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Michael D. Higgins appeals for release of Margaret Hassan

Issued : Friday 22 October, 2004

I am one of those who met Margaret Hassan during the course of her work for the Iraqi people and particularly its women and children.

As recently as January 27th 2003, before the last terrible and illegal war commenced, she was working on developing a strategy for emergency food distribution and the sustenance of therapeutic feeding centres for children. Her concern was entirely for Iraqi civilians and particularly children at risk in the event of war. Much earlier, in 2001, I was aware of her work in the distribution of medicine at the worst time during the sanctions.

The interruption to Margaret Hassan’s work is itself a powerful blow to those who most need her work in Iraq. Her detention makes no sense whatsoever to those who for so long have been concerned for the welfare of Iraqi civilians.

She is simply a person who stayed with the Iraqi people in the most difficult of times. She has given most of her life to the welfare of the Iraqi people. She is Iraqi and Irish . She is married to an Iraqi who has served the Iraqi people.

All of us who have opposed the war, who have sought to be of assistance to the Iraqi people, feel that she should be immediately released. Her detention is doing immense damage to the cause of Iraq and will lose many, many friends to the Iraqi people. We seek her release, her return to her family and her work immediately.