A monument in memory of the victims of a chemical weapons attack on the town of Halabja in March 1988
On the 16th of March, thirty-one years ago today, chemical weapons claimed the lives of thousands of innocent victims in the town of Halabja.
This terrible event remains the most lethal use of chemical weapons against a civilian population in history. The attack left a legacy of pain and suffering for the survivors, their families, and their community.
Today, we commemorate this tragic event with respect for its victims, as well as a renewed commitment to ensuring such tragedies are never repeated.
On behalf of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, I not only offer our deepest sympathies to the authorities and residents of Halabja, but also our promise to maintain our efforts to eradicate the threat of these terrible weapons.
The Chemical Weapons Convention is a bond shared by 193 countries to exclude completely the possibility of the use of chemical weapons. Over the 22 years of action under its obligations, we have made impressive progress towards this noble goal. To ensure that future generations with be spared the suffering that occurred in Halabja, let us recommit ourselves to the complete elimination of chemical weapons from the world.