Statement Calling for a Resolution to Protect and Respect the Full Sovereignty and Dignity of the Iraqi People and Nation

We, the Peoples of these United Nations, determined to save both current and succeeding generations from the scourge of war; desiring to reestablish conditions under which justice and respect for the obligations of the UN Charter and international law can be maintained; and prepared to unite our strength to maintain international peace and security; 

(1) Do hereby urge the Security Council to refuse to pass the current US/UK Resolution on Iraq. The Security Council must take every precaution to ensure the full sovereignty of Iraq, including full control over all security forces; that the US, the UK, and their corporations are not allowed to profit economically or politically from the invasion; and that reparations are made in full.

In addition, we urge the Security Council to consider and pass a resolution under Chapter VI of the UN Charter, while respecting article 27 requiring parties to the conflict to abstain, to expressly:

(I) Condemn past and forbid any and all future preemptive military actions and wars;

(II) Condemn past practices, and prohibit future practices, of intimidation by states to procure UN Security Council and General Assembly votes;

 (III) Withdraw all Coalition Forces and only provide those Peacekeeping Forces that are requested by Iraq;

 (IV) Restore complete sovereignty, including control of the military, to the Iraqi people; dispatch a UN human rights team to investigate and report on all violations of Iraqi human rights since the invasion began.

(V) Rescind the orders of the Coalition Provisionary Authority, replacing them with those of the Interim Government of Iraq, which shall enjoy full sovereignty with no interference by the US or UK; renegotiate all contracts committed by the occupying powers;

(VI) Empower the United Nations to play the central role in the preparation, supervision, and running of elections in Iraq; support a genuinely independent and democratic political process decided on by the Iraqis for constituting their own government; refuse to endorse Iraqi leaders that are hand picked by the United States;

 (VII) Require the occupying forces to provide the financial resources for the complete reconstruction of Iraq, along with restitution for all damage done, beginning with an initial $75 billion;

(VII) Authorize the interim government "to control, administer and manage Iraq's resources and assets"; ensure that Iraqi companies are given priority in the awarding of contracts; that labor laws are enacted ensuring the protection of workers under ILO labor standards; and forgive past Iraqi debts;

(VIII) Grant women equal rights and opportunities.

 THESE ACTIONS ARE PROPOSED FOR THE FOLLOWING REASONS:

- the United States and allied forces illegally invaded and occupied Iraq, violating the most fundamental and cherished articles and principles of the UN Charter and the Geneva Conventions; (1)

- the attack on Iraq was unwarranted, unprovoked, and has led to the deaths of more than 10,000 innocent civilians, many being women and children;

- the US government manufactured and produced false evidence and presented it to the UN Security Council, thus making a deceptive case for this illegal war; (2) 

- the US government threatened, blackmailed, bribed, spied on, and intercepted the communications of member states, thus violating the accepted principles and norms of diplomacy;

- CPA Administrator Bremer repeatedly issued administrative orders which violated the Iraqi constitution, Hague Regulations, and Geneva Conventions, including four on September 19, 2003 which would enable the privatization and corporate profiteering in Iraq. Order 39 stipulated that 200 Iraqi state companies be privatized; decreed that foreign firms could retain 100% ownership of Iraqi banks, mines and factories; and allowed these firms to move100% of their profits out of Iraq; (3)

- the most lucrative contracts have been granted to corporations with close ties to the Bush Administration, including Halliburton which still pays a retainer to Vice President Cheney;

- the occupying forces ignored reports of blatant and pervasive prisoner abuse for months, issued by credible sources including from within the US military, thus sanctioning rape, beatings, severe humiliation, torture, and the death of up to 37 prisoners;

- US forces have used and then left behind depleted uranium, cluster bombs, and other ordnance; and have targeted peaceful protests and even innocent family celebrations in Afghanistan and Iraq;

- the invasion and occupation was not about weapons of mass destruction; but was instead an attempt to privatize and gain corporate profits in Iraq, to establish permanent military bases, and to further US economic and military domination; (4)

- the US and Britain invaded a sovereign foreign country without due cause or mandate, even while the Security Council was seized with and acting on the matter; and while the General Assembly had been requested to hold an emergency session under a Uniting for Peace Resolution to deal with it.

(1) Preamble to the UN Charter

(2) January 2004 Mother Jones Magazine:

www.motherjones.com/news/feature/2004/01/12_405.html

(3) Project for a New American Century: www.newamericancentury.org

(4) Iraq Is Not America's to Sell, Naomi Klein, The Guardian:

www.unitedforpeace.org/article.php?id=2150

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