Those who lost their lives were commemorated on the 34th anniversary of Saddam Hussein’s ‘Anfal’ campaign of genocide against the Kurds in southern Kurdistan (northern Iraq).

The Kurdish genocide took place from February to September in 1988. Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein gave the order for the campaign, which was carried out by his cousin, Ali Hasan Al Majid. More than 180 thousand Kurdish civilians were killed in the process. The most notorious genocidal attack of the campaign was the chemical attack on Halabja on March 16, 1988.

April 14 was declared as the day of remembrance for Kurdish genocide in South Kurdistan.

IRAQI GOVERNMENT SHOULD PAY COMPENSATION

This year, commemoration events took place in many cities on Thursday. The Association of Halabja Martyrs and Anfal Victims placed a wreath on the genocide monument as they marked the 34th anniversary of the genocide.

“We call on the Iraqi and Kurdistan Regional Governments to take the Anfal massacre seriously. We also urge the Iraqi government to abide by the Iraqi parliament's decision to recognize the Anfal campaign as genocide and pay compensation to the victims,” Kameran Mustafa, Director General of the Association of Halabja Martyrs and Anfal Victims, said during the ceremony.

COMMEMORATION IN CHAMCHAMAL

A ceremony was held in front of the Anfal monument in the Chamchamal district of Sulaymaniyah. Messages from the representatives of many institutions and the relatives of victims were read out. An exhibition was also displayed during the ceremony.

AZADI MOVEMENT: IRAQ SHOULD BE TRIED IN INTERNATIONAL COURT

The Kurdistan Freedom Movement (Tevgera Azadî ya Civaka Kurdistanê) released a written statement to mark the 34th anniversary of the genocide, saying, “The Kurdish governments have so far failed to have the Anfal campaign recognized as a genocide across the world. Iraq should be tried in an international court in order to avoid further genocides.”

“As Tevgera Azadi, we support the demands of the victims of the Anfal campaign. We need to express the demands of our people and stand together against occupation, instead of placing wreaths on monuments every year, so that the Kurds are not subjected to further massacres,” the statement added.

GERMIYAN PEOPLE REFUSE TO ATTEND OFFICIAL COMMEMORATION

The survivors of genocide in Germiyan stated that they would not participate in the commemoration events organized by the government, on the grounds that the perpetrators were not punished and protected.

People went to the Nugre Selman prison where many Kurdish patriots were imprisoned and murdered during the genocidal campaign to do a memorial service.