For most of us in this age Iraq has had a dark and horrible past. Many of us may not have even heard of the Amna Suraka museum and what it represents. However, it still stands as one of the foremost museums in Iraq.
The place used to be a prison, and its name in Kurdish means red security, or red security house. During the reign of Saddam Hussein, thousands of Kurdish people were imprisoned and tortured here, with crimes ranging from political insubordination to just plain being Kurdish.
The former prison itself is located within a security compound in the city of Sulaymaniyeh. It still is colored red as its namesake implies, and also people have retained the bullet holes that are reminiscent of the 1991 uprising. The courtyard is still full of weapons of war like tanks, artillery pieces, mortars and what not. Retained by the people, it stands as a reminder of what used to be and what should not be again.
Upon entrance into the building, the visitor will be greeted by the Hall of Mirrors, which contains 182,000 shards of glass, each glass shard representing one Kurdish life taken during the Anfal campaign under Saddam. The ceiling also contains 4,500 twinkling lights, each one representing a village that was destroyed under the rule of Saddam.
As the visitor continues on further, he or she will find a replica of a Kurdish traditional village home in the next room. Further on, he or she will pass through several cells used for detention and torture in the olden days. One will definitely feel uneasy as some cells contain gruesome statues that depict what had occurred in them. One particularly disturbing one is one in which two children are tortured by guards for information.
Going down further to the basement, one will be immersed in a photo gallery depicting the chemical attack on Halabja. The way it is presented here is somewhat akin to what one would see in the Holocaust museum in Tel Aviv. It will definitely make one more humanistic and sympathetic to the Kurdish plight.
Definitely this is one of those places wherein one can visit while trudging onwards or backpacking through Kurdistan. It will not only be educational but instrumental as well in keeping one in touch with humanity.
The place used to be a prison, and its name in Kurdish means red security, or red security house. During the reign of Saddam Hussein, thousands of Kurdish people were imprisoned and tortured here, with crimes ranging from political insubordination to just plain being Kurdish.
The former prison itself is located within a security compound in the city of Sulaymaniyeh. It still is colored red as its namesake implies, and also people have retained the bullet holes that are reminiscent of the 1991 uprising. The courtyard is still full of weapons of war like tanks, artillery pieces, mortars and what not. Retained by the people, it stands as a reminder of what used to be and what should not be again.
Upon entrance into the building, the visitor will be greeted by the Hall of Mirrors, which contains 182,000 shards of glass, each glass shard representing one Kurdish life taken during the Anfal campaign under Saddam. The ceiling also contains 4,500 twinkling lights, each one representing a village that was destroyed under the rule of Saddam.
As the visitor continues on further, he or she will find a replica of a Kurdish traditional village home in the next room. Further on, he or she will pass through several cells used for detention and torture in the olden days. One will definitely feel uneasy as some cells contain gruesome statues that depict what had occurred in them. One particularly disturbing one is one in which two children are tortured by guards for information.
Going down further to the basement, one will be immersed in a photo gallery depicting the chemical attack on Halabja. The way it is presented here is somewhat akin to what one would see in the Holocaust museum in Tel Aviv. It will definitely make one more humanistic and sympathetic to the Kurdish plight.
Definitely this is one of those places wherein one can visit while trudging onwards or backpacking through Kurdistan. It will not only be educational but instrumental as well in keeping one in touch with humanity.
About the Author:
Read my intriguing story about the trip to Amna Suraka Iraq where I faced many challenges along the way. I have written about my backpacking Iraq to Saddam Hussein's house of horrors. Check out my blog right away by visiting the site.
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