Al-Islah: Another Crime Committed to the Knowledge and Support of the Occupiers and the Iraqi Government
Sabah Ali (27 August 2006)
From: brusselstribunal.or
On Sunday 20.08.06, at 7 am, 500 heavily armed militia men dressed in the national guards and the Iraqi police uniforms,
and using their vehicles attacked the village of Al-Islah, a village of about 5000 inhabitants of both communities:
Sunnies and Shiites on the high way Baghdad-Baquba (east). They landed on the highway to Diyala province opposite to
Al-Islah village.
These militias began shooting on the civilians from 7 to 1 pm; killing tens of people (according to Alsharqiya, an
Iraqi satellite TV) (http://www.alsharqiya.com/display.asp?fname=news\2006\08\962.txt=), burning the Rashidi mosque after steeling its furniture, and obliging the Sunni families to leave the village
immediately. The American troops arrived later to stop the shooting. The only thing they did is they arrested 10 of the
mosques guards, confiscated the weapons which the families in the neighborhood use to defend themselves, and left at 5
pm.
One hour after they left, at 6 pm, the community prominent people went to the nearest Sadr Movement office in Boob
Al-Sham, an area close to Al- Islah, to meet the responsible of that office, whose name is Sayed Alaa'. He told the
community delegation that he had two conditions to stop the attack: That the Sadr militias pass on the highway safely to
go to Fahhama area (close to the village) and to consider the area from Boob Al-Sham to the Tigris river a (pure) Shiite
area and that all the Sunni families have to be evacuated from it. Naturally the community delegation rejected his
conditions.
The Sadr militias resumed the attack the next day; they burnt of Sunni families' houses in Boob Al-Sham, obliging 120
families to leave the areas.
In spite of all the efforts that the community did to contact the occupying forces, and the Iraqi officials, Mr.
Shirwan Al-Wa'ily, the National Security Minister, is one of them, and many other political forces, but none gave the
issue the attention it deserved. All that the government did, after the killing and evacuating was done, was that they
sent troops saying that they would stay in the area for only 10 days , then the inhabitants have to handle it on their
on.
The implicit complicity is very clear. The Iraqi and the American troops are encouraging and helping the sectarian
militias in achieving their agenda. The Islah crimes are only one of many other genocide. The worst of things is the
government is talking about national reconciliation!!! No comment or reaction has come from the American or the Iraqi
authorities on this "incident".
ENDS