Sema
Vian Dakhil, a member of the Iraqi Parliament and spokesperson for the Kurdistan Democratic Party bloc, presented an academic project to Dr. Randall Rhodes, President of the American University of Kurdistan (AUK) in Duhok. The project aims to shed light on the genocide suffered by the Kurdish people throughout modern history.
The project focuses on major tragic events experienced by the Kurds, starting with the Halabja massacre and the use of chemical weapons against innocent civilians, the infamous Anfal campaigns that claimed the lives of thousands, the Barzani Anfal and the mass displacement and killing of the Barzani people, and culminating in the genocide targeting the Yazidi community in 2014 following the ISIS invasion of Sinjar and the commission of horrific crimes against humanity.
MP Vian Dakhil emphasized that the project aims to document these atrocities with academic rigor to be included as a subject of study in universities and academic institutions, not only locally but also internationally. The project seeks to raise global awareness about the scale of the tragedies endured by the Kurdish people and the Yazidi community and to contribute to preventing the recurrence of such crimes against any people, religious group, or ethnic minority.
Dakhil called on the academic community and international bodies to support the project and help transform it into an academic reference that amplifies the voices of victims and advocates for justice and accountability for the crimes committed.
For his part, Dr. Randall Rhodes, President of the American University of Kurdistan, welcomed the project presented by MP Vian Dakhil, highlighting its importance in raising awareness about these crimes and promoting peace, tolerance, and justice for the victims.