Saddam Hussein used every means unimaginable by human standards to stay in power. With the help of his associates he created a country of helpless victims living in fear and insecurity. The world knew about his imposed war on Iran and Kuwait. With his execution the world also now knows he killed many Shiites who opposed his sectarian policies. However, the international community still does not know the depth of atrocities of Saddam against Kurds and why Kurdish forces opposed him. The world also still does not know about the role of the leaders of the neighboring countries and international military corporations that helped Saddam commit his crimes. We believe the dictator should have been tried either in Kurdistan or in an international court in order to clarify all ambiguities.
His rushed execution may jeopardize the world from knowing the full truth. By the standards of the civilized world killing more than 182,000 Kurdish people during the Anfal campaign through various means including but not limited to chemical bombing and mass murder would have been considered genocide! Unfortunately the Kurdish leadership failed to demand that Anfal trial to be first or at least before Saddam is gone.
In order for the Kurds not to be deprived from justice, we at the Kurdish National Congress of North America demand form the Kurdish leadership not let the execution stop the on going Anfal trial. They should assure that the investigation continues to reveal all those who helped Saddam. In addition we are concerned that the fate of Kirkuk will be similar to the Anfal trial, without the implementation of article 140 before 12/31/2007. A delay in this matter will be another slap in the face of the Kurdish people and history will not forgive the leadership for continuously making mistakes. The President of Iraq, the President of the Kurdistan region, the Kurdistan National Assembly, the Kurdistan Regional Government, the Kurds in the Iraqi Parliament and the Kurdish Ministers in the Iraqi Government must make it crystal clear that Article 140 is a non-negotiable red line. If the implementation of this article is delayed for any reason, then the Kurdish people should utilize their right of declaring independence.