KWESTAN: Shall we start ?

TRANSLATOR: Yes we will start

KWESTAN: Talk about my job ?

TRANSALTOR: First question is like a CV and second is the chemical attack

KWESTAN: Perfect … May I speak now ?
Welcome and thanks for this opportunity
My name is Kwestan Akram Faraj
I was born on 26th of March, 1966
Meaning yesterday was my birthday
I completed my education, primary school and high school in Halabja
I am a graduate of Technology Institution of Kirkuk
Class of 1987
Also a graduate from Social Science college at University of Halabja
Class of 2020-2021
In 1993 I became an employee in municipality
I passed all the stages
And now I am the president of the municipality of Halabja
Apart from that I am one of the active female figure asking for women’s rights
I am a member in multiple organizations „The group of peaceful women organization“ Based in the region
Honorary member of Women Union of Kurdistan, Sharazwr branch
Also a member of Coalition of Women in Kurdistan
We created a coalition, a lobby for women. That is working in the entire Kurdistan Region for women rights
And until now I am the president of Municipality of Halabja, thanks

TRANSLATOR: Thank you
[transaltion]

KWESTAN: Shall I speak in short bits so that you translate, isn’t it hard all together for you

TRANSLATOR: At the end of your speech don’t say „thank you“ so that later we put it together

KWESTAN: Good

TRANSLATOR: And for speaking, do it however you like

KWESTAN: Because I will just give him [Member of the filmcrew] a little bit of explanation now

TRANSLATOR: Later they will give me the video and I will translate it all

KWESTAN: Ok, sounds good, perfect ...
Regarding the crime of the chemical attack on Halabja unfortunately it’s one of the most ugliest things and form of genocide against the city of Halabja on the hands of that regime
Honestly if you speak with anyone from Halabja those that were inside Halabja while that crime was committed
If each one could have been written about, it would have been like a novel
In my opinion, as I witnessed the crime myself
While Halabja was bombarded I was here
I saw how the people of Halabja were escaping the city
Honestly it’s a tragedy that if someone doesn’t see it for themselves it’s hard to describe
That day, during the 16th of March we were at home, and a couple of days prior to that the situation
Financially and socially was disrupted in Halabja
Because there was no markets or schools open
There was a visible sort of disturbance among the people
Our house was located in Mamostaian Neighborhood
We were 5 sisters and a brother
One of our sisters back then was at the University of Mosul
She was studding in Mosul
And we also had another girl that was a teacher in Halabja, she lived in our house
I remember in the afternoon, I was very curious 
Like in our household I was known for being curious
I was around the same age as that girl who was staying in our house, the teacher
We went on the roof, even though my parents said don’t go there
The situation isn’t good, let’s all be downstairs so that is something happened we go down to the basement
Would you believe me when I say we saw the first airplane with our own eyes
When it started bombing Halabja we were on the roof
When you hear the sound of airplanes you want to save yourself
I feel like we passed all the steps on the stairs in one step and came down
When we reached downstairs from the roof
The fan on the ceiling, while my mother prepared food so we eat it
From the impact the fan that was attached to the ceiling dropped down on the plates
Even though the area was very far from us

TRANSLATOR: 6 Sisters and a brother ?

KWESTAN: 5 Sisters and a brother

TRANSLATOR: She was in University

KWESTAN: Yes, at the time of the bombing ...
My father, We didn’t have a basement
My aunt’s house had a basement and their house was about a street in front of us
My father said go to the basement of your aunt’s house
We were very anxiously running because of the continuous bombings
My father and brother went to a basement of one of our neighbors
We went to the basement of my aunt’s house
We were in the basement until around 6 O’clock in the evening
We didn’t know anything about outside situation
But the youths that were in front of the basement, they were going outside and coming back in
They were saying this and that area were bombed
Around 6 O’clock in the evening the bombings stopped
My father sent someone
He thought that we were definitely in the basement of our aunt’s house
So that we return, we go back home
We gather our things and leave as the city was destroyed
Around 6:00 to 6:30 we came back to our house and gathered the only necessary things
One of our neighbors had a tractor
We saw them they were all inside the tractor
They took their things with them
Back then we didn’t have a car
We wanted to go on foot, we are originally from Ababaile Village
Everyone was heading towards their own village
That man was our neighbor, he was called Mr. Ahmad
My father was a teacher, he asked him 
“Teacher, where are you guys going to ?”
He said “Honestly, we are going towards Ababaile”
He answered “Honestly we are going towards Anab, but you can come”
“Get on the tractor I will get you close to their”
meaning he will get us out of the city
And we thank him because he came to our rescue
All of our family and their family
Went inside the back cart of the tractor
He was going towards Ababaile road and when we reached there and he took us out of the city
We got off there and they continued towards their Village, Anab
Honestly the tragedy starts from here
If you saw the road of Ababaile, of course
These started around 6:30 and it was close to 7:00 and 8:00 at night by that time
It was very dark
No one should have turned on any lights
And there was no mobile phones so that you turn on the flash
It was either the small lights one could hold or lanterns
But it should not have been turned on because they were saying
If the airplanes came and saw lit lanterns and lights they will bomb us
Until this point at the story when we arrived on Ababaile road
2 other times the airplanes bombed Halabja
Then from what I saw, on Ababaile road
The road from Halabja until you reach Ababaile
You felt like the entire residents of Halabja were on that road
People were all screaming, kids and adults
The parents were yelling so that the kids take each others hands
So that no one gets lost
We were doing the same thing, holding each other hands so that
We don’t get separated
Until that moment I didn’t know that it was a chemical attack
Because we were in a basement and in our neighborhood it was mainly bombs
Like, we didn’t know
But I myself saw people that were standing still on the road
Especially when we arrived inside Ababaile Village, there is a spot they call it Shakhsi
It’s close to the shrine
I was seeing people that were screaming without any reason
Or they were crying
Or some were making loud noises or laughing
They said those people were hit by chemicals
Because of my curiosity I wanted to get close to them but they didn’t allow me
They said if you get close you will also be infected
Some people, their entire body has fully turned red
I saw someone who had a torn sleeve of his shirt
It was completely red

TRANSLATOR: [translation]

KWESTAN: Yes, we stayed in Ababaile for 5 days
My grandfather’s and uncle’s house were there
But still, out of fear, we were not staying inside the village by day
There were caves around the village
We were leaving early in the morning to the caves and we were coming back late night to the village
Because continuously Halabja was being bombarded
Ababaile Village was also close to Halabja so we were afraid they might bomb there as well
In those 5 days my parents went back to Halabja a few times, on foot of course
So that they bring some necessary things
On the last time that they came back
They told them you cannot come back to Halabja anymore because a lot of chemicals have been spread in the area
There is a lot of dead bodies in it
So civilians should not move around a lot for their own life safety
After the 5 days went by the Iranian Pasdar (Military) came
They said because there is no life left
We must...they brough cars and we went by the cars to Iran
When we got on the car, we were a group of families, like...
We were about 8 to 9 families inside the village
The car must go through Anab Village of course
It must go through that road to reach Iran
In those 5 days we spent in Ababaile, we had no idea what was the situation outside of that village
When we left Ababaile they told us: “Don’t let any of the children raise their head”
So that they don’t see outside
But as I mentioned before because I was curious by nature
They say ‘Every forbidden thing is desired’, even though I was very young then, Then I was only 21 years old
You always want to do what they tell you not to, so that you figure out why they say don’t
The vehicle was called Eva here
Eva is a military vehicle that has an open space in the back
I was raising my head on the road
Side of the roads were all covered with dead bodies
Also animals were laying dead there, this was 5 days after the chemical
The bodies of the animals were inflated almost double in size
Some were covered by blankets
But sometimes wind would move the blanket
Or there were some dead bodies on the road
But the thing that was the worst was the effect
That it had on me deep down
Until now, on daily basis after 34 years
I see flashbacks in my mind many times
Sometimes I come to work and suddenly while on my job I see a flashback 
So this had a big impact on me psychologically
Like the vehicle, because of how many bodies were on the road
The vehicle was trying to maneuver away from the bodies
It’s didn’t have enough space
But in that situation when I was looking outside
The vehicle didn’t have much space
It went over...the legs of one of the dead bodies
And if a vehicle or something heavy drives on something beneath it it does a little jump
I saw it going on the knees of the dead body the vehicle rising then hitting back the ground
Until now when I talk about it I have goosebumps
That is one of the worst things ever
I saw a lot of misery in my life because my husband was martyred
My mother and father passed away
I have 1 daughter who faces cancer twice in her life
Like all of these miseries didn’t make me forget about that
...Sorry…

TRANSLATOR: [translation]

KWESTAN: After that we went to Iran
Almost
Of course these are easy to talk about
That is why I want to just talk about the main things
Of course this life that we lived isn’t that easy
When you see those things with your own eyes
Like how did we pass those 5 days in Ababaile 
We went to Iran and honestly they provided us with a good service
We were not in our own homes for 5 days and the weather was very cold as well
They did some basic first aid for us
They gave us medication and served us
After that for nearly 13 days we stayed in Harsin City
Later on we were taken and divided on the camps
I believe then it was a holiday for students
They have a holiday in spring season
They have a long holiday in spring season i can’t remember the name
Yes that is right, it’s called Sianza Badar
It was during that
That is why they hosted all of the refugees in the schools and later on distributed them on the camps
We were taken to a place they called it Warmahak
It was counted on Kameran province
It was a very nice place as it was a place for agriculture
There they prepared the tents and if the people were more they brought more tents
We stayed in Iran for 3 months because my father was a teacher and he was a bit old
And all of us
We didn’t have much of a job
Our father was providing for all of us
And my father was like what can I do in Iran with this age of mine
I must go back to...Slemani
Our sister that was in Mosul
Back then the boarder was closed between Iran and Iraq
No electronical communication existed because of that my sister that was in Mosul
She sent a letter to a relative of us in Belgium
She sent a letter
Through Belgium my sister’s letter reached us
When she knew that we were in that camp when the news reached her
She told my father if you guys are not coming back
I will come to you so that we live in Iran because usually families all stick together
And she was young
She was a university student
Then my father decided to go back
And I believe during that time the Ba’athist regime declared a general pardon
So that the Iraqis
That seek refuge in Iran
Because of the crime that was committed in 1988
Of course they were not talking about it that way
They were saying it was Iran who did this
Like they gave the pardon in a way
That those that were affected when Iran bombed Halabja in the war
They gave a pardon so that those people get back
Many people took this as a chance to go back because they didn’t have a way to make a living in Iran
We were one of those families that went back
But we came back from Qandil Mountain path
Qandil Mountain
And it was one the beautiful things in nature
I don’t believe anywhere in the world
That is as beautiful as Qandil
We also suffered a lot and we stayed two nights in Qandil
Because we were moving by cattle
On the road we saw people who were migrating, having a simple life under their tents
They were serving us a lot
The women were in a different tent
And the men in some other tents
And in super early morning around 4 O’clock they prepared freshly baked bread, it was a different atmosphere
We also saw that this bit was fun

TRANSLATOR: It’s a different thing

KWESTAN: Yes it was

TRANSLATOR: I heard about these a lot
But this is the first time I am hearing it like this with the majority of your family being female
Like your father couldn’t in there...
KWESTAN: Yes

TRANSLATOR: It’s a different thing

KWESTAN: Yes our lives were different

TRANSLATOR: [translation]

KWESTAN: When we reached the Iraqi boarder, it was the city of Ranya
Unfortunately while we took those 2 nights from Iran to there
We were not aware of media and TVs and the duration of the pardon given by the Iraqi government was finished
When we reached Iraqi boarder, of course
There was...
I forgot what it is called

TRANSLATOR: The point where you arrive

KWESTAN: Yes, checkpoints
There was a checkpoint
There they asked for IDs and my father showed them the ID he had as a teacher
They respected us a lot, we were hungry and they brought us food
We were taken to Ranya police station
Their working hours has finished for the day so we spent the night in the police station
We were in the yard with the things that we had
Until next morning the manager of the police station came
They booked us a bus and we thought that was it and we will go home
But we were brought to Slemani’s prison
We stayed 4 nights in Slemani’s prison
We stayed there and that in itself was
Another one of the miseries that Kurds faces on the hands of the regime
Then again they separated men and women
Me, my sisters and mother
Were taken to a room which is slightly bigger than here that was only for women
In a corner there was a toilet and a sink to be used when needed
There were many women, mothers and daughters, saying they have been there for a year or two years
They were all the families of Peshmarga, mothers of Peshmarga
It’s an unfortunate thing
There are some scenes that you can’t really forget
I don’t remember what they looked like
Because honestly 34 years passed on it and it’s a long time
I was 20 to 21 years old back then
It has been a long time
We stayed there for about 3 days
Those that were there, the Peshmarga families, when they knew that we were from Halabja
They said lucky you, because you will be here for couple of days and then you will be released
We also thought the same, that we will be here for a couple of days and then we will be released
It wasn’t like that, after 2 days they called us out, in a big yard
Men on a side and women on the other side
They asked some questions and we signed some stuff
The yard was really big
As I said I was curious and moved a lot in there
At that time I saw the floor
It was like a cage made from steel
It was a basement underneath us
I still remember that guy, there was a young guy doing this meaning why are you here
And I couldn’t answer him, he was in the basement
I looked to see what is going on there
I assume he might have heard noises
God knows who’s son it was and it was just a poor young guy
Unfortunately we lost a lot of youngsters like that
After that they brought us a bus and took us
We were on the road for more than an hour and we were taken to Kirkuk
To Topzawa, there was a military base there
When we arrived there, there was two big halls
One for men and one for women
Our hall had like 350 people in it
A big hall, each had a blanket on the ground
They were sitting on that blanket and on daily basis
They were bringing us food
There was no toilet or bathroom in it
They would open the door twice in a day
You must have went to a far place
Take water with you, do your toilet and come back
We lived like that for two months
In that prison
Not be able to wash yourself for two months
In summer in July
There were kids in the hall
They were dying
They were just burring them straight away
At night we heard dogs and they said
They have taken the dead body
Talking about this is only easy when you just say it

TRANSLATOR: [translate]

KWESTAN: Your memory is very good, you said it in the right order, thanks
After those two months we were released by a pardon
It was 14th of...
September 1988
We were released by a general pardon
Later on we went back to Slemani
We rented a house there and our lives were miserable 
My father was expelled
We didn’t have much of an income to live on unfortunately
We stayed in my maternal uncle’s house for a while
After a while we rented a small room
Back then I graduated
I was employed
It was a private sector job, a tissue making factory
I remember making small tissues
Our lives got a little bit better
These happened in 1988
In 1989 I got married
After a year of coming back
Because my husband 
We had a relationship together, before the chemical attack
We got to know each other due to politics
Unfortunately he was also imprisoned because some letters of his were seized by the regime
It was a weird coincidence, we both were released by the same pardon
Because the pardon was political
After a year he asked my hand for marriage and we married each other
Later we had a daughter by the name of Zirvan
She was born in 1990, and later in 1991
The uprising happened in here
The uprising of the people of Kurdistan
And later the big immigration happened
Until these times Halabja was a forbidden place, no one was allowed back into Halabja
That is why I mentioned it so you guys know how we returned
On the uprising date, where Slemani was freed which was 7th of March
Because we were working amid the internal cells
At night a meeting was held
They gave a gun to my husband
He was one of those that went to Slemani prison and broke down the prison

TRANSLATOR: Yes ?

KWESTAN: Yes the Red Security Building
There my husband was injured as they threw a grenade
A shell hit his head
When they brought him home
He asked them not to be taken to a hospital
Until Kwestan comes with me, I might pass away
His friends, a group of Peshmarga 
They brought him back in back of a pick up
I left Zirvan
And we went to the hospital, which was another catastrophe
All of those youths were injured and killed, and Peshmargas
They did a basic treatment as they couldn’t really do a surgery
But there was three pieces of metal shell in his head
Unfortunately, those pieces had a lot of effect on him psychologically
Because he was politically imprisoned before
He was psychologically tortured and that is why psychologically he wasn’t doing good
And those pieces had a lot of effect on him
He lived like this under doctors treatment and psychological treatment until
1999, but we...
After the uprising we came straight back to Halabja
We were one of the first families to go back to Halabja
Unfortunately due to the effects of the pieces in his head, he took his own life
Because of that
Back then I was working in a women’s organization
In Women Union that is supported by Patriotic Union of Kurdistan
Back then for around 2 years
I took a rest because my husband’s situation was very bad
And they said if you are serving him
And this happened to him because he fought for Kurdistan, it’s like doing your own job
That is why back then for a while
I took a break from my work in organizations and politics
But unfortunately, in 1999 he passed away
After that
The Americans came here and in...
Slemani in 70 Forces
They interviewed about one thousand people of Halabja
Those that were present when that crime happened
One of those people was me
After that, the names of some people were announced so that they
Participate in the court trial against Saddam
I was very happy as one of those people was me
I asked why you guys chose me as I haven’t lost anyone in the chemical attack
They said because back then you were an adult legally and you were 21 years old
You can tell what happened away from sentimental effect of it

TRANSLATOR: [translate]

KWESTAN: I participated in the 18th court hearing
I believe 28 court hearings
Were done by Supreme Criminal Court for Saddam and Ali Hassan Majid trial
We were there for the 13th hearing sessions, we stayed in Baghdad for 7 days
One of the questions that the judge asked me
Do you want to go behind a curtain ?
For your testimony
Or do you want to see Saddam face to face ?
Of course it was like a booth for us
I turned around like this and wanted to see Saddam
I turned around
They said no, I said I want him and other to see me
So that I give my testimony freely
And that was one of the days that I as a young person
I worked previously in the internal cells of PUK against that regime
After that, on the hands of that regime, Halabja was destroyed and bombarded with chemicals
It’s a good thing to see the criminal in a cage after all of those misery
I believe this is the end of story with Saddam getting on trial, I don’t know if you guys have any further questions

TRANSLATOR: [translate]

INTERVIEWER: So, Halabja and the chemical attack is one big thing that happened here, but can you tell us more about the gerneral history of the city

KWESTAN: Yes
Halabja has an old history
It has an old history and full of civilization
Pardon me
Geographically it’s located in
At the bottom of Shnrwe Mountain
Also
Geographically it’s close to the boarder, close to Iran
And for Halabja, because of that sort of relations
That it had throughout history, It had a history full of civilization
In 1919, I think in 19th century
When the Jaf Tribe were living in this area
They were able
Because of their business relations with
Turkey, Tehran and Damascus
They had a great business exchange relation
This relation helped in transporting the cultures of those places to Halabja
Regardless of Halabja being small, but it was rich in civilization way
It was full of beauties
One of the beautiful historical things in Halabja is that women
They ruled back then
Yes some resources tell us that
Miss Adila was not a deputy
But she did rule
Until Sina and Kirmashan she was accounted for
When she lived in Halabja, it was until Khanaqin
She was accounted for, by this it means
Her letters for others was important
Sorry I said a lot

TRANSLATOR: If you want, until I translate, if someone had a job

KWESTAN: Sure

KWESTAN: (to somebody in the off) Why do you open the door

EMPLOYEE: They need a signature and a stamp

KWESTAN: Who ?

KWESTAN: I’m in an interview, please wait until I am finished, then I will do it

...

KWESTAN: Give this to Draw, and whatever there is
Whatever documents there are bring it so that I sign it

…

KWESTAN: Alright, tell them there isn’t much left
Don’t let anyone in for a while

EMPLOYEE: Yes

INTERVIEWER: What is the situation now in Halabja? How is the infrastructure, the employement rate and so on?

KWESTAN: Thanks, this is an important question because life goes on
One must help in providing a good life, especially now
We are in 21st century
We can’t say nothing has been done, many good things were done
We have international stadium in Halabja
There is a good university, institution of fine arts
Back then, area of Halabja was 7 Square Km
Now Halabja is 32 Square Km
meaning this was increased by multiple times
Increased by 4 times
Apart from the center that is the 7 Square Km
That was destroyed
It needs services and the other areas are expansions
But unfortunately due to economical crisis since 
2014, I can say once again
It was another failure towards Halabja
If for other places it was a failure for us it is twice as that as we need
More services and reconstruction
Honestly, this economical crisis
It had an effect on all of the aspects of reconstruction
From every aspect, Healthcare wise, Roads and Education wise
From sports and arts aspect
This became the main reason of why much services can’t be done for Halabja
I am hopeful
Regardless, if someone saw a lot of misery in their live
Those must always live with hope
Unfortunately, now the young people
Because in 2010 and 2011 the situation was really good
And those youths were raised in a beautiful way
In a very good way
It’s very hard for them to endure these hard times
That is why it’s important for someone to first of all educate themselves
This is how life is, for example we can look at Ukraine
When I look at the videos from Ukraine
I remember my life while we were being bombed and became refugees
Also, every human has the right to live in a good way
I hope all of these complications go away
That is facing the entire world
We are also a part of it as Kurds
I hope all of this go away and we live in a free and safe country
It’s necessary

INTERVIEWER: And what is needed for a free and safe country?

KWESTAN: Whom shall do what, about Halabja he means or generally ?

TRANSLATOR: Generally

KWESTAN: Mainly I say the United Stated of America
Because they are the superpowers of this world
We should let go of fighting
It’s true, struggles happen
Conflicts will never be over
But let’s stop using weapons
Like all of these happen, even in a small family
There are issues, but let’s not use weapons

TRANSLATOR: [translate]

INTERVIEWER: How can Germany and the people from Germany help Halabja?

KWESTAN: Just as an addition, there are no winners in wars
We have a lot of experiences 
And the world has a lot of experiences, that is why
I can say
The worst thing is war
Please translate that then I will answer the question you asked

TRANSLATOR: [translate]

KWESTAN: Sorry what was the last question ?

…

KWESTAN: Yes
Municipality of Halabja, me being the president of it
Because of that big crime that came upon Halabja we are members
Of Global Municipality Organization for Peace
I have visited Germany
To the city of Karlsruhe
We visited their municipality in an official formal way
As Halabja we need every kind of help and aid
Either financially or incorporeal
In an incorporeal it’s important for the world to know
What happened to Halabja and how this crime was committed
Like what this gentleman is doing and making a report out of it
As I said, in an incorporeal way it’s important for the world to know that Halabja, on the hands of it’s own ruling regime
That crime was done against it and in an incorporeal way
Sorry, I mean financially 
We need that
Like whatever they want to help in and provide and aid in, as we need every kind of services
Yes, great works has been done for multiple years
But we are still in the beginning
For example we need gardens and parks
We need halls, we need financial support for...
To reconstruct the roads and the streets
In any aspect they want to help us
We will gladly make their works easier

TRANSLATOR: [translate]