Jordan Times
Friday, April 23, 2004
Gov't following up on
Jordanians missing or detained in Iraq
By Khalid Dalal
AMMAN — The Lower House Committee for Public Freedoms and Citizens Rights has
urged the government to follow up on the conditions of “around 1,000 Jordanians
missing or detained in Iraq.”
Deputy Jamal Dmour, president of the committee, said the committee arrived at
the figure after they met with several families who said that they have sons who
are missing or detained in Iraq.
These families, he said, came to the committee after they lost contact with
their sons in the war-stricken country.
A petition submitted to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs by the committee urged
the ministry to work with all concerned authorities in Iraq and find information
on Jordanians missing or detained there.
In its petition, the committee held US authorities responsible for any harm
inflicted on Jordanians in Iraq. Dmour said international conventions require
that occupying forces protect the lives of civilians during wartime.
He called on the International Committee of the Red Cross in Iraq to help
Jordanian authorities get information on missing or detained citizens.
“Some families told us that their sons are now at Abu Gharib prison,
[approximately 20 miles west of Baghdad],” said Dmour.
Two days ago, it was reported that several detainees were killed and scores
injured when the jail came under attack.
Responding to Dmour's remarks, Minister of State and Government Spokesperson
Asma Khader told The Jordan Times that the government and concerned authorities
were following up on the conditions of Jordanians missing or detained, whether
in Iraq or any another country.
“Currently, the government is looking into the committee's statements and is
following up on the issue,” she said.
“When we have more information and details, we will announce them,” Khader
added.
The minister said the government succeeded, in the past few months, in following
up on the circumstances of several Jordanians detained in Iraq who were later
released.