INA - BAGHDAD
The High Commission for Human Rights (IHCHR) affirmed on Wednesday that the violations committed by the former regime affected all segments of the Iraqi people, regardless of their religion, ethnicity, or sect.
“A committee has been formed in the Prime Minister's office to work on the 'Memory of the Nation' project," Saad Al-Abdali, advisor to the IHCHR, told the Iraqi News Agency - INA.
He explained that "the goal of the project is not to hurl insults at the former regime, but rather to educate new generations about the extent of the violations that occurred to ensure they are not repeated in the future under any circumstances."
“The Commission has visited several countries and reviewed museums that document the crimes of oppressive regimes. The documentation aims to reveal the facts and solidify a culture of human rights,” he noted.
Al-Abdali explained that "the Commission is working to transform the headquarters of the Fifth Division in Kadhimiya into a museum documenting the violations of the former regime. Each cell could be dedicated to showcasing a story of victims and violations, including the case of the Fayli Kurds, the execution of merchants, the Sha'ban Uprising, and others."
"Nuqrat al-Salman prison remains a testament to the violations suffered by Iraqis, particularly the Fayli Kurds. The presence of mass graves around the prison is evidence of the scale of the tragedies they endured,” he highlighted.
He called for "the concerted efforts of all institutions to document these crimes and violations through museums, memorials, and panoramas. The importance of conveying these facts to youth and children to prevent their recurrence."
“The Martyrs and Prisoners Foundation, the Accountability and Justice Commission, the Property Claims Commission, and the IHCHR have worked to ensure the rights of the families of victims, martyrs, and prisoners, in addition to documenting the crimes and violations," he pointed out.
The advisor emphasized "the necessity of transferring ownership of the Fifth Division prison to a human rights institution to transform it into a modern museum documenting the crimes of the former regime, especially since it contains the gallows on which thousands of young people were executed, as well as the execution site of Saddam Hussein."
“Recent years have witnessed progress in the governmental and educational sectors through the inclusion of materials related to the crimes of the former regime and human rights in school curricula," he included, stressing "the importance of utilizing other awareness-raising methods, such as museums, television programs, dramas, and social media, particularly the TikTok application, to clarify the facts for young people."
He stated that "the Iraqi people suffered grave violations, both under the previous regime and at the hands of terrorist organizations like al-Qaeda and Daesh," calling on the international community to "recognize the extent of the sacrifices made by Iraqis and compensate them, especially since Iraq was the first line of defense against terrorism and prevented its spread to other countries."