Friday, January 16, 2004

Ian Rimell, the deminer killed in an ambush in Northern Iraq last September, is to receive a permanent memorial in the town of Hatra.

Here's the MAG press release:

SCHOOL NAMED AFTER UK BOMB DISPOSAL EXPERT KILLED IN IRAQ

Release: 17 January 2004

THE BOMB disposal expert, ambushed and killed in Iraq four months ago, is to have the school he was helping to rebuild in northern Iraq, named after him in a dedication ceremony on Sunday 18 January.

Ian Rimell, who worked for Nobel Peace prizewinning landmine charity Mines Advisory Group, was shot, and his colleague Salim Ahmed Mohammed seriously injured in September last year. They were on their way home after discussing with community members what to do with the funds Ian had raised from the valuable metals retrieved from munitions during the course of his bomb disposal work. These metals can be sold in Iraq and the money, in this case, an earmarked for the rebuilding of the Girls’ Secondary School of Hatra. Ian’s vehicle, clearly marked with the distinctive MAG skull and bones emblem, was ambushed on the journey home from work that day.

The ceremony will announce the renaming of the school to ‘The Ian Rimell School For Girls’ and unveils a dedication message on the school’s wall. The mayor of Hatra, city council members, the chief of police, Ian’s work colleagues, members of the US Army and the 60 children and teachers from the school will attend.

MAG’s Executive Director, Lou McGrath said: "It was such a tragic event and for something like this to have come from it shows just how valued Ian was and not only to MAG as an expert in clearing mines out there but to the local community in Iraq. We are so pleased for Ian’s family that he is going to be remembered forever in this way and it shows just how much the people of that area appreciated Ian’s heartfelt support."

Ian’s wife Jennifer Rimell was so moved by the dedication she had this to say: "My children and I are so very proud of what Ian did for the local community. We are pleased that the school will be named after him as it means he will never be forgotten amongst those he helped. We would like to thank all those people who have given money and support to the Ian Rimell trust fund and enabled it to do so well."

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