Every problem has its solution: dispossession in northern Iraq and its solutions

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Middle Eastern Studies (research) (MA)

Heek, Nienke van (2018)

Every problem has its solution: dispossession in northern Iraq and its solutions

Research master thesis | Middle Eastern Studies (research) (MA)

This thesis focuses on property disputes in Iraq resulting from former regime policies between 1968 and 2003. The former regime used three intertwined strategies that resulted in loss of real property in particularly the northern regions of Iraq. Through land reforms, Arabization, and a series of attacks on Kurdish regions in the late 1980’s (entitled Anfāl) many persons were affected, notably Kurds. Houses and land were then often given to Arabs to tip the demographic balance in Kurdish majority areas in favor of Arabs. This thesis describes the stories of three victims of such property loss, and proceeds to analyze the legislative framework in place to solve these issues. From there, it analyses the Property Claims Commission, which has been the sole institution in Iraq to address the property conflicts that developed as a result of these former strategies.

Property Claims Commission

law

Middle East