RONÎDA HACÎ

Hesekê - The Baathist regime led by dictator Saddam Hussein in Iraq carried out a massacre in the Halabja village on March 16, 1988. The Baathist regime attacked the village by using chemical weapons and more than 5,500 people, including women and children were killed in the attack. Enahid Qesebiyan, a member of the Armenian Social Council in northeast Syria, spoke to NuJINHA about the Halabja Massacre.

“They wanted to annihilate the Kurdish people”

Defining the Halabja Massacre as a genocidal policy against the people, Enahid Qesebiyan said, “March is both a mourning and feast month for all peoples in the region. We celebrate International Women’s Day and Newroz in March but we also mourn for the Halabja massacre. The Halabja Massacre has a place in everyone’s heart and will be never forgotten. They wanted to annihilate the Kurdish people in Halabja. Since then, many massacres have taken place in Shengal, Afrin, Serêkaniyê, Til Rifet, and Girê Spî against the Kurdish people. The attacks against the Kurdish people show the dimension of hate against the Kurdish people.”

Same policies under different names

Stating that the enemy of the people from different nations is the same, Enahid Qesebiyan said, “In history, people from different nations faced massacres and genocides. For instance, genocide was committed against the Armenian people by the Ottomans. The Sayfo is the genocide against Assyrians. The Halabja Massacre was committed by Saddam Hussein. Even if the names of policies are changed, all policies are genocidal policies. For this reason, the enemy of the people from different nations is the same enemy.”

“Demographic structure is wanted to be changed”

Drawing attention to the massacres and genocides, Enahid Qesebiyan said, “The Simele massacre was against the Assyrians, the Sayfo genocide was against Assyrians and Armenians and the Halabja Massacre was against the Kurds. Thousands of people were killed or forced into displacement. Today, history repeats itself in Afrin, Serêkaniyê, and Girê Spî. The demographic structure of the region is wanted to be changed.”

“We will continue to resist and struggle”

Pointing out the practices of Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan against the Kurds, Enahid Qesehid said, “Saddam aimed to annihilate the Kurdish people and destroy their will in Halabja. Today, Erdoğan attacks the people of North and East Syria by using banned weapons through ISIS. We believe that Erdoğan's fate will be just like Saddam's fate. The best response to the massacres and genocides is to strengthen the resistance and struggle. We will continue to resist and struggle.”