Anti-war Statement Triggering Controversy

Amid the government pushing for the dispatch of non-combatant troops to Iraq to support the U.S.-led war, the National Human Rights Commission on March 26 issued a statement opposing the U.S.-Iraq war, and which is triggering controversy in political circles.

The human rights commission`s statement is likely to result in a heated debate over the issue because it is the first time for a government agency to express its opposition to the U.S.-led war in Iraq. The statement flies in the face of the president`s emphasis on the need for troop dispatches, taking national interest and the Korea-U.S. alliance into account.

As the Human Rights Commission`s statement came after the National Assembly delayed the vote, which was supposed to be held on March 25. This was a government motion authorizing the troop dispatch to Iraq, considering pubic opinion, controversy over the troop dispatch to Iraq is likely to deepen further.

The commission in the morning of March 26 held an emergency meeting of permanent and non-permanent commission members for an hour and reached a decision to adopt a recommendation opposing the war in Iraq. The commission issued a statement at 10 a.m., saying, “The National Human Rights Commission is against the U.S.-led war in Iraq which started even without U.N. approval.”

The recommendation titled, `The National Human Rights Commission`s view on the Iraqi war: anti-war, peace, and human rights,` contained a message of its opposition to the war in Iraq, rather than opposing troop dispatches.

A total of 7 of its 9 members participated in the meeting, five members voted in favor of adopting a recommendation opposing the war and two voted against the recommendation. The chairman of the commission gave his assent to the recommendation over the phone because he, who was on sick leave, could not attend the meeting.

In the recommendation, the human rights commission said, “The commission recommends that the government and the National Assembly should be prudent in reaching a decision on the issue concerning the war in Iraq by respecting the principle of anti-war, peace, and human rights that is stated in the Constitution.” In light of that, although the commission didn`t express its explicit opposition to the government`s decision to dispatch non-combat troops to Iraq, it practically demonstrated its objection to the government`s decision.

In addition, the statement included: The commission is against the war that poses a threat to the Iraqi people`s lives and safety. Social and political problems in Iraq should be resolved through peaceful means, instead of the use of military force. The government and the National Assembly should make an effort to honor human rights of those who fell victim to the Iraqi war.

Meanwhile, around 30 staff members of the commission March 25 issued a statement entitled, `We oppose the war that tramples on human rights,” through its in-house web-site. They said, “We concluded that the U.S.-led war against Iraq goes against the principle of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which emphasizes world peace and human dignity. Therefore, we oppose the war in the name of human rights.”

In particular, the 30 staff members expressed their objections to the government decision to send troops to Iraq as well.

Sun-Woo Kim sublime@donga.com