Guardians of Truth Monument Keeps Name & Message of Freedom Alive

Reports 07:46 PM - 2024-09-15

Guardians of Truth Monument.

In Sulaymaniyah, "Guardians of Truth" chronicles the stories of 551 journalists who selflessly sacrificed their lives in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region to ensure the sharing of truth and facts. Their names have been carved on a monument in Azadi Park and will not fade forever.

 

My father and brother are buried, but they are alive in Sulaymaniyah

Ismail Tahir and Ammar Ismail Tahir Allami are on the list of 68 journalists killed in Baghdad in 2004. Ismail and Ammar are father and son.

Yassir Ismail, the head of the Nile Institute for Media Training and a family of the martyrs, told PUKMEDIA that his father and brother are buried in Baghdad, but their souls remain alive in Sulaymaniyah.

He stated: "When I saw my father Ismail Tahir and my brother Ammar Ismail as two martyred journalists on this monument, I felt proud and Mr. Qubad Talabani gave us something great as a tribute to the souls of the martyred journalists who dedicated themselves to conveying the truth."

 

Sulaymaniyah is a city known for freedom of speech

"The monument stands out from everything else. It preserves the memory of the victims throughout history, differing from merely acknowledging them at conferences and private events and commemorating the martyrs with a moment of silence," Ismail explained.

He further stated: "This monument will remain standing high and evokes a profound sense of pride within me. Every time I visit Sulaymaniyah; I will undoubtedly visit this remarkable monument. Sulaymaniyah is a city primarily known for its exceptional freedom of expression."

 

The names of the martyred journalists have been collected in 18 months 

The monument is placed close to the Platform of Freedom at Azadi Park in Sulaymaniyah. Its purpose is to pay tribute to the memories of 551 journalists who have lost their lives in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region since 2003. The platform of Freedom is a platform created by late President Mam Jalal, so that all the different opinions are conveyed from this place freely, and President Mam Jalal told everyone: "Start criticising with criticising me."

The monument is the idea of Qubad Talabani, the son of President Mam Jalal. The project took extensive research and commitment from a dedicated team that worked diligently for over 18 months, gathering information from 19 provinces.

Dana Asaad, the supervisor of the monument project, told PUKMEDIA that Deputy Prime Minister Qubad Talabani came up with the idea, which was realised within a span of approximately 18 months and that extensive research has been conducted to gather names from all provinces in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region.

 

The monument keeps the names of the martyred journalists alive

"This monument serves as a memorial for the journalists who gave their lives in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region since 2003. It is a homage to their bravery and dedication to conveying the truth, and an effort to preserve their legacy and ensure their names remain alive forever," stated Asaad.

Furthermore, he stated that the names of the martyrs have been gathered from Duhok to Basra, and the categorisation of the martyrs is determined by the location where they were killed during the work they did, rather than by their identification.

As per information available to PUKMEDIA, among the 551 journalists who lost their lives in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region, only 20 were martyred in the Kurdistan Region, while the remaining 531 were martyred in the rest of Iraq.

 

23 of the martyrs are foreign journalists

Asaad also stated: "A total of 551 individuals, including 23 foreign journalists, lost their lives in Iraq while pursuing the principles of truth, freedom, and professional journalism. A significant factor contributing to the high number of martyrs who died during the coverage is that a considerable number of them were special war correspondents." 

 

Most journalists were martyred in 2006

PUKMEDIA's study on the location and date of journalist deaths reveals that journalists were killed in all 19 provinces of Iraq and the Kurdistan Region. The highest number of journalists were killed in 2006, with 114 martyrs. In 2021-2022, no journalists were killed.

 

Baghdad leads Iraq in the number of journalists killed

Regarding the number of journalists who were killed, the province of Baghdad had the largest number of killed journalists, with a reported 286. The lowest number of journalists were killed in Halabja, Maysan, and Diwaniya, where one journalist was martyred in each province.

 

Iraqi Journalists Syndicate: The monument has high moral value

Sana Naqash, head of the martyrs and wounded department of the Iraqi Journalists Syndicate, told PUKMEDIA: "The monument holds significant moral worth and serves as a tribute to journalists who sacrificed their lives in the pursuit of conveying the truth and defending freedom."

 

Naqash: The monument is a unique initiative and idea of Qubad Talabani

Naqash further stated: "This monument represents a distinctive initiative and idea of Qubad Talabani, serving as a contemporary and significant means of expressing freedom and paying tribute to the victims. Sulaymaniyah is the optimal selection for the project due to its freedom and tolerant attitude towards criticism. It has the lowest incidence of journalist harassment and arrests and encompasses a wide range of movements and opinions. Renowned as the city of freedom of speech, it consistently possesses an unwaveringly honest voice."

 

20 journalists have been martyred in the Kurdistan Region in the past 20 years

A total of 20 journalists have been killed in the Kurdistan Region over the past 20 years, up till 2024. This includes 12 journalists in Erbil, 1 in Halabja, and 5 in Sulaymaniyah.

 

Family of Martyr Widad Hussein: Guardians of Truth is a Tribute for martyred journalists 

Azad Hussein, brother of martyred journalist Widad Hussein, told PUKMEDIA: "The monument honouring the guardians of truth is a great honour for Sulaymaniyah. It is a tribute to the journalists who have sacrificed their lives in the Kurdistan Region and Iraq. It is praiseworthy for those who have implemented this splendid idea."

"Being the family of a martyred journalist, we are pleased to have a monument that vividly demonstrates that Sulaymaniyah is a city of cultural and unrestricted expression of opinions," Hussein stated.

In Kirkuk province, which is one of the regions disputed between the Kurdistan Region and Iraq and is covered by Article 140 of the Iraqi constitution, 23 journalists were martyred.

 

The digitisation of victim information is the reason for the project's vitality

Entry of the barcode on the monument leads to the 'Guardians of Truth' website, which provides comprehensive information, statistics, and specific details on the martyrs.

In an interview with PUKMEDIA, Brwa Osman, a member of the memorial team and the website supervisor, stated: "The website and the digitisation of the victims' information are crucial and contemporary elements for the project's vitality, as they include comprehensive names, personal details, and statistics and are continuously updated."

He stated that the website already includes 85% of the accurate information about the martyrs, while the only remaining task is to finalise the information regarding the specific agencies and channels those martyrs were employed. The genders of the martyrs have not yet been definitively determined. Ongoing efforts are being made to address this particular area, and subsequently, the works of the victims will be duly featured on the website.

 

Qubad Talabani: We hope that no more names will ever need to be added 

During the unveiling ceremony of the monument on September 14, 2024, Qubad Talabani, Deputy Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Region, said: "We hope that no more names will ever need to be added to this monument."

 

The fallen journalists will remain immortals, while the legacy of their killers is one of lasting shame

DPM Talabani is a prominent political and governmental figure who strongly advocates for freedom and freedom of the press. He is a staunch advocate of journalists and actively supports them in the challenges and hurdles they face. 

"The fallen journalists will remain immortals, while the legacy of their killers is one of lasting shame," he stated.



PUKMEDIA