Videooptagelser, der tilsyneladende viser hundredvis af mennesker blive henrettet i Irak, er dybt foruroligende, siger FN’s generalsekretær, Ban Ki-moon. Han advarer mod en ny sekterisk voldsspiral, der kan få konflikten til at blusse yderligere op.
16 June 2014 (UN News): Reiterating his condemnation of what he called an upsurge of violence in Iraq at the hands of terrorist groups, most notably the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has called on all Iraqi leaders to work to curb the spread of sectarian retribution.
“The Secretary-General warns against sectarian rhetoric that could further exacerbate the conflict and carry grave implications for the entire region,” Mr. Ban’s spokesperson said in a statement released Sunday night.
“In this regard, he welcomes the important clarification statement on the need for Iraqi unity of His Eminence Sayed Ali Al-Sistani, who represents a deeply influential voice of wisdom and reason,” the spokesperson added.
On Friday, High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay sounded an alarm over the danger of grave human rights abuses in the onslaught by ISIL (also known as ISIS), which last week overtook Mosul and other major population centres in Iraq’s north.
In last night’s statement, following weekend media reports of videos that purport to show hundreds executed by firing squad, Mr. Ban’s spokesperson said such reports of mass summary executions “are deeply disturbing and underscore the urgency of bringing the perpetrators of such crimes to justice.”
“The Secretary-General calls on all Iraqi leaders – political, military, religious and community – to ensure that their followers avoid acts of reprisal,” he said, urging them instead “to coalesce behind an inclusive national security plan as well as political and social measures aimed at addressing, on the basis of the Constitution, the substantial threat to the country.”
Mr. Ban also urged solidarity from the international community in confronting the Iraq crisis and pledged the readiness of the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) to assist the Government and people toward that end.
