A coalition of non-government organisations (NGOs) on Monday denounced human rights violations in Iraq and urged all warring parties to respect international conventions aimed at protecting civilians.
The appeal was launched by NGO Co-ordination Committee in Iraq (NCCI), a coalition of 22 groups including Oxfam, Save the Children-UK, World Vision, Japanese Volunteer Center, Children of the World and International Relief Committee.
"These humanitarian organisations are alarmed by the deteriorating situation of the Iraqi population since April 5, 2004, resulting from the actions of various combatants," the coalition said in a statement received here.
It listed a series of "violations of international conventions aiming to protect civilians during armed conflict", including the "arbitrary access of humanitarian agencies to vulnerable populations in need".
It denounced "the illegal capturing, holding and ill treatment of civilians for political or criminal purposes" as well as the "distressing number of civilian casualties ... including a large percentage as a result of sniper fire".
The statement called on all parties to the conflict to respect the Geneva Conventions and international humanitarian law by protecting civilian lives and ensuring access to basic services.
The NCCI was set up in April 2003 to co-ordinate the activities of NGOs operating in Iraq, where the group has its headquarters.
Several NGOs have pulled out of Iraq amid a surge of violence, kidnappings and murders in recent weeks, but an NCCI spokeswoman said the coalition expected to return within a week.