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16 March 1999

TEXT: US EXTENDS SYMPATHIES TO IRAQIS ON HALABJA ANNIVERSARY

(Jones: Iraq must not be allowed to rebuild its weapons programs)
(470)
Washington -- "As we remember Halabja, we must remind ourselves and
the international community that Saddam Hussein's regime must never be
permitted to rebuild its weapons of mass destruction programs," said
A. Elizabeth Jones, Acting Assistant Secretary of State for Near
Eastern Affairs, on March 16.
During a Capitol Hill briefing marking the eleventh anniversary of
Iraqi President Saddam Hussein's chemical and gas attacks on Iraqi
Kurds in Northern Iraq, Jones released a copy of a letter in which she
commended the Human Rights Alliance "for bringing to the world's
attention the Iraqi regime's infamous human rights record and for
commemorating the tragic events at Halabja."
"Eleven years later, the people of Halabja still suffer from the
effects of the March 16 attack," Jones said. "There is evidence that
they experience much higher rates of serious diseases, particularly
cancer, neurological disorders, birth defects and miscarriages."
Jones announced that as one outcome of a State Department conference
on Halabja that she inaugurated last fall, "this week we will announce
plans to provide significant funding for a feasibility study in
northern Iraq on ways to assist the Halabja victims."
Following is the text of Jones' letter:
(Begin text)
The sympathies of the United States are with the Kurdish people of
northern Iraq and with all Iraqis as we commemorate the eleventh
anniversary of the massacre at Halabja.
On March 16, 1988 the Iraqi military attacked Halabja, a Kurdish town
in northern Iraq, with chemical weapons. An estimated 5000 civilians
were killed and 10,000 injured.
This monstrous assault was part of the "Anfal" campaign against Iraqi
civilians, directed by Saddam Hussein's regime. Eyewitnesses report
that thousands of people were killed in scores of chemical attacks
during the "Anfal."
Eleven years later, the people of Halabja still suffer from the
effects of the March 16 attack. There is evidence that they experience
much higher rates of serious diseases, particularly cancer,
neurological disorders, birth defects and miscarriages.
Last November, I was honored to inaugurate a major conference on
Halabja at Meridian House. As one outcome of that conference this week
we will announce plans to provide significant funding for a
feasibility study in northern Iraq on ways to assist the Halabja
victims.
As we remember Halabja, we must remind ourselves and the international
community that Saddam Hussein's regime must never be permitted to
rebuild its weapons of mass destruction programs.
We commend the Human Rights Alliance for bringing to the world's
attention the Iraqi regime's infamous human rights record and for
commemorating the tragic events at Halabja.
Sincerely,
A. Elizabeth Jones
Acting Assistant Secretary of State
for Near Eastern Affairs
(End text)