Speech by the Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for Iraq Ms. Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert Commemoration Ceremony for Remembrance of the 1983 Barzani Disappearance

Excellencies,

Ladies and gentlemen,

We are here to commemorate, with great sadness, the enforced disappearance - 39 years ago - of 8000 Barzani men and boys. They vanished, never to be seen again.

And as we remember those who tragically lost their lives, our thoughts are also with their families and friends. To date, many of them are still waiting for the truth to come out, having cruelly been denied the opportunity to lay their loved ones to rest.

The pain of not knowing what happened. The pain of waiting and hoping. There are no words to capture what these families have suffered. None. There are simply no words that can describe the feelings of profound despair.

Today, we also memorialize the return of 100 Barzanis, the third of its kind. Between 2004 and 2005, 500 missing loved ones were returned to their ancestral homes. In 2011, another 93 were brought home to their final resting place. And while the search goes on, we express our hope that every last father, brother, uncle and son will be found.

As we all know, the immense tragedy does not stop here. These horrific events preceded the Anfal Campaign, a genocidal campaign with the intent to destroy countless innocent people, and the wounding and maiming of many more. Few Kurdish families were spared.

Commemoration ceremonies, such as this, are meant to remember the lives of loved ones lost, or forever changed. Having said this, a ceremony like this also serves as a stark reminder to all. A stark reminder that such horrific acts are never to be repeated.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Today, 100 men and boys have come home. To rest. At last. Surrounded by their families and friends. We honour them. And we can only hope that their return brings some measure of peace to those who have searched for them all these years.

You know, the diversity of the Kurdistan Region, and indeed the Republic of Iraq, is often described as one of its greatest strengths.

Having said this: it is also well-known that we are reaching an important crossroads for the well-being of all: here in the Kurdistan Region and in Iraq at large. Hence, I can only emphasize the magnitude of what is at stake: the ability for every citizen to live in peace, prosperity and dignity.

So, let us honour the many lives lost. Let us honour them by working together. It is the only way to begin to heal the deep wounds left by decades of conflict and division, to set the conditions which allow all people to prosper, in safety and security, with respect for one another.

In closing, ladies and gentlemen, and in living memory of the victims, I wholeheartedly reaffirm our support and solidarity with those who continue to bear the scars of monstrous inhumanity. And I again extend our deepest sympathy to the families and friends of the missing and our condolences for the lives lost.

Thank you.