International organization calls for releasing children detainees in Iraq

The International organization "Save The Children" called on the Danish government
to mediate immediately with the coalition forces in Iraq in order to release
children detained in the Iraqi jails.

The chairman of the organization’s branch in Denmark ( Red Barnette ) Neals Hurdal
said that some of those children were exposed to bad treatment and their basic
rights were violated.

The call of the organization was made after a German TV station on Monday screened
a documentary film talking about more than 100 Iraqi children detained in Iraq.

Hurdal said that his organization heard rumors about this matter since May this year some of it were stated by employees working in its branch in al- Basra to the south of Iraq but without evidences. He said that " the filmed report which was broadcast by the German station proved our doubts." The organization called on the Danish minister of defense Surin Ghad to interfere at the coalition forces in order to prepare the report over the situation of children in the Iraqi jails.

The organization asked the defense minister on May for the first time to investigate of rumors over children detained in Iraq.

But the minister replied that his ministry knows nothing about children detained in the area that falls under the control of the Danish forces in al-Basra, while the organization considered this answer a rejection to take a position towards " the responsibility of the other forces in the coalition." In May UNICEF expressed its concern over information talking about the possibility that children are mistreated in the occupation jails in Iraq.

http://www.arabicnews.com/ansub/Daily/Day/040708/2004070801.html

08.07.2004
Bellaciao Collective