CPTnet
8 December 2005
IRAQ: CPT works for the human rights of Iraqi detainees
Working for the human rights of the detainees of the illegal occupation has
been the primary focus for Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT) in Iraq since
the invasion of March 2003. In the first video recently released by the
Swords of Righteousness group, CPTers Tom Fox and Norman Kember repeated
their long-standing commitment to Iraqi freedom. They called for an end to
the occupation and freedom for all Iraqi people
In May 2003, Iraqis began asking CPT for help in locating missing relatives.
Some Iraqis reported that their loved ones vanished during the war; others
reported that family members detained at checkpoints or during house raids
by US soldiers had disappeared. Families had no way of locating their
relatives and found that the US military dismissed their inquiries. CPTers
worked to secure information for families, and accompanied family members on
visits to detention centres. As the occupation continued, CPTers noticed an
increase in the number of detainees and that few were being released. These
actions of the U.S. military--specifically detaining people without formal
charges, and for indefinite periods of time--are a violation of
international law. CPTers in Iraq demonstrated alongside Iraqis, calling for
human rights of detainees, while supporters at home lobbied their
governments.
Families often invited CPTers to celebrations when detainees were released.
As they listened to the testimonies of those released, CPTers heard reports
of abuse and torture. Occupying solders verbally, physically and
psychologically abused detainees during interrogation and detention.
Released detainees told CPT that soldiers forced them into crowded rooms,
covered their faces with hoods and blindfolds, tied their hands, deprived
them of food and water, and denied them access to legal counsel. Worse still
were accounts of torture using dogs and electroshock.
In January 2004, CPT published a detailed report of seventy-two case studies
that they had investigated and documented regarding the treatment of
detainees and their families, and launched an international campaign to end
the abuses. This report was the first systematic coverage of abuse by US
forces and emerged long before the media received photographs showing the
human rights abuses in Abu Ghraib. Once these photographs appeared, CPT
organized a press conference with Iraqi human rights organizations, where
detainees testified to the abuses that they had suffered at the hands of
occupation forces.
CPT recorded testimonies from Iraqis who spoke of destructive house raids in
which US stole valuables and family documents and arrested relatives. One
man testified that US soldiers raided his home, destroyed his belongings,
and killed his fifteen-year-old son. Two days later, US soldiers admitted
that they had raided the wrong house.
CPT will remain committed to challenging the injustices of the occupation,
and telling the stories of those forced to live under it.
We sincerely hope that our teammate James Loney, Tom Fox, Harmeet Sooden and
Norman Kember will return to us and help us do our work.
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Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT) seeks to enlist the whole church in
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