Rally slams executions by Iraq

June 4, 1997
Issue 

Rally slams executions by Iraq

By Sue Bull

CANBERRA — Forty people rallied outside the Iraqi embassy here on May 30 to protest against executions of political prisoners by the Baghdad regime. Between February and April, 264 political prisoners were executed, and another 600 face the same fate.

The rally was organised by the Workers Communist Party of Iraq. Simultaneous rallies were organised outside Iraqi embassies in Canada, Turkey and throughout Europe. The rallies called for an immediate end to the executions and for an international committee to investigate Iraqi prisons.

Rally organiser Faris Mahmood said the regime of Saddam Hussein was killing prisoners to send a message to the Iraqi people that no opposition will be allowed. Mahmood explained there is a great deal of discontent in Iraq.

Mahmood and Toma Toma made a statement on behalf of the Workers Communist Party of Iraq denouncing the Turkish invasion of southern Kurdistan (northern Iraq). Although the declared reason for Turkish intervention is to crush the Kurdistan Workers' Party, Mahmood and Toma said, the real objective is to divert attention from Turkey's severe economic crisis and daily anti-government demonstrations. The Turkish government is split between two antagonistic factions.

The situation for the Kurdish people is very critical, Mahmood and Toma said. The Iraqi, Syrian and Iranian governments have all massed troops along the borders near Kurdistan, while there are 50,000 Turkish inside Kurdistan and another 120,000 ready to invade.

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