Iraq emergency law signed

2004-07-07 12:52

Baghdad - The Iraqi government announced on Wednesday a package of new security measures allowing the prime minister to announce martial law in chaotic areas in an effort to put down the insurgency wracking the country.

Interim Prime Minister Iyad Allawi signed the law, officials said.

"The lives of the Iraqi people are in danger, they are in danger from evil forces, from gangs from terrorists," said Human Rights Minister Bakhityar Amin.

Amin compared the law to the US Patriot Act.

The laws give Allawi the right, after he receives unanimous approval from the cabinet, to assign curfews to specific areas, to conduct cordon and search operations and detain individuals with weapons on them.

It also lets Allawi assign governors, including military leaders, to be in charge of specific areas.

Justice Minister Malik Dohan al-Hassan said the premier would need to get warrants from an Iraqi court before he could take each step and said martial law could only be declared for 60 days or for the duration of the specific violence, whichever is shorter.

"We realise this law might restrict some liberties, but there are a number of guarantees," al-Hassan said. "We have tried to guarantee justice and also to guarantee human rights."

Foreign forces can help

However, the law was needed to combat the insurgents who are "preventing government employees from attending their jobs, preventing foreign workers from entering the country to help rebuild Iraq and in general trying to derail general elections," he said.

Amin said the human rights and justice ministries will form a joint body to monitor all areas where the emergency laws are declared and investigate any allegations of human rights violations.

Al-Hassan said that in case Iraqi forces are unable to perform their tasks or are overwhelmed, the Iraqis "will request the assistance of foreign forces."

A senior US military official speaking on condition of anonymity, said the Americans believe the new law will not detract from the efforts of coalition forces here.

"We'll still be able to go out and do our mission," the official said while speaking on condition of anonymity. "There may be a requirement or need for increase of co-ordination with specific rules and specific measures that are going to be put in place by the Iraqi government."

The emergency law had been expected to include a provision providing amnesty for guerrillas who fought the Americans before the June 28 sovereignty transfer because their actions were legitimate acts of resistance.

Amin said the amnesty was still under discussion and "will be issued soon, as soon as it's approved by the cabinet and Presidential council."

- AP