Kurds destroy Halabja memorial and set museum into fire.

ekrem

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Aug 9, 2005
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Kurds protest in Halabja Print E-mail
Thursday, 16 March 2006
Thousands of Kurdish protesters have attacked a memorial to the 1988 gas attack in the Iraqi town of Halabja and stormed official buildings.

The demonstration came on the 18th anniversary of the deaths of 5000 local people.

The protesters destroyed a memorial and set fire to a one-storey museum in protest over the lack of local services.

Witnesses said shooting broke out after people heckled Kurdish officials making speeches to commemorate the attack which most blame on the forces of Saddam Hussein, the former Iraqi president.

Three local journalists said they saw several casualties, including at least one person who appeared to have been killed. They said the museum had been burnt down.

A hospital doctor said one person had been killed and eight wounded when Kurdish security forces opened fire on the protesters as they stormed the museum.

In parliament

The violence started as Iraq's Kurdish leaders sat in parliament in Baghdad just before it was due to convene three months after elections.

The anger in Halabja could be embarrassing for Kurdish leaders who have managed to keep the Kurdish north stable as fighting has ripped apart Iraq.

Hajem al-Hassani, the outgoing speaker of parliament, called for a moment's silence in the chamber to commemorate the Halabja attack, one of the most potent symbols of Kurdish suffering during Saddam's rule.

Kurdish politicians have often used Halabja to try to unite the ethnic group, whose fortunes changed after a US-led invasion overthrew Saddam in 2003 and elections which swept them to power along with the country's Shia Muslims.

http://thekurdistani.com/news/content/view/2011/2/



Iraqi President's forces martyr Halabja again on its 18th Anniversary Print E-mail
Thursday, 16 March 2006
London (TheKurdistani.com) - Forces loyal to the Iraqi President killed a Kurdish female teenager and wounded 11 others on Halabja's 18th anniversary of the chemical attack in 1988.

On 16th of March 1988, the forces of Saddam Hussein, that time's president of Iraq, bombed the city with chemical weapons killing at least 5000 innocents instantly.

On 16th of March 2006, ironically, the forces of the current Iraqi President, Jalal Talabani, fired on innocent civilians protesting against the lack of public services in their city killing Kurda Ahmed, 14, and injurying at least 11 others.

While innocent Kurds were being massacared again by the Iraqi Kurdish leaders forces, the Kurdish President of Iraq, Jalal Talabani, and the Kurdistan president, Massoud Barzani, were embracing the Arab leaders in Baghdad.
http://thekurdistani.com/news/content/view/2009/2/
 
Kurds set fire to Halabja Monument as clashes intensify between protestors and Asaysh Print E-mail
Thursday, 16 March 2006
London (TheKurdistani.com) – Angry protestors in the city of Halabja demanding better public services for their city were attacked by the Kurdish police (Asaysh) and this turned the peaceful protest into a riot, reported the online Kurdish website, Peyamner.com.


Peyamner reports that the Halabja Monument was set on fire by angry protestors. The Halabja Monument was built in 2003 in the outskirt of the city.

Peyamner reports that protestors set fire to the building because it is built on the outskirt of Halabja, preventing international and foreign visitors to see the worsening status of the city.

At least six civilians have been wounded in clashes between Asaysh security forces and protestors.

Protestors were chanting slogas such as “Namanawe am jare, masou’l beta em share” which translates to English as “We don’t want anymore, for officials to come to this city”, in a message to the Kurdish officials which protestors say they only visit Halabja on 16th of March for their own interest and to gain publicity.

http://thekurdistani.com/news/content/view/2007/2/
 
I assume that people don’t do this sort of thing lightly, especially when it is a memorial for massacred Kurds. This must be the result of a deep frustration that is boiling over.
 
Things have been pretty quite in the Kurdish area of Iraq lately.

I wouldn`t be surprised to learn, that the Turk`s weren`t stirring up some trouble, just to keep the area destabilized.

No love lost between the Turk`s, and the Kurd`s.
 
trobinett said:
Things have been pretty quite in the Kurdish area of Iraq lately.

I wouldn`t be surprised to learn, that the Turk`s weren`t stirring up some trouble, just to keep the area destabilized.

No love lost between the Turk`s, and the Kurd`s.


No. There you are wrong. Why should Turks destroy Halabja memorial and graveyard of Halabja where those gased Kurds from Saddam rest?
I assume you know what history Halabja has?

What would you think, if Jews would destroy a memorial in Ausschwitz?
We Turks do not have something to do with this.

Pics:
http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/060316/ids_photos_wl/r622084937.jpg
http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/060316/photos_wl_me_afp/b20cc84e2832102e76c5ba2fa1e41468
http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/060316/ids_photos_wl/r385115232.jpg
http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/060316/ids_photos_wl/r671440625.jpg
http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/060316/ids_photos_wl/r657583369.jpg


This memorial was set up 1 year ago with big celebration TAM-TAM. How times change and Kurds destroy it bythemself and burn Memorial-museum down and vandalise Halabja graveyard.


And the reason for this happening has nothing to do with Turkey.
 
canavar said:
No. There you are wrong. Why should Turks destroy Halabja memorial and graveyard of Halabja where those gased Kurds from Saddam rest?
I assume you know what history Halabja has?

What would you think, if Jews would destroy a memorial in Ausschwitz?
We Turks do not have something to do with this.

Pics:
http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/060316/ids_photos_wl/r622084937.jpg
http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/060316/photos_wl_me_afp/b20cc84e2832102e76c5ba2fa1e41468
http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/060316/ids_photos_wl/r385115232.jpg
http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/060316/ids_photos_wl/r671440625.jpg
http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/060316/ids_photos_wl/r657583369.jpg


This memorial was set up 1 year ago with big celebration TAM-TAM. How times change and Kurds destroy it bythemself and burn Memorial-museum down and vandalise Halabja graveyard.


And the reason for this happening has nothing to do with Turkey.

Opinions vary......... :)
 
trobinett said:
Opinions vary......... :)

No, when you blame someone you have to deliver facts and can not put blameing under "opinions vary".
 
canavar said:
No, when you blame someone you have to deliver facts and can not put blameing under "opinions vary".

First of all canavar, I don`t have to DO anything, land of the free, and all that.

But, to get back to my original post. I`m curious, why didn`t the Turk`s step in and help the Kurd`s when Saddam`s cousin was killing hundreds of thousands of them?

If Turkey wants to see itself as a leader in that part of the world, don`t you think it would be to their advantage to not allow ethnic cleansing?

Turkey made it very clear when the coalition was getting ready to invade Iraq, that they would not allow us to use Turkey for a staging area. Their reason, the REAL reason, was they didn`t was the Kurds to shake off their bonds, and become an independent people.

There is a history of conflict between the Kurd`s, and the Turkish people, tell me I`m wrong.

The history of Turkey is long, and colorful, and there is much to be proud of, but don`t try to deny the truth.
 
trobinett said:
First of all canavar, I don`t have to DO anything, land of the free, and all that.

But, to get back to my original post. I`m curious, why didn`t the Turk`s step in and help the Kurd`s when Saddam`s cousin was killing hundreds of thousands of them?

If Turkey wants to see itself as a leader in that part of the world, don`t you think it would be to their advantage to not allow ethnic cleansing?

Turkey made it very clear when the coalition was getting ready to invade Iraq, that they would not allow us to use Turkey for a staging area. Their reason, the REAL reason, was they didn`t was the Kurds to shake off their bonds, and become an independent people.

There is a history of conflict between the Kurd`s, and the Turkish people, tell me I`m wrong.

The history of Turkey is long, and colorful, and there is much to be proud of, but don`t try to deny the truth.


Saddam even invited Turkey to "finish" Kurds in last decades, where Turkey did not agreed to the invitation.


And of course we did something for Kurds in North-Iraq.

March 11, 2003
Twelve years ago this month some 2 million Iraqi Kurds, fleeing Iraqi suppression of widespread revolt in northern Iraq, escaped to the Turkish border and into Iran.
http://www.cfr.org/publication/5714/turkey_prepares_for_a_refugee_influx_from_iraq.html


How do you think, Barzani and Talabani toured world capitals before 2003?
With Iraqi passport? with "Kurdish" passport?
No. Turkey gave them Turkish diplomat passports so they are able to leave North-Iraq and go to World's capitals.


Jalal Talabani being interviewed on his PUK-parties homepage.
Q. There is talk that Turkey has withdrawn his Turkish passport?

A. Not true. These are just they say “newspaper gossip”. Turkey has not withdrawn passport from Masoud Barzani.
http://www.puk.org/web/htm/news/knwsline/nws/interv.htm


I fyou don't believe i can find other sources too. These were found fastly. I can put more time in finding convenient english sources to all i have said.
 
And don't forget 36º parallel called “Provide Comfort” and “Northern Watch” which was established On April 5th 1991 from Incirlik. Without Turkey not allowing this 36º parallel would not have been established in North-Iraq.
 
canavar said:
And don't forget 36º parallel called “Provide Comfort” and “Northern Watch” which was established On April 5th 1991 from Incirlik. Without Turkey not allowing this 36º parallel would not have been established in North-Iraq.

Would Turkey be in favor of the establishment of the independent state of Kurdistan ?
 
to User Trobinet:


PUK: Leader of Islamic Movement In Iraqi Kurdistan Allegedly Behind Burning Halabja Monument
Friday, 17 March 2006
SULAIMANI (Radio Nawa) - During an interview with Nawa Radio , Director of Information and Public Relations at the Council of Ministers, Kurdstan Regional Government, Jamal Abdullah, said Mulla Ali Abdulaziz behind provocation of protesters to set ablaze to the Halabja Monument Thursday.

Adullah added ABdulaziz via telephone told the protester to destroy the Monument ,calling it the "temple". Halabja Monument was built to honor the victims of Saddam"s gas Attack on the town of Halabja in 1988.

http://thekurdistani.com/news/content/view/2026/2/


PUK is Talabani's party. If you didn'T know.
So it is black on white written above Turkey has nothing to do with destroying Halabja-massacre monumental.


What is behind tensions of Islamic party and governing parties in Nort-Iraq?

For this question we have to look a bit into the past:


In December elections, This Kurdish Islamist party called "Kurdistan Islamic Union" divorced from Kurdish election list. In previous elections "Kurdistan Islamic Union" and KDP (Barzani) and PUK (Talabani) went to election in one single list.

But as i said, in December elections, "Kurdistan Islamic Union" went to election for their self.
On 6 Dec. Headquarters of "Kurdish Islamic Union" was attacked in cities like:
Duhok, Zakho, Akre,Amedi , Shaqlawa and Bardarash. As the result of that all the headquarters has been burned, looted and one of their politburo members has been murdered whom he was at the top of their election list for the December election, and several others has been injured.
http://www.kurdiu.org/New/English/kiuenglixhbayan.html

They blamed official security forces like peshmerga to be part of this attacks.
This statement was from 6th December 2005, one week before elections.


Meanwhile, 4 people have died resulting from this attacks to their headquarters in 6 cities.
Here is an Update again blameing official Kurdish parties to be behind these atacks:


Iraq: Kurdistan Islamic Union Responds To Attacks

Four people were killed on 6 December during an attack on the offices of the Kurdistan Islamic Union (KIU). Among those killed was a senior KIU official. In an interview conducted on 7 December and aired on the same day, RFE/RL's Radio Free Iraq (RFI) asked a member of the KIU’s leadership, Abu Bakr Karwani, for the bloc’s response to the attacks in Dahuk, capital of one of three Kurd-controlled governorates, and in five other towns in the region. With Iraqis preparing to go to the polls to vote in parliamentary elections on 15 December, RFI also asked about the possible impact on Kurdish political dialogue after the vote.

Karwani: Our position was clearly outlined in the statement that the Kurdistan Islamic Union issued. We strongly condemn the attacks against our offices in the Bahdinan region [which falls within the Dahuk governorate], which we labeled brazen and unjustifiable.

RFI: Can these acts be seen as a violation of the law on electoral campaigning? What will your reaction be?

Karwani: I think the definition of a violation is clear, and this has been an outright violation. This is a clear and scandalous violation. Violence was used, people killed, and some 30 injured, with others arrested.

At this very moment, members of the Kurdistan Islamic Union are being raided and harassed. We are therefore pursuing all peaceful measures available. We have contacted the [Kurdistan] region’s president [Mas’ud Barzani], the president of the Republic of Iraq [Jalal Talabani], and the UNHCR [the UN High Commissioner for Refugees]. The leadership of the Kurdistan Islamic Union will gather to decide what steps and measures to take next following the incidents that have affected our brothers in the region.

RFI: You hinted in your statement that the perpetrators of these acts are supporters of the Kurdistan Coalition List. Did you do anything that could have upset the List and provoked it to attack your offices?

Karwani: We do not think so. In Kurdistan, however, there is no strong history of a culture of democracy and of respect to others’ opinions. That is why the mere fact that we entered the [political] scene as a list [separate from the Kurdistan Coalition List] was [perceived by some as] a crime. That proved unsettling and provocative.

RFI: Kurdish media have recently paid major attention to the Kurdistan Islamic Union’s withdrawal from the Kurdistan Coalition List [in late October] and to the fact that you took part in the previous elections [in January 2005] with the List. Do you think your withdrawal may have further ramifications for Kurdish dialogue about the future of Kurdistan?

Karwani: We do not think so. We feel ourselves to be part of the people of Kurdistan and one of Kurdistan’s political groupings. If we win a seat in the Iraqi parliament, we will strongly defend the justified causes of the people of Kurdistan.

Our program is clear on this: we identify ourselves with all the key causes of the [political] scene in Kurdistan. It can only be that a few people on the rival list have on occasion [chosen] to launch a psychological war or to distort the image of the Kurdistan Islamic Union […]. Our separate position in the [election] has not affected our pro-Kurdish discourse. We are one of the parties in Kurdistan. We are a civic party with a religious orientation. We have no militia or other tools of violence.
http://www.rferl.org/featuresarticle/2005/12/9dfdf2b2-3d52-4b9b-a56a-38d835cbbb33.html



And now PUK (Talabani) blames "Kurdish Islamic Union" to be behind destroying Kurdish memorial and vandalizing in Halabja.

It seems, there is been an inner-Kurdish power struggle going on.
 
Thanks canavar, your response was well researched, and would seem to support your position.

I think, one must look deeper, and take with a "grain of salt" information being spoon feed to the media from "offical sources".

I generally opperate under the rule of, "if it seems hard to belive, I don`t".

Now, thats` not to say, that my opinion can`t be swayed, and you`ve certainly made me take a closer look, but I still smell a skunk!

Oh, and dilloduck ask`s a good question:

Would Turkey be in favor of the establishment of the independent state of Kurdistan ?

I would certainly be interested in your opinion on this subject. :smoke:
 

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