MİHRİBAN SELAM KAKAYİ

Halabja- Thousands of tragic stories have been told since the massacre that took place in Halabja 34 years ago. The wounds left by the Halabja Massacre haven't been healed by telling stories and memories, because the people of Halabja experienced many things that left deep wounds in their hearts and their wounds are still bleeding. On March 16, 1988, in the chemical attack carried out by the Iraqi Ba'athist government under Saddam Hussein, thousands of people lost their lives, thousands were displaced, and the fate of hundreds of people is still unknown. Esmer Ferez Kowêx is one of the people whose fate is still unknown. She was pregnant during the attack. Her sister Soran Ferac Kowên told NuJINHA her sister’s story.

“She was in the last month of pregnancy”

Soran Ferac Kowêx talked about her sister with great sadness. “My sister had two daughters and a son and she was in the last month of pregnancy. In the neighborhood, everyone knew each other, and my sister’s house was located at the entrance of our neighborhood. After the chemical attack, everybody went to their basements to protect themselves. Halabja was bombed every day. The bombardment of the Ba'athist regime on Halabja and its mountains scared all citizens. On March 16, 1988, the aircraft began dropping chemical bombs on Halabja. Thousands of people were killed and thousands were displaced. The fate of hundreds of people is still unknown.”

“We couldn’t find even her grave”

Stating that her sister had difficulties in the basement because she was pregnant, Soran Ferac Kowêx said, “At that time, we didn’t know where she was or what happened to her. People told us many things about her but we had no evidence showing she was alive, martyred, missing, or injured. Her husband was told she had a grave but we couldn’t find even her grave.”

“I still wait for her return”

 Soran Ferac Kowêx felt sad when she talked about her sister. “My sister was older than us and she was like our mother. She was a mother to me, she combed my hair, dressed me. I still wait for her return home.”

“Our mulberry tree also waits for her return”

Speaking about the mulberry tree planted by her sister, Soran Ferac Kowêx said, “My sister planted a mulberry tree in our garden and she told us ‘One day you will say that our sister planted this tree.' Our mulberry tree also waits for her return.”