110-year-old cemetery sparks protests in Iraq’s Kirkuk

Shafaq News- Kirkuk

Residents of Al-Sada Al-Rujaybat village and neighboring communities in Kirkuk protested against the clearing of a more than 110-year-old cemetery by an investor.

Ahmed Jawad, a resident of the village, told Shafaq News on Thursday that the cemetery is a “historic and social landmark” containing the remains of local families, while Mohammed Khalaf urged authorities to halt the project and preserve the site.

Speaking to Shafaq News, lawmaker Mohammed Ali Al-Nuaimi called the incident “no longer merely an administrative violation, but a serious breach of religious, humanitarian, and moral values,” arguing that cemeteries should not be converted into investment land for residential projects.

Al-Nuaimi said residents’ reports of the removal of the cemetery in Al-Rujaybat village raise questions about the authorities that approved the project and show disregard for the sanctity of the dead and the rights of their families. He had previously raised the issue with the Prime Minister, the Integrity Commission, and other oversight bodies, pledging to continue pursuing the case “until everyone involved, including those who facilitated the alleged violation, is held accountable.”

Al-Nuaimi pointed out that relocating cemeteries is permitted only in accordance with religious and legal regulations and only for essential public-interest projects, not for investment purposes.