Press release
Cairo:20/3/2003

 It is a Sad Day

            On this sad day, EOHR can only acknowledge with great sadness that humane rights and principles have been assassinated in the name of war.  The ongoing war is not only a crime against the Iraqi people but also a crime toward human consciousness.  It is a crime against the values of freedom, justice and equality and will contribute to the collapse of the institutions that are supposed to keep peace and security.  Anti-war sentiment, encapsulated in the motto, “No War for Oil,” was, and continues to be, disregarded.

            EOHR believes that this war has showed a deep disorder not only in the structure of the United Nations but also within international relations and the relations between governments and their peoples.  This disorder manifested itself in the imbalance between military and civilian ambitions.   EOHR expressed previously its fear toward elevating security over all other values.  Based on a call for security, military powers have paradoxically started wars to achieve security!!

            In this critical moment EOHR announces its solidarity with the Iraqi people  and affirms that there will be no future in reforming disorder within the international order unless there is a reform in relations between governments and their peoples.  In addition, concerns of security will not be achieved unless issues of justice, equality, brotherhood and freedom are achieved.  EOHR supports anti-war sentiment and recognizes that mass demonstrations occurring all around the world truly voiced a collective human consciousness.  EOHR asserts that the launch of this war will not diminish efforts toward national democratic systems and an international system which respects principles of human and peoples’ rights.