UN chief troubled by alleged Iraqi abuses
Date
3/31/2015 5:09:36 AM
(MENAFN- Gulf Times) UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said yesterday he was concerned about alleged abuses by Iraqi pro-government forces in their war against Islamic State and called for investigations into any wrongdoing.
Ban's remarks, made during a one-day visit to Iraq, amounted to the strongest warning to date by a world leader regarding the suspected conduct of some of the Shia paramilitaries battling IS fighters.
Speaking alongside Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi, Ban called for the different "volunteer armed groups"-a broad term referring to Shia paramilitary factions-to be brought under government control.
"I am ... concerned by allegations of summary killings, abductions and destruction of property perpetrated by forces and militias fighting alongside Iraqi armed forces," Ban said after meeting Iraqi officials.
"Alleged violations or abuses of human rights must be investigated and perpetrators need to be held to account."
Ban said actions committed by IS against Iraq's Shia majority and religious minorities, including massacres of soldiers and executions of civilians, did not justify any similar action by the pro-government fighters.
"Civilians freed from the brutality of Daesh should not have to then fear their liberators," Ban said, using the Arabic acronym for IS.
"One form of violence cannot replace another," he added, alluding to reports of abuse against ordinary Sunnis when their areas were freed from IS.
The Shia armed factions, who have been leading the fight against militants since the near collapse of the Iraqi army last summer, have denied accusations of abuse.
IS, which wishes to erect a medieval-style caliphate across the Middle East, seized nearly all of Iraq's Sunni territories in 2014.
Ban told reporters he was concerned that neither Baghdad nor international organisations could take care of the more than 2.5mn Iraqis displaced by the continuing conflict.
"The threat of additional and secondary displacement during ongoing military operations may overwhelm local and international capacities," he said.
Abadi, who spoke before Ban, said anyone who committed human rights violations should be brought to court.
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