April 2003
Two recent Early Day Motions (EDMs) in the House of Commons on Iraq. The texts of the motions are below. If you'd like to ask your MP to sign either of the motions, here's how you can contact them:

- by post: House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA
- by phone: 020 7219 3000
- by fax: at <www.faxyourmp.com>

EDM 1066 CANCELLATION OF IRAQ'S DEBT 14:4:03

That this House notes that Saddam Hussein's regime accumulated almost $400bn of debt and reparations claims; believes that these are 'odious' since the regime was
oppressive and illegitimate; welcomes the Jubilee Iraq call for cancellation of these
financial obligations so that the liberated Iraqi people are not made to pay the bill for the wars and oppression they suffered after Saddam; would also encourage a reciprocal cancellation by the future democratic government of Iraq of debts owed to Iraq by other highly indebted poor countries; and urges Her Majesty's Government to use all its influence in the Coalition and with creditors to ensure that none of Saddam Hussein's financial obligations pass on to the soon-to-be-formed democratic government of Iraq, in line with the Prime Minister's promises to the Iraqi people of freedom and renewed prosperity.

EDM 1076 BUILDING DEMOCRACY IN IRAQ 14:4:03

That this House notes the grave effects of the present war in Iraq on the civilian
population; believes any international involvement in establishing a transitional
administration in Iraq must be driven multilaterally by the international community and have a clear UN mandate; further notes the need to establish an inclusive democracy in Iraq which guarantees the rights of all ethnic and religious communities as outlined by Minority Rights Group International; believes that the people of Iraq must decide on the structure and form of its own democracy and that the new constitution should conform to international human rights standards and establish equality before the law; calls on the international community to ensure that the interim government takes into consideration a federal structure for Iraq, taking particular account of the long-standing aspirations of the Kurds for self-government and to enact special measures to counteract long-standing discrimination against the Shi'a, and against Kurds and other minorities, including promoting their participation in central and regional government; and calls for the deployment of human rights monitors across Iraq during any transitional phase and the implementation of a major programme to facilitate the voluntary return or resettlement of refugees and internally displaced persons.