BRussells Tribunal

The BRussells Tribunal refers both to a series of hearings taking place in Brussels, April 14-17, 2004, as part of the World Tribunal on Iraq, and to the group of people who organised these hearings.

Claim of assassination campaign against Iraqi academics

In January 2006, the BRussells Tribunal distributed a statement (as part of a petition) supporting Robert Fisk's earlier, July 14, 2004 statement that "University staff suspect that there is a campaign to strip Iraq of its academics, to complete the destruction of Iraq's cultural identity which began when the American army entered Baghdad."

The BRussells Tribunal claimed that violence against academics in post-invasion Iraq amounts to a systematic campaign to liquidate Iraqi academics, with the assassination of over 250 academics and disappearance of hundreds of others, was occurring. Combined with Iraqi academics leaving the country due to fear for their safety, the claim is that the Iraqi academic community was being literally destroyed, and that as of 2006, the campaign has not stopped.

2009

2009 (MMIX) was a common year starting on Thursday (dominical letter D) of the Gregorian calendar, the 2009th year of the Common Era (CE) and Anno Domini (AD) designations, the 9th year of the 3rd millennium, the 9th year of the 21st century, and the 10th and last year of the 2000s decade.

2009 was designated as:

Events

January

Year Seven

Year 7 is an educational year group in schools in many countries including England, Wales, Australia and New Zealand. It is usually the seventh year of compulsory education and incorporates students aged between eleven and thirteen.

Australia

In Australia, Year 7 is usually the seventh year of compulsory education after Prep. Although there are slight variations between the states, most children in Year 7 are aged from eleven to thirteen. Children in Year 7 start High School, Secondary School or Secondary Colleges, or finish Primary School.

New Zealand

In New Zealand, Year 7 is the seventh year of compulsory education. Children entering Year 7 are generally aged between 10.5 and 12. Year 7 pupils are educated in full primary schools, intermediate schools, and in some areas area schools or combined intermediate and secondary schools.

United Kingdom

England

In schools in England, Year 7 follows Year 6 in Key Stage 2, the last year of primary school education. It is the seventh full year of compulsory education, with children being admitted who are aged 11 by 1 September in any given academic year. It is also the first year of Key Stage 3 in which the Secondary National Curriculum is taught.

Iraq

Coordinates: 33°N 44°E / 33°N 44°E / 33; 44

Iraq (/ɪˈræk/, ⁱ/ɪˈrɑːk/, or /aɪˈræk/; Arabic: العراق‎ al-‘Irāq, Kurdish: Êraq), officially the Republic of Iraq (Arabic:  جمهورية العراق  Jumhūrīyat al-‘Irāq; Kurdish: كۆماری عێراق‎ Komar-i ‘Êraq), is a country in Western Asia. The country borders Turkey to the north, Iran to the east, Kuwait to the southeast, Saudi Arabia to the south, Jordan to the southwest, and Syria to the west. The southern part of Iraq is within the Arabian Peninsula. The capital, Baghdad, is in the centre of the country and its largest city. The largest ethnic groups in Iraq are Arabs and Kurds. Other ethnic groups include Assyrians, Turkmen, Shabakis, Yazidis, Armenians, Mandeans, Circassians, and Kawliya. Around 95% of the country's 36 million citizens are Shia or Sunni Muslims, with Christianity, Yarsan, Yezidism, and Mandeanism also present.

Iraq has a narrow section of coastline measuring 58 km (36 mi) on the northern Persian Gulf and its territory encompasses the Mesopotamian Alluvial Plain, the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, and the eastern part of the Syrian Desert. Two major rivers, the Tigris and Euphrates, run south through the centre of Iraq and flow into the Shatt al-Arab near the Persian Gulf. These rivers provide Iraq with significant amounts of fertile land.

'Abd al-Ilah

'Abd al-Ilah of Hejaz, GCB GCMG GCVO (Arabic: عبد الإله) (also written Abdul Ilah or Abdullah) (14 November 1913 – 14 July 1958) was a cousin and brother-in-law of Ghazi of Iraq. 'Abd al-Ilah served as Regent for Faisal II from 4 April 1939 to 23 May 1953, when Faisal came of age. He also held the title of Crown Prince of Iraq from 1943.

Biography

Son and heir of King Ali ibn Hussein of Hejaz, who was the elder brother of Faisal I of Iraq, and brother of Aliya bint Ali. His family fled Hejaz, when Ibn Saud of Nejd usurped his father's authority. 'Abd al-Ilah assumed power, in Iraq, upon Ghazi's death in an automobile accident. He served as Regent for the underage Faisal II.

1941 Iraqi coup d'état

During World War II, Abdul Ilah was deposed briefly by former Prime Minister Rashid Ali al-Kaylani. Rashid Ali led a pro-German coup d'état during World War II against 'Abd al-Ilah's pro-British government. After he fled the country, 'Abd al-Ilah was replaced as Regent by Sherif Sharaf. Sherif Sharaf was an aging, holy-minded relative of Faisal II. The deposed Regent spent his time with former Prime Minister Nuri as-Said as a refugee in Amman. 'Abd al-Ilah was a guest of Abdullah al-Hussein, the Emir of Transjordan.