DATE= JANUARY 11, 1999
TYPE= EDITORIAL
NUMBER= 0-08138
TITLE= EDITORIAL: REPRESSION IN SOUTHERN IRAQ
CONTENT= THIS IS THE FIRST OF TWO EDITORIALS BEING RELEASED FOR
BROADCAST JANUARY 11, 1999.
ANNCR:
THE VOICE OF AMERICA PRESENTS DIFFERING POINTS OF VIEW ON A WIDE
VARIETY OF ISSUES. NEXT, AN EDITORIAL EXPRESSING THE POLICIES OF
THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT.
VOICE:
THE KILLING CONTINUES IN IRAQ. THE VICTIMS OF SADDAM
HUSSEIN'S REPRESSION INCLUDE ETHNIC KURDS IN THE NORTH AND SHI'A
MUSLIMS IN THE SOUTH. TENSIONS IN THE SOUTH ROSE AFTER THE
ASSASSINATIONS OF TWO SENIOR SHI'A CLERICS LAST SUMMER. THE
REPRESSION REPORTEDLY REACHED A PEAK IN NOVEMBER, WITH HUNDREDS
KILLED IN ACTIONS DIRECTED PERSONALLY BY QUSAY HUSSEIN, ONE OF
SADDAM'S SONS. SINCE THEN, THERE HAVE BEEN REPORTS OF MASS
ARRESTS THROUGHOUT SOUTHERN IRAQ AND IN THE SHI'A SUBURBS OF
BAGHDAD. AND HUNDREDS OF SUMMARY EXECUTIONS HAVE BEEN REPORTED
IN THE CITIES OF BASRA AND AMARA AND AT RADWANIYAN PRISON.
SHI'A MUSLIMS HAVE BEEN SUBJECT TO DISCRIMINATION FOR DECADES
-- AND TO BRUTAL REPRESSION SINCE 1991. RECENTLY, IT WAS
REPORTED THAT SEVEN MORE VILLAGES AT THE EDGES OF THE SOUTHERN
MARSHLANDS WERE DESTROYED OR TURNED INTO MILITARY OUTPOSTS. THE
IRRIGATION SYSTEM WAS CUT OFF AND VITAL TAMARISK TREES WERE CUT
DOWN OR BURNED. MORE THAN TWO-THOUSAND CIVILIANS UNABLE TO FLEE
WERE REPORTEDLY TAKEN HOSTAGE BY IRAQI FORCES. THESE WERE OLD
PEOPLE, THE INFIRM, WOMEN AND CHILDREN.
BECAUSE OF SADDAM'S REPRESSIVE CAMPAIGNS, THE UNITED STATES
AND OTHER ALLIED FORCES ESTABLISHED "NO-FLY" ZONES IN BOTH
NORTHERN AND SOUTHERN IRAQ. THE ZONES WERE IMPOSED TO REDUCE THE
THREAT OF AIR ATTACKS BY IRAQI FORCES. IN THE 1980S, THE SADDAM
HUSSEIN REGIME USED CHEMICAL WEAPONS IN AIR ATTACKS AGAINST
CIVILIANS, KILLING THOUSANDS IN A MATTER OF HOURS. SEVERAL TIMES
OVER THE YEARS, IRAQI FORCES HAVE CHALLENGED THE NO-FLY ZONES.
THE MOST RECENT CHALLENGES CAME LAST WEEK. AS IN PREVIOUS CASES,
U.S. FORCES RESPONDED QUICKLY. PRESIDENT BILL CLINTON HAS MADE
IT CLEAR THAT SADDAM WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO DISRUPT THE NO-FLY
ZONES.
BUT ONLY A CHANGE IN BAGHDAD CAN BRING AN END TO THE
SUFFERING OF THE IRAQI PEOPLE. AS PRESIDENT CLINTON SAID, THE
U.S. WILL CONTINUE TO WORK FOR "A GOVERNMENT IN IRAQ THAT
REPRESENTS AND RESPECTS ITS PEOPLE -- NOT REPRESSES THEM. AND
ONE COMMITTED TO LIVE IN PEACE WITH ITS NEIGHBORS."
ANNCR:
THAT WAS AN EDITORIAL EXPRESSING THE POLICIES OF THE U.S.
GOVERNMENT. IF YOU HAVE A COMMENT, PLEASE WRITE TO EDITORIALS,
V-O-A, WASHINGTON, D-C, 20547, U-S-A. YOU MAY ALSO COMMENT AT
WWW-DOT-VOA-DOT-GOV-SLASH-EDITORIALS, OR FAX US AT (202)
619-1043.
08-Jan-99 2:02 PM EST (1902 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.
|
NEWSLETTER
|
|
Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list
|
|
|
