Wednesday, 6th July 2011
Joint Debate: Situation in the Arab World and North Africa, Syria and Yemen
Baroness Ashton,
Tens of thousands of people died in Iraq in the quest for democracy following the toppling of Saddam. But I fear the current government in Baghdad is not providing an ideal role-model for the democratic process for other countries in the zone.
Assassinations, suicide-bombings and rocket attacks continue daily. Corruption is endemic. The citizens have limited access to drinking water and electricity supplies are restricted to around six hours a day while temperatures rise to over 50ºC. There are few jobs and massive unemployment. The Erbil agreement which was supposed to create a government of national unity has never been implemented. PM Nouri Al Maliki alone controls the army, security and intelligence services. Such power has been abused repeatedly, most clearly in the massacre of unarmed civilians in Ashraf on 8th April.
Lady Ashton, can I thank you for all your efforts on behalf of Ashraf? But can I also urge you to support the resettlement plan proposed by this parliament? Time is running out and we must not risk another Srebrenica.
Struan Stevenson MEP
President of the Delegation for Relations with Iraq
This speech was delivered at a plenary session of the European Parliament in Strasbourg on 6 July 2011.
