widespread killings of Christians and other individuals by armed groups in British controlled southern Iraq, and condemned UK forces for their alleged involvement in some of the deadly shootings.
In its report ‘Killings of Civilians in Basra and Al-‘Amara’ AI said 150 Christian families have fled Basra, after especially Christian liquor sellers were killed and their stores closed down, apparently by Islamic extremists.
The organization cited several incidents, including violence in February 15 when it claimed "a gang of 13 masked men opened fire with machine guns in the main street, in an area where alcohol was frequently sold, killing at least nine" people.
"All armed groups and individuals in Iraq must respect the right to life and cease these killings immediately. The rule of law must prevail," AI said. "If there is to be true security in Iraq, it is essential that justice be done," the organization stressed.
‘MORAL’ KILLINGS
The report also details political and so-called ‘moral’ killings in the UK-administered south, by armed groups and individuals against former Ba’athists, professionals, and shopkeepers selling music and videos. However AI also said that in some cases (British) "Armed Forces in Iraq have shot and killed Iraqi civilians, including an eight-year-old girl and a guest at a wedding celebration, in situations where there was no apparent threat to themselves or others."
Eight-year-old Hanan Saleh Matrud was reportedly shot by a soldier from B Company of the First Battalion of the King’s Regiment in August 2003. An eyewitness disputes the UK army’s claim that she may have been hit accidentally by a warning shot. He told Amnesty International that Hanan was killed when a soldier aimed and fired a shot at her from around 60 meters (about 66 yards) away, AI noticed.
Also in January this year Ghanem Kadhem Kati’ a 22-year-old unarmed man, was apparently shot in the back outside his front door while celebrating a family wedding. UK soldiers — responding to the sound of bullets fired into the air in celebration — fired five shots at him from "50 yards away" (about 45 meters), despite reportedly being told by a neighbor not to fire and that the earlier shots were in celebration, AI claimed.
NO INFORMATION
"Families are frequently given no information on how to lodge a compensation claim for the killing of their relatives. In some cases they are given wrong information, including that responsibility for compensation would rest with a new Iraqi government," AI said.
"The Area Claims Officer, to whom claims must be submitted, is situated in an area difficult to access for ordinary civilians (Basra airport) and there is little explanatory information provided on the claims process in English or in Arabic. As a result, people interviewed had little confidence in the compensation system."
AI added it welcomes "efforts by the UK and other governments to strengthen the capacity of the Iraqi police force. Yet this must be matched by a willingness of the police to act in all cases of law-breaking". However it noted that "not a single prosecution has been brought for ‘political’ killings and some police officers told Amnesty International that they felt the killing of former Ba’athists was justified…."
