Halabja, March 14 1988

What took place in Halabja just two days before the gassing.............



People are talking and getting ready to demonstrate against Saddam. The signs and activities of Peshmarge are becoming more visible in the city. By this point the "Free Territories" had increased and peshmergekani Kurdistan were much stronger. They are even getting ready to clear out a city from Iraqi regime!

When the peshmerges started to fight again after claps of 1974; they had to start from scratch. They cleared one hill top after the next. Soon in a 10 year period they controlled many villages, and regions of Kurdistan. They created a section of Iraqi Kurdistan and they called it "Nawche Azad Krawekan", The Free Territories.

I remember I was a kid and we went to visit my uncle that I have never seen. He became a peshmerge shortly after I was born. At this point he was in charge of Karubari Komelayeti Sharbajir.

It was a big span of territory in the 80s free from Saddam. The people of these villages were happy and free. Peshmargas set up a revolutionary command and government system: Courts, judges, people's relation, radio…etc of course they were all peshmargas. The masuls, the judges and my uncle too they all went to battles and they kept all Iraqi Advances at bay.

By March 14 1988 the Peshmarges were stronger than ever and the Iraqis were weakened and more disparate. It is their continuous war with Iran and the Kurds which is exhausting them.

It seems today the peshmarges are making a daring mission……..they dared to come: not to free just another village or some farmlands but a city! They have moved in onto Halabja. They say that they want to free Halabja. The people of Halabja are also getting ready to explode into a demonstration. People are happy that they will be free from Iraqi IFA and Jeeps. Happy that they will be free from Black and red braid of Iraqi solders, they would be free from being harassed in Arabic while conducting their daily business. They were happy! They were happy to be free!

School kids were still going to their classes, but the teacher knew. They knew that in a few days they will write the word Kurdistan on the black board. They knew this Newroz of 1988 in Halabja they will celebrate like no other Newroz. It will be a Newroz of Joy a free Newroz: Newrozi Azadi!

Some shopkeepers were happy that maybe they can raise the price a dinar or two! If peshmerges come then they can use this opportunity to gain some extra money! "Hey it is a war and no one knows what is going to happen", thought a shopkeeper that he would explain to his clients if they complained. They were also thinking of the possibility that Irani good "shti qachax" will flood the market. Lack of Iraqi presence will make it easier to access Iran and their cheep goods.

March 14 1988 in Halabja was a happy day. Halabja and its people were about to be free. March 14 was a promising day; it was an early spring day. It was a day where you could smell the blooming of Nergis (flower of Newroz) coming down from the mountains. If you stood and looked to the east you could see the rainbow coming out behind the blue and steep mountain where it must have rained a heavy spring rain. March 14 was a day full of laughter, life and promise in Halabja…….