On Recognizing Iraqs Anfal Project as Genocide against the Kurdish People

From 23 February 1988 to 06 September 1988, the Kurdish citizens of Iraq were subjected to eight consecutive, systematic military onslaughts by the former Iraqi army. These operations were code-named Anfal. During this massive military operation, a population estimated at 182,000 were mass murdered. In order to execute Directive 4008 issued by the ruling Baath Party, the Kurds had to be wiped out in the course of operations that have, since, been recognized as genocide. This project aimed at altering the demographic make-up of Kurdistan by eliminating the indigenous Kurdish population and resettling Arabs in the region.

The Anfal campaign continued for six months and two weeks. During this campaign, tens of thousands of innocent civilians were buried alive and others were slaughtered, utilizing discreet methods beyond humans imagination. In total, the figure surpassed 182,000, including mostly Kurdish civilians (men, women, infants and elderly people). Some of them are reported missing up to this day. Their bodies were never discovered and their identities never were revealed. Fearing reprisal, their relatives and loved ones were not able to hold a simple funeral procession nor designate a spot for them in a cemetery. Every human being deserves at least a decent burial.
In the wake of the fall of Saddam in 2003, numerous mass graves were unearthed in the deserts in central and southern parts of Iraq. During the Anfal campaign, 5000 Kurdish villages and towns were destroyed and their occupants were either buried alive or butchered. Those who survived the military operations of Anfal were contained in provisional concentration camps. These camps were under military surveillance at all time.

This long-lasting military operation occurred in front of the eyes of the international community and media, with foreign aid given to the Baath regime by some of the most developed countries in the East and in Europe. All of these nations witnessed the horrendous murder of innocent population but chose to remain silent for the sake of mutual economic and political interests.
With backing from some intelligence services, the most sophisticated as well as banned weapons of mass-destruction such as chemical gas was used against the Kurds. This has brought shame and dishonour to the world and humanity and has left little value in human dignity. The worlds largest weapon manufacturing companies turned Kurdistan into an environment replete with lethal toxics, each day affecting the lives of tens of thousands of human and other living beings as well as mother nature. Villages that were the birthplace of civilisations of Mesopotamia ware demolished merely to erase Kurdish presence in the north of Iraq, in particular the province of Kirkuk.
We are all decent human beings. The Kurds only plea to you is to recognize and acknowledge Anfal as genocide against the Kurdish people, and we shall perceive this recognition as reparation for the irreversible, lamentable crimes against the survivors of the Anfal campaign, and as a great achievement in the history of humanity. The Iraqi government, parliament and Iraqs supreme criminal court failed to recognise the most aberrant and darkest day of its history and, to this day, they have not acknowledged this extensive military operation as genocide.
We are appealing to you to support the recognition of Anfal as genocide. Your recognition and acknowledgment of Anfal as a genocide is a spiritual compensation to its victims and survivors. It will be an important chapter in the history of resistance against genocide.

We truly hope that in the anniversary of Anfal (14 April), you will acknowledge our plea and offer tens of thousands of Anfal survivors their hope and dignity back.

For more information about Anfal, relevant documents, and attempts for its recognition as genocide, please visit the links below and if you wish to contact someone or know more regarding this genocidal campaign in Kurdistan, please do not hesitate to contact us

Adem Mirzza [email protected] or Hiwanasih Naseh [email protected] , or koyar-rawf [email protected]

List of links:

1. http://www.hrw.org/legacy/reports/1993/iraqanfal/
2. http://www.kurdocide.org/en/readarticle.php?article_id=33
3. http://www.kurdocide.org/en/readarticle.php?article_id=34
4. http://www.chak.be/Anfal.The\%20Iraqi\%20States\%20Genocide\%20against\%20the\%20Kurds.2007.pdf
5. http://www.kurdocide.com/en/readarticle.php?article_id=35
6. http://zoeken.rechtspraak.nl/resultpage.aspxsnelzoeken=true&searchtype=ljn&ljn=BA6734&u_ljn=BA6734


Kurdocide Watch- chak
www.kurdocide.org
[email protected]