Iraqi Presidency organizes vigil of silence to commemorate Halabja genocide

Shafaq News / The Presidency of the Republic of Iraq organized a silent vigil and mourning ceremony on Saturday at the Peace Palace in Baghdad to commemorate the anniversary of the Halabja genocide. The vigil was attended by President Abdul Latif Jamal Rashid, National Security Advisor Qasim Al-Araji, several members of the Parliament, heads and representatives of diplomatic missions in Baghdad, as well as senior officials and employees from the Presidency of the Republic and the Kurdistan (KRI). A recitation of Surah Al-Fatiha was performed in remembrance of the souls of the martyrs of Halabja and Iraq. Then, Kamel Kareem Al-Dulaimi, the Chief of the Presidential Office, delivered a speech emphasizing that “targeting civilians in Halabja with chemical weapons was a heinous crime that shook the conscience of humanity. It awakened the world to the bloody behavior of tyranny and the atrocities committed by the dictatorship, which did not hesitate to use one of the most banned weapons internationally against innocent Kurdish civilians.” Al-Dulaimi added that “continuing to build the democratic experience in a federal state is one of the most important lessons necessary to prevent regression and the return to tyranny. He expressed appreciation and respect for the “sacrifices made and for the families who endured, as well as for the city of Halabja, a proud national symbol of pride and glory.” Furthermore, the Chief of the Presidential Office emphasized the importance of continuing sincere efforts to ensure that Halabja becomes a governorate within the Kurdistan Region (KRI), enhancing it with all the necessary services for its citizens to live a free, dignified, and secure life. Notably, the attack claimed the lives of more than 5,500 Iraqis, in addition to causing numerous serious injuries and birth defects, along with a dangerous spread of cancer diseases. The Iraqi Supreme Criminal Court issued its final verdict in the case of the Halabja chemical bombing on January 17, 2010. International reports indicate that the bombing of Halabja was part of a series of genocidal crimes committed by Saddam Hussein's regime in southern Kurdistan, where the Baath regime launched violent attacks against the Kurdish Feyli people, killing dozens and displacing thousands of them, with their fate still unknown. In the early 1980s, the Baath regime buried 8,000 Barzanis alive during the Anfal campaign. More than 182,000 civilians were transferred to deserts in southern Iraq and brutally killed over a nearly four-year operation known as the Anfal campaign, destroying more than 4,000 villages in Kurdistan. Halabja, with a population of 50,000, is located 15 kilometers from the Iranian border and is part of al-Sulaymaniya governorate in the Kurdistan Region. It is situated 350 kilometers northeast of Baghdad, surrounded by several mountain ranges. Mount Hawraman overlooks it, separating it from Iran, and features a crystalline white summit covered in snow throughout the year. Furthermore, Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani announced on March 13, 2023, the council's approval of a bill to establish Halabja Governorate, forwarding it to the parliament for a vote, However, the parliament has not yet voted on the bill.