Urgent Appeal to Save Iraq's Academics
A little known aspect of the tragedy engulfing Iraq is the systematic liquidation of the country's academics. Even according to conservative estimates, over 250 educators have been assassinated, and many hundreds more have disappeared. With thousands fleeing the country in fear for their lives, not only is Iraq undergoing a major brain drain, the secular middle class - which has refused to be co-opted by the US occupation - is being decimated, with far-reaching consequences for the future of Iraq.
Already on July 14, 2004, veteran correspondent Robert Fisk reported from Iraq that: "University staff suspect that there is a campaign to strip Iraq of its academics, to complete the destruction of Iraq's cultural identity which began when the American army entered Baghdad."
The wave of assassinations appears non-partisan and non-sectarian, targeting women as well as men, and is countrywide. It is indiscriminate of expertise: professors of geography, history and Arabic literature as well as science are among the dead. Not one individual has been apprehended in connection with these assassinations.
According to the United Nations University, some 84 per cent of Iraq's institutions of higher education have already been burnt, looted or destroyed. Iraq's educational system used to be among the best in the region; one of the country's most important assets was its well-educated people.
This situation is a mirror of the occupation as a whole: a catastrophe of staggering proportions unfolding in a climate of criminal disregard. As an occupying power, and under international humanitarian law, final responsibility for protecting Iraqi citizens, including academics, lies with the United States.
With this petition we want to break the silence.
1. We appeal to organisations which work to enforce or defend international humanitarian law to put these crimes on the agenda.
2. We request that an independent international investigation be launched immediately to probe these extrajudicial killings. This investigation should also examine the issue of responsibility to clearly identify who is accountable for this state of affairs. We appeal to the special rapporteur on summary executions at UNHCHR in Geneva.
You can sign this petition online or write to info@brusselstribunal.org if you want to support the campaign.
This petition was launched by the BRussells Tribunal and is already endorsed by CEOSI (Spain), the Portuguese hearing of the WTI, Iraktribunal.de (Germany), the Swedish Antiwar committee, the IAC (USA), the International Association of Middle East Studies (IAMES), the German Middle East Studies Association (DAVO) and the European Association for Middle Eastern Studies (EURAMES), and several personalities, like Noam Chomsky, Howard Zinn, Tony Benn, Harold Pinter, Eduardo Galeano, John Pilger and Michael Parenti. See the list of principal endorsers.
See also the call for action underneath and more information on www.brusselstribunal.org/Academics.htm
Other languages: Dutch - Arabic - Spanish - Portuguese - Japanese:
Call for action to save Iraq's Academics
1. We call upon all people, especially academics and students, to help end the silence that surrounds the ongoing crime of the assassination of Iraqi academics and the destruction of Iraqi's educational infrastructure, and support Iraqi academics' right and hope to live in an independent, democratic Iraq, free of foreign occupation and hegemony.
2. We urge that academic institutions and organisations declare solidarity with their Iraqi colleagues.
3. We urge that academics forge links between Iraqi educators, both in exile and in Iraq, and universities worldwide.
4. We urge that student organisations link with Iraqi student organisations.
5. We urge that educators mobilise colleagues and concerned citizens to take up the cause of the salvation of Iraq's intellectual wealth, by organising seminars, teach-ins and forums on the plight of Iraq's academics.
The world's academics and intellectuals must act now to save the lives of their colleagues in Iraq. [The BRussells Tribunal, in cooperation with other organisations, has started to build a network of contacts and raise public awareness and can provide information and support to individuals and groups who wish to mobilise on this issue. We are able to act as a depository and hub for this campaign] http://www.brusselstribunal.org/Academics.htm
Other languages: NL - Spanish - Arabic - Japanese - Portuguese: Read the petition
ACADEMICS AND ARTISTS FOR PEACE -Stop the Killing of Iraq's Academics.
Principal endorsers, Patronizing this campaign
Noam Chomsky, Professor of Linguistics, Philosophy of Language, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Linguistics & Philosophy, USA
Tony Benn, President of the STOP THE WAR COALITION, Former MP, Cabinet Minister and Chairman of the British Labour Party, UK
John M. Coetzee, Nobel Prize in Literature 2003, South Africa
Harold Pinter, Nobel Prize in Literature 2005, UK
Eduardo Galeano, essayist, journalist, historian, and activist, Uruguay.
Denis J. Halliday, former UN Assistant Secretary-General 1994-98
Hans von Sponeck, former UN Assistant Secretary General, U.N. Humanitarian Coordinator for Iraq 1998-2000, Germany
Howard Zinn, professor, writer, educator, and leader in nonviolent social protest, USA
John Pilger, journalist and documentary film-maker, UK/Australia
Michael Parenti, author, USA
Antonio Negri, moral and political philosopher, Italy
Robert A. Dahl, Political Theorist, Yale University
Curtis F.J. Doebbler, Dr., International Human Rights Lawyer.
François Houtart, Prof. Em., Director of the Tricontinental Center - Cetri, Belgium
Immanuel Wallerstein, Prof. Yale University, USA.
Richard Falk, Prof. Em. of International Law and Practice at Princeton University and Visiting Distinguished Professor of Global Studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara. Chair of the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation, recipient of the UNESCO Peace Education Prize, USA
Craig Calhoun, president of the Social Science Research Council and university professor of social sciences, New York University, USA
Naomi Klein, award-winning journalist and author, Canada
Susan George, author of A Fate Worse Than Debt and Another World Is
Possible If ..., France
Bianca Jagger, member of the Executive Director's Leadership Council for Amnesty International USA, member of the Advisory Committee of Human Rights Watch -America. Member Advisory Board of the Coalition for International Justice, USA
Gabriel Kolko, author and historian.
Dennis Brutus, professor emeritus dept of Africana Studies Univ of Pittsburgh, USA
Norman Paech, Prof. Dr., Professor für öffentliches Recht an der Hochschule für Wirtschaft und Politik, member Deutscher Bundestag, Germany
Juan R. I. Cole, Professor of Modern Middle East and South Asian History at the History Department of the University of Michigan, USA
Michael Mann, Professor of Sociology, UCLA, USA
Jean Bricmont, scientist, Prof. specialist in theoretical physics, U.C. Louvain-La-Neuve, Belgium
Pierre Klein, Professor International Law, U.L. Bruxelles, Belgium
Paul Kennedy, professor of history, Yale University, author of The Rise and Decline of Great Powers, USA
Saskia Sassen, Professor of Sociology, The University of Chicago, USA
Tareq Ismael, Prof. of Political Science, University of Calgary.
Mohammed Aref, Science writer based in Surrey, UK Former advisor toArab Science and Technology Foundation in United Arab Emirates (2000-2003) and science editor for Al Hayat newspaper in London (1988-2000).
Raymond William Baker, President of IAMES (International Association of Middle East Studies) and President of the Administrative Board of a transnational initiative to build an international university in Iraq, Global Partners for the International University of Iraq GP-IUI).
Guenter Meyer, Prof. Dr., Centre for Research on the Arab World (CERAW), University of Mainz , Germany
Helen Caldicott, president, Nuclear Policy Research Institute
Francis A. Boyle, professor of law, University of Illinois
Mark Lewis Taylor, Professor of Theology & Culture, Princeton Theological Seminary, USA
David Cromwell, editor Medialens, researcher University of Southampton UK
Michel Chossudovsky, Professor of Economics, University of Ottawa, director Centre for Research on Globalization, Canada
Jean Leca, Professor (emeritus) at the Institut d' Etudes Politiques de Paris
Lieven De Cauter, philosopher, Prof. Dr. K.U. Leuven / Rits, initiator of the Brussells Tribunal
Anthony Arnove, editor, writer, USA
Jim Harding, Dr., Past Director and retired Professor, School of Human Justice, University of Regina, Canada
Saadalla Al Fathi, former head of the Energy Studies' Department at the OPEC secretariat
Azmi Ashour, managing editor of Al Ahram Al Democratia magazine in Egypt
Michael J. Shapiro, political theorist, University of Hawai'i, USA
Paul Patton, professor of philosophy, University of New South Wales
Stephen Eric Bronner, professor of political science, Rutgers University
Raymond Bradley, Emeritus Professor of Philosophy, New Zealand
Ian Douglas, Dr., Visiting Professor Political Science Department An-Najah National University Nablus, Palestine
Abdul Ilah Al-Bayaty (Writer - Iraq / France)
Leslie Sklair, emeritus professor of sociology, London School of Economics, UK
Olle Josephson, Professor in Scandinavian Languages, Director of Swedish language Council, Co-editor of the Swedish Socialist Quarterly
Clarté
Dirk Berg-Schlosser, Ph.D., Prof. Dr., Institute of Political Science, Philipps-University, Marburg/Germany
Haifa Zangana (Novelist - Iraq / UK)
Sabah Al-Mukhtar (President of the Arab Lawyers Association - Iraq / UK)
Mujbil Al-Marsumi, University professor, IRAQ, Applied Science University, Amman, Jordan
Imad Khadduri (Nuclear scientist - Iraq / Canada)
Sami Ramadani (Senior lecturer in sociology at London Metropolitan University - Iraq / UK)
Truth Teller, Doctor, Directorate of health, Ninevah, Iraq
N.D.Kharrufa, Physician, Ministry of health, Iraq
Talat al Mukhtar, academic doctor, Baghdad University College of Medicine, Iraq
Mundher Al-Adhami (Research Fellow at Kings College London - Iraq / UK)
Amir Al Ani (Sociologist - Iraq / France)
Ghali Hassan (Science and Mathematics Education Centre, Curtin
University - Perth, Australia)
Niloufer Bhagwat (Vice President of Indian Lawyers Association - Mumbai / India)
Karen Parker (Attorney , Association of Humanitarian Lawyers, partners of the BRussells Tribunal - USA)
Thomas McCarthy, professor of philosophy, Northwestern University, USA
Haideh Moghissi, Ph.D, Professor, Director, MCRI Diaspora, Islam, Gender Project, Atkinson Faculty, York University, UK
Jan Fermon (Lawyer of Court case against General Tommy Franks in Brussels, Progress Lawyers Network - Belgium)
Amy Bartholomew (Law professor - Canada)
James C. Faris, Prof., Director Emeritus, University of Connecticut Program in Middle East Languages and Area Studies, USA
Ayse Gul Altinay , Assistant Professor of Cultural Anthropology, Sabanci University, Turkey
Dr Martha Mundy, Reader in Anthropology, London School of Economics
Michael Hardt, Professor of Literature, Duke University, USA, co-author of Empire
Arturo Escobar, Professor of Anthropology, University of North Carolina, USA
Thomas Fasy, Associate Professor of Pathology, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, USA
William E. Connolly, Political Theorist and Krieger-Eisenhower Professor, Johns Hopkins University, USA
Diana Judit Milstein . Universidad Nacional del Comahue. Argentina
Habib Ajroud, University of Manouba, Tunesia
Gabriele Zamparini (independent filmmaker - Italy/UK)
Paola Pisi, professor religious sciences, Italy
Jeffrey Blankfort (Former editor of the Middle East Labor Bulletin and currently hosts radio programs - USA)
Jeff Archer/Malcom Lagauche (Journalist - USA)
Corinne Kumar (Secretary General of El Taller International - Tunesia / India)
Dahr Jamail, independent journalist, USA.
Carlos Varea (coordinator of SCOSI - Spanish Campaign against Occupation and for the Sovereignty of Iraq - Spain)
Joachim Guilliard (Journalist, Anti-war movement - Germany)
Sigyn Meder (Anti-war movement - Sweden)
Manuel Raposo (Anti-war movement - Portugal)
John Catalinotto (International Action Center - USA)
Charles Jenks (Chair of Advisory Board and Web Manager, Traprock Peace Center, USA)
Dahlia Wasfi M.D. (Anti-war activist, speaker, Global Exchange, Iraq / USA)
Larry Everest (Author / Journalist - USA)
Patrick Deboosere, demographer, VUB, Belgium
Hana Al Bayaty, filmmaker / journalist - Iraq / Egypt / France
Dirk Adriaensens, coordinator SOS Iraq, executive committee BRussells Tribunal
Inge Van De Merlen, Brussells Tribunal, Belgium
Bernard Genet (Comaguer, Anti-war Committee Marseille - France)
Bert De Belder M.D. (Coordinator Intal & Medical Aid For The Third World - Belgium)
Pol De Vos (Stop USA - Belgium)
Ludo De Brabander (Vrede - Belgium)
Dr. Nada M. Shabout, Assistant Professor of Art History, School of Visual Arts, University of North Texas, USA
Paola Manduca, Prof. Genetics, University of Genua, Italy
Ayse Berktay, World Tribunal Organiser, Turkey
Salah Almukhtar, Author , journalist and Chairman Of friendship, peace and solidarity Organisation, Iraq
Mohammed Al-Obaidi, Prof. U.K., Spokesman and Deputy General Secretary, The People's Struggle Movement - IRAQ
Fouad Elhage, Dr., Editor in Chief, Al-Moharer
Ibrahim Ebeid, Co-Editor , Al-Moharer
Amir Alfarge, president of l'Association of Iraqi of France
Ernst-Peter Rührnschopf, mathematician, Erlangen, Germany,
Siegrun Dewald-Rührnschopf, Erlangen, Germany.
Hashim Al-Tawil, Ph.D. Art History, Henry Ford Community College, Dearborn, MI, USA
Andy Griggs, Board Member, United Teachers Los Angeles; Steering Committee Member, US Labor Against the War; Executive Ctte Member, National Education, Association Peace and Justice Caucus, USA
Dan Kaplan, Executive Secretary San Mateo (CA) Community College Federation of Teachers, USA
Barzan Ali A. Aziz, Senior Process Engineer, UAE
Natasa Tucev, PhD candidate, English Department, Faculty of Philosophy, University of Nis, Serbia, Yugoslavia
Garbis Altinoglu, writer and activist, Turkey
Yildiz Aydin, Prof. Dr., Turkey
Analia Diana Matas Lic. en Ciencias de la Educación Docente Universitaria Universidad Nacional de Entre Ríos. Argentina
Chana Bloch, Professor Emerita, poet and translator Mills College USA
Karen Brodkin, Professor UCLA USA
Michael McKinley, Senior Lecturer, International Relations and Strategy, Australian National University, Australia
Dr Ismail Jalili, Consultant Surgeon, Chairman National Association of British Arabs, Past President British Arab Medical Association UK
Sherna Berger Gluck, Professor Emerita, USA
Daizo Kutsuzawa, secretary general ICTI (Internatiomal Criminal Tribunal for Iraq), Japan
May Muzaffar, poet-writer, Iraq
S. Subramanian, Professor, Madras Institute of Development Studies, India
Ruth Laila Schmidt, Professor, University of Oslo, Norway
Radwa Ashour, Writer and Academic, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt
Egyptian Association against Torture, Egyptian NGO, Egypt
El Nadim Center, Egyptian NGO, Egypt
Aida Seif El Dawla, Professor of Psychiatry, Ain Shams University, Egypt
Thora Reynolds, Artist, Academic & Activist, National Writer's Union (USA)
Daniel J Guilfoil, Professor of Philosophy-Emeritus, USA
posted January 10, 2006
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