A new book by Dutch novelist Joost Hiltermann, titled “The Survivors,” has been published in English at Afsana Gallery in London, drawing attention to the lasting human impact of the Kurdish Anfal campaign.
Goran Baba Ali, artist and owner of Afsana Gallery, described the work as both literary and humanitarian. He said the book goes beyond a conventional narrative, presenting a sensitive account of memory, crime, survival, and the human struggle to rebuild life. According to him, the novel is rooted in the events of the 1988 Anfal campaign, during which the Iraqi Ba’ath regime carried out widespread killings and displacement against the Kurdish population.
Hiltermann, who has spent years researching Iraq and Kurdistan, approaches the subject by focusing on personal stories rather than statistics. The novel introduces a range of characters, particularly individuals who lived through the events, each reflecting different experiences and perspectives shaped by the tragedy.
The book portrays both victims and witnesses. Some characters are direct survivors, including children and adults who were separated from their families, lost their homes, or endured imprisonment. Others are observers who carry the burden of what they witnessed. The narrative also includes individuals connected to the former regime who later confront questions of guilt and responsibility.
Ali emphasized that the novel explores the psychological dimension of migration. Characters who relocate to countries such as the United States and build new lives continue to struggle internally. While they appear settled outwardly, they remain affected by past trauma, living between their present reality and painful memories.
The story also examines the experiences of a younger generation—children who survived or were born after the events and grew up abroad. These individuals grapple with identity, unanswered questions about their families, and emotional challenges rooted in inherited trauma. The novel suggests that the effects of such violence extend beyond one generation.
Ali noted that the book’s language and style are expressive and immersive, using vivid imagery to convey emotions, silence, and fear in a way that draws readers into the experience.
“The Survivors” has now been released in London and is expected to be distributed soon across the Kurdistan Region.
The Anfal campaign remains one of the most devastating episodes in Kurdish history. Although widely documented, it has not been universally recognized as genocide. Efforts to achieve that recognition continue, while writers and artists in Kurdistan and beyond persist in bringing attention to its legacy through literature and other forms of expression.
