UNESCO voices alarm over reported book-burning in Iraq

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UNESCO voices alarm over reported book-burning in Iraq
by Staff Writers
Paris (AFP) Feb 3, 2015

Iraq cabinet approves national guard bill
Baghdad Feb 3, 2015 - Iraq's cabinet on Tuesday approved a draft law on establishing a national guard, a measure aimed at gaining support from the country's Sunni Arab minority. Sunni backing is key to Iraq's battle against the Islamic State jihadist group, which led an offensive last June that overran large areas north and west of Baghdad, many of them Sunni-majority. A statement from Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi's office announced the approval of the bill -- which must now go before parliament -- but did not provide details on its content. Under a general proposal previously outlined by Abadi, the national guard would be made up of forces from the country's various provinces that would be responsible for local security. For Sunni Arabs, this would be an significant improvement over the Shiite-majority federal security forces they view as hostile to their community. But in other areas, the law could further entrench Shiite militias that are playing a major role in the fight against IS, but are also accused of carrying out abuses including extrajudicial killings, kidnappings and extortion. It also remains unclear how security in mixed Sunni-Shiite areas would be handled.

UNESCO on Tuesday voiced concern over reports of mass book-burning in Iraq, saying it would be one of the most "devastating" such actions in history if confirmed.

Referring to reports that thousands of books on philosophy, law, science and poetry have been torched in recent weeks, UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova said it was part of a campaign of "cultural cleansing."

"If confirmed, this would be one of the most devastating acts of destruction of library collections in human history," UNESCO said.

"Such destruction is a cruel reminder that the nations of the world must remain united to combat such fanaticism today," Bokova added.

Islamic State extremists currently hold the city of Mosul, the second-largest city in Iraq.

US air strikes against the group have aimed to put pressure on the group. Kurdish peshmerga forces have also launched successful offensives against IS-held roads near Mosul.

UNESCO said the "armed extremists in Iraq" were targeting "cultural heritage, cultural and religious minorities, and the documents and written evidence of one of the oldest civilisations in human history."

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