16 July 2007
Baghdad: Kurds in the self-governing Iraqi Kurdistan, especially in Sulaimaniya, are calling for Ali Hassan Al Majid's execution in a public square in the Kurdish town of Halabja and in front of its inhabitants.
Iraq's Deputy Prime Minister Barham Saleh on Saturday said that Al Majid, also known as 'Chemical Ali', Saddam Hussain's cousin and a member in the former Revolutionary Command Council, would be executed in Halabja.
Al Majid has been sentenced to death by the Iraqi High Criminal Court for his role in Anfal Operation.
On July 24, the Court of Appeal will issue its final ruling but is likely to favour Al Majid's execution.
Kurds and Halabja residents in particular have asked the central government to hand over Al Majid to the local authorities in Sulaimaniya to be executed before his relatives and residents of Halabja.
Final ruling
Shedman Mullah, a journalist at the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) party in Sulaimaniya, told Gulf News: "The issue is a public desire in Sulaim-aniya, particularly in Halabja. I believe that the government will consider the Kurds' request because it is an equitable demand and will not contradict the law. The party will seek to gain more popular corroboration to support the request."
Karim Azad, a political activist in Sulaimaniya, told Gulf News: "Citizens in the province and in Halabja would like to see Al Majid executed for his crimes in a public square. As far as I know, Kurdish leaders are reticent and seek to carry out the sentence in a government building because it might raise a feeling of hatred between Arabs and Kurds for [execution in a public square] implies revenge and ruthlessness."
Compromise
The division between Kurdish political leaders and the public opinion in Halabja concerning carrying out of Al Majid's execution may lead to a large popular Kurdish protest in case the Kurdish authorities did not respond to the request of hanging Al Majid publicly and in front of Kurdish citizens.
Things probably will tend to a compromise.
Execution will take place in an official building and in front of victims' relatives, as it happened with Saddam Hussain and his aides in the Dujail case.
A source in the Iraqi Interior Ministry said that Al Majid and other convicts have been already transferred to the Iraqi authorities in Baghdad and the American and British wardship had ended in a gesture showing the start of the execution process which is awaiting the court and Al Maliki's approval.
Some sources in PUK party confirmed that preparations are on to choose the place where Al Majid's execution will take place in Halabja.
By Basil Adas
Gulf News 2007. All rights reserved.
