Halabja Governorate

Coordinates: 35°12′N 46°00′E / 35.2°N 46.0°E / 35.2; 46.0
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Halabja Governorate
Arabic
: محافظة حلبجة
UTC+3 (AST)
Websitehttps://www.facebook.com/parezgayhlabja/

Halabja Governorate (

Kurdistan Region of Iraq.[6][7] Its capital is the city of Halabja
. Halabja Governorate is the least populated governorate.

Although officially recognized by

Kurdistan Regional Government, the Iraqi government has not officially recognized it due to postponing of the hearing regarding its status multiple times by the Council of Representatives of Iraq, which is the only legislature in Iraq capable of declaring it as such.[8][9][1][10]

History

The Kurdish Parliament first agreed to turn

Halabja chemical attack, which happened on 16 March 1988.[14] On March 16, 2014, Kurdistan Region President Masoud Barzani signed a regional directive to promote Halabja from district status to a province.[15] The Kurdish Parliament passed a bill in February 2015 to establish the legal framework for selecting a provincial council and a governor.[11] As of December 2015, the Iraqi Parliament had not yet officially recognised the province, apparently because of issues with budgeting finance for it.[16] In August 2018, the then Iraqi Interior Minister, Qasim al-Araji, approved authorization for the opening of federal offices that would issue passports, national ID cards, and other civil documents under its own name. On the 13th of March 2023, the Iraqi council of ministers recognised Halabja as an official governorate of Iraq, but the council of representatives delayed hearing for this bill numerous times.[17][9]

Districts

Halabja comprises the central district, Halabja, and three other districts, Sîrwan, Xurmal, Biyare and Bemo. Three other districts of the Sulaymaniyah Governorate had the option of joining the province, but decided against it.[16]

References

  1. ^ a b "Halabja Governorate Push: Local Leader Renews Call for Official Recognition". Shafaq News. Retrieved 2024-01-17.
  2. ^ "Map of area of Kurdistan Region & its Governorates". www.krso.net.
  3. ^ "PUK official Azad Tofiq sworn in as governor of Halabja province". www.nrttv.com.
  4. ^ "Iraqê Helebce weke parêzgeh hesab kir". Rûdaw (in Kurdish). Retrieved 21 December 2019.
  5. ^ "وادەی كردنەوەی ژووری بازرگانیی پارێزگای هەڵەبجە ئاشكراكرا" (in Kurdish). Retrieved 21 December 2019.
  6. ^ "Iraqi Kurdistan government announces Halabja as its fourth province". Ekurd Daily. 13 March 2014. Retrieved 13 March 2014.
  7. ^ Ottoway, Marina (4 March 2014). "Mission impossible". Foreign Policy. FP Group. Retrieved 13 March 2014.
  8. ^ "Iraqi parliament postpones vote on Halabja's ascension to province". www.rudaw.net. Retrieved 2024-01-17.
  9. ^ a b "Again, Iraqi parliament postpones voting on the establishment of Halabja governorate". Shafaq News. Retrieved 2024-01-17.
  10. ^ "البرلمان يؤجل مجددا التصويت على استحداث محافظة حلبجة". شفق نيوز (in Arabic). Retrieved 2024-01-17.
  11. ^ a b c Golpy, Osamah (8 February 2015). "Halabja: City of Peace becomes Kurdistan's fourth province". Rudaw. Retrieved 13 August 2016.
  12. ^ "Iraq ministers agree turning Halabja into province". Rudaw. 2 January 2014. Retrieved 13 August 2016.
  13. ^ "Council of Ministers decisions in Session 54 in 31/12/2013". 31 December 2013. Retrieved 13 August 2016.
  14. ^ "KRG order turning Halabja into province sets off street celebrations". Rudaw. 14 March 2014. Retrieved 13 August 2016.
  15. ^ "Kurdistan Region President signs Halabja province directive". Kurdistan Region Presidency. 16 March 2014. Retrieved 13 August 2016.
  16. ^ a b Mohammed, Zhyar (3 December 2015). "A paper province: Halabja, symbol of Iraqi suffering, waits for its new beginning". Niqash. MiCT. Retrieved 13 August 2016.
  17. ^ "Halabja on the cusp of ascension to province on 35th anniversary of chemical attack". www.rudaw.net. Retrieved 2024-01-17.