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In a landmark decision this month, Iraq's parliament passed the Yazidi Female Survivors Law, recognizingthe atrocities committed by the extremist group known as "Islamic State," or "IS,"against the ethno-religious group as genocide.

When "IS," an Islamist terrorgroup, took control of swathes of northern Iraq between 2014 and 2017, it killed, kidnapped and enslaved thousands ofYazidis, while tens of thousands more were forced to flee their homes.

"The passage of the law represents a watershed moment," the United Nations' International Organization for Migration (IOM) said in a statement after the law was passed on March 1. It makes Iraq one of the first Arab countries to focus "institutional attention on female survivors of conflict-related sexual violence."

The bill was hailed by Iraqi President Barham Salih as "an important step."

But even while the law aims to "prevent the recurrence of violations," not everyone is convinced it will live up to its promises. Yazidi survivors say the existential threats that fueled "Islamic State's"genocidal campaign against them still persist in Iraq.

The law pledges to provide assistance to victims of "IS," primarily Yazidi female survivors who were kidnappedand later freedbut also members of other minorities who suffered the same fate, including Turkmen, Christian and ShabakIraqis.

Under the new law, Iraq will provide a monthly stipend, residential land or free housing and psychological support to victims. Survivors of "IS" attacks will also be granted hiring priority for2% of all public sector jobs.

A Yazidi survivor holds portraits of IS victims from her village of Kocho located near Sinjar, Iraq

Kidnapped Yazidi children will also receive support and the legal status of children born of survivorswill also be addressed.

Moreover, the legislationmarks August 3 the day ofa major "IS"attack on Yazidicommunities in 2014 as a national day of remembrance and establishes a special government office for Female Yazidi Survivors' Affairs, which will open in northern Iraq's Ninawa province. Ninawa ishome to theSinjar district, where the majority of Yazidis once lived.

Ghazala Jango, a Yazidi woman from Sinjar, said the bill was, "essential for female survivors, given that the majority of them had no one to support them. All their family members were killed."

Jango was 18when the extremist group attacked Sinjar in 2014. Researchers say that some 10,000 Yazidis were killed or kidnapped during the assault and tens of thousands more were forced to flee into the nearby mountains. Jango was among them, having escaped on foot.

In August 2020, Sinjar was still in ruins, never having recovered from an attack by the Islamist terror group Islamic State (IS)

Six years later, she is back in Sinjar, where she works with the Yazidi-run Youth Bridge Organization, helping Yazidi families return to their homes. Even though it has been four years since then Iraqi Prime MinisterHaider al-Abadideclared victory over "IS,"the Yazidi community is still suffering, Jango told DW.

The new law will help improve the financial situation of Yazidis, "who have been living in poverty for almost seven years,"she added. But, she says, it can't help survivors feel safer,"It is only financial support it does not guarantee protection,"Jango argues.

Other Yazidis interviewed by DW echoed this sentiment. They are skeptical that the Iraqi government will deliver on the promises it has made.

"I hope this law will not just be a law on paper butwill be a practical solution to help them," said Ahmed Khudida Burjus, deputy director of Yazda, a multi-national, Yazidi-led organization that aims to assist the community in the aftermath of the genocide.

"In the past six years, many promises have been made and very little has been done. Yazidi villages and towns ravaged by Daesh [IS]still lie in ruins,"he noted, using the colloquial term for the group.

Thousands of Yazidis fleeing the brutality of IS militants sought refuge on Mount Sinjar. Many have since found shelter in a camp in northern Iraq, but around a thousand are still reportedly trapped on the high terrain.

Members of the Yazidi minority have more or less completely deserted areas now under the control of Islamic State militants. Thousands fled to Syria, but some have now returned to Iraq, to places such as Fishkhabour on the Iraqi-Syrian border.

Refugees tell of IS militants stealing their money, valuables and passports, leaving many with nothing more than the clothes on their backs. Children are traumatized by the mass expulsions in which at least 500 people are reported to have lost their lives.

Yazidis in northern Iraq jostle for much needed water supplies. Getting aid to refugees in the autonomous Kurdish region poses a logistical challenge.

Members of the Kurdish Red Crescent are helping refugees as they arrive around Mount Sinjar. Many are wounded or weakened from the long journey, which is often made on foot.

The situation awaiting many refugees in northern Iraq is desperate. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) says more than a million people across Iraq have taken flight. Besides the large number of Yazidis, there are also many Christians.

The United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) has set up a provisional camp near the city of Irbil in northern Iraq. It's no home-away-from-home, but offers much needed shelter. Some even managed to bring the occasional personal effect.

The US Air Force began dropping food and water to Yazidis trapped on Mount Sinjar a few days ago. The supplies are a lifeline for the refugees, who would otherwise be cut off from the outside world.

The United Nations estimates that around a thousand people are still on Mount Sinjar, where temperatures are scorching and water supplies are low. There are also unconfirmed media reports that Islamic State militants have abducted some 100 Yazidi women and children from the mountain. Those who can, grab hold of helicopters in an attempt to escape.

Members of Europe's Yazidi community are calling on the West to do more to help the minority group in Iraq. Protesters in Hanover are demanding more humanitarian aid and weapons for the Kurds in northern Iraq so they can counter the advance of the IS militants.

Author: Jeanette Seiffert / tw

It's about more than just rebuilding, Burjus argued,"Everything is relatedsecurity, justice and rebuilding and development."

And this is why the new Yazidi Female Survivors Law, while positive, is not enough.Burjus and other advocates for the community explain that the real problem is how the majority of Iraqis feel about the local Yazidi minority.

Thanks to misconceptions about their religion among Iraq's Muslim majority, Yazidis have long been labelled "devil worshippers."

The community has a long history of persecutiondating back to the 16th century, and many groups, from invading Turks to local Kurds, have tried to convert them to Islam. "I am the descendent of 72 genocides,"is still a common phrase among Yazidis.

The Lalish Temple in Iraq's Ninawa province houses the tomb of Sheikh Adi ibn Musafir and is the Yazidis' holiest site

"Yazidis lost everything and they trust neither the Kurdish nor the Iraqi government,"26-year-old Saud, a Yazidi man originallyfrom Sinjar, said. Saud requested DW not use his real name because speaking out against the local Iraqi-Kurdish military could put him in danger.

In 2014, Iraqi-Kurdish forces were supposed to be in charge of security in the Sinjar area which is adjacent to the semi-autonomous northern region of Iraqi Kurdistan but when "IS"attacked, Iraqi-Kurdish soldiers withdrew, leaving civilians to fend for themselves.

"Our neighbors are Sunnis and Kurds. We were betrayed by all these tribes,"said Saud, who lived in Iraqi displacement camps for 18 months before being granted asylum abroad. Saud says he'd like to return home to Iraq but believes there are no guarantees of his safety.

According to German psychologistJan Ilhan Kizilhan, a professor at Baden-Wuerttemberg Cooperative State University (DHBW) who has worked with more than a thousand Yazidi survivors in Germany, the medical, financial and psychological support the law promises will not suffice. True change will require "reconciliation between Yazidis and Muslims, who supported the 'IS' group,"Kizilhan told DW.

Yazda's Burjus says negative attitudes towards Yazidis persist and permeate all aspects of society in Iraq.

"The majority of the population of Iraq sees Yazidis as infidels," he explains. "When they work in restaurants, no one eats their food because it's made by a Yazidi."

"That's why we never feel safe," the community advocate concludes. "And because there is no plan to eradicate these threats against Yazidis, whenever the opportunity arises, another extremist group will do it again [attack the Yazidi community]. It's only a matter of time."

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Iraq's Yazidis warn of ongoing threats from extremists - DW (English)

BAGHDAD Iraq has sent a formal request to President Joe Bidens administration for a date to resume strategic talks on bilateral relations and the withdrawal of remaining U.S. combat forces, Iraqi officials said Tuesday.

The talks, which began in June under the Trump administration, would be the first under Biden, who assumed office in January. The discussions are meant to shape the future of the U.S.-Iraq relationship.

Relations between the two countries have been fraught with tension, particularly following the U.S. airstrike in January 2020 that killed Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani and Iraqi militia leader Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis just outside the Baghdad airport.

Outraged, Iraqi lawmakers, spurred by Shiite political factions, passed a non-binding resolution to oust U.S.-led coalition forces from the country following the attack.

Relations have improved since Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi took over the helm of Iraqs government in May. But some parties, notably parliaments Iran-backed Fatah bloc, continue to call for the withdrawal of U.S. forces.

So far, two sessions of strategic talks have been held in June and August. Among the issues on the agenda laid out ahead of the talks were the presence of U.S. troops in the country, militia groups acting outside of state authority and Iraqs dire economic crisis. The U.S. blames Iran-backed Shiite Iraqi militias for numerous attacks targeting U.S. personnel and interests in Iraq.

According to three government officials, Iraq recently sent an official memo to the U.S. requesting a date for a new round of discussions on bilateral relations and specifically, the withdrawal of remaining combat forces.

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The memo was given to U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Mathew Tueller earlier this month, they said, adding the Iraqis hope to have the discussion in April. The officials spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to the media. No immediate date has been set.

Iraqi and U.S. officials have said they support a scheduled withdrawal of forces from Iraq, but questions remain over time-frames and the scope of the threat posed by the Islamic State group.

According to the Pentagon, the number of U.S. troops in Iraq has dropped to about 2,500 over the past months.

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Iraq wants new round of talks over withdrawal of remaining US combat forces - Military Times

Baghdad, 25 March 2021 Amid a global shortage of COVID-19 vaccines, Iraq has finally received 336,000 doses of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine through the COVAX Facility, a partnership co-led by Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), Gavi-The Vaccine Alliance and the World Health Organization, alongside key delivery partner UNICEF.

The AstraZeneca vaccines manufactured by SK-Bio Institute of South Korea, arrived on Thursday, 25 March 2021, and were received at Baghdad International Airport by the Minister of Health, Iraq, His Excellency Dr Hassam Mohammed Al-Tamimi, accompanied by the teams of the MOH, WHO and UNICEF. This is a historic step towards the global goal to ensure equitable distribution of COVID-19 vaccines around the world and is part of a first allocation of vaccines to Iraq. Further consignments of 1.1 Million COVAX vaccine doses are planned for Iraq in the coming weeks and will continue to cover 20 per cent of the population before the end of 2021.

The COVID-19 pandemic still has a long a way to run in Iraq and around the world, as intense transmission is ongoing and is putting enormous pressure on hospitals, intensive care units and health workers. While the preventive measures can be effective in reducing transmission of the virus, their effectiveness depends on strict application by all citizens. The arrival of the vaccines and the launch of a nationwide vaccination campaign will be a game changer in the battle against COVID-19. However only when more than 80% of the eligible population are reached, will a significant reduction in transmission be achieved.

Today, vaccines that were expected in the country since the last week of February have finally arrived. Although Iraq finalized all the requirements for the COVAX facility in time, delays in the global production and shortages of vaccines within the COVAX Facility delayed this shipment. The vaccines received today have recently received the Emergency Use Listing from the World Health Organization and will be a game changer in the response to COVID-19 Pandemic in Iraq, said His Excellency Dr Hassam Mohammed Al-Tamimi, Minister of Health, Iraq.

The Ministry of Health will immediately dispatch these vaccines to all departments of health in Baghdad, in all governorates and Kurdistan to be used for protecting people within the priority groups according to the national vaccine deployment plan and framework, continued His Excellency the Minister of Health

This is a historical landmark in the response to COVID-19 in Iraq, receiving and utilizing these vaccines is a step in the right direction in controlling the pandemic in Iraq. Indeed, these vaccines have proven to be very safe and effective in preventing COVID-19 infections, with its associated risk of hospitalization and death, said Dr Ahmed Zouiten, WHO Representative, Iraq.

We wish to congratulate the Ministry of Health and the Government of Iraq for all the efforts deployed for the response to COVID-19 in general, and for securing the arrival of these life-saving vaccines in the country. As more vaccines are receiving the WHO Emergency Use listing, and more doses of vaccines are manufactured globally, we will be looking forward to receiving more allocations and more vaccines from the COVAX facility in the coming weeks and months, added Dr Ahmed

"UNICEF and WHO have been working with the Ministry of Health around the clock to make sure that Iraq has enough syringes, vaccination cards, and state-of-the-art cold chain facilities to store the vaccines safely, in anticipation of this day. We have also trained thousands of health workers in vaccination centers across Iraq. We have been waiting for this day for months. Vaccines are among the greatest advances of modern medicine. They are a protective shield, keeping families and communities safe, explained Mr. Paul Edwards, UNICEF's acting Representative to Iraq.

While these vaccines are being rolled out, the Ministry of Health, WHO and UNICEF urge all people in Iraq to continue observing public health measures that are in place, such as wearing masks at all times, physical distancing, air ventilation, proper hand hygiene and avoiding congested gatherings and settings.

For more information please contact:

Dr Saif M Badr. Ministry of Health and Environment.

Mob: +9647901925907. Email: dr.saif.moh.iraq@gmail.com

Ms Pauline Loyce Ajello, WHO

Mobile: +9647818774262. Email: ajellopa@who.int

Ms Baraa Shaba, WHO

Mobile: +9647800010244 Email: shabab@who.int

Mr Innocent Kafembe, UNICEF

Mobile: 964 751 015 0949. Email: ikafembe@unicef.org

For more about COVAX, visit: https://www.gavi.org/covax-facility

Read more:
Iraq receives the first delivery of COVID-19 vaccines through the COVAX Facility [EN/AR/KU] - Iraq - ReliefWeb

There are continuing threats from Iranian-backed militants. There are threats from ISIS and al Qaeda. That said, the 2002 AUMF doesnt help us deal with any of these threats, Meeks said. Our forces would stay under Iraq under the 2001 AUMF, and the president can always defend America and our forces under Article II [of the U.S. Constitution].

Democratic leaders in both the House and Senate have already committed to moving legislation to replace the 2001 authorization with one that is better aligned with the threats in the region, after presidents from both parties have used it to expand U.S. military activity not specifically authorized by Congress. In the meantime, with the support of a significant cohort of Republicans, Democrats are moving forward with a clean repeal of the 2002 authorization, which passed during George W. Bush's presidency.

Biden invoked his Article II powers last month when he ordered retaliatory airstrikes against Iran-backed militant groups in Syria that were responsible for attacks on U.S. interests and citizens in the region. But progressives criticized Bidens decision, noting that Congress hadnt authorized the strikes and arguing that they were likely to further inflame tensions with Iran.

In response, the White House said Biden supports getting rid of the outdated AUMFs and working with Congress on replacement measures, though talks are in the very early stages.

The Republicans who opposed repealing the 2002 authorization said that like with the 2001 measure, it should be replaced because Iraq is still home to terror groups that threaten the U.S.

I think we have the same goal in mind, we just have a different way of getting there, Rep. Michael McCaul of Texas, the committees top Republican, said of the effort to scrap the 2002 authorization.

McCaul called for consultations with executive branch officials and the Iraqi government first in order to craft a replacement.

Real AUMF reform requires Congress and the administration working together on actual text to replace the aging 2001 and 2002 AUMFs to provide authorities needed to keep the American people, and, most importantly, our deployed troops, safe from terrorists, McCaul said.

The House has already passed measures to repeal both the 2001 and 2002 authorizations as part of annual defense and spending bills, but those provisions were eventually removed due to opposition from the Senate and the Trump administration.

The 2002 authorization has not been used to justify significant military operations in Iraq, with the exception of former President Donald Trumps invocation of the AUMF last year after he ordered a strike that killed Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani.

Read more from the original source:
House panel votes to repeal 19-year-old Iraq war authorization - POLITICO

On March 4, 2021, the Parliament of Iraq passed the Law on the Accession of the Republic of Iraq to the New York Convention on the Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards, which, upon being published in the Official Gazette, will formally ratify the countrys anticipated accession to the Convention on the Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards 1958 (the New York Convention).

This step is just the latest in Iraqs ongoing plans for economic recovery, which includes an increasing willingness to adhere to international dispute resolution norms. The objectives of Iraqs reconstruction programme are described in detail in its 2018 Framework Paper

The New York Convention will apply in Iraq with respect to: (i) recognition and enforcement of awards made in the territory of another contracting state (the so-called reciprocity reservation); (ii) awards arising out of disputed contracts which were of a commercial nature, as defined by Iraqi law (such as commercial transactions and practices stated in Articles 4, 5, 6 and 7 of the 1970 Commercial Code (the so-called commercial reservation); and (iii) arbitration agreements concluded, or arbitral awards rendered, after the date of accession (the non-retroactivity exception).

In the past, foreign arbitral awards were only enforceable in Iraq if they were issued in a country that is a signatory to the 1983 Riyadh-Arab Agreement for Judicial Co-operation (the Riyadh Convention), or a country that has a specific treaty on judicial cooperation with Iraq, such as Egypt and Jordan. Although there are 18 signatory states to the Riyadh Convention across the Middle East and Africa, the convention was of limited use for investors, principally because it does not permit enforcement proceedings against Iraqi government entities. Moreover, the requirements for enforcement under the Riyadh Convention could delay the enforcement process by, for example, requiring a certificate from the originating judicial authority certifying that the award was final.

By comparison, the New York Convention now has 167 signatories around the world, does not require awards to be certified by the originating judicial authority, and permits enforcement against state entities.

In recent years, Iraq has seen its civil law system change significantly in an effort to attract foreign investment. Notably, Iraq endorsed the use of arbitration by investors (such as Article 27 of the Iraqi Investment Law 2006), as well as arbitration of disputes concerning government contracts (Article 11 of Regulation No. 1 of 2008 Regulations for Implementing Government Contracts). In November 2015, Iraq ratified the ICSID Convention.

Iraqs decision to accede to the New York Convention was originally announced in the Iraqi Council of Ministers Decree of 2018, shortly before the International Conference for Reconstruction of Iraq, which was co-headed by the World Bank and the European Union in February 2018.

Iraqs accession to the New York Convention could be an indication of adhesion to more neutral dispute resolution mechanisms and greater enforceability, with only limited grounds for non-enforcement of awards. It is hoped that this, in turn, will likely facilitate continued investment in Iraq and further development of its economy as it continues its reconstruction.

Link:
Iraq will become the 168th signatory to the New York Convention - Lexology