New Zealand’s Coalition Partners Worsening Crisis in Iraq

SULAYMANIYAH, IRAQ – Harmeet Singh Sooden is returning to Auckland Sunday morning, 7 June 2015. He has been working with Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT), an international NGO that is supporting local and international organisations responding to the humanitarian crisis in Iraqi Kurdistan, arising from the large influx of internally displaced persons (IDPs) and Syrian refugees fleeing the current fighting.

Mr Sooden is part of a CPT team assessing the growing communal tensions within an IDP camp resulting from the deteriorating security and economic situation in Iraq. Following its investigation into allegations of widespread ethno-religious discrimination in the camp, the team met with representatives of UNHCR, UNDP and other key organisations to discuss CPT’s findings and recommendations on how to relieve these tensions. Mr Sooden will continue to work from New Zealand with CPT and relevant stakeholders to develop a social cohesion strategy for IDP camps.

Mr Sooden is extremely concerned that the communal tensions in the camp could turn into communal violence. “One human rights worker has described the communal tensions in the camps and throughout Iraqi Kurdistan as ‘a powder keg’,” he says.

Mr Sooden is also deeply concerned about the Government’s decision to deploy the NZDF to Iraq as part of the US-led coalition fighting ISIS: “The US-led coalition’s military operations are adding to an already high number of civilians killed or displaced. Mass flight is in turn is straining communal relations and overstretched humanitarian supplies in the camps, as we have personally observed.”

Mr Sooden states, “New Zealand should place the welfare of the Iraqi people as a whole ahead of their own national interests, and not take part in a military campaign that is increasing the level of violence and worsening the humanitarian crisis in the region.”

Mr Sooden says, “Human rights groups have implicated New Zealand’s coalition partners in committing serious human rights violations that may constitute war crimes. The partners include Iraq whose forces are being trained by the NZDF.”

Mr Sooden also says, “According to major aid agencies, both the strategy of the US-led coalition and the severe shortfall in funding are compounding the humanitarian crisis in the region.”

“If this trend continues, it might be catastrophic for people across Iraq,” he warns.

Accordingly, Mr Sooden concludes, “As a ‘responsible international citizen’ and member of the UN Security Council, NZ should work independently of the US-led coalition and push for a UN-mandated mission, while increasing its humanitarian aid contributions and intensifying its diplomatic efforts to address the root cause of the conflict.”

Mr Sooden is also appealing to the Government to be more transparent about the measures it is taking to address the ISIS threat: “New Zealanders should be kept informed about the efforts the Government is putting into resolving the conflict.”

“My great-grandfather fought and died for British interests in Mesopotamia during WWI. Now, our Government is risking the lives of our troops in Iraq, this time mainly to serve the interests of New Zealand elites. Sadly, not much has changed a century later,” he adds.

ENDS

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