Iraqi community in Australia rallies at Parliament, urges independent inquiry into Baghdede wedding hall tragedy

CANBERRA — The Iraqi community in Australia organized a demonstration in front of the Australian Parliament, calling for an impartial and comprehensive international investigation into the devastating fire at the Al-Haytham Wedding Hall in the Nineveh Plains town of Baghdede (Qaraqosh / Hamdaniya), Iraq, that killed over 100 members of the Chaldean–Syriac–Assyrian community.

The demonstrators urged that a parliamentary committee be established to uncover the root causes of the fire. The proposed committee would be composed of parliamentarians and representatives from civil society organizations. The demonstrators emphasized the importance of the committee’s on-site presence in Baghdede to facilitate a meticulous inquiry conducted by international experts.

The Iraqi community’s appeal resonated with a call to preserve the Nineveh Plain as a region insulated from political and military conflicts. Their plea underscored a collective desire to live under the auspices of law and governance, with a specific demand for the right to self-administration in accordance with the Iraqi constitution.

In addition to the quest for justice, the community voiced demands for compensation and comprehensive medical and psychological support for the families of the victims. They emphasized the necessity of revealing the fate of the missing individuals, providing full treatment for the wounded, and establishing a rehabilitation center for those who survived the tragic fire.