Amnesty urges end to “irresponsible” arming to Iraqi militias
Shia militia of al-Hashd al-Shaabi.
The USA, Europe, Russia and Iran come at the forefront of arms suppliers to the militias, the organization said in a report published Thursday. “Field research and detailed expert analysis of photographic and video evidence since June 2014 has found that these paramilitary militias have benefited from transfers of arms manufactured in at least 16 countries, which include tanks and artillery as well as a wide range of small arms.”
Those countries “must wake up to the fact that all arms transfers to Iraq carry a real risk of ending up in the hands of militia groups with long histories of human rights violations,” said Patrick Wilcken, Researcher on Arms Control and Human Rights at Amnesty International. “Any state selling arms to Iraq has to show that there are strict measures in place to make sure the weapons will not be used by paramilitary militias to flagrantly violate rights. If they haven’t done that, no transfer should take place.”
Shia-led al-Hashd al-Shaabi (Popular Mobilization Units) have been actively engaged in the campaign launched in October by the Iraqi government to clear the Iraqi province of Nineveh from IS militants, but its involvement in the liberation of areas inhabited by Sunnis has aroused international fears especially among Sunni powers such as Turkey and Saudi Arabia, as well as from the United Nations.
In December, Iraqi President Fuad Masum approved a law passed by parliament in November that turned al-Hashd al-Shaabi from a paramilitary to national force.The passing of the long-debated bill came amid intense objections from Sunni groups within the parliament who feared the law would grant the militia unchecked powers, and therefore stoke sectarian tensions.
Al-Hashd al-Shaabi was formed by a decree in 2014 from Iraq’s top Shia clergy to combat the Islamic State militants who took over many regions of Iraq.
But Amnesty urged to further scrutinize the weapons supply to that group. “Some PMUs have been documented carrying out revenge attacks mainly targeting Sunni Arabs, and nobody is holding them to account.”