Kurdistan Observer

As we celebrate the 10^th Anniversary of the establishment after a free and open elections, of the Kurdistan Regional Government,KRG in Iraqi Kurdistan. And asses the achievements and failures of the Kurd’s first experience at self administration, our minds are cast back to that fateful day,16^th March 1988, when thousands of innocent Kurdish civilians suffered a painful death by chemical and nerve gas bombs. As the secretary of the Kurdish Cultural Centre, then the representative of Kurdish refugees in the UK, I tried with my fellow compatriots to bring this crime to the attention of the British public through a series of demonstrations, vigils, occupations and public meetings, our outrage increased as we realised that the lukewarm response of the media, political parties and humanitarian organisations to this horrendous event would only encourage Saddam Hussein to commit further atrocities against our defenseless people, Mr Masoud Barzani, said prophetically during an interview with the renowned film maker Gwynn Roberts in October of that year, when he was making his famous film (Winds of Death):” When the Iraqi regime has done away with the last Kurdish child and burned the last Kurdish village, it will have to seek new victims and engage in new battles, for that is its sustenance, It is then that the west would realise the heavy price of their condescension and apathy on Halabja”.

Three years after Halabja and in the aftermath of the 2^nd Gulf War, western public outcry and its media’s vivid projection of the tragic plight of Kurds, led to the US-UK led coalition’s humanitarian’s intervention to save Iraqi Kurds from genocide and establish the safe-haven, a historic precedent for humanity that has been repeated since to save peoples and communities from vindictive tyrants and despotic regimes, Who until then considered genocide and mass murder an INTERNAL MATTER!.

As we celebrate the tenth anniversary of the establishment of Kurgan the development despite great obstacles and pitfalls,some of which were of our own making, of a free, progressive and democratic society that we hope would be the model for a future united and democratic Iraq, We must remind the free world to heed the example of Halabja and make sure it should never happen again by rooting out the cores of malignancy and despotism that thrives on state apathy and narrow self interest, public awareness is essential, Lady Olga Maitland, speaks eloquently of her ”shame” for not being aware of this event, This is a noble gesture from an experienced politician who fully comprehends the significance of Halabja to the world at large and while thanking her for her candid thoughts, I take this opportunity to convey our people heartfelt gratitude to Jeremy Corbyn, Lord Robertson, David Atkinson,Lord McNair,Clare Short,David Alton,Robin Corbett,Kieth Bradley, John Foran, Alastair Hay,Liz Sigmund,Bruce Kent ,Meg Beresford, Lord Johnstone and many other principled men and women who were aware and who helped us expose the hideous crime when it happened, Above all our people shall not forget the humanity and humility of the Late Dr Runcie ,Archbishop of Canterbury, and Bishop Trevor Huddleston who laid special prayers for the victims and lobbied to expose the crime, While the Muslim establishment, all over the world, with few noble exceptions, kept a shameless silence .

Our people must never again be left helpless at the mercy of vindictive tyrannies, We need every free, humane, principled and ethical party, person or state to tell our detractors: This is not an internal matter anymore!.

Siamand Banaa

Kurdistan Regional Government Representative

In the United Kingdom.