KDP President Condemns Iraqi State's Denial of Kurdish Rights on 36th Anniversary of Halabja Chemical Attack
On Saturday, Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) President Masoud Barzani delivered a poignant message commemorating the 36th anniversary of the Halabja chemical attack, denouncing the ongoing efforts within the Iraqi state to suppress and deny the rights of the Kurdish nation.
President Barzani's remarks underscored the gravity of the atrocity, labeling it a "heinous crime" and a stark testament to the oppressive mentality of Kurdistan's adversaries. Despite the passage of more than three decades since the devastating attack, Barzani expressed deep concern over the persistence of denial and suppression within the Iraqi state regarding the rights of the Kurdish people.
March 16th marks a solemn occasion for Kurds worldwide, as they remember the horrific events of 1988 when Iraqi warplanes unleashed chemical gas upon Halabja and its surrounding areas. The attack claimed the lives of over 5,000 innocent civilians and left more than 10,000 others wounded, many of whom continue to suffer to this day.
The crime of the chemical attack on Halabja is an attestation of the inhuman mentality of the enemies of the Kurdish people. Alas, 36 years after the Halabja tragedy, there are still some within the Iraqi state who work in pursuit of denying the rights of the Kurdish people.
— Masoud Barzani (@masoud_barzani) March 16, 2024
Of particular anguish is the fact that a staggering 68% of the victims were children under the age of 18, highlighting the indiscriminate brutality of the assault. The aftermath witnessed the obliteration of 198 out of 216 villages, further exacerbating the tragedy. Additionally, as families sought refuge in neighboring Iran, 211 children from 74 families were reported missing, adding another layer of anguish to the catastrophe.
Despite the Iraqi parliament's recognition of the Halabja attack as genocide thirteen years ago, the current Iraqi government, as the inheritor of the former regime, has failed to provide compensation to the victims. This refusal to acknowledge the suffering of the Kurdish people stands in stark contrast to the calls for justice and restitution voiced by the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG).
The KRG has repeatedly urged its federal counterpart to provide compensation for the victims of atrocities perpetrated against Kurds by former Iraqi regimes, including the infamous Anfal Campaign (1986-1989), which resulted in the deaths of an estimated 180,000 Kurds.
As Kurds mark another year since the Halabja tragedy, President Barzani's message serves as a poignant reminder of the ongoing struggle for recognition, justice, and the preservation of Kurdish rights in the face of historical injustices and continued denial.
