2025-04-14
Soran University Hosts "The Tragedy of Anfal: A Wound in History, A Call for Justice" Symposium
On Monday, April 14, 2025, the symposium titled "The Tragedy of Anfal: A Wound in History, A Call for Justice!" was held at Soran University. It was attended by Asst.Prof. Dr. Sherwan Sharif Qurtas, President of Soran University, members of the university council, government and party officials, academics, staff, students, and relatives of Anfal victims.
Organized by the Center for Genocide, Gender, and Social Research at Soran University’s Science Center, the symposium aimed to highlight the historical, political, and legal dimensions of the Anfal campaign, encourage scientific research, demonstrate its far-reaching effects, raise awareness of its long-term social, cultural, and psychological impacts, and garner international support for the cause.
The event began with a speech by Asst.Prof. Dr. Ibrahim Malazada, Director of the Center, followed by Asst.Prof. Dr. Sherwan Sharif Qurtas, who stated: “Today, at Soran University, we commemorate the tragedy of the Anfal campaign. I am both saddened by the genocide of our people and heartened to see our faculty and students engaging deeply with the issue through research and study.” He emphasized the university’s commitment to Anfal and genocide studies, noting that the Science Research Center provides data-driven research to relevant parties and stressed the collective responsibility to support Anfal victims’ families materially, morally, and through research.
A speech by Karim Kawa from the Soran Directorate of Martyrs and Anfal Victims followed. A theatrical performance, "The Return of Lost Souls," by the Asman Theater Group, depicted the Anfal Tragedy.
Panels:
First Panel: Social Sciences and the Human Dimension of Anfal
Moderated by Asst.Prof. Dr. Karmand Hamad
Prof.Dr. Mohammed Ihsan: Relationships Between Characters; The Kurdish Case
Dr. Yasin Mamand: Social and Political Consequences of Anfal: Displacement and State Policy
Prof. Dr. Midya Zangana: Gender and Trauma: Anfal’s Impact on Kurdish Women and Families
Asst.Prof. Dr. Abdulrahman Karim: Political and Strategic Dimensions of Iraq’s Anfal Campaigns
Second Panel: Applied Sciences and the Legacy of Anfal
Moderated by Asst.Prof. Dr. Karwan Kakabra
Prof. Dr. Yasin Karim: Forensic Medicine and Mass Graves: Technology’s Role in Identifying the Victims of Anfal Tragedy
Lect. Karwan Mohammed Aziz: Genocide’s Environmental Impact: Consequences of Displacement
Researcher Adalat Omar: Archiving Memory: The National Genocide Archive Project; Documents and Collective Memory
Lect. Darya Rostam Ahmed: Kurdish Genocide and Its Psychological Outcomes
Third Panel: Anfal in Kurdish Literature, Art, and Film
Moderated by Lect. Gharib Ibrahim
Homer Mohammed: The Power of Imagery in Shaping Memory, Anfal Crime and the Titanic Tragedy as Examples
Researcher Simko Sabir: Reflections of Anfal’s History in Kurdish Media Discourse
Researcher Hemin Abdulla Goptapayi: Unseen Images of Anfal; From Oblivion to Cinema and International Platforms
Asst.Prof. Dr. Ibrahim Malazada: The Role of Spectators in the Genocide Process; Neutrality and Its Consequences
Within the symposium’s framework, a survivor’s story was shared by Pishko Mohammed, followed by a musical piece titled "182,000 Heartbeats" dedicated to Anfal victims. Attendees also planted oak trees on the university campus.
At the conclusion, Asst.Prof. Dr. Sherwan Sharif Qurtas awarded certificates of participation to panel moderators and panelists.
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