Baghdede fire tragedy of Chaldean-Syriac-Assyrian people commemorated in Iraq

BAGHDEDE, Iraq —  Bethnahrain Patriotic Union Party (Huyodo d-Bethnahrin Athroyo, HBA) recalled the 1^st anniversary of the Baghdede fire tragedy, in which 134 Chaldean-Syriac-Assyrian people were martyred.

The fire tragedy perpetrators are still unknown and no real results have been announced so far, which adds pain to the series of other tragedies that have befallen Chaldean-Syriac-Assyrian people for more than a century.

The HBA criticized the positions of successive Iraqi governments that prioritize their interests at the expense of rights of Chaldean-Syriac-Assyrian indigenous people of land and civilization in Beth Nahrin (Mesopotamia).

The HBA statement called for transforming the Nineveh Plain into an autonomy region, within a federal, democratic, pluralistic Iraq.

The HBA stressed that recalling the tragedy of the Baghdede fire should wake up Chaldean-Syriac-Assyrian people from the illusions and promises of the Iraqi parties, which only bring murder, destruction, displacement and the seizure of historical villages, as well as take away the Chaldean-Syriac-Assyrian rights and free will.

The HBA statement saluted the Baghdede martyrs, considering them torches that illuminate the path of Chaldean-Syriac-Assyrian people for a better life.

In comments to our news desk, member of the HBA Executive Office Maryam Imad Elias condemned the international and Iraqi silence on the fire tragedy.

“Chaldean-Syriac-Assyrian people will only get their legitimate rights by joining hands. Failure to cooperate to obtain rights will lead to repeating such incidents,” she added.

She extended her condolences to families of martyrs of the Chaldean-Syriac-Assyrian people and called on them to join hands to obtain their rights in their historical land.

On the tragedy 1^st anniversary, a minute of silence was observed at 8:30, a.m., in the cities and towns of Nineveh Governorate, in memory of martyrs of the Baghdede tragedy.

This step came at the direction of Nineveh Governor Abdulkader al-Dakhil.