2024-12-09

" Honouring the Past, Shaping a Just Future" Symposium is Held

" Honouring the Past, Shaping a Just Future" Symposium is Held

On Monday, December 9th, 2024, at Barzani Genocide Monument in Barzan, in the presence of AP.Dr. Sherwan Sharif Qurtas, President of Soran University, ministers, members of parliament, government and party officials and relatives of Anfal (deceased) victims, and under the auspices of His Excellency Mallah Mustafa Barzani's office, the Genocide, Gender and Social Research Centre at Soran University, in cooperation with the Department of Sociology and Social Studies, Department of Psychology, Counselling and Mental Health, Department of Strategic Historical, Archeological, Archeological The first symposium on the Barzani Genocide was held on the occasion of the World Day of Remembrance and Dignity of the Victims of Genocide and Prevention of this Crime under the title "Honouring the Past, Shaping a Just Future".

The event began with observing moments of silence to pay homage to the pure souls of the martyrs while listening to the Kurdistan national anthem. At the beginning, SU President delivered a speech expressing his pleasure at the presence of the guests.
In part of his speech, Dr Sherwan spoke about the Barzani Genocide and said: "It is an honour to stand before you today, as we gather to commemorate a crime that is but a link to many other crimes of genocide in Kurdistan." All the crimes they had perpetrated, aimed not only to obliterate our Kurdishness, but also to dehumanize us, to serve the occupier as slaves, and to make us abandon our language, culture, and all our noble norms and values".

In another part of his speech, the SU President said that the purpose of holding this symposium is not only to remind us of the atrocities committed by the Iraqi state, but also to draw strength from the resistance of the people who tasted the bitterness of those atrocities and lost their loved ones, from Barzan to Garmian, and from Khanaqin to Zakho.

Later, Dr Navsar Nouri, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Martyrs and  Anfal Affairs, delivered the ministry's speech, addressing the crime committed against the Barzani.  "The Barzani Genocide is one of the most prominent crimes committed against the Kurdish people", he said, adding that the Iraqi government should compensate the families of the victims as soon as possible, "The Kurdistan Regional Government attaches great importance to the families of martyrs and  Anfals", he added.

Then, Ma'ruf Hassan, the representative of the families of martyrs and Anflas, gave a speech in which he thanked Soran University and the British International University for holding this symposium. In his speech, he spoke about the pain and demands of the families of the Anfals, calling for more attention to be paid to the families of martyrs and the Anfals.

After that, the symposium's three-panel discussions began, detailing the crime of genocide against the Barzani, which the participants described as an international crime, stressing the need to define it as an international crime. The discussion sessions addressed the psychological and social dimensions of genocide survivors and the untold aspects of the Barzani Genocide, such as the experience of Barzani women who have resisted and struggled. The discussion sessions also delved into the deportations, and documentation of the genocide. They analyzed the effects of the genocide on the social dimensions and the negative impact on the Barzani families. 

The first panel
" The Cross-Border Dimensions of the Barzani Genocide as an International"

The first panel
" The Cross-Border Dimensions of the Barzani Genocide as an International"

Moderator: Dr. Shiraz Amir Ibrahim

Associate Prof. Dr. Marko Attila Hoare, University of Sarajevo, Bosnia

A Tale of Two Tragedies: Comparing the Genocides of Srebrenica and Barzani Genocide

Dr. Aishwarya Raja, City University UK

Drawing Parallels: The Genocide of the Barzani Kurds and Eastern Eelam Tamils

Dr. Alek R. Barović: The Republic of Montenegro

Parallel Atrocities: A Comparative Study of the Srebrenica and Barzani Genocides

Asst. Prof. Dr Karwan Kakabra Kakamad

Post-traumatic Stress Disorder and Depression with Quality of Life among Relatives of Barzani Genocide

The second Panel

Voices of Resistance: Survivors of the Barzani Genocide Share Their Stories

Moderator: Asst. Prof. Dr Ibrahim Sadiq Malazada

Maaf Manaf Mustafa

Asst. Prof. Dr. Sirwan Latif Haji

The third Panel

Documenting Genocide: Perspectives on the Barzani Genocide and Its Untold Aspects

Moderator: Karwan Muhammed Aziz

Asst. Prof. Dr. Media Ibrahim Fatah and Asst. Prof. Dr Ibrahim Sadiq

Gender Roles and Femininity: The Experience of Barzani Women as a Case Study.

Dr. Rebaz Dlawar Omer

The Barzani Genocide: Between Deportation and the Anfal Campaigns.

Dr. Dlshad Sabri Ali

A Comparative Analysis of Documentation Methods for the Genocides of Jews, Armenians, and the Kurdish Nation

Adalat Omar saleh

Kurdistan Genocide National Archive Project

Archiving the Documents of the Barzani Genocide: Looking Ahead

Afterwards, certificates were distributed to the panelists of "Honouring  the Past and Shaping a Just Future" Symposium.

At the end of the Symposium, a wreath was laid at the Barzani Genocide Monument. Later, the participants visited the graves of the martyrs and the deceased, and finally a commemorative photo was taken.

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