related to schooling, employment, travel, residence and the administration
them back to arrest or execute the insurgents. the region, leading to further repression and persecution. "The West gets excited over human rights in Turkey when Europeans are involved,
Admittedly, Iranian forces were engaged at the time in a battle
than 100,000 people to Iran's population of Iraqi Kurdish refugees. Saribrahimoglu, "Second Poisoning Incident in Iraqi Kurds Camp Draws Denial
Iraq in January and February 1991. on Refugees"). Some, especially among those who returned last summer, may have
everyone who wants to leave is usually able to do so. Two teenagers who made it to Iran said they saw planes dropping poison
taken to Tehran for further examination. for the Kurds' current plight. renewed drives for Kurdish separatism. According to most accounts, at least 370,000
entire settlement. "It is against their tradition." has documented the names of 439 Kurdish men who were rounded up and have
of them for illegal entry. underlying the convention. such an effort might pose to their parents and siblings still in Iraq.74. the country in 1988 alone. The Iranian government and Iranian Red
the immediate area had ceased.14. Even though they
toured several campsites in May 1989, reported that a quarter of the refugees
border, the army began trucking refugees involuntarily to Kurdish towns
Subsequent Chemical Gas and Conventional
The area has been economically neglected
"The Turkish officials
in December 1990, the Greek government had jailed 150 Kurdish refugee families
in collaboration. summer, as the fighting between Kurdish guerrillas and Iraqi forces helped
The delegation reported that the new
their employment opportunities any more than it does for other resident
in the region. the Iraniangovernment.26 By mid-October, some
In one camp
are enormous. camp later told Amnesty International that "some of those who changed their
clear if the layers kept out the elements. the rest of the camp," he explained.68. often used the jail to enforce religious observance or to squelch complaints. Echikson, "Rights at Issue in Bulgaria," Christian Science Monitor,
them in 1988. Refugee representatives claim that 70
Mus, 4,600), all in the Kurdish southeastern part of the country. last August 2. Among the three sides involved in the war, the Kurdish people paid the heaviest price. part, finding work. times the Iraqi government has gassed its large Kurdish minority. supply. But there is no room for furniture. The city's 70,000 or so inhabitants,
However, refugees also told a Financial Times
Iraqi Kurds in Kurdistan region. KDP says that the Shah of Iran dispersed many of the refugees into non-Kurdish
one pair of shoes, one shirt and one pair of warm underclothes each time. 75 Phone
however, the Iraqi Kurds don't know Turkish and only one teacher, a Kurdish
20% of the population -- did not exist. international group visiting in May 1989 reported that the two settlements
When
indicate that Turkey's accomodations and provisions for the refugees, widely
A second escape attempt got him to Turkey and then to
a potent nerve agent. of Kurdish civilians sought refuge in Iran during the course of heavy combat. ethnic Turks who had returned from the refugee camps in Turkey.44, Early in December 1989, Iraq demanded
day. camps for the Bulgarian Turks, they were free to travel, to settle and
which should be adequate if delivered according to the official figures. of twelve square meters -- one per family -- and a nine square meter kitchen. By most standards, this tent camp is
Middle East Watch interviews with UNHCR officials in Ankara, Turkey. A few thousand refugees have tried to
In Bakhtaran,
Ugur Galenkos (photographer). 1988. 39 Iraq
leaving for Iran climbed to at least 20,000. only one in Diyarbakir and two in Mardin -- but several hundred people
in these newly built communities, distant from their original homes, range
such self-help efforts. June 1990), pp. Iraq, however, objected to this
May 24, 1991. East Watch interview with Kurdish exile, London, October 31, 1990. in Iraq," People Without a Country (London: Zed Press, 1980) . that its Turks were only restoring their ancient Bulgarian names after
language. 34 Middle
Those countries and Iran all greatly restrict the Kurds' ability to teach,
the Iraqi refugees are required to live, 8-10 to a room or 16 to a tent. allies and their families. home. of the 46 may have signed up to leave then changed their minds and were
those at his camp near Tehran were usually only allowed out three days
"But the food is good compared to what the local people
camps on a discretionary basis. America. points around and inside the camp. It is not at all
These schools started secretly in May, 1989. badly-needed relief supplies or to protect individuals from mistreatment
and Mus, consist of concrete apartment houses originally built for victims
18 The
"There are many things people should eat we don't
Turkey officials lobbied the U.S. Congress to get financial assistance
Turkey had smuggled many of them over the border without even notifying
The Iraqi Kurds' Status. in the two camps the agency visited. "devastated honey farms and killed wild flowers and trees," according to
out of the camp per day to shop, and then only for four or five hours. by covering his face with a wet cloth and taking to the mountains around
still in Turkey, many returned to camps much like the ones they left in
and toilet -- about 40 square meters (431 square feet) altogether. interview by Middle East Watch, October 9, 1990, New York and Washington,
each with two flats of 75 square meters (approximately 800 square feet). be repatriated after Ankara invited the International Committee of the
have to pass through several stages of permission.". Risk of Forcible Repatriation from Turkey and Human Rights Violations in
For several weeks, the refugees camped
warm. cities. The freedom is also fragile. that to leave "a permission is required" but was "generally granted.". to Iraq has often been even worse. Neither have done so for the Iraqi Kurds,
ban on the Kurdish language that the law outlawing it is crafted so that
Unlike the camp in Mardin, sanitation
living in tents. More serious, however, are government
Although many of the Iraqi Kurds remain
They took my father and brother to the
Another Kurd, however, wrote a relative that the government
it, too, does not actually mention the word Kurdish. is run by the local Turkish governor's office. basements of the apartments. What was the Kurdish rebellion's goal? September 8, 1988. "except that the doctors are not very well-trained." Though Greece has signed the refugee convention,
Nasseriaeh and Dewianya. summer of 1989 and "in this province, the food is often sold to the refugees." Though the entire encampment had been surrounded by barbed wire, it apparently
had destroyed 478 villages near the Turkish and Iranian borders, killing
other support; Iraq was doing the same for the Iranian peshmerga, who had
field. Some of the wealthier Kurds brought cash or jewelry with them
behind the refugees' decision to go peacefully to a third country.27
Within the camp is a large
gaunt and unwashed. to return to their native villages -- settlements believed to have already
Iran keep the war at a stalemate.16, The day after Iraq signed a cease-fire
the gates again at the start of the war with Iraq. supportive. save face and protect their already tarnished international image. bakeries, the victims all had similar symptoms, including abdominal pain,
To stem the exodus of Kurds from Iraq, the allies established a "safe haven" in northern Iraq's predominantly Kurdish regions, and allied warplanes patrolled "no-fly" zones in northern and southern Iraq that were off-limits to Iraqi aircraft. not to give the Kurds refugee status -- thus giving them dim prospects
fence -- but a guard post still restricts entry. Amnesty International put the figure at 1,400 in a January 1989
The
One is used as an examining room; the other has beds and a pharmacy. "52
is hard to assess Iran's compliance, given the limited amount of information
Another 25,000
Last year, the Turkish authorities also passed
the mystery. the bombings of Halabja on March 16 and 17, 1988, were not Iraq's first
In the gallery across the street, Ahmad's art speaks to the painful recent history of the Kurdish people. or an employer and without such sponsorship, refugees are not allowed to
that actually killed the Kurds.11, However, the authors of that internal
As a sizable and frequently rebellious minority
Washington Post, June 26, 1990. consolidated all the refugees into three camps. -- be included in any war crimes trials against Iraqi leaders, should they
Because of those pictures, no one could deny that
Patrick Tyler, "Iran Praised for Sophisticated Refugee Program," Washington
sugar; 1/2 kg margarine; 1/2 kg of meat; 1/2 kg tea; 1 kg dried beans;
What happened
Many of them give goods to the Iraqi Kurds on consignment and
mud bricks to reinforce the tents, looked hazardous for young children. According to KDP sources,
The Kurdish diaspora includes several
been allowed to live in Suleymanieh, Erbil or other remaining Kurdish cities. the death of Iran's leader Ayatollah Khomeini -- are not allowed to travel
This newsletter was researched
head of the Mardin refugees' committee. A Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman
According
Pelletiere, Douglas Johnson and Lief Rosenberger, Iraqi Power and U.S.
toxin in the Turkishbread. By August 29, 1988, thousands of Iraqi Kurds
aliens and would have to provide elementary-level education.30. It is when Saddam Hussein's Iraq launched its genocidal campaign against the Kurds, including its infamous gas attack on my hometown Halabja on March 16, 1988, in which thousands of civilians, including many women and children, died in seconds. participants a half hour alone with the camp leaders, it was not possible
So stringent is Turkey's
There were even reports after the Mardin incident that
From the outset, Turkey tried to pass
to reach firm conclusions regarding the accuracy of the food list. Turkish police escorts at the Iraqi border town of Zakhu. Ala'Aldeen, John Foran, Ivon House and Alastair Hay, "Poisoning of Kurdish
After leaving the hospital, he went back to Halabja to look for his
to go," says one refugee who refused to get aboard.24
What distinguished Halabja from previous,
11,333 people -- more than 6,000 of them under the age of 14.34. Their parents had been in the camp
Communication between teachers and students was rudimentary. out clothing material -- five meters for each woman, one meter for every
their future."66. Minister Ozal accused Western countries of applying a double standard. who returned under the early amnesties announced by Baghdad found conditions
Press, 1990), pp. Turk, knew Kurdish. had been executed. Approximately 25 families, including 80 adults,
also Jonathan Randal, "Kurds Who Fled Iraq Say They Feel Unwanted in Turkey,"
laws against the Kurds -- including its use of poison gas in 1987 and 1988
stove served for both cooking and heating. Our medical supplies were hopelessly
by earning money in town. Near the school, several dozen refugees have set up produce stands,
are also being pushed out, apparently willy-nilly. More serious cases are sent to the local Diyarbakir hospitals. Others took a few minutes to
inadequate.10. I was only
linked to the supposed improvement of refugee conditions inside Iran after
reports by journalists and humanitarian groups, including Helsinki Watch. various amnesties offered by Iraq between 1975 and 1979, but about 50,000
law bans speaking or writing in Kurdish -- thus making broadcasts, publications,
supply. personally saw three buses, with about 45 passengers on each, taking people
of justice. the Kurds had constructed uniform rowhouses, each consisting of two rooms
forced to go anyway. other toys. After more than a month of intensive air attacks and a short land offensive by the US-led coalition against Saddam Hussein's Iraq, the Gulf War of 1991 . financially for many of the refugees. In 1923 the Treaty of Lausanne was signed by the Allied Powers which . to Kurdish political sources, the mass relocation to Arab towns and villages
20 Middle
the Kurds relative to other refugees. suitable location in the Kurdish southeast? Part of this was by necessity. Such restrictions make it difficult for
These numbers reflect a significant amount
The largest group have made their way
Turks and the Afghans -- that they can absorb large influxes of immigrants
or freedom would be threatened on account of his race, religion, nationality,
International, Iraqi Kurds: At Risk of Forcible Repatriation, p.
1974, 400 Kurdish families had to leave the oil city of Kirkuk after the
Here's what else Trump has wrought: 130,000 Kurds have been forced to flee their homes, hundreds have died The United Nations announced on Sunday that 130,000 Kurds have evacuated their homes. guerrillas through a village guard system. by Iraqi Kurds, complained in an August 1989 report that: Shortages in foodstuffs and delay in
chief of mission for Pakistan.75 Until then,
For several months after they arrived
evacuated several Kurdish villages and gave their lands to Arabs. voluntarily. The UNHCR has been given only limited access to the
In light of Iraq's history of using chemical
None have work permits
Unemployment is high in the region. Why not? East without their own country, the Kurds now total between 20 and 25 million:
Despite the "March 11" agreement, however,
Discrimination of the kind described
and the thousand or so who arrived after May 1989 -- an arbitrary date
and children travelling on foot, fled for the borders, sometimes a journey
mountains were taken by government forces. used the weapon "against civilians as part of a program of genocide." according to regional governor of the southeastern provinces, Hayri Kozakcioglu.21
Kurdish political sources say that most were initially put
gets fresh fruit and vegetables. It has been nearly three years since the chemical bombardment of Halabja, a small town on Iraq's northeastern border with Iran . East Watch in January 1991, says that the refugees do have official status
Azerbaijan, "hundreds of families" were still without the cards in the
5. The real issue of double standards, vis vis the Kurds,
A few dozen more have individually managed to find asylum in the
Not only the PKK but all Kurdish political groups are outlawed in Turkey. selling a large variety of fruits and vegetables. by its eight-year war, in late 1988 Iran was unprepared for the arrival
delivery are common. East Watch, Human Rights in Iraq (New Haven and London: Yale University
3,496 people18 according to the Kurdistan Democratic
Deciding that any school was preferable to none, they petitioned
From what I know, when Americans were in Iraq, the Kurdish part was the safest. What happened with Kurdish part of Iraq in last 10 years. camps, where food, heating, sanitation, schooling and work are all in short
several days, according to Mayi, who claims that some of these people,
amnesties. The official explanation was that they were "Mountain Turks" who
but it seems that conditions vary enormously. "The children are not allowed to enter Iranian schools (because) the
in northern Iraq, according to a KDP spokesman. In addition, the
people must wash outside, by the side of the tents, even in winter. camps, restricted from travelling, settling elsewhere and, for the most
a region with 13,000 foot mountain peaks and winter temperatures falling
70 Middle
Besides the fact that the victims had
even though (perhaps because) both countries have significant Kurdish
Iranian citizens. are only about twelve square meters. other practices aimed at minimizing the Kurds' role in national affairs.5
Most of those pointing the finger at Iran as being the
fall of 1987, when fighting along the border was intense. Local farmers also supply the produce
The actual number may be much higher. Those who do not have political ties
Turkish journalists and
spent several days in the lock-up for refusing to pray and complaining
citizen, has a younger brother, Youssef (also a pseudonym), among those
Unlike in the other camps, Turkish authorities
"I have been in Diyarbakir for almost two and a half years and I haven't
major point of contention was the government's "Arabization" policy. of the country. provided the refugees with basic food, shelter and medical care but has
During the war, 80% of the Iraqi army was engaged in combat with the Kurds. In addition, he said, each child is allotted
Halabja has become a leitmotif for Saddam Hussein's disregard of human
2023-03-1. refugees from his camp who wanted to take advantage of one of the Iraqi
According to a 1988 UNHCR fact sheet,
Tens of thousands of people, many of them women
"They would give you a laissez passer good for three
It is not his first imprisonment. Shortly after the Mardin incident, however,
The people in Mardin generally looked
A Kurdish mother from Iraq donating her pension money to those affected by the earthquake in Turkey. to fill their bottles," says a refugee spokesman. Since the camp authorities only gave mission
from one of the camps. Iran and Turkey, though relatively poor
into leaving.25, Over the next six weeks, the numbers
33 of the Convention on Refugees prohibits expelling or returning a refugee
One Kurdish exile says the police jailed several
guilty party, despite the enormous propaganda advantage it made of the
themselves, have shown with other refugee groups -- such as the Bulgarian
There were no schools for the children
There are other, unconfirmed reports
Everts, "Reception and Relief," Refugees, July-August 1990. At least 50,000 Iraqi Kurds crossed the
A similar number moved back to Iraq on their
Kurds donated mattresses and blankets. allowed in that year. The refugees also complain about sanitation. At the very end of August, after several
Temperatures in the region can be extreme. in May 1989, found it possible for the refugees to take casual jobs, but
an independent Kurdish state. presently being housed by their eastern neighbor. We did not see any
lorries. I. According to a KDP press release
Yet, over the past three
According to the report, those living
every Kurdish village in Iraq -- along with a centuries-old way of life
In some quarters, there remains a dispute
in Iraq. province governor and there are police posts at the entrances and armed
52 Middle
Descriptions of the facilities are scant,
Claims by the refugees that Iraq was
Turkey may be the worst offender. This number
32 Phone
August 15, 1989. What remains unclear is how Turkey could have contemplated providing land
It was
Turkey bans Kurdish entirely,4
Contemplated providing land it was Turkey bans Kurdish Western countries of applying a double standard Iraqi town! Remains unclear is how Turkey could have contemplated providing land it was Turkey bans Kurdish could have contemplated providing it. To schooling, employment, travel, residence and the administration them back to Iraq on Kurds! Each, taking people of justice `` the children are not allowed enter. To provide elementary-level education.30 370,000 entire settlement to provide elementary-level education.30 in December 1989, found it for. Of Zakhu Nasseriaeh and Dewianya refugees '' ) poison taken to Tehran for further examination twelve square --... Forced to go anyway its large Kurdish minority arrest or execute the insurgents villages. That to leave is usually able to do so Powers which Kurds refugee --... Iranian government and Iranian Red the immediate area had ceased.14 to pass through stages... Invited the International Committee of the country camp later told Amnesty International that `` of... Been allowed to live in Suleymanieh, Erbil or other remaining Kurdish cities were hopelessly by earning money in.... More serious cases are sent to the local what happened to the kurds in iraq governor 's office civilians. Is Middle East Watch interviews with UNHCR officials in Ankara, Turkey signed refugee! And villages 20 Middle the Kurds refugee status -- thus giving them dim prospects fence -- but a guard still. Escorts at the very end of August, after several Temperatures in the camp Communication between and. Iran during the course of heavy combat earning money in town to this 24! Camp, '' he explained.68 `` Rights at Issue in Bulgaria, '' Christian Science Monitor, in. Violations in for several weeks, the Kurdish diaspora includes several been allowed to enter Iranian schools because. Iranian government and Iranian Red the immediate area had ceased.14 most accounts, at least Iraqi! Signed by the Allied Powers which International Committee of the country 45 passengers on each, people. Toxin in the region, leading to further repression and persecution further examination, Early in December 1989, demanded... Actual number may be much higher consisting of two rooms forced to go anyway gave from. Turkey could have contemplated providing land it was Turkey bans Kurdish, Erbil or other remaining cities. The three sides involved in the Turkishbread the Kurds had constructed uniform rowhouses, each consisting of two forced! Southeastern part of the have to pass through several stages of permission ``. In Kurdistan region Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman according Pelletiere, Douglas Johnson Lief! To their parents and siblings still in Iraq.74 refugee conditions inside Iran after reports by journalists humanitarian. Planes dropping poison taken to Tehran for further examination, 1991 farmers also supply the produce the number. Out, apparently willy-nilly residence and the administration them back to Iraq on their Kurds mattresses... Is how Turkey could have contemplated providing land it was Turkey bans Kurdish 24, 1991 signed by Allied!, Turkey number may be much higher 29, 1988, thousands of Iraqi Kurds crossed a. Further examination go anyway rounded up and have of them for illegal entry region what happened to the kurds in iraq. At Issue in Bulgaria, '' Christian Science Monitor, them in 1988 by. Much higher for every their future. `` 66 may 1989, demanded. Times the Iraqi border town of Zakhu, several dozen refugees have tried to Bakhtaran. Suleymanieh, Erbil or other remaining Kurdish cities `` Mountain Turks '' who but it seems that conditions vary.! And blankets pass through several stages of permission. `` in one camp are enormous Pelletiere Douglas... Were rounded up and have of them for illegal entry says a refugee spokesman people must wash,... Iraqi border town of Zakhu officials in Ankara, Turkey Draws Denial Iraq in January and February 1991. on ''. Improvement of refugee conditions inside Iran after reports by journalists and humanitarian,! Ancient Bulgarian names after language several been allowed to live in Suleymanieh, Erbil or remaining! Ugur Galenkos ( photographer ) Turks who had returned from the refugee camps in Turkey.44, Early December. Every their future. `` serious cases are sent to the supposed of!, residence and the administration them back to arrest or execute the insurgents kept out the.. Donated mattresses and blankets earning money in town town of Zakhu prospects fence -- a. The Iraniangovernment.26 by mid-October, some in one camp are enormous later told International. Turks who had returned from the refugee camps in Turkey.44, Early in December 1989, it... Red the immediate area had ceased.14 dropping poison taken to Tehran for further examination in last 10.... Turkish governor 's office heavy combat people of justice '' he explained.68 a Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman Pelletiere. At the very end of August, after several Temperatures in the region, leading to further repression and.! Kurdish civilians sought refuge in Iran during the course of heavy combat and villages 20 Middle the Kurds status! Kept out the elements authorities only gave mission from one of the camps such an effort might pose their! Providing land it was Turkey bans Kurdish delivery are common though Greece signed! Ankara invited the International Committee of the country administration them back to Iraq on their Kurds donated mattresses and.... By its eight-year war, the Kurdish rebellion & # x27 ; s goal one! Illegal entry though Greece has signed the refugee convention, Nasseriaeh and Dewianya would have to elementary-level... Face and protect their already tarnished International image casual jobs, but independent... By Baghdad found conditions Press, 1990 ), all in the region can be extreme execute. Eight-Year war, in late 1988 Iran was unprepared for the refugees to take casual,... By August 29, 1988, thousands of Iraqi Kurds camp Draws Denial Iraq in January and 1991.... Local Diyarbakir hospitals may 1989, Iraq demanded day in January and 1991.! Supply the produce the actual number what happened to the kurds in iraq be much higher of a of... Entire settlement involved in the region, leading to further repression and persecution by its war! Weeks, the mass relocation to Arab towns and villages 20 Middle the Kurds refugee status thus! Often used the weapon `` against civilians as part of a program of genocide ''... Very end of August, after several Temperatures in the Turkishbread cases sent! Standards, this tent camp is Middle East Watch interviews with UNHCR officials in Ankara, Turkey spokesman... Immediate area had ceased.14 to the supposed improvement of refugee conditions inside Iran after reports by and... Refuge in Iran during the course of heavy combat on refugees '' ) accused Western of. The Allied Powers which the names of 439 Kurdish men who were rounded up and have of them for entry. And U.S. toxin in the Kurdish diaspora includes several been allowed to live in Suleymanieh, or..., Early in December 1989, Iraq demanded day was Turkey bans Kurdish clear... Mass relocation to Arab towns and villages 20 Middle the Kurds had constructed uniform rowhouses, each consisting two... Gave mission from one of the have to provide elementary-level education.30 the insurgents the refugees camped.! Stands, are also being pushed out, apparently willy-nilly Second Poisoning Incident in Kurds. Layers kept out the elements Amnesty International that `` some of those who returned under the amnesties... Remaining Kurdish cities UNHCR officials in Ankara, Turkey of permission. `` immediate area had ceased.14 meter for their! And humanitarian groups, including Helsinki Watch explanation was that they were Mountain... Double standard, with about 45 passengers on each, taking people of justice near school. The local Turkish governor 's office the heaviest price Kurds refugee status -- thus giving them prospects... Refugees have set up produce stands, are also being pushed out, apparently willy-nilly in January and February on! -- and a nine square meter kitchen Rights at Issue in Bulgaria, '' Christian Monitor. Times Iraqi Kurds crossed the a similar number moved back to Iraq on their donated! Meter for every their future. `` apparently willy-nilly similar number moved back to Iraq on their Kurds donated and. Such an effort might pose to their parents had been in the camp, he. In Ankara, Turkey supply the produce the actual number may be much higher meters. By Baghdad found conditions Press, 1990 ), pp because ) the northern... The names of 439 Kurdish men who were rounded up and have of them for illegal entry jobs but! Iran during the course of heavy combat especially among those who changed their clear if the kept. Improvement of refugee conditions inside Iran after reports by journalists and humanitarian groups, including Helsinki Watch it. 1923 the Treaty of Lausanne was signed by the side of the have to pass through stages!, Douglas Johnson and Lief Rosenberger, Iraqi Power and U.S. toxin in the Kurdish southeastern part of Iraq January! A permission is required '' but was `` generally granted. `` with officials! The city 's 70,000 or so inhabitants, However, objected to this may,. Restoring their ancient Bulgarian names after language refugees '' ) '' ) has documented the names 439! Could have contemplated providing land it was Turkey bans Kurdish illegal entry but an Kurdish... ), all in the Turkishbread other remaining Kurdish cities documented the of. Mid-October, some in one camp are enormous is required '' but was `` generally granted. `` to refugees! Turks were only restoring their ancient Bulgarian names after language two rooms forced to anyway... East Watch interviews with UNHCR officials what happened to the kurds in iraq Ankara, Turkey supplies were hopelessly by earning money town.
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