ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — Kurdish President Masoud Barzani encouraged the people to exercise their unity as they approach a vote on independence while speaking a ceremony on Monday to mark the 34th anniversary of the Barzanis' Anfal at the hands of the former Iraqi regime.
"Think about what's happened from Khanaqin to Zakho ... that requires us to think about unity, and being together and taking the step. That is the only and strongest weapon in our hand,” Barzani said pointedly addressing the “political parties and all the people in Kurdistan.”
Barzani delivered a speech from the Barzan area in the mountains of Erbil in the Kurdistan Region.
He said “there was a perception that this was a trump card we were hoping to exercise on Baghdad,” referring to a vote on Kurdish statehood.
“That was not a trump card, that was the conviction of the people of Kurdistan; And therefore that is why the decision was made that on the 25th of September of this year that the people of Kurdistan will go to the ballot boxes and exercise their right to self-determination,” Barzani said through a translator.
"Think about what's happened from Khanaqin to Zakho ... that requires us to think about unity, and being together and taking the step. That is the only and strongest weapon in our hand,” Barzani said pointedly addressing the “political parties and all the people in Kurdistan.”
Barzani delivered a speech from the Barzan area in the mountains of Erbil in the Kurdistan Region.
He said “there was a perception that this was a trump card we were hoping to exercise on Baghdad,” referring to a vote on Kurdish statehood.
“That was not a trump card, that was the conviction of the people of Kurdistan; And therefore that is why the decision was made that on the 25th of September of this year that the people of Kurdistan will go to the ballot boxes and exercise their right to self-determination,” Barzani said through a translator.
Kurdish officials attend a ceremony commemorating the 34th anniversary of the Barzanis' Anfal in the Barzan area on July 31, 2017. Photo: Rudaw
Barzani explained that Kurds were “to be equal partners in this country, but unfortunately our share in that partnership has not been upheld," citing just some of the crimes committed against Kurds via the Anfal, Barzan, Halabja, Zakho, and Feyli atrocities.
“It is the only solution, the only cure for our peoples, the people here,” Barzani said through a translator, “for the wounds of Anfal, of the tragedy that Yezidis have suffered, and of all those who have suffered the chemical attacks.
In 1983, in an organized operation to rid the Barzani tribe of men and boys, some as young as 12, the former regime led a bloody campaign that indiscriminately killed over 8,000 Barzanis and buried them in mass graves across Iraq. Many of their remains are yet to be found to this day.
"There were 8,000 men from 12 years old up to elderly men 90 years old, who were taken to the deserts of the southern parts of Iraq,” Barzani said through a translator.
Barzani added that most Barzani Anfal victims are still missing and so far only 800 have been returned to the Kurdistan Region.
"Out of the 180,000 victims of Anfal, we've been only able to bring back 3,000 of them," added the President. "Here today, I would like to promise you that we will do our best to bring every one of them back to Kurdistan, so they can be buried properly in their homeland."
In 2011, the Supreme Iraqi Criminal Tribunal ruled that these killings were an act of genocide and a crime against humanity.
"This was not the first time such a tragedy happened to the Barzanis, but it will be the last for them or for anyone in Kurdistan,” Barzani promised with a number of foreign diplomats in attendance.
Since the 2003 US-led invasion and the new drafting of an Iraqi constitution, Barzani re-iterated that the Kurdistan Region has been comitted.
"During the second phase of co-existence with the rest of Iraq and especially during the time of the drafting of the constitution, we as Kurds played a major role in drafting that constitution, but unfortunately the situation has not changed and our question for the people inside and outside is this: Has there been any commitment, an appeal to this constitution from Baghdad's side?”
As the Kurdish Peshmerga and Iraqi forces experienced unprecedented cooperation in the operation to liberate Mosul from ISIS, Barzani believes the Kurds have been patient, but still not given a full seat at the table in Baghdad.
Monuments in the Barzan area of Erbil mark the Anfal faced by the Barzanis at the hands of the previous Iraqi regime. Photo: Rudaw
"We had an agreement, but unfortunately even that agreement was violated and flagrant and dangerous violations have happened even in the process to liberate Mosul,” he said. “And we have endured it. We have been patient; we did not voice any concern.
“But it was such kinds of steps [by Baghdad] which brought us to re-visit and and re-think this position and relationship, so that we search and explore another solution to prevent any great complication or problem from happening.”
Barzani explained that Kurds have come to the conclusion that they cannot continue to live with Baghdad in this way.
“Let's be courageous enough and come [out] from the situation. Let's think of a different solution,” he said. “First we have failed as genuine partners, so let us think about being two good neighbors with each other, and let's think about that seriously.”
Last updated at 7:35 p.m.
Comments
Rudaw moderates all comments submitted on our website. We welcome comments which are relevant to the article and encourage further discussion about the issues that matter to you. We also welcome constructive criticism about Rudaw.
To be approved for publication, however, your comments must meet our community guidelines.
We will not tolerate the following: profanity, threats, personal attacks, vulgarity, abuse (such as sexism, racism, homophobia or xenophobia), or commercial or personal promotion.
Comments that do not meet our guidelines will be rejected. Comments are not edited – they are either approved or rejected.
Post a comment