Coalition Provisional Authority – Primary Human Rights Functions

Coalition Provisional Authority – Primary Human Rights Functions Office of Human Rights and Transitional Justice Human Rights Archive . This office in the Iraqi Assistance Center provides Iraqis with a forum to tell their story and collects one-page summaries of past human rights abuse. CPA employees currently take these complaints and counsel locals requesting assistance. The office also receives documentation of past atrocities (photographs, documents, etc.) which can be used for historical reference, memorials and as evidence under an Iraqi-led system for transitional justice, as appropriate. Mass Graves : CPA currently has a five-part strategy on mass graves. This includes public awareness, forensic assessment and exhumation, training of local capacity to carry on this mission, and transfer to Iraqi authorities. We had a forensic team here for 6 weeks working on standards protocols to ensure uniformity in standards of exhumations, and to assist in initial site assessments. Several countries have expressed interest in sending additional teams, and we anticipate they will arrive shortly. Missing Persons : CPA is leading efforts to identify missing persons throughout Iraq stemming from the regime’s brutal policy of execution. We have already conducted an assessment with ICMP, and are working to facilitate the efforts of the ICRC, PHR, and local organizations, such as the Iraqi Free Prisoners Committee and Iraq Foundation, to create an overall comprehensive database and approach to missing persons. This may include creating one centralized database of missing persons while strengthening the capacity of local organizations to feed into this process. Other programs will also counsel grieving family members and provide community support. Property Disputes : CPA, through a USAID Office for Transition Initiatives (OTI) grant, is in the process of implementing a grant with the International Organization of Migration (IOM) to begin addressing property disputes from the previous regime’s policies of Arabization and forced relocation. Seven offices in Iraq will take initial dispute forms and create an Iraqi Property Reconciliation Facility (IPRF) whereby Iraqis can voluntarily agree to resolve disputes under existing Iraqi contract law. This grant, longer-term, will recommend a commission or other solution to those disputes which cannot be resolved voluntarily. NGO Coordination and Development : CPA facilitates the work of human rights NGOs in Iraq, and encourages the development of new local human rights NGOs. Public Awareness / Civic Education : CPA has been working with Human Rights Ministry from Irbil to create a national civic education program to raise awareness on fundamental human rights. Our Office also drafts articles on human rights for local newspapers, and meets with local Iraqi news to discuss human rights issues.