Iraqi President, First Lady Emphasize Granting Martyrs' Families' Rights

Iraqi Presidency

Iraqi President and First Lady's meeting with the Head of the Foundation of Martyrs.

On Sunday, September 10, 2023, the President of the Republic of Iraq, Abdullatif Jamal Rashid and Iraq's First Lady Shanaz Ibrahim Ahmed met with the Head of the Foundation of Martyrs, Mr.  Abdul-Ilah al-Naeli alongside his delegation, which included several officials of the Foundation Martyrs and Health Ministry.  The meeting took place at the Baghdad Palace.

As the President stated, it is imperative that efforts be made in this regard and that assistance be provided to individuals and families of martyrs, specifically Kurds, in burying the remains of their loved ones.

There is a need for further coordination and cooperation between the relevant authorities in Baghdad and the Ministry of Martyrs and Anfal Affairs of the KRG to redress the Martyrs' families of Anfal and Halabja and grant them full rights.

President Rashid confirmed that it is necessary to bury the groups of Kurdish civilian bodies, which have been discovered in mass graves and transferred to the Department of Forensic Medicine. In particular, the due process has been completed, he stated.

Furthermore, it is essential that this humanitarian issue be resolved for many Iraqi families, as the President stressed.

Moreover, His Excellency noted that burying martyrs' remains is a national and humanitarian duty. The martyrs' bodies must be handed over to their families, and funeral and burial ceremonies must be held in honor of their greatsacrifices.

It is essential that all the legal and moral rights of the martyr's families be ensured, and all their needs and requirements be met, he added.

Meanwhile, the President asserted that it is imperative that mass graves be opened, that the bodies of the martyrs be exhumed, and that necessary measures be taken to do so.

As part of His Excellency's commitment to address and resolve this issue, he pledged to provide possible facilities.

A discussion was also held concerning the delay in opening cemeteries and the funeral and burial ceremonies of the martyrs. It was decided that the First Lady would be responsible for overseeing this important humanitarian issue.

A significant emphasis was placed on advancing the implementation of understandings relating to the exchange of documents that pertain to a particularly important historical period of peoples' struggles and oppressive policies of dictatorial regimes.

In addition, other issues were discussed, including the need to ensure that the families of martyrs are provided with all the rights guaranteed by law.

The members of the visiting delegation were delighted to meet the President. They expressed thanks and gratitude for His Excellency's valuable guidance.

During the meeting, the delegation provided an overview of the activities of the Martyrs Foundation and other relevant departments regarding the file of martyrs in the country.

Mr. Fawaz Abdullabbas Abdulameer, the Deputy Head of the International Commission on Missing Persons attended the meeting.



PUKMEDIA / Iraqi Presidency