2004 Al-Qamishli riots
Encyclopedia
The 2004 Al-Qamishli riots refer to riots by Syrian Kurds
in the northeastern city of al-Qamishli in March 2004. The riots started during a chaotic football match, when some people started raising Kurdish national flags, turning the match to political conflict. In the aftermath of a brutal reaction by Syrian police and clashes between Kurdish and Arab groups at least 30 people were killed, though other claims indicate on casualty rate of about 100.
is the largest town in Al-Hasakah Governorate in north-east Syria, and it is regarded as the Kurdish and Assyrian community capital. It is also the center of the Syrian Kurdish
problem, especially in the recent years.
, hailing Barzani
and Talabani and US President George W. Bush
, turning the match to political conflict. The riot expanded and the clashes continued with the police out of the stadium. Baath Party
local office was burned down by the rioters, leading to the security forces reacting and killing more than 15 of the rioters and wound more than 100. Officials in Qamishli alleged that some Kurdish parties were collaborating with "foreign forces" to annex some villages in the area to northern Iraq. Events climaxed when Kurds in Qamishli toppled a statue of Hafez al-Assad
. The Syrian army responded quickly, deploying thousands of troops backed by tanks and helicopters. At least 30 Kurds were killed as the security services re-took the city.
Several years later the KRG moved all refugees who arrived before 2005 to housing in a second camp, known as Qamishli. The camp consists of a modest housing development with dozens of concrete block houses and a mosque.
The original camp at the former Army citadel now contains about 300 people. Many of the homes are made of cement blocks, covered with plastic tarpaulins. Latrines and showers are in separate buildings down the street. Authorities provide electricity, water trucks and food rations.
Refugees can leave the camp to work. As refugees they can’t get government jobs, but are able work in the private sector, often as construction laborers or drivers. Refugees seem likely not to return to Syria until political conditions change.
to protest the assassination of Sheikh Khaznawi, a Kurdish cleric in Syria, resulting in the death of one policeman and injury to four Kurds. In March 2008, according to Human Rights Watch
, Syrian security forces opened fire at Kurds celebrating spring festival of Newroz and gathering for reviving the 2004 riot in Qamishli
. The shooting left three people dead.
protested on the day of Kurdish martyr, an annual event since 2004 al-Qamishli riots.
Kurds in Syria
Kurds are the largest ethnic minority in Syria making up 10% of the country's population. Most of them are Sunni Muslims; there are also Yazidi and Yarsan Kurds in Syria and small numbers of Christians and Alawis. They face routine discrimination and harassment by the Syrian...
in the northeastern city of al-Qamishli in March 2004. The riots started during a chaotic football match, when some people started raising Kurdish national flags, turning the match to political conflict. In the aftermath of a brutal reaction by Syrian police and clashes between Kurdish and Arab groups at least 30 people were killed, though other claims indicate on casualty rate of about 100.
Background
QamishliQamishli
Qamishli is a city in north eastern Syria on the border with Turkey, adjoining the Turkish city of Nusaybin, and close to Iraq. It is part of the Al-Hasakah Governorate, and is the administrative capital of the Al Qamishli District within the governorate....
is the largest town in Al-Hasakah Governorate in north-east Syria, and it is regarded as the Kurdish and Assyrian community capital. It is also the center of the Syrian Kurdish
Kurds in Syria
Kurds are the largest ethnic minority in Syria making up 10% of the country's population. Most of them are Sunni Muslims; there are also Yazidi and Yarsan Kurds in Syria and small numbers of Christians and Alawis. They face routine discrimination and harassment by the Syrian...
problem, especially in the recent years.
2004 events
In March 2004, during a chaotic soccer match, a riot started upon raising of Kurdish flagKurdish flag
The Flag of Kurdistan first appeared during the Kurdish independence movement from the Ottoman Empire. It is said to have been created in the 1900s by the organisation of Xoybûn...
, hailing Barzani
Massoud Barzani
Massoud Barzani is the current President of the Iraqi Kurdistan Region and the leader of the Kurdistan Democratic Party. Barzani was born in Mahabad, Iran, during the rule of the Republic of Mahabad...
and Talabani and US President George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
, turning the match to political conflict. The riot expanded and the clashes continued with the police out of the stadium. Baath Party
Baath Party
The Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party was a political party mixing Arab nationalist and Arab socialist interests, opposed to Western imperialism, and calling for the renaissance or resurrection and unification of the Arab world into a single state. Ba'ath is also spelled Ba'th or Baath and means...
local office was burned down by the rioters, leading to the security forces reacting and killing more than 15 of the rioters and wound more than 100. Officials in Qamishli alleged that some Kurdish parties were collaborating with "foreign forces" to annex some villages in the area to northern Iraq. Events climaxed when Kurds in Qamishli toppled a statue of Hafez al-Assad
Hafez al-Assad
Hafez ibn 'Ali ibn Sulayman al-Assad or more commonly Hafez al-Assad was the President of Syria for three decades. Assad's rule consolidated the power of the central government after decades of coups and counter-coups, such as Operation Wappen in 1957 conducted by the Eisenhower administration and...
. The Syrian army responded quickly, deploying thousands of troops backed by tanks and helicopters. At least 30 Kurds were killed as the security services re-took the city.
Moqebleh (Moquoble) refugee camp
After the 2004 events in Qamishli, thousands of Kurds fled to the Kurdish Region of Iraq. Local authorities there, the UNHCR and other UN agencies established the Moqebleh camp at a former Army base near Dohuk.Several years later the KRG moved all refugees who arrived before 2005 to housing in a second camp, known as Qamishli. The camp consists of a modest housing development with dozens of concrete block houses and a mosque.
The original camp at the former Army citadel now contains about 300 people. Many of the homes are made of cement blocks, covered with plastic tarpaulins. Latrines and showers are in separate buildings down the street. Authorities provide electricity, water trucks and food rations.
Refugees can leave the camp to work. As refugees they can’t get government jobs, but are able work in the private sector, often as construction laborers or drivers. Refugees seem likely not to return to Syria until political conditions change.
2005 demonstrations
In June 2005, thousands of Kurds demonstrated in QamishliQamishli
Qamishli is a city in north eastern Syria on the border with Turkey, adjoining the Turkish city of Nusaybin, and close to Iraq. It is part of the Al-Hasakah Governorate, and is the administrative capital of the Al Qamishli District within the governorate....
to protest the assassination of Sheikh Khaznawi, a Kurdish cleric in Syria, resulting in the death of one policeman and injury to four Kurds. In March 2008, according to Human Rights Watch
Human Rights Watch
Human Rights Watch is an international non-governmental organization that conducts research and advocacy on human rights. Its headquarters are in New York City and it has offices in Berlin, Beirut, Brussels, Chicago, Geneva, Johannesburg, London, Los Angeles, Moscow, Paris, San Francisco, Tokyo,...
, Syrian security forces opened fire at Kurds celebrating spring festival of Newroz and gathering for reviving the 2004 riot in Qamishli
Qamishli
Qamishli is a city in north eastern Syria on the border with Turkey, adjoining the Turkish city of Nusaybin, and close to Iraq. It is part of the Al-Hasakah Governorate, and is the administrative capital of the Al Qamishli District within the governorate....
. The shooting left three people dead.
2011 protests in al-Qamishli
With the eruption of 2011 Syrian protests, the city of al-Qamishli became one of the protest arenas. On 12 March 2011, thousands of Syrian Kurds in al-Qamishli and al-HasakahAl-Hasakah
Al-Hasakah...
protested on the day of Kurdish martyr, an annual event since 2004 al-Qamishli riots.
See also
- Kurds in SyriaKurds in SyriaKurds are the largest ethnic minority in Syria making up 10% of the country's population. Most of them are Sunni Muslims; there are also Yazidi and Yarsan Kurds in Syria and small numbers of Christians and Alawis. They face routine discrimination and harassment by the Syrian...
- Human rights in SyriaHuman rights in SyriaHuman rights in Syria have been described as "poor". Since 1963, emergency rule has remained in effect which gives security forces sweeping powers of arrest and detention....
- First Kurdish Iraqi WarFirst Kurdish Iraqi WarFirst Kurdish Iraqi War was a tribal Kurdish uprising, led by Mustafa Barzani, in an attempt to establish independent Kurdish state in north Iraq. Throughout the 1960s, the uprising escalated into a long war, which failed to resolve despite internal power changes in Iraq...
- Turkey-PKK conflictTurkey-PKK conflictThe Turkey – Kurdistan Workers' Party conflict, also referred to as the Kurdish Conflict in Turkey, the Kurdish Conflict, the Kurdish insurgency, the Kurdish rebellion or PKK-terrorism and has also been described as the latest Kurdish uprising or as a civil war, is an armed conflict between the...
- List of modern conflicts in the Middle East