Violence against academics in post-invasion Iraq
Encyclopedia
Since the 2003 invasion of Iraq
, Iraqi academics have frequently been threatened with violence, kidnapped, or murdered. Although it is impossible to determine the exact scale of the violence and intimidation, the Iraqi Ministry of Higher Education reported that over 3,250 academics had fled the country between February and August 2006. According to the Iraqi Association of University Lecturers about 300 academics, including Ph.D.'s working in Iraqi government ministries and university administrators, had been killed before January, 2007. Other, less reliable, sources have placed the death toll as low as 20 and as high as 1,000.
Prof. Mohammed A.F. Al-Rawi
, a medical specialist, FRCS and president of Baghdad University, was killed in his clinic, in front of his wife and patients, on July 27, 2003. Prof. Abdul-Latif Ali al-Mayah
, a humanities professor born in Basra
, who had been chairman of the Arab World Research and Studies Centre at Mustansiriya University, head of the Baghdad Center for Human Rights, and had been an outspoken critic of the Iraq Interim Governing Council, was assassinated on January 19, 2004. Dr Imad Sarsam
was a highly reputed Iraqi orthopaedic
surgeon, FRCS
, teaching at the Department of Orthopedics in Baghdad University and assistant professor at the Baghdad Medical College. He was assassinated on August 31, 2004, just three months after his participation in an international conference of shoulder and elbow surgeons in Washington, D.C.
Dr Wissam S. al-Hashimi
, a geologist
born in Baghdad, was not only elected president of the Geological Society of Iraq in 2001, but he was also president of the Union of Arab Geologists and from 1996 to 2002 he was vice president of the International Union of Geological Sciences
. He was killed in late August/early September 2004 after having being kidnapped, despite a ransom having been paid to the kidnappers.
One of the earliest reports on this violence was Robert Fisk
's report in July 2004. Fisk stated that "university staff suspect that there is a campaign to strip Iraq of its academics, to complete the destruction of Iraq's cultural identity which began when the American army entered Baghdad." The violence became the subject of an international appeal by the BRussells Tribunal
in January 2006. The BRussells Tribunal continues to collect information on the subject. It listed 410 killed academics and 76 threatened academics as of December 20, 2008.
Little is known about the group or groups responsible for the attacks. The BRussells Tribunal states that "Not one individual has been apprehended in connection with these assassinations." Various hypotheses that have been claimed for the attacks include a systematic attempt by Iraqi non-state armed opposition groups (Sunni and Shi'ite),
or Kuwait
i or Israel
i secret services to decimate Iraq's intelligentsia. The BRussells Tribunal takes no position on attributing blame for the violence, stating that "The wave of assassinations appears non-partisan and non-sectarian, targeting women as well as men, and is countrywide."
The extent of the violence against academics has prompted fears of a brain drain
in Iraq of those academics who are not killed. According to UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
director-general Koïchiro Matsuura
: "By targeting those who hold the keys of Iraq's reconstruction and development, the perpetrators of this violence are jeopardizing the future of Iraq and of democracy."
The BRussells Tribunal has called for an independent investigation by the UN Special Rapporteur on summary executions at UNHCHR in Geneva.
2003 invasion of Iraq
The 2003 invasion of Iraq , was the start of the conflict known as the Iraq War, or Operation Iraqi Freedom, in which a combined force of troops from the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Poland invaded Iraq and toppled the regime of Saddam Hussein in 21 days of major combat operations...
, Iraqi academics have frequently been threatened with violence, kidnapped, or murdered. Although it is impossible to determine the exact scale of the violence and intimidation, the Iraqi Ministry of Higher Education reported that over 3,250 academics had fled the country between February and August 2006. According to the Iraqi Association of University Lecturers about 300 academics, including Ph.D.'s working in Iraqi government ministries and university administrators, had been killed before January, 2007. Other, less reliable, sources have placed the death toll as low as 20 and as high as 1,000.
Prof. Mohammed A.F. Al-Rawi
Mohammed A.F. Al-Rawi
Mohammed A. F. Al-Rawi Mohammed Abdallah Falah Al-Rawi was a medical specialist, president of Baghdad University and the dean of College of Medicine University of Baghdad...
, a medical specialist, FRCS and president of Baghdad University, was killed in his clinic, in front of his wife and patients, on July 27, 2003. Prof. Abdul-Latif Ali al-Mayah
Abdul-Latif Ali al-Mayah
Prof. Dr. Abdul-Latif al-Mayah was a humanities professor born in Basra, who became chairman of the Arab World Research and Studies Centre at Mustansiriya University, head of the Baghdad Centre for Human Rights, and was an outspoken critic of the Iraq Interim Governing Council, which was the...
, a humanities professor born in Basra
Basra
Basra is the capital of Basra Governorate, in southern Iraq near Kuwait and Iran. It had an estimated population of two million as of 2009...
, who had been chairman of the Arab World Research and Studies Centre at Mustansiriya University, head of the Baghdad Center for Human Rights, and had been an outspoken critic of the Iraq Interim Governing Council, was assassinated on January 19, 2004. Dr Imad Sarsam
Imad Sarsam
Imad Matti Sarsam was a highly reputed Iraqi orthopaedic surgeon, teaching at the Department of Orthopedics in Baghdad University and as assistant professor at the Baghdad Medical College, who was assassinated on August 31, 2004, just three months after his participation in an international...
was a highly reputed Iraqi orthopaedic
Orthopedic surgery
Orthopedic surgery or orthopedics is the branch of surgery concerned with conditions involving the musculoskeletal system...
surgeon, FRCS
Fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons
Fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons is a professional qualification to practise as a surgeon in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland...
, teaching at the Department of Orthopedics in Baghdad University and assistant professor at the Baghdad Medical College. He was assassinated on August 31, 2004, just three months after his participation in an international conference of shoulder and elbow surgeons in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
Dr Wissam S. al-Hashimi
Wissam S. al-Hashimi
Dr Wissam S. al-Hashimi was an Iraqi geologist born in Baghdad. In 2001 he was elected president of the Geological Society of Iraq and was president of the Union of Arab Geologists. From 1996 to 2002 he was vice president of the International Union of Geological Sciences...
, a geologist
Geology
Geology is the science comprising the study of solid Earth, the rocks of which it is composed, and the processes by which it evolves. Geology gives insight into the history of the Earth, as it provides the primary evidence for plate tectonics, the evolutionary history of life, and past climates...
born in Baghdad, was not only elected president of the Geological Society of Iraq in 2001, but he was also president of the Union of Arab Geologists and from 1996 to 2002 he was vice president of the International Union of Geological Sciences
International Union of Geological Sciences
The International Union of Geological Sciences is an international non-governmental organization devoted to international cooperation in the field of geology.-About:...
. He was killed in late August/early September 2004 after having being kidnapped, despite a ransom having been paid to the kidnappers.
One of the earliest reports on this violence was Robert Fisk
Robert Fisk
Robert Fisk is an English writer and journalist from Maidstone, Kent. As Middle East correspondent of The Independent, he has primarily been based in Beirut for more than 30 years. He has published a number of books and has reported on the United States's war in Afghanistan and the same country's...
's report in July 2004. Fisk stated that "university staff suspect that there is a campaign to strip Iraq of its academics, to complete the destruction of Iraq's cultural identity which began when the American army entered Baghdad." The violence became the subject of an international appeal by the BRussells Tribunal
BRussells Tribunal
The BRussells Tribunal refers both to a series of hearings taking place in Brussels, April 14-17, 2004, as part of the World Tribunal on Iraq, and to the group of people who organised these hearings....
in January 2006. The BRussells Tribunal continues to collect information on the subject. It listed 410 killed academics and 76 threatened academics as of December 20, 2008.
Little is known about the group or groups responsible for the attacks. The BRussells Tribunal states that "Not one individual has been apprehended in connection with these assassinations." Various hypotheses that have been claimed for the attacks include a systematic attempt by Iraqi non-state armed opposition groups (Sunni and Shi'ite),
or Kuwait
Kuwait
The State of Kuwait is a sovereign Arab state situated in the north-east of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south at Khafji, and Iraq to the north at Basra. It lies on the north-western shore of the Persian Gulf. The name Kuwait is derived from the...
i or Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
i secret services to decimate Iraq's intelligentsia. The BRussells Tribunal takes no position on attributing blame for the violence, stating that "The wave of assassinations appears non-partisan and non-sectarian, targeting women as well as men, and is countrywide."
The extent of the violence against academics has prompted fears of a brain drain
Brain drain
Human capital flight, more commonly referred to as "brain drain", is the large-scale emigration of a large group of individuals with technical skills or knowledge. The reasons usually include two aspects which respectively come from countries and individuals...
in Iraq of those academics who are not killed. According to UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
director-general Koïchiro Matsuura
Koichiro Matsuura
is a Japanese diplomat. He is the former Director-General of UNESCO. He was first elected in 1999 to a six-year term and reelected on 12 October 2005 for four years, following a reform instituted by the 29th session of the General Conference...
: "By targeting those who hold the keys of Iraq's reconstruction and development, the perpetrators of this violence are jeopardizing the future of Iraq and of democracy."
The BRussells Tribunal has called for an independent investigation by the UN Special Rapporteur on summary executions at UNHCHR in Geneva.