After 33 years, victims of Halabja's chemical attack still live in pain and sorrow

Genocide‌‌ 10:59 AM - 2021-03-16

Photo Credit: Shad Ibrahim

Today March 16, marks the 33rd anniversary of the bombing of the city of Halabja with chemical weapons by the fallen Iraqi Baath regime. The families of the martyrs and survivors of the attack are still living in sorrow and grief for those they lost and those who were wounded and to this day live in pain due to their injuries.

 

The families of the martyrs often complain that the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) is not supporting the injured ones, while the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) has initiated bringing specialist doctors from the Islamic Republic of Iran to the Halabja city to examine and cure those injured in the chemical bombing.

 

PUKmedia visited some of those injured in the chemical bombing to hear them and show the world how they live after 33 years have passed over their tragedy.

 

Hawkar Sabir, one of those injured in the chemical bombing, is in terrible living condition. He breathes with the help of a ventilator. He feels sad that he can't live like normal people.

 

Hawkar told PUKmedia: "It has been 33 year and our health condition get worse and worse day by day, we can only breathe with the help of a ventilator and death cases are recorded every day in those who do not receive treatment and their illness worsens."

 

He added: "I've been using ventilators for 6 years and without that machine, I suffer shortness of breath which makes gives me discomfort."

 

Hawkar has a carton of medical drugs at his home and says that he has used 500-600 different pills and syrups in just one year, but none of them cured him. He has kept all of the drugs that he has taken so that he can show how much medicine he has taken to find a cure for his untreated illness.

 

Hawkar calls on the KRG to register the names of the injured to send them to other countries to receive necessary treatment hoping to find a cure for their long-lasting illnesses so that they live like normal people.

 

He also made a plea to the Iraqi Government saying: "I call the Iraqi Government to provide moral and financial compensations to the families of the martyrs and the injured of the chemical bombing. The Iraqi Government must work to cure those affected by the chemical bombing of Halabja."

 

Naska Salih Mirza is another one of those injured in the chemical bombing in Halabja. She suffers from chronic infection in her trachea and to this day she under constant medical care. 

 

Naska told PUKmedia: "Out health gets worse and worse every day and we can't receive treatment. It has been years since I began using a ventilator to help me breath." 

 

Although Nask has aged, but she is still determined to be treated. She says: "The KRG must work more to provide those injured in the chemical bombing with treatment because our health condition is very unstable and we need urgent cure."

 

Naska added: "I lost my family in the chemical bombing and after 33 years over that crime, our only concern is how to get treatment. I hope that the KRG and concerned parties provide more services to the families of the martyrs and the injured of the chemical bombing."

 

For his part, Kamaran Mustafa, Director-General of Martyrs and Anfal Directorate of Halabja, said: "It has been several days since the PUK has sent a number of specialist doctors from the Islamic Republic of Iran to the Halabja Governorate to examine the injured of the chemical bombing."

 

He added: "The doctors are experts and they have been brought as a help for the injured as they can't afford to travel to Iran to receive treatment."

 

On March 16, 1988, the city of Halabja was subjected to the most heinous crime against humanity, which is the bombing of the city with chemical weapons by the fallen Iraqi Baath regime. Over 5,000 innocent people were martyred as a result of this crime, including women, the elderly, and children and more than 10,000 were injured.

 

 

 

Reported by Jamal Sargati

PUKmedia