Decades on, Iraq's Feyli Kurds still press demands over rights and losses

BAGHDAD, Iraq — More than four decades after the former Iraqi regime carried out mass displacements, denials of citizenship, property seizures and executions against the Feyli Kurdish community, descendants of those affected say the unresolved legacy of those events continues to shape political demands today. The Feyli Kurds, a long-established group concentrated in Baghdad, Diyala and Wasit who speak the Kelhuri dialect and have traditionally worked in trade, agriculture and horticulture, were targeted under the old regime on alleged "Iranian links," a campaign that uprooted thousands of families and left lasting demographic and economic effects. Under the post-2003 order, many Feyli areas still lack reliable water, electricity, health care, education and roads, while the legal status of those forcibly relocated during the earlier campaigns has not been settled and property restitution remains incomplete, according to a written analysis on the issue. The analysis also calls for genuine Feyli representation in the Iraqi parliament, a clearer accounting for victims who remain missing and the creation of a dedicated media outlet broadcasting in the Kelhuri language. The author argues that the Feyli file should be moved beyond years of postponement and treated as a national reconciliation and justice project.