelberg
Gerhard Lange, Gesellschaft für Internationale Verständigung
Dr. theol. Hannelis Schulte, Stadträtin Linke Liste/PDS, DFG/VK Heidelberg
Prof. Dr. Ulrich Albrecht, FU-Berlin, Vorsitzender der Arbeitsgemeinschaft Friedens- und Konfliktforschung
PD Dr. Johannes M. Becker, Arbeitskreis Marburger Wissenschaftler für Friedens- und Abrüstungsforschung (e.V.)
Rolf Becker, IG Medien Hamburg/ver.di
Ellen Diederich, Internationales Frauenfriedensarchiv e.V., Oberhausen
Karin Fischer, Kölner Friedensarbeitskreis Pax an!
Wolfgang Gehrcke, MdB (PDS), stellv. Parteivorsitzender
Klaus Hartmann, Bundesvorsitzender des Deutschen Freidenker-Verbandes
Wolfgang Kuhlmann, Düsseldorfer Friedensforum
Heidi Lippmann, MdB (PDS), Friedens- und Abrüstungspolitische Sprecherin der PDS-Bundestagsfraktion
Karin Leukefeld, freie Journalistin, Bonn
Gabi Meyer, Friedensinitiative Ramelsloh e.V.
Nizar Rahak , irakischer Journalist und Musiker, Schwäbisch Gmünd
Annette und Hans-Peter Richter, Vorstand des Deutschen Friedensrats e.V.
Prof. Wolfgang Richter, Vorsitzender der Ges. zum Schutz von Bürgerrecht u. Menschenwürde GBM, Berlin
Prof. Wolfgang Richter, Dortmund
Clemens Ronnefeldt, Referent für Friedensfragen beim Intern. Versöhnungsbund - Dt. Zweig
Elmar Schmähling, Admiral i.R., Berlin
Angelika Schückler, FAO / UNO, Roma, Italia
Freimut Seidel, Berlin, Botschafter a.D., Vorsitzender des Nahost-Forums e.V.,
Gerda Szepansky, Autorin VVN Berlin
Fritz Teppich, HBV, Berlin
Dr. Michael Venedey, Stadtrat PDS/LL, Konstanz
Alfred Vestring, Botschafter a.D.
....
(complete list of all signatories)
Groups, Initiativs, Organization
Bundesausschuß Friedensratschlag
Deutsch-Arabisches Friedenswerk (DAF)
Deutscher Freidenker-Verband
Deutscher Friedensrat e.V.
Düsseldorfer Friedensforum
Friedensgruppe Harburg-Land
Friedensinitiative Ramelsloh e.V.
Friedenskoordination Berlin
Friedensnetz Baden-Württemberg
Frieden Jetzt Chemnitz Gesellschaft für Internationale Verständigung
Heidelberger Forum gegen Militarismus und Krieg
Internationales Frauenfriedensarchiv e.V., Oberhausen
International Progress Organization I.P.O, Wien
Jugoslawisch-Österreichische Solidaritätsbewegung
Redaktion Marxistische Blätter
Zeitschrift OSSIETZKY
Prava pomoc-Real help (NGO), Belgrade, YU
Contact: Friedensladen im EWZ, Karlstor 1, D-69115 Heidelberg, Germany
Tel: (49) 6221-978927, Fax: (49) 6221-168995,
E-Mail: joachim.guilliard@t-online.de