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Kurds Want Genocide to Be Recognised
25.8.2006
By Mohammed A. Salih
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Sulaimaniyah, Kurdistan-Iraq, August 25, --
Fanning her grandchild in a cradle, Bahiya, 74,
recalls "the most difficult time" of her life.
She had lived for years in Binaka village, southeast
of Kirkuk, with her family of 15. Their peaceful
life ended in April of 1988 when Iraqi army units
moved into nearby areas to fight Kurdish Peshmarga
forces.
"It was just a few weeks after the gassing of
Halabja," said Bahiya, who now lives in Rizgari
district, 175km south of Suleimaniya. "We were
afraid that we might be bombed with chemicals as
well."
More than 100 families living in Binaka were taken
to Nugra Salman prison near Iraq's southern border
with Saudi Arabia. Bahiya spent five months there
living on a daily diet of a bottle of unclean water
and a piece of hard bread.
After release, Bahiya headed home, only to see her
village razed to the ground and 12 members of her
family missing. "Later I found out they were all
killed during Anfal (operations against Kurds)," she
said.
But she is pleased now that "the day of
accountability for Saddam and his men has come."
According to Kurd figures, about 182,000 people were
massacred in eight stages of Anfal, from February
1988 through September. International human rights
groups estimate the number is between 50,000 and
100,000.
The Anfal was launched in retaliation for Kurds'
cooperation with Iranian troops during the
eight-year war between Iraq and Iran.
The killings have brought Saddam Hussein and six
others to stand trial on charges of genocide and
crimes against humanity. Kurds want the genocide to
be accepted by court; they want justice, and they
want also the political fruits they can pluck from
such a decision.
"The regime of Saddam Hussein attempted to take away
the right to life from a part of the Kurdish
people," said Abdurrahman Haji Zebari, legal
consultant for the Arbil-based Organisation of Anfal
Victims in Kurdistan.
"Recognition of the Anfal genocide campaign will
lead to international sympathy with Kurds," Zebari,
who represents the victims in the Anfal trial in
Baghdad told IPS. "We have enough evidence to prove
that in court."
If the court finds Saddam and his henchmen guilty of
Anfal, survivors can claim compensation from the
Iraqi government.
Saddam faces trial before presiding judge Abdullah
al-Amiri, a Shia Arab. A 32-member team of lawyers
is defending the victims.
In the three sessions of the Anfal trial this week,
several Kurdish witnesses gave evidence against
Saddam and the other defendants. One of the main
accused is Saddam's cousin Ali Hassan al-Majid,
nicknamed Chemical Ali for his suspected role in the
March 1988 gassing of Halabja.
Halabja is a town 250km northeast of Baghdad. Nearly
5,000 people are believed to have died in the
chemical attack.
On the first day of the trial, Kurds observed five
minutes silence. Black banners were raised above
Kurdistan government buildings. Many Kurds are
asking for the trial to be held in Kurdistan, the
northern region of Iraq.
Apart from the charges against Saddam, Kurdish
victims may file cases against other parties they
believe were involved in Anfal.
Documents released recently suggest that 18 Kurdish
women, aged 14 to 29, arrested during Anfal were
sold by government officials to night clubs in
Egypt. That revelation has put strong pressure on
Kurdish authorities to investigate the fate of those
women.
The documents were obtained from Baath party offices
following the collapse of the Saddam regime.
"Recognition of Anfal atrocities in the court can
lead to filing suits against the countries that were
involved one way or another in Anfal," said Nadir
Rosti, an official in the newly formed Anfal
Ministry in Kurdistan.
In response to witnesses' accounts, Saddam and his
defence team have argued that the operations in the
north were aimed at Kurdish guerrilla fighters
allied with Iran. |
Blind Kurdish chid from the chemical attack on Kurds
by former Saddam regime
Witness Ali Mustafa Hama (L) testifies in the
"Anfal" genocide against the Kurds on Tuesday.
Former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein (R).
Photo : AFP| Reuters
Chemical attacks against Kurds
Photos: KURDNET Archive
Death zone after chemical attacks. |
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Many Anfal survivors are asking for execution of
Saddam, but say this will not bring justice to them.
"He must be killed," said Nazanin Haidar, 30, from
Rizgari. "But his death will not bring back the
fingers of any of our children who died on his
hand."
IPS
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