Barcelona Session of the World Tribunal on Iraq: "The Iraqi society facing the US colonial domination project and the challenge of recuperating self-government" (16th to 22nd May 2005)
Venue:
Aula Magna of the Universidad Central de Barcelona.
With the financial backing
of:
- Agencia Catalana
de Cooperació al Desenvolupament de la Generalitat de
Catalunya. (Agency of Development Cooperation of the Catalan
Government)
- Deanship of the Faculty of Political Science and Sociology
of Universidad Complutense de Madrid.
- Barcelona County Council
- Malaga County Council (Department of Social Affairs).
- El Prat Town Council (Barcelona).
- Gijón Town Council (Asturias).
- Grao Town Council (Asturias).
- Sindicato Regional de Hostelería, Comercio y
Turismo de Madrid de CCOO (Regional CCOO Union of Hotels, Commerce
and Tourism of Madrid).
- Vice-rectorate of International Relations of the Universidad
Complutense de Madrid.
- Vice-rectorate of University Extension and Cooperation
of the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid.
With the collaboration of:
- Fundació Solidaritat
de la Universitat de Barcelona (Solidarity Foundation of Barcelona
University).
- Plataforma Aturem la Guerra de Barcelona (Barcelona
Stop the War Platform).
Members
of the Tribunal:
President:
François Houtart, Sociologist and Theologian, director
of Centre Tricontinental, Leuven.
Members:
Mercedes García Aran, professor of Criminal Law
of Barcelona University
Sharon Marie Ceci, International Action Center representative
Carlos Jiménez Villarejo, ex-Attorney Head of the
Anticorruption Department of the National High Court.
Pedro Martínez Montávez, Arabist, professor
emeritus of Arabic and Islam of the Universidad Autónoma
de Madrid.
María Pilar Massana Llorens, member of Aturem
la Guerra de Barcelona (Barcelona Stop the War Platform),
PASI-CEOSI.
Jaume Saura, professor of International Law of Barcelona
University and president of the Catalan Institute of Human Rights.
Secretary:
José L.l. Gordillo, professor of Philosophy of
Barcelona University
Members of Honour:
Ahmed Ben Bella, first President of Algeria.
Ramsey Clark, ex-Attorney General of the USA and President
of the International Action Center, USA (*).
Adolfo Pérez Esquivel, Nobel Peace Prize Winner.
Joan Martínez Alier, professor of Economics and
the History of Economics of the Universidad Autónoma
de Barcelona.
Rosa Regás, writer and Director of the National
Library.
Javier Sádaba, professor of Ethics of the Universidad
Autónoma de Madrid.
Nawal as-Saadawi, writer
Organisation Secretary:
Francisco Esteban
Iraqi witnesses:
Iman Ahmed Jamas, Journalist and translator, ex-director
of the Observatory of the Occupation of Baghdad and coordinator
of the Iraqi delegation.
Yawad Mohammad M. Mahdi al-Jalisi, Director of the Al-Jalisiya
University College, Imam of the Al-Khadimiya mosque (Baghdad),
general secretary of the National Iraqi Foundation Congress.
Intisar Muhammad Araibi, Director of the Pharmaceutical
Department of the Al-Yarmouk University Hospital, Baghdad.
Muhammad Tariq Abd Allah, Executive Director of the Study
Centre for Human Rights and Democracy, Falluja/Baghdad.
Abdullah Adul Hamid Mousa, Executive Committee of the
General Union of Workers of the Petrol Industry, Basrah.
Abid Ali Kadhim al-Mamouri, professor of International
Economic Relations of the An-Nahrein University, Baghdad.
Muhammad Yasin Muhammad, Committee on Human Rights of
the Municipal Council of Adamiya, Baghdad.
Preliminary
Sessions (16th to 19th May):
Gijón/Oviedo:
- Topic "The right
to health and the sanitary situation under occupation".
Iraqi witness: Intisar
Muhammad Araibi
- Topic "Humanitarian
Law and military violence under occupation".
Iraqi witness: Muhammad
Tariq Abd Allah
Valencia/Alicante:
- Topic "Human rights
and repression under occupation".
Iraqi witness: Muhammad
Y. Muhammad
Pamplona-Iruñea:
- Topic "Political
rights, confessionalism and the US project for Iraq".
Iraqi witness: Yawad
M. M. M. al-Jalisi
San Sebastián-Donostia:
- Topic "Social rights
and the situation of women under occupation".
Iraqi witness: Iman
Ahmed Jamas
Málaga/Madrid:
- Topic "Economic and
union rights: the general economic framework and income from
petrol".
Iraqi witnesses: Abdulla
A. Mousa and Abid Ali Kadhim al-Mamouri
Barcelona
Plenary Session
Venue: Aula Magna of the Universidad Central de
Barcelona.
Plaça Universitat / Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes (Underground:
Universitat, line 1).
(Simultaneous translation service.)
Friday, 20th May
19:00-21:00 h.: Opening Session
- Presentation of the World
Tribunal on Iraq initiative and of the Spanish State Session
by Jaume Botey (PASI-CEOSI).
- Welcome speeches from the authorities: Generalitat de Catalunya
(Catalan Government), Diputació de Barcelona (Barcelona
County Council) and Universitat de Barcelona (Barcelona University)
- Welcome speech from the Iraqi delegation by Iman Ahmed Jamas (delegation coordinator).
- Constitution of the Tribunal and welcome speech from its
president, François Houtart.
- Opening conference: "Colonial politics in the Middle East.
Historic perspectives and the US project" by Bichara Jader
(professor of the University of Leuven and director of the
Centre d'Etudes et de Recherches sur le Monde Arabe Contemporain,
CERMAC).
Saturday, 21st May
10:00-12:15 h.: First Session
- Chronological Assessment: The term of the Provisional Coalition
Authority (April 2003 to June 2004): The US hegemonic project
for Iraq.
Object of the hearing: The Bremer decrees as the determining
factors of self-government in Iraq.
Reporter: Rafael Grasa, professor of International Relations
of the Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona: "From
aggression to occupation: the change in the legal-political framework
of the occupied country".
Appearance of Iraqi witnesses questioned by Pedro Rojo
(Arabist, director of Al Fanar and member of the CEOSI delegation
in Iraq in 2004).
- "The impact of sanctions, war and occupation on the historic-cultural heritage of Iraq", by Joaquín Córdoba-Zoilo (professor of Ancient and Medieval History of the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid).
12:15-12:25 h.: Break
12:30-14:30 h.: Second Session
- Chronological Assessment (II):
From the "transfer of power" to calling the elections
(November 2003 to January 2005): Breakdown of the control project
over Iraq and the institutionalisation and internationalisation
of the occupation"
Object of the hearing: "The Bremer November 2003 Agreement",
the Provisional Fundamental Law of February 2004, and the transfer
of self-government process.
Reporter: Antoni Pigrau, professor of International Law
at the Universidad Rovira i Virgili de Tarragona: "Territories
under occupation and the prerogatives and obligations of the
occupying power: the international legal framework".
Appearance of Iraqi witnesses questioned by Inés
Royo (Arabist and member of the PASI).
- Presentation of the conclusions to the Preliminary Sessions (I)
14:30-16:25 h.: Lunch
16:30-18:30 h.: Third Session
- Chronological Assessment
(and III): From the Falluja assault to the post-electoral phase
(November 2004 to date): Occupation and resistance.
Object of the trial: The
electoral process and the new Iraqi institutions. Everyday living
conditions of a population under occupation and the violation
of Human Rights.
Reporter: Carlos Taibo, professor of Political Science
at the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid: "Iraq
after the legitimation by the United Nations of external intervention".
Appearance of Iraqi witnesses questioned by Ignacio
Gutiérrez de Terán (Arabist, professor at the
Universidad Autónoma de Madrid).
- Presentation of the conclusions to the Preliminary Sessions (and II)
18:30-18:55 h.: Break
19:00-22:30 h.: Fourth Session
19:00-20:00 h.:
- Evaluation of the visit to Iraq by the CEOSI delegation in
April 2005: "Prospects and challenges of the solidarity
work with Iraq in the current stage of occupation".
With the participation of the members of the delegation.
Presented and chaired by: Francisco Esteban (PASI).
20:00-22:30 h.:
- Presentation and screening of Bagdad Rap: with Arturo Cisneros, director of the
film; Santiago Alba Rico, scriptwriter; and Carlos
Varea, coordinator of "Brigades in Iraq against the
War" (2003).
Sunday, 22nd May
10:30-14:00 h.: Final Session
10:30-11:45 h.: (*)
- Participation of Ramsey Clark (ex-General
Attorney of the USA and president of International Action Center).
- Round table: "The experience of the international movement
against the war: the commitment of the people" with
Sharon Marie Ceci, representative of the International
Action Center (USA) and Fransec Tubau (Barcelona Stop
the War Platform). Presented by: Manuel García Fonseca
(CEOSI-Asturias).
11:45-11:55 h.: Break
12:00-13:00 h.:
Closing Conference: "The commitment of the Iraqi people
for a self-governing, democratic and integrating future"
by Jawad M. M. M.
al-Jalisi (general secretary of the Iraqi National Foundation
Congress): Presented by: Carlos Varea (state coordinator
of the CEOSI).
13:00-13:30 h.: Break
13:30-14:00 h.:
Reading of the Sentence by François Houtart and the Closing
Ceremony of the Tribunal.
Permanent screening of "Testimonies of Faluya", a film by Hamudi Jasin (2005, in Original Version with subtitles).
* Ramsey Clark has confirmed his intention of personally participating in the Barcelona Session after a visit to Algeria. If he is unable to attend, he will send a recorded message. In this case, Sharon Marie Ceci will participate in the name of the US organisation as member of the ribunal and in the Round Table on Sunday.
Further information:
pasi@moviments.net | francisco.esteban@upc.es
Tel.:
653 33 16 68
Preliminary Sessions
and complementary Activities
Asturias: Gijón, Oviedo and Grao
Tuesday, 17th May
Visiting Iraqi witnesses: Intisar Muhammad Araibi (Director of the Pharmaceutical Department of the Al-Yarmouk University Hospital, Baghdad) and Muhammad Tariq Abd Allah (Executive Director of the Study Centre for Human Rights and Democracy, Falluja/Baghdad).
13:00 h.:
Official Reception at the Gijón Town Hall, meetings with municipal
groups and a Press Conference.
Venue: Reception room of the Gijón Town Hall
18:00 h.:
Meeting with Izquierda Unida of Asturias organised by Jesús
Iglesias, Coordinator of IU of Asturias,
Venue: IU of Asturias headquarters, Plaza América,
10, Oviedo.
Wednesday,
18th May
11:00 h.:
Official Reception at the Department of Justice of the Principality
of Asturias, organised by Francisco García Valledor,
Councillor of Justice of the Principality of Asturias, and
Rafael Palacios García, Director General of the Asturias
Agency of Cooperation. Press Conference.
Venue: Department of Justice of the Principality of Asturias,
c/Uría, 10, Oviedo
17:00 h.:
Preliminary
Session of the Tribunal (not open to the public), Topics: "The
right to health and the sanitary situation under occupation
" and "Humanitarian Law and military violence
under occupation". Participants: Intisar Muhammad
Araibi and Muhammad Tariq Abd Allah, Javier Andrés
González Vega (Professor of International Public Law
at Oviedo University and Jesús Iglesias (lawyer
and Coordinator of IU Asturias).
Venue: Gijón Town Hall.
19:00 h.:
Public Event in Gijón: "Humanitarian Law and military
violence under occupation ". Participants: Intisar
Muhammad Araibi and Muhammad Tariq Abd Allah, Javier
Couso (Delegation to Iraq in April 2005, CEOSI) and Javier
Andrés González Vega (Professor of International
Public Law at Oviedo University). Presented by Jesús
Montes Estrada (Coordinator of IU in Gijón) and chaired
by Manuel García Fonseca (Vice-councillor of Social
Welfare of the Principality of Asturias).
Venue: Cátedra Jovellanos de Extensión Universitaria,
c/ Begoña, 25, Gijón.
Thursday, 19th May
10:00 h.:
Health Visits
to the Hospital de Cabueñes and the Gijón Health
Centre. Meetings with the Directors of both centres.
12:30 h.:
Official Reception at the General Assembly of the Principality:
interview with María Jesús Álvarez González,
President of the General Assembly of the Principality. Meeting
with representatives of all the parliamentary Groups.
19:00 h.:
Public Event in Gijón: "Iraq: the health situation
under occupation". Participants: Intisar Muhammad Araibi.
Presented by: Pilar Espina. Surgeon and member of the
CSCA.
Venue: Cátedra Jovellanos de Extensión Universitaria,
c/ Begoña, 25, Gijón.
19:00h.:
Public Event in Grao. Participants: Muhammad Tariq Abd Allah.
Presented by: Arcadio Álvarez Álvarez. (Councillor
for Culture of the Grao Town Council)
Venue: Cultural Department of the Grao Town Council.
Organised and called by: IU Municipal Group of the Gijón Town Council, CSCA-Asturias, Unión Comarcal CCOO Gijón (Regional CCOO Union Gijón), Comisiones Obreras de la Sanidad de Gijón (Health Union of Gijón).
Region of Valencia: Valencia, Alicante, Quart de Poblet and Villena
Visiting Iraqi witness: Muhammad Yasin Muhammad (Committee for Human Rights of the Adamiya Town Council, Baghdad)
Monday,
16th May
11:00 h.:
Press Conference.
20:00 h.:
Public Event: "Iraq, resistance and repression under occupation",
with
the participation of Muhammad Yasin Muhammad,
Venue: Quart Jove, c/ de la Torreta, 1, Quart de Poblet.
Tuesday,
17th May
11:00 h.:
Official visit to the Parliament of Valencia, County Council
and Valencia Town Council
19:30 h.:
Preliminary Session of the Tribunal, Topic "Human rights
and repression under occupation" with the participation of Muhammad
Yasin Muhammad.
Venue: Ca Revolta, c/ Santa Teresa, 10, Valencia.
Wednesday, 18th May
12:00 h.:
Public Event: "Human rights in Iraq under US occupation" organised by Muhammad
Yasin Muhammad. Presented and translated by Javier Barreda
(Arabist and professor of the UA and member of the Alicante
University Anti-war Platform).
Venue: The German Bernácer Conference Room, San
Vicente Campus, Alicante University
20.00 h.:
Public Event: "Iraq under occupation", with the participation
of Muhammad Yasin Muhammad,
Venue: Cultural Department, Villena.
Organised by: Grup Alternatiu de Quart de Poblet, Revolta, Asamblea Municipal de Villena de los Verdes and the Alicante University Anti-war Platform
Madrid
Visiting Iraqi witnesses: Abid Ali Kadhim al-Mamouri (Professor of International Economic Relations of the An-Nahrein University, Baghdad) and Abdullah A. Musa (Executive Committee of the General Union of Workers of the Petrol Industry, Basrah ).
Monday, 16th May
11:00 h.:
Meeting
with Gaspar Llamazares, general coordinator of Izquierda Unida
and Press Conference by Iman Ahmed Jamas, as coordinator
of the Iraqi delegation.
18:00 h.:
Meetings and visits by Abid Ali Kadhim al-Mamouri and Abdullah
A. Musa
Tuesday,
17th May
11:30 h.:
Public Event: "Iraq under occupation; income from petrol
and social and economic rights". Participants: Abid Ali Kadhim al-Mamouri
and Abdullah A. Musa. Presented and translated by:
Mayed Dibsi (Politologist, president of the Association
of the Spanish-Palestine Community "Jerusalem").
Venue: Conference Room of the Faculty of Political Sciences
and Sociology, Somosaguas Campus.
17:30 h.:
Preliminary
Session of the Tribunal, Topic "Economic and union rights:
the general economic framework and income from petrol"
(I). Participants: Abid Ali Kadhim al-Mamouri, Abdullah
A. Musa and Paco Castejón (Ecologistas en Acción
- Ecologists in Action). Translated by: Ignacio Gutiérrez
de Terán (Arabist, Professor of the Universidad
Autónoma de Madrid)..
Venue: Conference Room of the Vice-rectorate of Students,
Avda. Complutense s/n
Organised by: The Cultural Association "Expresiones", Association of the Spanish-Palestine Community "Jerusalem", Ecologistas en Acción (Ecologists in Action), Espacio Alternativo (Alternative Space), Derechos Para Tod@s (Rights for All), HAC José Couso, Confederation of Inter-union STEs, CGT.
Andalucía: Málaga and Casabermeja
Visiting Iraqi witnesses: Abid Ali Kadhim al-Mamouri (Professor of International Economic Relations of the An-Nahrein University, Baghdad) and Abdullah A. Musa (Executive Committee of the General Union of Workers of the Petrol Industry, Basrah).
Wednesday,
18th May
20:00 h.:
Public Event: "Iraq: the fight for the public petrol industry".
Participants:
Abid Ali Kadhim al-Mamouri and Abdullah A. Musa.
Venue: Cultural Department, Casabermeja (Málaga).
Thursday,
19th May
10:00 h.: Meeting with Abid Ali Kadhim al-Mamouri and Abdullah A.
Musa.
Venue: Civic Centre of Málaga: Avda Los Guindos
s/n. Málaga
19:00 h.:
Preliminary Session of the Tribunal: Topic "Economic and
union rights: the general economic framework and income from
petrol" (and II). Participants: Abid Ali Kadhim al-Mamouri
and Abdullah A. Musa.
Venue: Faculty of Economic Sciences, Málaga University,
Plaza del Ejido, s/n.
Organised by: FECOHTAN-CCOO
The Basque Country:
Visiting Iraqi witnesses: Yawad Mohammad M. Mahdi al-Jalisi (Director of the Al-Jalisiya University College, Imam of the Al-Khadimiya mosque (Baghdad), general secretary of the National Iraqi Foundation Congress) and Iman Ahmed Jamas, Journalist and translator, ex-director of the Observatory of the Occupation of Baghdad
Pamplona-Iruñea
Tuesday, 17th May
11:30 h.:
Press Conference
Venue: Aldea
headquarters
18:00-20
h:
Preliminary
Session of the Tribunal, Topic "Political rights, confessionalism
and the US project for Iraq". Participants: Yawad
M. M. M. al-Jalisi, Javier Aisa (journalist and member of
the IPES), Txente Rekondo (analyst from Gain).
20:00-21:00
h.:
Public conference "Political rights, confessionalism and the US
project for Iraq". organised by Yawad M. M. M.
al-Jalisi.
Venue: Sala de Usos Múltiples, c/ Calderería,
11.
Wednesday,
18th May
(Time to be confirmed)
Meeting with the Authorities with the Commission for Coexistence
and Solidarity of the Navarra Parliament.
Organised by: Aldea. Backed by: The Nafarroa Anti-war Platform, Christian Committees of Solidarity with Latin America,
San Sebastián-Donostia
Tuesday, 17th May
11:30 h.:
Health Visit of Iman Ahmed Jamas: meeting with the Director of
the Oncological Hospital.
19:00-20.30h:
Preliminary
Session of the Tribunal, Topic "Social rights and the
situation of women under occupation". Participants:
Iman Ahmed Jamas, Eva Forest (writer) y Karmele
Colera (activist of KI, member of the CEOSI delegation to
Iraq in April).
20:30-21:30
h.:
Debate-talk with
feminist groups and other social organisations
Venue: Dr. Camino Library (31 de agosto-Parte Vieja).
Wednesday, 18th May
17:00-19:00. Meeting with the authorities of Yawad M.M.M. al-Jalasi with representatives of political parties of the Basque Parliament
19:30-21:30 Public conference
"Political rights, confessionalism and the US project
for Iraq", by Yawad M. M. M. al-Jalisi.
Venue: Dr. Camino Library (31 de agosto-Parte Vieja).
Organised by: Aldea and Komite Internazionalistak
Barcelona
Tuesday,
17th May
19:00 h.:
Conference
"Energy resources and military bases: regional determining
factors of self-government in Iraq" by Mariano Marzo
(professor of Energy Resources of Barcelona University). Presented
by: Josep María Pijuan (PASI).
Venue: Pati Manning. C/ Montalegre, 7 (adjacent to the
CCCB)
Thursday, 19th May
19: 00 h.:
Meeting-debate: "Commitment to dialogue between societies
and religious confessions".
Participants: sheikh Jawad M. M. M. al-Jalesi
(Imam of the Al-Khadimiya mosque, Baghdad) and François
Houtart (Religion Sociologist, Catholic Theologian, Director
of the Centre Tricontinental de Leuven and president of
the International Tribunal of Barcelona. Presented by: Jaume
Botey.
Venue: El Pi Church