World record? Man marks 30 years after Anfal with 182,000-bead rosary

by Ayub Nasri

A man from Qasrok in Duhok has constructed what he believes to be the longest rosary in the world at 1,600 meters.

But the length is second to the significance of Huner's efforts.

"Creating the 182,000 beads rosary is a gesture of tribute to the Anfal martyrs of 1988. I also aim to record my achievement in the Guinness book," he says.

Anfal was a series of atrocities culminating in the Halabja genocide, which many Kurds feel was ignored and forgotten by the world.

The rosary, or tasbih, beads are made from olive pits, which are bountiful in Kurdistan.

"It was at the beginning of 2015 at the highest of ISIS, I got this idea. I told my friends that I would do it," explained Huner.

While Huner does the stringing, his community has helped to gather the olive pits.

"And they told me they would support me and back me if I did, 'It is difficult. But we will be alongside you. Then students brought me [the olive pits]. Then households brought me [their olive pits]," said Huner.

The Yezidi town of Lalish pitched in to help with the project.

"Then some of my friends and acquaintances told me that there are olive pits in Lalish. I went to their leaders, and I got about eight sacks. I gathered about 20 sacks for me to have 182,000," he said.