Groundbreaking ceremony held for Iskandariyah courthouse

ISKANDARIYAH, IRAQ

05.28.2008

Story by Sgt. 1st Class Tami Hillis 

4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division Public Affairs

By Sgt. 1st Class Tami Hillis
4th Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division

FORWARD OPERATING BASE KALSU, Iraq – Iraqi leaders, including the chief justice of the Higher Judicial Council, unearthed heaping mounds of dirt, May 28, in a ceremonial ground breaking where a new courthouse will stand in Iskandariyah, approximately 50 kilometers south of Baghdad.

The project was initiated within the nahia council and is one effort by local and national government to increase the capacity of local court systems.

"I hope the new courthouse will promote law and order as well as democracy," said Chief Justice Medhat al-Mahmoud, the chief justice of the HJC – a body similar to the U.S. Supreme Court.

The Iskandariyah courthouse has needed repairs for some time. Renovation was impractical because the building was not owned by the Iraq HJC.

Damage caused by an electrical fire in January made the construction of a new courthouse a priority, even thought the court continued to function.

Through the combined efforts of the HJC and coalition forces, land for the new facility was secured in February.

The Iskandariyah court processes numerous criminal cases in the Multi-National Division – Center area of operation and lies at the center of the historically volatile fault line of North Babil province.

Coalition forces also attended the ceremony to show their support for the project and celebrate the historic day.

"This is an important day for the city of Iskandariyah," said Lt. Col. Michael Getchell, commander of 2nd Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, attached to 4th Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Inf. Div. "This is another step forward in the area as security continues to improve and projects are able to develop."

"This important project demonstrates the government of Iraq's and the HJC's commitment to supporting our local courts and creating conditions necessary for the rule of law to flourish," Medhat said.

Coalition forces approved $30,000 in Commander's Emergency Response Program funds for furnishings and supplies intended for the new Iskandariyah court.

"It is encouraging to see the benefits of the security in the area paying off," Getchell said. "It's been a lot of hard work by the mayor, the police and the citizens who have brought security to the area that has allowed bringing in essential services that are needed."

• Date Taken: 05.28.2008
• Date Posted: 06.02.2008 09:43
• Story ID: 20023
• Location: ISKANDARIYAH, IQ