President Bafel: KRG's indifference to families of Anfal victims is worrying

President Bafel's Media Office

PUK President Bafel Jalal Talabani.

On the 35th anniversary of the Anfal catastrophe, Bafel Jalal Talabani, President of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), issued a statement. 

He stated: "It is the responsibility of the Iraqi government and parliament to fulfill their constitutional and humanitarian obligations, as well as to be a part of the historical and moral efforts to compensate the families of the Anfal victims and heal their wounds."
 
In his message, President Bafel said: 

Thirty-five years ago, South Kurdistan was the victim of one of history's most heinous crimes, one that crossed all borders. The ultimate goal was not only the murder and disappearance of our brothers and sisters but also the destruction of our prosperity and the erasure of our language and national identity.

Anfal is a deep wound in our hearts and a never-ending source of suffering. We must not forget the historical lesson of Anfal. We must not ignore all the detrimental effects of Anfal and forget the massacre of 182,000 people, including old, young, and children. In addition to being a tragedy to be remembered, Anfal serves as a history lesson from which we can, through our unity, work together to prevent similar assaults and atrocities from occurring in the future.

It is normal to have different forces, parties, and colors in Kurdistan, but we must never lose sight of the fact that we all share the same destiny as Kurds. Thus, Anfal must serve as a history lesson that will live on in our memory, and the preservation of Kurdistan and the prosperity of its people must come above all other considerations. 

The Kurdistan Regional Government's (KRG) negligence towards the relatives of the Anfal victims and indifference to their legitimate demands are worrying. Everyone must know that the struggling Garmianis have the lion's share of the history of the Kurdish struggle and the realization of this experience. Therefore, turning our backs on Garmian and the heroic Garmianis is grave disloyalty to the blood of the martyrs. 

The Iraqi government and parliament must carry out their legal and humanitarian responsibilities and contribute to the moral and ethical efforts made to compensate and heal the wounds of the Anfal victim families. Every one of these actions is an actual demonstration of cooperation and the pursuit of a better future. 

Peace be upon the souls of the martyrs, and greetings to their proud families.



PUKMEDIA