Most of us are too young to remember what happened in Iraq and what atrocities happened during the age of conflict in the region. Many of us for sure may not have even heard of Amna Suraka and what it was. It is however, one of the finer museums in Iraq today.
The building wherein the museum is situated is actually a former prison used by the security forces of former president Saddam Hussein. Its name in Kurdish basically means Red Security House, or in short Red Security. The museum stands as a testament and a reminder for the world wherein thousands were interned in this prison and were tortured and maltreated for political crimes, or for just simply being of Kurdish origin.
The museum is located in the former security complex in the city of Sulaymaniyeh, and has retained its former red color complete with bullet holes received during the war of liberation and uprising in 1991. The courtyard in the Red Security building is replete with machineries and equipment of death. It is full of tanks, mortars, artillery pieces of assorted shapes and sizes. This is a grim reminder of what Iraq was before.
The first area that will greet one when entering the building will be the Hall of Mirrors. This hall contains 182,000 shards of glass comprising one enormous sort of installation art. Each shard represents one life taken from the Kurds under the rule of Saddam. On the ceiling of the same room are twinkling lights numbering 4,500, each light representing one village destroyed during the Anfal campaign.
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.
Further on visitors and tourists go down into the basement showing a graphic photo gallery of a chemical attack on the town of Halabja. In essence this is one museum that is not only historical but humanizing as well. One can probably compare it to the likes of the Holocaust Museum in Israel for it does create the same impact and sympathy for a torture people.
Thus on the trip that involve Kurdistan, whether one is just backpacking through or riding through, it would be recommended to visit this place. Not only will it be educational, but a somewhat humanizing experience as well.
The building wherein the museum is situated is actually a former prison used by the security forces of former president Saddam Hussein. Its name in Kurdish basically means Red Security House, or in short Red Security. The museum stands as a testament and a reminder for the world wherein thousands were interned in this prison and were tortured and maltreated for political crimes, or for just simply being of Kurdish origin.
The museum is located in the former security complex in the city of Sulaymaniyeh, and has retained its former red color complete with bullet holes received during the war of liberation and uprising in 1991. The courtyard in the Red Security building is replete with machineries and equipment of death. It is full of tanks, mortars, artillery pieces of assorted shapes and sizes. This is a grim reminder of what Iraq was before.
The first area that will greet one when entering the building will be the Hall of Mirrors. This hall contains 182,000 shards of glass comprising one enormous sort of installation art. Each shard represents one life taken from the Kurds under the rule of Saddam. On the ceiling of the same room are twinkling lights numbering 4,500, each light representing one village destroyed during the Anfal campaign.
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.
Further on visitors and tourists go down into the basement showing a graphic photo gallery of a chemical attack on the town of Halabja. In essence this is one museum that is not only historical but humanizing as well. One can probably compare it to the likes of the Holocaust Museum in Israel for it does create the same impact and sympathy for a torture people.
Thus on the trip that involve Kurdistan, whether one is just backpacking through or riding through, it would be recommended to visit this place. Not only will it be educational, but a somewhat humanizing experience as well.
About the Author:
Read my intriguing story about the experience at 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 posts right away by reviewing the homepage.
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