Mandali: Movement to abolish the former regime's decisions that plundered the Kurds in the oldest Iraqi district
Shafaq News / Activists and intellectuals in Manadali sub-district in eastern Diyala province launched a large-scale campaign to overturn decisions issued by the former regime that targetted the presence of the Kurdish component, and plundered its land and property per demographic and national changes.
Civil activist Omar Adel told Shafaq News agency, "A team of intellectuals, activists, representatives, and officials began a broad campaign through the concerned authorities to repeal the decisions of the former regime, most notably Republican Decree No. 459, to transform Mandali from district to sub-district in 1987, as well as the infamous decisions of the Revolutionary Command Council (617 and 498), which caused the forced displacement of Kurds and the confiscation of their land for demographic, national, and political motives at the time."
"Thousands of hectares belonging to the Feyli Kurds and the Kurdish component, in particular, have not been returned to their rightful owners because of legal disputes, loopholes, and other problems since 2003 until now," Adel added.
He also pointed, "More than 50 Kurdish citizens have been martyred since the fall of the former regime while defending their land and property forcibly looted," adding, "Resolution 459 does not need a parliamentary vote, but the approval of the President of the Republic to repeal it as a republican decree, while the decisions of the Revolutionary Command Council require a parliamentary vote, and serious directions to repeal these resolutions in the coming periods."
The civil activist confirmed, "The movement of Mandali residents continues through all the official channels concerned to restore the rights of Iraq's second-oldest district."
On the recommendation of Taha Yassin Ramadan, who headed the so-called Northern Affairs Committee at the time, the former regime turned the Mandali district into a sub-district, amid the displacement of the Kurdish people and the seizure of their property and land as part of demographic Arabization schemes for political and sectarian motives.
Mandali, located 93 km east of Diyala, suffers from the consequences and accumulated social and demographic problems left by the former regime, due to the forced deportation policies and the transformation of Mandali into a sub-district in the 1980s.
Mandali is one of the disputed areas between Erbil and Baghdad, consisting of Bali Castle, Bouyaki, the Small Pazar, and the Big Pazar. It borders Iran and is about 160 km from Baghdad, and the nearest cities to it are Badra, Khanaqin, Baquba, and Miqdadiyah. Mandali is located within the Hamin Mountain range.
The city has suffered from neglect and marginalization since 2003 until now. Moreover, it continues to suffer from the former regime's decisions of demographic change, most notably, looting the land and property of the Kurds, forcibly deporting them, and not providing any signs or facilities for the return of the deportees or the return of land and property to its indigenous and legitimate inhabitants.
