THE CHEMICAL ATTACK AGAINST THE KURDISH NATION: A GENOCIDAL ACT
This spring is the 23rd year ago, when Halabja has been attacked with chemical weapons from the former Ba’athi regime on the 16th of March 1988 in Iraq. Due to this chemical attack, the life of 5 000 innocent Kurds has taken away and more than 100 000 people were injured, which some of these are still suffering from the side effect of the mentioned brutal attack. Also, the new born children after the chemical attack have been suffered enormously from its consequences. However, this inhumane act has not taken seriously by the international public opinion and attempts are failed to prevent such cruel acts in the world after Halabja.
WATCH FILM - PHOTOS - INFO BOOK - LISTENING REGISTRATIONS EN / ORIGINAL
Speech of Fakhraldin Saleem - Speech of RaoufFaraj - Speech of Shlar Resid
In this respect, the Ministry of Martyrs and Anfal (KRG), Kurdistan National Congress (KNK), the active work and attempts from ‘CHAK’ foundation should be noted, which has supported dozens of Halabja cases and brought them to the attention of the Iraqi High Criminal Court, and other organizations and personalities in order to consider the chemical attack as genocide. Also, the day of 16th of March needs to be recognized as a day to combat chemical weapons and both emotional and material compensation to be provided to the victims of this cruel attack. There is no doubt that activities have been fruitful in Halabja case, such as the Dutch court’s decision to convict the Dutch trade dealer (Frans van Anraat) for 15 years for involvement in providing the chemical material to the former regime in Iraq. In addition, the hard work of the activists should be recognized that have led the Iraqi High Criminal Court in convicting the former regime’s high officials, who were involved in mass murder and cruelty against humanity. Although these attempts are highly appreciate, nevertheless, it does not meet the Kurdish nation’s request in obtaining international recognition of all painful cruelty that have been committed against our nation. Also, our role is to work hard for such recognition through disseminating information and participating in conferences in one hand to raise international awareness on cruelty that occurred in past against us, while on the other hand to hand in hand with other nation in combating crimes against humanity.
Kurdistan National Congress - KNK
GUE/NGL Group in the European Parliament
In cooperation with
European Parliament - Kurds Friendship Group
Kurdocide watch - CHAK
Kurdish Institute of Brussels - KIB
The Confederation of Kurdish Association in Europe-KONKURD
The Halabja Genocide and the Anfal campaigns
REMEMBERING THE HALABJA GENOCIDE AND THE USE OF CHEMICAL WEAPONS AGAINST KURDS IN IRAQ
Wednesday 16th of March, 2011
Room ASP 3G2, 15h00 - 18h30
European Parliament - Rue Wiertz 60 - 1047 Brussels
(interpretation in Arabic, Turkish, English, also from French and German)
PROGRAMME
15.00 – 16.00 HISTORICAL BACKGROUND and POLITICAL SITUATION IN THE REGION
Moderators:
- Dr. Faeq Mohammed AHMED, Member of KNK, Kurdistan-Iraq
- MEP Jürgen KLUTE, GUE/NGL Group, Germany
Speakers:
- Mr. Prof. Dr. Jebar GHAFOR, Prof. of History, Iraq-Kurdistan
- Ms. Sabahat TUNCEL, MP Turkey, BDP Party
16.00 – 18.00 THE HALABJA GENOCIDE
Moderators:
- Mr. Refik GEFUR, member of KNK, Norway
- Mr. Jan BEGHIN, Chair of the Belgian inter-parliamentary working group on Kurds, former vice-president of the Brussels' Parliament
Film on Halabja 10 minutes
Speakers:
Victims & Witness of Halabja Genocide
- Mr. Fakhralddin Saleem H.YOUSIF, Halabja Victims Committee
The role of the international community in the recognition of the Halabja Genocide
- Ms. Shlair RASHID, former MP, Kurdistan Regional Government
- Mr. Jan van AKEN, MP Die Linke, German Parliament
Political significance of the Halabja Genocide
- Mr. Raouf Faraj MOHAMMED, former MP, Member of Kurdistan Parliamentarian Union KPU
- Mr. Fadhil Muhammed QAER, MP, Kurdistan Regional Parliament
EU-IRAQ relation and the international responsibility against genocides
- MEP Frieda BREPOELS, MEP Greens-EFA
- Prof. Philip SPENCER, Director of the Helen Bamber Centre for the Study of Rights, Conflict and Mass Violence
18.00 -18.30 Adoption of a Final Declaration
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WHAT IS GENOCIDE?
The crime of genocide is defined in international law in the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of Genocide.
By Gregory H. Stanton, President, Genocide Watch
"Article II: In the present Convention, genocide means any of the following acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group, as such:
(a) Killing members of the group;
(b) Causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group;
(c) Deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part;
(d) Imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group;
(e) Forcibly transferring children of the group to another group.
Article III: The following acts shall be punishable:
(a) Genocide;
(b) Conspiracy to commit genocide;
(c) Direct and public incitement to commit genocide;
(d) Attempt to commit genocide;
(e) Complicity in genocide.
The Genocide Convention was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on 9 December 1948. The Convention entered into force on 12 January 1951. More than 130 nations have ratified the Genocide Convention and over 70 nations have made provisions for the punishment of genocide in domestic criminal law. The text of Article II of the Genocide Convention was included as a crime in Article 6 of the 1998 Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.
Punishable Acts
The following are genocidal acts when committed as part of a policy to destroy a group’s existence:
Killing members of the group includes direct killing and actions causing death.
Causing serious bodily or mental harm includes inflicting trauma on members of the group through widespread torture, rape, sexual violence, forced or coerced use of drugs, and mutilation.
Deliberately inflicting conditions of life calculated to destroy a group includes the deliberate deprivation of resources needed for the group’s physical survival, such as clean water, food, clothing, shelter or medical services. Deprivation of the means to sustain life can be imposed through confiscation of harvests, blockade of foodstuffs, detention in camps, forcible relocation or expulsion into deserts.
Prevention of births includes involuntary sterilization, forced abortion, prohibition of marriage, and long-term separation of men and women intended to prevent procreation.
Forcible transfer of children may be imposed by direct force or by through fear of violence, duress, detention, psychological oppression or other methods of coercion. The Convention on the Rights of the Child defines children as persons under the age of 14 years.
Genocidal acts need not kill or cause the death of members of a group. Causing serious bodily or mental harm, prevention of births and transfer of children are acts of genocide when committed as part of a policy to destroy a group’s existence:
It is a crime to plan or incite genocide, even before killing starts, and to aid or abet genocide: Criminal acts include conspiracy, direct and public incitement, attempts to commit genocide, and complicity in genocide.
Key Terms
The crime of genocide has two elements: intent and action. “Intentional” means purposeful. Intent can be proven directly from statements or orders. But more often, it must be inferred from a systematic pattern of coordinated acts.
Intent is different from motive. Whatever may be the motive for the crime (land expropriation, national security, territorial integrity, etc.,) if the perpetrators commit acts intended to destroy a group, even part of a group, it is genocide.
The phrase "in whole or in part" is important. Perpetrators need not intend to destroy the entire group. Destruction of only part of a group (such as its educated members, or members living in one region) is also genocide. Most authorities require intent to destroy a substantial number of group members – mass murder. But an individual criminal may be guilty of genocide even if he kills only one person, so long as he knew he was participating in a larger plan to destroy the group.
The law protects four groups - national, ethnical, racial or religious groups.
A national group means a set of individuals whose identity is defined by a common country of nationality or national origin.
An ethnical group is a set of individuals whose identity is defined by common cultural traditions, language or heritage.
A racial group means a set of individuals whose identity is defined by physical characteristics.
A religious group is a set of individuals whose identity is defined by common religious creeds, beliefs, doctrines, practices, or rituals.
© 2002 Genocide Watch
GENOCIDE CONVENTION
Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide
Approved and proposed for signature and ratification or accession by General Assembly resolution 260 A (III) of 9 December 1948 entry into force 12 January 1951, in accordance with article XIII status of ratifications, reservations and declarations
The Contracting Parties,
Having considered the declaration made by the General Assembly of the United Nations in its resolution 96 (I) dated 11 December 1946 that genocide is a crime under international law, contrary to the spirit and aims of the United Nations and condemned by the civilized world,
Recognizing that at all periods of history genocide has inflicted great losses on humanity, and
Being convinced that, in order to liberate mankind from such an odious scourge, international co-operation is required,
Hereby agree as hereinafter provided:
Article 1:The Contracting Parties confirm that genocide, whether committed in time of peace or in time of war, is a crime under international law which they undertake to prevent and to punish.
Article 2:In the present Convention, genocide means any of the following acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group, as such:
(a) Killing members of the group;
(b) Causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group;
(c) Deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part;
(d) Imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group;
(e) Forcibly transferring children of the group to another group.
Article 3:The following acts shall be punishable:
(a) Genocide;
(b) Conspiracy to commit genocide;
(c) Direct and public incitement to commit genocide;
(d ) Attempt to commit genocide;
(e) Complicity in genocide.
Article 4:Persons committing genocide or any of the other acts enumerated in article III shall be punished, whether they are constitutionally responsible rulers, public officials or private individuals.
Article 5:The Contracting Parties undertake to enact, in accordance with their respective Constitutions, the necessary legislation to give effect to the provisions of the present Convention, and, in particular, to provide effective penalties for persons guilty of genocide or any of the other acts enumerated in article III.
Article 6: Persons charged with genocide or any of the other acts enumerated in article III shall be tried by a competent tribunal of the State in the territory of which the act was committed, or by such international penal tribunal as may have jurisdiction with respect to those Contracting Parties which shall have accepted its jurisdiction.
Article 7: Genocide and the other acts enumerated in article III shall not be considered as political crimes for the purpose of extradition.
The Contracting Parties pledge themselves in such cases to grant extradition in accordance with their laws and treaties in force.
Article 8:Any Contracting Party may call upon the competent organs of the United Nations to take such action under the Charter of the United Nations as they consider appropriate for the prevention and suppression of acts of genocide or any of the other acts enumerated in article III.
Article 9:Disputes between the Contracting Parties relating to the interpretation, application or fulfilment of the present Convention, including those relating to the responsibility of a State for genocide or for any of the other acts enumerated in article III, shall be submitted to the International Court of Justice at the request of any of the parties to the dispute.
Article 10:The present Convention, of which the Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish texts are equally authentic, shall bear the date of 9 December 1948.
Article 11:The present Convention shall be open until 31 December 1949 for signature on behalf of any Member of the United Nations and of any non member State to which an invitation to sign has been addressed by the General Assembly.
The present Convention shall be ratified, and the instruments of ratification shall be deposited with the Secretary-General of the United Nations.
After 1 January 1950, the present Convention may be acceded to on behalf of any Member of the United Nations and of any non-member State which has received an invitation as aforesaid. Instruments of accession shall be deposited with the Secretary-General of the United Nations.
Article 12:Any Contracting Party may at any time, by notification addressed to the Secretary-General of the United Nations, extend the application of the present Convention to all or any of the territories for the conduct of whose foreign relations that Contracting Party is responsible.
Article 13:On the day when the first twenty instruments of ratification or accession have been deposited, the Secretary-General shall draw up a proces-verbal and transmit a copy thereof to each Member of the United Nations and to each of the non-member States contemplated in article 11.
The present Convention shall come into force on the ninetieth day following the date of deposit of the twentieth instrument of ratification or accession.
Any ratification or accession effected, subsequent to the latter date shall become effective on the ninetieth day following the deposit of the instrument of ratification or accession.
Article 14:The present Convention shall remain in effect for a period of ten years as from the date of its coming into force.
It shall thereafter remain in force for successive periods of five years for such Contracting Parties as have not denounced it at least six months before the expiration of the current period.
Denunciation shall be effected by a written notification addressed to the Secretary-General of the United Nations.
Article 15:If, as a result of denunciations, the number of Parties to the present Convention should become less than sixteen, the Convention shall cease to be in force as from the date on which the last of these denunciations shall become effective.
Article 16:A request for the revision of the present Convention may be made at any time by any Contracting Party by means of a notification in writing addressed to the Secretary-General.
The General Assembly shall decide upon the steps, if any, to be taken in respect of such request.
Article 17:The Secretary-General of the United Nations shall notify all Members of the United Nations and the non-member States contemplated in article XI of the following:
(a) Signatures, ratifications and accessions received in accordance with article 11;
(b) Notifications received in accordance with article 12;
(c) The date upon which the present Convention comes into force in accordance with article 13;
(d) Denunciations received in accordance with article 14;
(e) The abrogation of the Convention in accordance with article 15;
(f) Notifications received in accordance with article 16.
Article 18:The original of the present Convention shall be deposited in the archives of the United Nations.
A certified copy of the Convention shall be transmitted to each Member of the United Nations and to each of the non-member States contemplated in article XI.
Article 19:The present Convention shall be registered by the Secretary-General of the United Nations on the date of its coming into force.
Convention text from the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights
The Genocide Convention in 40 Languages (from Prevent Genocide International)
FINAL DECLARATION
The Chemical Attack Against the Kurdish Nation: A Genocidal Act
For this aim, we view the following steps are important to work on:
1. To prepare comprehensive dossiers about the policies that have been taken place from former Iraqi regimes against the Kurds since 8th of February 1963 and particularly since the establishment of the Ba’athi party on the 17th of July 1968 various policies have been taken against the Kurds, such as:
a. The policy of changing the Kurdish ethnic identity under the name of (citizenship correction) through which Kurdish Yizidi ethnic identity has changed along with Goiy, Homary, Hasaey and thousands of the Kurdish Fayli. This is with an aim to reduce the Kurdish ethnic majority in the region.
b. To kill a big number of the Kurdish Fayli and taken them out from their territory, occupying their property by claiming that they are Iranians and hence not Iraqi nationals.
c. To fire Kurds from important job positions, according to the regime’s assessment, this includes positions that were considered to be sensitive and hence to not be accessible to the Kurdish population.
d. Forced replacement of thousands of Kurds from Kirkuk, Khanaqin, Mandali and Musel to the various places in the southern part in Iraq. This ethnic cleansing policy included of occupying Kurds’ property in cases they would choose to move to Kurdish resident places such as; Erbil, Sulaimaniyah and Duhok.
e. To destroy more than 4, 000 villages in the Kurdish resident territories and disappearance of more than 182, 000 Kurds, some Kurdish women were sold to Arab states, from different military attacks that took place during the Anfal campaign from 19th February to 6th September 1988. This campaign conducted by the Ba’athi regime against the Kurds that formed 5 % of the Iraqi population from that time.
f. To destroy various cities and smaller towns with an aim of abolishing economic flourishing in the Kurdish regions. Simultaneously, forcing population of destroyed place to live in special camps under the regimes control. These smaller towns are, for instance: Penjewin, Saydsadeq, Qaladeze, Qaradakh and other places.
g. To disappear more than 8, 000 Barzani Kurds in two campaigns that took place one in 31st July 1983, and the other in 10th August 1983.
h. 298 mass graves throughout the Iraq and 33 of others have been discovered in Kerkuk region.
i. Chemical attacks in regions, such as in Cafeyetie valley in 15th April 1987 through which a big number of inhabitants were injured. In Khoshnawati region ( Shekh Wastan and Balisan) between 16th April – 27th May 1987, from two attacks more than 200 inhabitants were killed and a big number of people were either injured or disappeared due to the mentioned attacks. In Qaradakh region (Sewsenan, Jafaran w Sarko) that in 7th May 1987 and 22nd March 1988 were attacked with chemical weapons through which in Sewsanan 68 inhabitants have lost their life and more than 100 people were injured. Halabja city suffered the most from these crimes, when on 16th March 1988 the city, the bombed region included Serdest at North and outh Behdinan at North, was attacked with chemical weapons and more than 5 000 inhabits became the victim of this attack and more than 10 000 people were injured. In 18th March 1988, Cafeyeti and Hosnavathi regions were bombed. Also, the chemical attack in Goptapa on 3rd May 1988 cost the life of 154 inhabitants and dozens of people were injured or disappeared through this attack.
2. To document the investigations and decisions that were issued from the Iraqi and the Dutch courts regarding these cases that were convicted or cancelled.
3. The Iraqi High Criminal Court needs to recognize the aforementioned chemical attacks as an act of genocide, since these attacks took place systematically with an intention of ethnic cleansing.
4. The Iraqi High Criminal Court need to decide for mental and material compensation for victims that suffered from the aforementioned attacks, to provide medical support for these that still suffer from these attacks, and to compensate the Kurds as a nation that suffered from crimes against humanity.
5. The Iraqi parliament needs to accept the decisions from the Iraqi High Criminal Courts regarding these cases and its acceptance should include:
a. To formally recognize these crimes as genocide and official apology to the Kurdish nation.
b. To be against any policy that may lead to a repeat of such crimes against the Kurdish nation.
c. Material compensation to the victims and the Kurdish nation
d. The Iraqi parliament needs to work on requesting the Iraqi government to provide official apology to the Kurdish nation and undertake steps for such action.
e. The Iraqi government needs to collaborate for international recognition of crimes against Kurds as genocide and through various policies to support the Kurdish identity in the neighbour countries where Kurds live in.
f. At international level to work for recognizing the 16th of March as an international day against chemical weapons and mass destruction and not the 29th of April, which is known for that.
g. At the international level to work for recognizing the 14th of April as an international day in combating genocide against nations
ABOUT THE CONTRIBUTORS
Dr. Faeq Mohammed Ahmed, Member of Kurdistan National Congress
Dr. Ahmed (Faik Golpy) was born in 1957 in Halabja. He graduated from Sulaymaniyah Medical School and is working as a doctor in Sulaymaniyah. Mr. Goulpi is involved in human rights issues and became an MP at the Federal Kurdistan Parliament. Four of his family members lost their lives during the 1987 – 1988 Halabja massacre. He gave a statement as a doctor and a witness at the court of Baghdad on Halabja. Mr. Goulpi, who was the chair of Kurdistan Solution and Democratic Party (PCDK), is a member of Kurdistan National Congress (KNK).
MEP Jurgen Klute, GUE/NGL Group, Germany
Jürgen Klute is a member of the Federal Party of the Left. Since June 2009 he has been a member of the European Parliament and member and coordinator of the European Left GUE/NGL Group in the Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee and alternate member of the Budget Committee. In the North Rhine-Westphalia state election in 2005 he was a leading candidate of the WASG. Between 1974 and 1981, Mr. Klute studied theology in Bielefeld and Marburg. From 1984 to 1986 Mr. Kluge worked for the vocational school in Bad Berleburg. At the end of April 2006 he was elected to the Federal Executive of the enlarged WASG, a position he held until its dissolution on 15 June 2007. He joined the party Die Linke, and was elected to its founding congress in the federal executive. Jurgen Klute has published a series of books on social ethics, the relation of religion to the social culture and current social and labor policy issues.
Mr. Prof. Dr. Jebar Ghafor, Prof. of History, Iraq-Kurdistan
Mr. Ghafor (Jabbar Qadir) was born in Kirkuk in 1951. He was educated in history at the University of Baghdad in 1972. He gained his PhD degree in Modern History at the Russian Academy of Sciences in Moscow in December 1977. He has worked as a lecturer and associate professor at universities in Sulaymaniyah, Salahaddin and Mosul and at the Near East institute in Amsterdam during 1978-1992. He became professor and dean of the Social Science Faculty at Koya University in Kurdistan in 2007 and he was chosen to be a member of the Kurdish Academy in the same year. His latest post was advisor to the Prime Minister of Kurdistan Regional Government for Higher Education Issues. He has published seven books and more than 150 articles and research in the field of the modern Kurdish issue in relation to Iraq and Turkey.
MP Sabahat Tuncel, BDP Party, Turkish Parliament
Sebahat Tuncel was born in 1975. She has graduated from the Cartography and Land Surveying Department of Mersin University. Ms. Tuncel entered political life in 1998 via the Women’s Branch in the Party of People’s Democracy (HADEP) and assumed office as Esenler District Chairperson for two subsequent periods. Ms. Tuncel is one of the founders of the Democratic Society Party (DTP). Prior to her election as Istanbul Deputy at the 2007 general elections, she held the title of DTP Women’s Assembly Spokesperson. Ms. Tuncel also was the Vice Co-Chairperson of the Democratic Society Party. She is a member of Foreign Affairs Commission of Turkish Grand National Assembly. Ms. Tuncel joined the Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) after the banning of the DTP by the constitutional court of Turkey in 2009. As a well-known human and women’s rights advocate she is engaged in intellectual endeavors and shares her experience with various non-governmental organizations including the UNDP and Amnesty International.
Mr. Refik Gefur, Member of Kurdistan National Congress
Mr. Gefur was born in 1957 in Sulaymaniyah. He was studied in Philosophy at the University of Baghdad. He's written about philosophy and literature. He's living in Norway since 1991. Mr. Gefur, is a member of Kurdistan National Congress (KNK)
Mr. Fakhralddin Saleem Hemayousif, Halabja Victims Committee
Mr. Hemayusif was born in 1949 in Halabja. Six of his family members lost their lives during the Halabja massacre. He is currently working as a teacher.
Ms. Shlair Rashid, former MP, Kurdistan Regional Government
Ms. Rashid was born in 1962 in Kirkuk. She graduated with law degree at the university. She became an MP both in the Iraq Parliament and the Kurdistan Parliament as a member of human rights and woman commission. Ms. Rashid is currently a member of the writers and lawyers union and a member of Kirkuk intellectuals union. She is active in human rights and social issues, as well as women’s activities.
MP Jan van Aken, Die Linke, German Parliament
Mr. Aken is a member of the German parliament since October 2009. He is deputy chair of the parliamentary group DIE LINKE (THE LEFT) and member of the foreign committee.
Jan van Aken is a biologist with a Ph.D. in cell biology from Hamburg University. Before becoming an MP, he was a political advisor for Greenpeace International. Since 1994, he worked for a variety of NGOs, academic institutions and the UN on food & agriculture, genetic engineering, biomedicine, and arms control. From 2004 to 2006, he worked as a biological weapons inspector for the United Nations Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC) in New York. In 1997 and 1998, he was team leader with Greenpeace Germany in the genetic engineering campaign. From 1999 - 2001, he advised NGOs on genetic engineering issues. In 1999, he co-founded the Sunshine Project (www.sunshine-project.org), an international research and advocacy group on biological arms control, where he directed the German office until 2005. From 2001-2003, he participated at the Hamburg University’s Technology Assessment Group in a research project on the societal implications of pharmacogenetics. In 2003, he founded the ‘Study Group on Biological Arms Control’ at the University of Hamburg (www.biological-arms-control.org). Jan van Aken has participated in UN meetings, including WHO, FAO, the Convention on Biological Diversity, Biological Weapons Convention and Chemical Weapons Convention.
Mr. Raouf Faraj MOHAMMED, former MP, Member of Kurdistan Parliamentarian Union KPU
Mr. Raouf Faraj MOHAMMED was born in 1943 in Halabja. Tree of his family members (2 brothers and son) lost their lives during the Halabja massacre. He was MP between 2002-2005, he is working as a teacher. He is currently member of Kurdistan Parliamentarian Union.
MP Fadhil Muhammed Qader, Kurdistan Regional Parliament
Mr. Qader was born on 1958 in Halabja. He attended high school in Halabja. He worked as a responsible for City of Mosul in 1976. He continued this responsibility since his becoming a peshmerga (a Kurdish guerrilla force in Iraqi Kurdistan) involving activities in various areas of Kurdistan in 1978. Mr. Qader was listed as a candidate for Kurdistan local parliamentary elections in July 2007 and he was elected. As an MP, Mr. Qader is a member of the "Municipal and Peshmerga" commission of Parliament. He also chairs the Halabja commission on behalf of the Parliament.
Prof. Philip Spencer, Director of the Helen Bamber Centre for the Study of Rights, Conflict and Mass Violence
Philip Spencer is Professor of Holocaust and Genocide Studies and Director of the Helen Bamber Centre for the Study of Rights, Conflict and Mass Violence at Kingston University. He is also the founder and coordinator of a European Masters’ Program in Human Rights and Genocide Studies. He is the author of Nationalism - A Critical Introduction and of Nations and Nationalism (both with Howard Wollman) and of several works on the Holocaust and genocide. He is currently writing a History of Genocide since 1945 which will include a study of the genocide of the Kurds by Saddam Hussein's regime.
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HALABJA GENOCIDE
By Dr.Faeq M Golpy
After world war one and defeating of Othmanic empire ,most of Middle East nations became free and got their independency, while Kurdish nation and his land divided in between 4 four countries, south Kurdistan became part of Iraq ,from that time till 2003, the Iraqi political authority ,oppressed kurd and tried to assimilat Kurdish people in the framework of ARAB NATION.
The Arabation of Kurdistan policy of Iraqi governments started from 1936 and continuo , during 1968-1987 a processes of transferring of Kurd from strategic region like Kerkuk city, to other places like Sulaimanye city and bringing Arab people from south of Iraq to to live at home of transferring Kurd. demolition and depopulation of Kurdish border villages, and forcing Kurdish people to become member of Saddams party .During 1987-1988 another type of racism policy applied against Kurdish people by using chemical weapon and Anfal sorties against Kurdish civil people by Iraqi military forces.
The massacre of Halabja which had been done by chemical weapon attack of Iraqi military forces on 16-3-1988, is a type of genocide policy of Saddams regime against Kurdish people, and it was an attempt of Saddams regime for ending of Kurdish case by terrorism and mass killing .
HALABJA;
Is a Kurdish town with 80,000 population located at south-east of Sulaimanya city of Iraqi Kurdistan , because of its location near Iraq Iran border and surrounding by mountains, it became one of the more important Kurdistan region during Kurdish revolution for freedom, from the start of Aylul (September) revolution to removal of Saddams regime, this city had been attacked by Iraqi military forces many times, on 26-4-1974 the Iraqi aircrafts bombarded the city and killed 45 people, wounded more than one hundred people and destroyed most of the city.
On May 1987 the Iraqi aircrafts attack the innocent city again, killed more than 70 people and wounded hundreds, distracted a sector of kaniashqan.
HALABJA POISENOUS GAS ATTACK:
On 16-3-1988 after two days of liberation of the city by Peshmerga and defeating of Iraqi troops there, Iraqi aircrafts bombarded the city, initially by conventional weapon napalm and rockets, then at the evening the act of chemical weapon attack started by MIC and MIRAGE aircrafts, began dropping chemical bombs on Halabja residential areas. Me as one of eye witness at Qaradax region saw sorties of about 8-17 planes coming from Kerkuk region and flying towards Halabja then coming back and flying towards Kerkuk again. the Iraqi aircrafts started chemical attack on Halabja, using mustard gas ,nerve agents (sarin, tabom, zoman,vx) and hydrogen cyanide killing around 3,8oo- 5,000 people and wounding around 10,000-12,000 people ,with long acting sequel and complication of the chemical weapons
DISCOVERY :
The first image of Halabja chemical attack ,taken by Iranian journalist, later on other journalists participate in taken images, they distributed the images through the television and newspaper allover the world, by this way they discover the crime of chemical attack of Halabja. Saddams Hussain regime blame Iran for the attack. USA the allies of Iraq at that time suggested Iran was responsible for the attack. International community was mute at that time.
Medical and genetic consequences:
Apart from direct chemical wound and death of innocent people from the chemical attack injury, muster gas has the affinity to make permanent tissue damage and genetic mutation.
There are hundreds of wounded people who are suffering from respiratory system damage and chronic disabling lunge diseases after exposure to muster gas, complaining of cough, shortness of breath and bloody sputum. There is no specific antidote and no specific treatment for muster gas injury.
Muster gas enter the cell nuclear body induce mutation in genetic material, results in birth defect and cancer .according to local health authority of Halabja, colon cancer is 10 times more common in Halabja than other region of Iraq, miss carriage is 14 times more common in halabja than other region of Iraq.
According to a research which had been done by a student in Sulaimanye university college of science on 2000, proved that immunity of people to infection disease in Halabja has been dropped down.
Distraction and partial restoration of the city:
After few month of chemical attack, the Iraqi troops taken the city from hands of Iranian and Kurdish forces, and coming to Halabja to study the effect of their weapons and attacks, they found the city littered with unburied dead ,they start razed the city by bulldozers and explosives.
After Kurdish uprising of 1991 ,people of Halabja returning to their city and starting to rebuild their houses partially.
Trails:
1. On December 23-2005 Dutch court sentenced Frans van Aanract for bought and sold chemical to Saddam Hussain regime to 15 years, Dutch court ruled Saddams regime committed act of genocide against Kurdish people.
2. On 12 march 2008 the government of Iraq announced plans to further legal action against the suppliers of chemicals used in poison gas attack of Halabja and Anfal.
3. On march 1 2010 The Iraqi high criminal court recognized the Halabja massacre an act of genocide of Kurdish nation.
4. The Canada parliament condemned the Halabja massacre as a crime against humanity.
Recommendation:
The Iraqi high criminal court recognized the Halabja massacre as act of genocide against Kurdish people, we ask European parliament and all European country to recognize Halabja massacre an act of genocide, and protect Kurdish people from another attack of genocide in any country.
Dr.Faeq M Golpy,Medical doctor, Politician, Halabja
