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Kurdistan
In a symbolic gesture to remember those who died in the Ranya uprising, the families of the deceased agreed to the laying of a commemorative wreath. Photo: Rudaw TV
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region –The 29th anniversary of a Kurdish uprising against the Baath regime is not being commemorated in its town of origin in adherence to a Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) ban on large gatherings to prevent a widespread coronavirus outbreak.
Ceremonies are held annually in Ranya, Sulaimani province to remember the birth of a landmark 1991 uprising against Saddam Hussein’s dictatorship, which spread to the major Kurdish cities of Sulaimani, Erbil, Duhok, and finally Kirkuk.
During the two-week uprising, civilians and the Peshmerga ousted Saddam Hussein's regime forces from Kurdish cities, but their movement was crushed within a month by the dictatorship.
"Over the past month and a half, we have organised 120 different scientific, cultural, and traditional activities to hold [today], but we decided to cancel them," Ranya mayor Hussein Ibrahim told reporters at the town’s Uprising Martyrs Monument.
"Within the framework of our commitment to rules and regulations set out by the KRG to protect the safety of the lives of our people, today we decided to cancel all the activities related to uprising."
In a symbolic gesture to remember those who died in the uprising, the families of the deceased agreed to the laying of a commemorative wreath instead.
Events commemorating the uprising have been cancelled not just in Ranya, but across the Kurdistan Region, the mayor said.
"All uprising-related activities will be cancelled across the Kurdistan Region, not just in Ranya…we apologize to the family of the uprising martyrs and the people of Ranya."
Three people have so far died of coronavirus in Iraq, including an elderly cleric from the Kurdistan Region city of Sulaimani. He is among the eight confirmed cases of the virus to have stricken the city.
Among the strict measure taken by the Kurdistan Region to prevent spread of the virus has been a ban on the assembly of large crowds. Public celebration of Newroz - the Kurdish new year - and large-scale commemoration of the Halabja genocide on March 16 have already been cancelled.
Thirty-seven people have contracted the virus across Iraq.
In a statement marking the uprising, Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Region Masrour Barzani described 1991 events as a "historical turning point in the freedom struggle of the people of the Kurdistan Region against oppression and invasion."
March has historically been a significant month for the Kurdish struggle, including the winning of short-lived semi-autonomy won by Kurds in Iraq in the March 11 Agreement of 1970 after a decade of armed revolt against the regime in Baghdad.
The KRG and the Kurdistan Region Parliament were established as a result of the uprising, in 1992.
Ceremonies are held annually in Ranya, Sulaimani province to remember the birth of a landmark 1991 uprising against Saddam Hussein’s dictatorship, which spread to the major Kurdish cities of Sulaimani, Erbil, Duhok, and finally Kirkuk.
During the two-week uprising, civilians and the Peshmerga ousted Saddam Hussein's regime forces from Kurdish cities, but their movement was crushed within a month by the dictatorship.
"Over the past month and a half, we have organised 120 different scientific, cultural, and traditional activities to hold [today], but we decided to cancel them," Ranya mayor Hussein Ibrahim told reporters at the town’s Uprising Martyrs Monument.
"Within the framework of our commitment to rules and regulations set out by the KRG to protect the safety of the lives of our people, today we decided to cancel all the activities related to uprising."
In a symbolic gesture to remember those who died in the uprising, the families of the deceased agreed to the laying of a commemorative wreath instead.
Events commemorating the uprising have been cancelled not just in Ranya, but across the Kurdistan Region, the mayor said.
"All uprising-related activities will be cancelled across the Kurdistan Region, not just in Ranya…we apologize to the family of the uprising martyrs and the people of Ranya."
Three people have so far died of coronavirus in Iraq, including an elderly cleric from the Kurdistan Region city of Sulaimani. He is among the eight confirmed cases of the virus to have stricken the city.
Among the strict measure taken by the Kurdistan Region to prevent spread of the virus has been a ban on the assembly of large crowds. Public celebration of Newroz - the Kurdish new year - and large-scale commemoration of the Halabja genocide on March 16 have already been cancelled.
Thirty-seven people have contracted the virus across Iraq.
In a statement marking the uprising, Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Region Masrour Barzani described 1991 events as a "historical turning point in the freedom struggle of the people of the Kurdistan Region against oppression and invasion."
March has historically been a significant month for the Kurdish struggle, including the winning of short-lived semi-autonomy won by Kurds in Iraq in the March 11 Agreement of 1970 after a decade of armed revolt against the regime in Baghdad.
The KRG and the Kurdistan Region Parliament were established as a result of the uprising, in 1992.
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