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This is an archived USAID document retained on this web site as a matter of public record.
USAID Documents the Horrors of Iraq's Mass Graves in a New Publication and Film
WASHINGTON, DC 20523
PRESS OFFICE
http://www.usaid.gov/
Press: (202) 712-4320
Public Information: (202) 712-4810
2004-014
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 17, 2004
Contact: USAID Press Office
WASHINGTON, DC - The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Administrator Andrew S. Natsios expressed the depth of human tragedy in Iraq when he presented a Mass Graves booklet and film depicting the mass graves uncovered in post-war Iraq. In a briefing at the Foreign Press Center on March 17, 2004, Natsios released this moving documentation of Iraq's mass grave sites and reiterated the steps USAID is taking to help meet the humanitarian and emotional needs of Iraq's people.
"In an effort for all Iraqis to move into their new democratic future, there must be an accurate accounting of these past atrocities," said Natsios. "Above all, people in Iraq and around the world hope to learn from the crimes of the past, so they will not be allowed to occur again. That's why the mass graves of Iraq must be documented, reported, and never forgotten."
USAID released its 14-page Mass Graves booklet to serve as a first step in this accounting. The booklet details a brief history of the mass killing reports since the 1980s and the search for grave sites that began after May 2003. Three first-person accounts from survivors and poignant images of the work being done to bring closure to many Iraqi families are included as well.
During the press conference, a five-minute segment of a new film "Saddam's Mass Graves" was also shown. The film, which is a 58-minute documentary produced by Iraqi filmmaker Jano Rosebiani with a small grant from USAID, addresses through interviews and personal accounts the deep anguish of the survivors and those who lost family members and friends to the mystery of mass killings.
To date, estimates show that 270 suspected mass graves have been uncovered. With the assistance of USAID, these grave sites are being classified and managed under three categories: sites where large numbers of Iraqis are seeking the bones of loves ones independently and efforts are being made to document victims; humanitarian exhumation sites where trained Iraqi professionals are available to teach communities how to properly identify remains; and eight to 20 full criminal investigation sites, which are being protected in order for an Iraqi Special Tribunal to try potential cases for crimes against humanity and genocide.
The Mass Graves booklet, which is available in both English and Arabic, is available at USAID's website at www.usaid.gov. Copies of the film were made available following the press conference. For more information, please contact the USAID Press Office at 202-712-4320.
The U.S. Agency for International Development has provided economic and humanitarian assistance worldwide for more than 40 years.
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