Post Demonstration: A Heaven for Anti-Freedom Terrorists

A Heaven for Anti-Freedom Terrorists
Federation of Civil Society Organizations
27/06/2011, Suleymaniah

The attempt to assassinate Karwan Kamal, a lawyer and civil society activist, at 11pm on 26/06/2011, proofed one more time, the concerns voiced by Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, Reporters without Borders, the EU and other international organizations about the deterioration of the respect, protection and fulfillment of human rights in Iraqi Kurdistan Region. It is shameful that the Kurdistan Regional Government is providing one excuse after another, for the continued "defamation" of Kurdistan by those reports through its apathy and unwillingness to find and sue those terrorists who are committing intimidations against civil society activists and make their names and affiliations public.

This recent terrorist attack is targeting a young, enthusiastic and caring lawyer who volunteered as an unpaid attorney for the families of the victims of February 17th. This attack is a terrifying message for all of the freedom seekers in Kurdistan and it is a clear statement about the unfounded claims of security and prosperity in the region. Those who participated in the demonstrations and are criticizing the shortcomings of the political system in the region are denied the right of security, if not the right of life itself. This attack, underscores the worries of many in the region, that civil society activists, intellectuals and journalists should be always expecting the dark, antihuman and tragic forces which took such young and vibrant lives as Sardashd Othman and Soran MamaHama.

It is obvious that it is not us (the civil society activists, journalists and intellectuals) who are the derivers of instability and social turmoil in the region. On the contrary, it is those masked forces that are operating outside the realm of jurisdiction and the government's power which are controlling life and death decisions in this region. It seems that those forces chose to deny activists and freedom seekers the safety and life of dignity they deserve. Those forces are attempting through their actions to silence discontent and anger toward all of the injustices and crimes committed against the people of the region.

We, in the Federation of Civil Society Organization, which is a cooperative body of 15 non-governmental organizations and a number of independent civil society activists, are startled by these disgusting acts of terror. Our civil and humane moral and consciousness obliges us to identify ourselves with the victims of terrorist acts by dark forces whoever and wherever they are. We therefore, strongly condemn the attempts at taking Karwan Kamal from us, without any legal or moral penalties or consequences to face the perpetrators.

We would like to acknowledge that the Kurdistan Regional Government and its security forces and institutions are the responsible parties for this attack until an independent investigation discloses otherwise. We therefore demand an official and strong condemnation by the government, concrete and immediate actions toward finding those who committed this act of terror. Otherwise, it is our unequivocal right to disregard the Kurdistan Regional Government as that legitimate body which can protect our lives and safety. This would mean a further widening and deepening of the rift between citizens and a government that present itself as the protector of civil rights, private liberties and public interests at the time that it is apathetic and indecisive about a sea of terror that it is sinking in.