The Multiple Impacts of Population Displacement and the Demolition of Kirkuk Citadel (1989-1998)

Abstract

     This study highlights a significant cultural and civilizational crime committed against Kirkuk Citadel. This crime began with a political decision by the Iraqi government in 1989 to displace the residents of Kirkuk Citadel under the pretext of renovation. Subsequently, another political decision was made by the former President of Iraq during his visit to Kirkuk city on March 16, 1990, to demolish the citadel. Following this decision, the local administration in the city formed a committee to expropriate residential homes and heritage buildings and displace their residents to areas outside the citadel. Later, the residential buildings and heritage sites were demolished, and funds were allocated for this process. The demolition of Kirkuk Citadel began in two phases: the first phase started in 1990, and the second phase in 1998.

     This study aims to uncover the political and professional reasons and motives behind the decision to displace the residents and demolish Kirkuk Citadel. It also analyzes the role played by the policy of ethnic and cultural cleansing in this decision and its impact on human heritage, relying on official documents. The study is structured around several main axes: The first axis provides a historical overview of Kirkuk Citadel, including its historical and civilizational importance and the most prominent phases it has undergone. The second axis discusses the phase of Kirkuk Citadel's renovation and the displacement of its residents in 1989. The third axis addresses the stages of Kirkuk Citadel's demolition during the years 1990-1998 and analyzes the political and cultural motives behind the demolition process. Finally, the fourth axis examines the multiple impacts of the displacement of the citadel's residents and its demolition on the city's cultural, ethnic, and historical heritage.