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FD-302a (Rev. 10-6-95) : . Lt, ‘ wv ° | 2S 315E-HQ-1448534-302 Continuation ofFD-3020f ____Ali Hasan Al-Majid _. ,On 03/20/2004 ,Page__3 they had eaten at each other’s homes. -Al-Majid disliked Talabani but did not hate him. He affectionately. referred to him as the “sheikh of the saboteurs.” Al-Majid stated "saboteurs" was the term the Iraqis used in official documents to describe Kurds who resisted Iraqi government rule. Al-Majid had only heard that the "saboteurs" had relationships with other governments such as Iran and Turkey; and eventually with the United States and other western countries. Iran entered into a relationship with the Kurds,: whereby Iran not only benefitted from the relationship but also destroyed the Kurds Iraqi reputation: In 1987, Iran declared that year would be the last one of the Iran-Iraq War and sent its agents into Kurdish territories inside Iraq. Iran attempted to establish its presence in certain areas such as Halabja and others. According to Al-Majid, these actions necessitated military action by. Iraq. Al-Majid agreed that it was difficult for the Iraqi, government to distinguish Kurds from Iranians or good individuals from bad ones. ‘ Al-Majid’s powers in the northern region lasted approximately two years until April, 1989, but he does not recall whether an RCC decree was issued repealing his powers. Hassan Ali Al-Amiri replaced Al-Majid as the Secretary General of the Northern Bureau Command. In June, 1989, Al-Majid was appointed Minister of ‘Local Government. Al-Majid denied having any knowledge of executions of Kurds in Northern. Iraq. Ai-Majid stated his duties included the collectivization of villages within the specified five km boundary into government housing complexes. Those yillages outside of the five km boundary fell under the control of Nazar Khazraji, Iraqi Army Chief of Staff. As part of the process, Al-Majid ordered Kurds within the Ba'ath Party to- explain the need for collectivization to the effected Kurdish population. Additionally, Al-Majid declared that no one, not even one person, would be moved until the land was prepared and electricity was-established. As part of their relocation, the affected Kurds were given 3,000. Traqi Dinars (approximately $10,000) to build new homes within the authorized zones. Alternatively, the Kurds were allowed to choose new living quarters within the government housing complexes. Al-Majid also coordinated the travel of those living in distant ’ villagés to. théir’ new homés by communicating with the governors of the provinces. These tasks required considerable effort from all the government services.