Jalawla

Category: Genocide

Peter Galbraith was an American diplomat throughout the latter part of the 20th century. He became particularly intrigued with the genocide against the Kurds in Iraq, which officially began in 1986. As a US diplomat, Galbraith was put in a difficult situation. While Iraq was in a war against Iran, the US was financially supporting Iraq. In doing so, it was also supporting the genocide taking place.

Galbraith's interest first started in Iraq in 1984, where he toured the land. During this time, he saw the many Kurdish villages in the north of the land. In the midst of the genocide in 1987, Iraq again let Galbraith in, but very hesitantly. He drove to the military checkpoint of Jalawla, which was an Arab town. When the Iraqis finally let him through, he continued traveling to the Kurdish villages he had seen just years before. However, this time they were all gone. As it was later discovered, the Kurds in these villages as well as others were systematically bussed away to be killed. Those who were not were taken to ghettos, where conditions and lack of food killed many of the Kurds. With the sight of these desolate villages, it was obvious to Galbraith that a genocide had occurred in the area.

by: Becky Cholst, Nicanor Mandin, David Ohlhausen