The 28. anniversary memorial service for the massacre commited by the Baas regime with chemical weapons in Southern Kurdistan’s Halabja town started on 9.00 in front of the Halabja Massacre Martyrs Monument. Numerous MP’s including MP’s from Iraq and the Kurdistan Region, Iran Consul and Iran Head of Religious Affairs attended the ceremony, along with thousands of people.

After the ceremony, belongings left over from the attack that caused the Halabja Massacre and the work of a Portugese artist on the Halabja Massacre were exhibited.

At 9.45, all political groups and many NGO’s left wreaths on the coffins of two martyrs who were killed in the Halabja Massacre but were identified recently. Halabja Governor Abdul Muhammed pointed out massacres held against the Kurdish people in his speech and stated the Kurds as a people need to be more sensible in order not to be faced with new massacres.

After Abdul Muhammed’s speech, speaking for the families of the marytrs, Mihemed Ferec read the message written by martyr’s families for the commemoration. Reading of messages from different political groups was followed by a local chorus singing marches and those present in the ceremony joined the 5 minutes of silence at 11.45, the time the Halabja Massacre started.

Ehzem and Berzan, two lost children of Halabja who got lost after the Halabja Massacre and were found after being away from their families for 28 years, returned to their families in a ceremony held for the occasion. Reuniting with their families, Ehzem and Berzan changed their names to Alan and Çiya respectively.

In the afternoon part of the ceremonies, two martyrs who fell in the Halabja Massacre but were not identified until recently will be buried and the ceremony will continue with cultural activities in front of the Halabja Monument. Two funerals will be held in the afternoon part of the ceremony.

Meanwhile, Tevgera Azadi also commemorate the lives lost in the Halabja Massacre. In a separate ceremony held in the Halabja Cemetary, Tevgera Azadi held a minute of silence on 11.35 following a ceremony with speeches at 11.00, in commemoration of the 28. anniversary of the massacre.

The cancellation of many official commemorations and ceremonies due to the economic and political crisis in the Kurdistan region affected the Halabja Massacre commemoration ceremony too, and there was less interest in the ceremony in contrast to the previous years.

Source: Roj News