In Memoriam: Baghdad, 19 August 2003
A terrorist attack on the United Nations Headquarters in Baghdad, on 19 August 2003, claimed the lives of 22 people. Among those killed was the top United Nations envoy in Iraq, Sergio Vieira de Mello of Brazil, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. Mr. Vieira de Mello had a long and distinguished UN career stretching over 30 years. Before being appointed to the human rights post in 2002, he was the UN Transitional Administrator in East Timor, and prior to that briefly held the position of Special Representative for Kosovo. He had extensive Headquarters, and field experience in humanitarian and peacekeeping operations, including in Bangladesh, Sudan, Cyprus, Mozambique, Peru and Lebanon. The attack devastated the Canal Hotel, which served as a base for some 300 international UN personnel in Baghdad out of the 646 in Iraq altogether.
Workers and soldiers search through the rubble of UN
Headquarters, Baghdad, after the explosion. (UN Photo)
Remarks by Secretary-General Kofi Annan at memorial service held 19 September 2003.
UN Secretariat News Tribute Edition
The Fallen
UN STAFF MEMBERS:
Sergio Vieira de Mello
Reham Al-Farra
Emaad Ahmed Salman Al-Jobory
Raid Shaker Mustafa Al-Mahdawi
Leen Assad Al-Quadi
Ranilo Buenaventura
Rick Hooper
Reza Hosseini
Ihssan Taha Husain
Jean-Sélim
Kanaan
Christopher Klein-Beekman
Martha Teas
Basim Mahmood Utaiwi
Fiona Watson
Nadia Younes
OTHERS:
Saad Hermiz Abona
Omar Kahtan Mohamed Al-Orfali
Gillian Clark
Arthur Helton
Manuel Martín-Oar
Khidir Saleem Sahir
Alya Ahmad Sousa