2009-11-15

This article belongs to And That's the Way It Is column.


The UK Armed Services Minister Bill Rammell has stated that there will not be a need for an open and public inquiry into allegations that British Forces in Iraq allegedly inflicted human rights abuses upon Iraqi detainees.

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Independent intelligence sources however have indicated that British abuses were widespread and were authorised by the Commanding Officers of the unit involved.
Thus far, 33 cases of human rights abuses have surfaced including allegations of rape, electric prod abuses as well as other major human rights crimes.

The Minister said there will be an inquiry but that such an inquiry will not be held in public. The Minister also stated that any such abuses would not have been widespread and therefore an open and public inquiry would not be needed.

Independent intelligence sources however have indicated that British abuses were widespread and were authorised by the Commanding Officers of the unit involved. Independent intelligence sources have also indicated that in some cases both US and British military personnel were involved and that, apart from detained Iraqi citizens, citizens from other countries, including UK citizens, had also been abused.

Lawyers of those on the receiving end of British war crimes have stated they shall be demanding that any inquiry will be in full, open and in public view. Should the UK not comply with the open inquiry demand, there will be opportunities for individuals to take action either through the EU legal system as well through civil legal systems.

It is certainly high time that the UK came clean about its conduct during its occupation of southern Iraq. If not, others will no doubt do it for the UK instead.


My name is Henk Luf.
And That's The Way It Is.