35,000 Iraqi civilians killed in 2006
Nearly 35,000 civilians were killed in Iraq last year, according to the UN. It’s an astonishing but unsurprising figure, given the daily reports of carnage. As the United States mourns the death of over 3,000 of its troops sent to Iraq since the 2003 invasion, the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq reports 34,452 civilians were killed and 36,685 were wounded in 2006 alone.
The Iraqi Government has called these figures "inaccurate and exaggerated," while the head of the UN Mission, Gianni Magazzeni, says they are based on data from Iraq’s own Health Ministry, from hospitals across the country plus the Medico-Legal Institute in Baghdad.
The UN also reports that dozens of unidentified bodies turn up on the streets of Baghdad daily, most showing signs of torture.
In addition to highlighting violations against women and minorities in Iraq, the UN report emphasises restoring the rule of law and ending impunity for human rights violations as essential to ending the cycle of violence.
What is meant by the "rule of law"? Dr Chee Soon Juan offers a definition no less desirable in Baghdad than in Singapore where he is opposition leader. The rule of law — fundamental to human rights — means a legal order that:
- regulates the power of the government (that is, state power must be exercised lawfully)
- ensures equality before the law (no-one is above the law)
- provides formal and substantive justice (due process for anyone accused of breaking the law)
The US and its allies are preparing to send more troops to Iraq. What are they doing for human rights and the rule of law?
