Kurds in NZ celebrate capture of Saddam

By NATASHA HARRIS


Auckland's Kurdish community celebrated the capture of Saddam Hussein by picnicking yesterday in Cornwall Park.

In an all-day celebration, 150 Kurds held hands, danced and listened to speeches about the "relief" of Saddam being "finally held accountable".

Some held banners saying, "The end of all dictators will be like Saddam" and "The end of Saddam is the beginning for democracy and freedom in Iraq".

Kurd New Zealand Society spokesman Karwan Eskerie said the picnic had extra significance as 90 per cent of Kurds in New Zealand had fled Iraq as political refugees.

"You would struggle to find a person here who doesn't have a relative that hasn't been tortured or killed or abused by the Iraqi regime," Mr Eskerie said.

For years, Saddam persecuted Kurds - in 1988 his regime killed more than 5000 Kurds with chemical weapons in Halabja.

Mr Eskerie said the Kurds wanted a fair trial for Saddam and for him to be punished for his crimes. He said Iraq could now move forward.