Global Policy Forum

Announcing the Baghdad-Based

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Iraq Occupation Watch
July, 2003


Cognizant of the current lack of information about Iraq and knowing that Iraq will receive increasingly less attention as media sources abandon the country for the newest "hot spot," an international coalition of peace and justice groups is organizing the Baghdad-based International Occupation Watch Center. The Center will function under the auspices of United for Peace and Justice (www.unitedforpeace.org), a U.S. anti-war coalition with more than 600 member groups, with participation from a diversity of international groups including Focus on the Global South, Iraqi Democrats Against Occupation, and members of the World Social Forum.

The Center will:

  • Monitor the role of foreign companies in Iraq and advocate for the Iraqi's right to control their own resources, especially oil;

  • Act as a watchdog regarding the military occupation and U.S.-appointed government, including possible violations of human rights, freedom of speech and freedom of assembly;

  • Research the dynamics, programs, and composition of the Iraqi movement to resist occupation in order to provide a more comprehensive picture to the international community;

  • Support the creation of independent Iraqi organizations, such as media and environmental groups;
  • Examine any changes in the rights and freedoms of Iraqi women and support local Iraqi efforts to promote womení¢?Ts rights;

  • Monitor the relationship between U.S. corporations/subcontractors and Iraqi workers and support the formation of independent trade unions;

  • Track the international community's financial commitments to rebuilding Iraq and hold the responsible parties accountable for those commitments;

  • Monitor the physical impact of the U.S. invasion, including civilian casualties, the Iraqisí¢?T ability to have access to the basic necessities of food, water and shelter, and the effects of depleted uranium and cluster bombs on the population and the environment;

  • Regularly provide reliable information to the outside world.

    Advisory Board Members - June 2003

    Rev. Patty Ackerman, Fellowship of Reconciliation

    Sami AlBanna, writer, systems and knowledge architect

    Rafael Alegria, president, Via Campesino

    Tariq Ali, author

    Sinan Antoon, writer, professor, Dartmouth College

    Walden Bello, Director, Focus on the Global South

    Medea Benjamin, Global Exchange/United for Peace and Justice

    Phyllis Bennis, Institute for Policy Studies

    Gene Bruskin, US Labor Against War

    Leslie Cagan, United for Peace and Justice

    Bernard Cassen, Director, Le Monde Diplomatique

    Nahla Chahal, International Civilian Campaign for the Protection of the Palestinian People

    Munir Chalabi, Iraqi Democrats Against Occupation

    Pratap Chatterjee, CorpWatch

    Jodie Evans, Code Pink: Women for Peace

    Assaf Kfoury, professor, Boston University

    Kamil Mahdi, Institute of Arab and Islamic Studies, University of Exeter, England

    Rania Masri, Iraq Action Coalition

    Maria Luisa Mendoní§a, Organizing Committee, World Social Forum

    Martha Mundy, professor, London School of Economics

    Kevin Murray, Grassroots International

    Milan Rai, author, War Plan Iraq

    Adbul Amir Rakaby, Iraqi Democratic Opposition Current Omeyya Seddik, Commission for an Arab Gathering of Global Resistance (C-RARG)

    Anas Shallal, Iraqi Americans for Peaceful Alternatives USA


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    FAIR USE NOTICE: This page contains copyrighted material the use of which has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. Global Policy Forum distributes this material without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. We believe this constitutes a fair use of any such copyrighted material as provided for in 17 U.S.C § 107. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond fair use, you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.