Voice of America Reporter Visits Mahawi Village Near Mass Grave - 2003-05-14

A Voice of America reporter has visited the village of Mahawi near a mass grave - 2003-05-14. Iraqi rescue workers in southern Iraq have discovered the bodies of thousands in a mass grave identified as one of the largest slaughterhouses during Saddam Hussein's regime. MICHAEL DRUDGE, a Voice of America reporter who visited the village of Mahawi near this mass grave, has a report on this matter: Thousands are flocking to this mass grave located near the village of Mahawi in the Hila region of Babil province, in search of their missing relatives. Local doctor Rafiq al-Husseini says the locals have long known that this area is the burial site of Shiites who were massacred on Saddam Hussein's orders following a failed Shiite uprising 12 years ago. Iraqis are using tractors in their search for their relatives, while some are digging the ground with their bare hands. Remains are being placed in plastic bags for later identification. Peter Bouckaert, a Human Rights Watch investigator, says the heavy tools used to extract the bodies eliminate essential signs and evidence necessary for identifying the remains and pursuing legal action against former Iraqi officials. Nevertheless, American officials say they do not intend to intervene in the excavation process. According to a spokesperson for Human Rights Watch, some of the bodies were buried with wallets, passports, and other documents. So far, the identities of nearly ten percent, or perhaps less, of the victims have been identified. Unfortunately, most of those buried in this mass grave will likely never be identified due to the manner of excavation. Relief workers say over 2,500 bodies have been discovered, and it is believed that approximately 14,000 victims of the 1991 Shiite suppression by Saddam Hussein may be buried in this mass grave.