Press Release
December 14, 2005
Washington, D.C. — Dr. Najmaldin O. Karim, President of the Washington Kurdish Institute (WKI), today released the following statement concerning Dr. Ahmed Uthman:
It is with great sadness that we mourn the passing of our dear friend Dr. Ahmed Uthman, on the morning of December 14, 2005 at 8am. in Buffalo,New York.Kak Ahmed as we called him was born in 1931 in Sulimany in Kurdistan, after graduating with Honors from High school he was awarded a scholarship and completed his studies at Leeds University in the United Kingdom. Dr. Uthman then completed his post graduate training and obtained a FRCS degree at Leeds University, where he met his lovely and devoted wife Barbara. Dr. Uthman returned to Iraq and was appointed, Dean of the college of Dentistry at the University of Baghdad, he then fled Saddam Hussein’s repression and settled in Buffalo New York were he served as Professor of Dentistry at the dental school in Buffalo University. Dr. Uthman was a
generous and compassionate human being who was also a great Human Rights advocate. Dr. Uthman treated countless poor patients and helped many poor students finish school. Dr. Uthman was a member of many professional societies. He
was well traveled and was in great demand to lecture and speak before
different medical groups throughout the world.
Dr. Uthman was a great Kurdish patriot, he risked family’s life as well as his own to defend his people in their pursuit of freedom, he gave a great deal to the Kurdish cause. Dr. Uthman was a founding member and President of the Kurdish American Medical Association; a founding member, Secretary and Executive vice president of the Kurdish National Congress of North
America; and a member of the Board at the Washington Kurdish Institute.
Dr. Uthman is survived by his wife Barbara, son Alan, daughters Joanne, Suzanne, and Vian. His brothers Dr. Mahmoud Osman, Abdulrahman, Yasin, and his two sisters and many grand children. Dr. Uthman will be missed dearly
by his family, friends and his people.
May he rest in peace and god bless his soul.