A large event was held for the 21st anniversary of the Uprising of theIraqi Kurdistan Region on Monday inside University of Kurdistan Hewler(UKH).The event included celebration of the Uprising of 1991, known in Kurdish as the Raparin, in which the Baath regime organs in the Iraqi Kurdistanwere ousted and overthrown. The Uprising started in Rania and within daysspread to Suleymania, Erbil, Duhok and Kirkuk, which was liberated on the21st of March.


The Uprising was then severely crushed by the Baath regimeand caused mass exodus of millions of people to the border areas andneighboring countries. The images of the exodus was displayed on the worldtelevision channels caused public opinions in countries who forced theirleaders to establish the No-Fly Zone in only three provinces of IraqiKurdistan. In the Uprising thousands of people died from the battle betweenPeshmargas and regime forces and the exodus. In 1992 the first Parliamentand cabinet of the Iraqi Kurdistan Region was established and elected. UKH looks up to this day and gives it a special attention to make thestudent aware of their national glories. Every year on 5th March, studentsdisplay videos that refer to the bravery of Pesharaga; students and staffwear Kurdish traditional dress and dance Kurdish halparke.
It is one of thecolorful days in University of Kurdistan Hewler, as the flag of Kurdistanis flown from the UKH academic building. The event also included readingpoems on Kurdish survival, the martyrdom and the revolutions.In his speech to the audience, UKH Vice-Chancellor Professor SerwanBabanreferred to the times when Kurds had no freedom and there was fear behindevery door, days "that no one knew what would happen to them the dayafter." He also said that the struggle of the former generation hasprovided the liberty, freedom and prosperity that today we are enjoying."Commemoration of this event is a tribute we pay to those who contributedto what we have today," said Professor Baban.






PNA