Sep 126 min read

The Planting

The planting of trees in the Kurdish Region of Iraq is an act of restitution. An act of healing the land. Trees speak of future.

From the time of Saddam Hussein and the Baath party until and during the time of ISIS, more than 2 million acres of forestry have been destroyed. Hussein decimated forests so that possible protection that the trees could offer to those he was about to bomb with VX, Sarin, Tabun and Mustard Gas, would be ripped away.

He also cut down thousands of fig palms to reduce agricultural productivity and sustenance. Our palm trees come from his home village!

Turkey and ISIS have continued the policy of decimation of forestry, through burning and bombing. Trees are of such value, that the fine for cutting down, removing a tree is anywhere between $100 and $1000. Large amounts of money in our region.

Our decision to plant trees this year was one of those “suddenly” moments. It was born from a sense that after ten years we will cease to commemorate the Yezidi genocide in such a public way. It came from thinking about the Biblical Lot’s wife and how she was instructed not to look back. She did and was turned into stone. We totally concluded any viewing of death, any glancing, any thinking of, any giving space to death in our 9th year memorial entitled “And Thus Death was Banished.”

For many years Isaiah 61 has been uppermost in my mind, that transactional process of bringing joy up to the surface from underneath the mourning, praise from underneath the heaviness so that those who experience this transformation may be called, Trees of Righteousness, the planting of the Lord.

And thus we decided to plant trees. It had been my hope to plant more, but 50 trees, each four meters apart, was perfect for the street in the center of the village, a main street that lacked form and life.

This year was different. I will hand over to my team and students to share with you why a memorial event was full of life.

Ayhan, Director of the Hope Centre

“The street we were given by the Municipality was right in the center of the community, at one of the busiest junctions in the village. To hold an event there was radical. It was the first time that I had witnessed a memorial with Springs of Hope. Holding an event really in the middle of the street was actually amazing enabling a connect with the community at large.

From the moment we began, the neighbors came out of their houses and crossed the road to see what we were doing. Once the music team began to play, everyone was engaged, listening carefully, watching our every move.

At the beginning I requested a minute of silence to respect, to honor and to recall that Black Day in our troubled history. The village stopped. Cars driving by stopped, the drivers getting out of their cars and standing in the road. They then crossed the road to read our banners and to enquire whether we needed help with planting trees.

It was a truly amazing experience, one that connected the villagers with the displaced of Shingal. One that connected the elders of the community with youth who had been in captivity. Those who in times past had fought with guns with those who were trained to fight with swords.

Women and men came thanking us for planting, saying how beautiful and dignified it made the road look. They committed to water, even if they had to each carry a bucket of water a day to water.

This was Hope in Action. The 50 trees bear witness to a hope that is growing, showing us the way forward, and never to give up. The beauty was that the survivors planted the trees, turning their attention to the positive, to the future, to that which they are planting in their lives.

Thank you for your contribution to this important community effort.”

Ayhan. Director of the Hope Centre.

Wissam, Director of Horses for Hope

“Hello, I hope that you are all doing very well. I send each one of you my greetings. I believe that the Trees for Hope memorial created lasting memories for all who participated, and all who passed by and saw. This unique initiative brought joy to our students, and to the residents and reinforced the positive impact of doing good deeds.

We will never forget what happened to our people on August 3rd, but this event showed us all that life, like the trees, is strong, and we are resilient and will continue to move forward.

Thanks to you all.”

Wissam. Director of Horses for Hope.

Dilkhwaz Murad, Dakha School Teacher

“We sincerely appreciate the invitation extended by Springs of Hope Foundation to the Dahka School to participate in the Trees for Hope Memorial commemorating the Sinjar Genocide. We were reminded of the strength and resilience we possess, and no matter what happens, we will continue to fight for our lives, our beliefs and our land.

Planting a tree holds a very special significance for us, reminding us that no matter what the surrounding conditions, it will grow and it will endure.”

Dilkhwaz Murad. Dakha School Teacher.

Saba, Survivor of ISIS

“Yes it has been ten years, but August 3rd is always on our minds. Some days it is in the back of our mind, and some days it is at the front. It will never be forgotten.

It was an amazing idea to plant trees together, and reminds me of our journey with Springs of Hope. We work together, we plant together to help each other heal and grow together. Together we can be strong.

Our music team provided us with comforting, embracing music, and for me the candles that we lit symbolized light in the darkness. Our journey continues as we strengthen each other.”

Saba. Survivor of ISIS.

Saddam, Survivor

“In the run up to August 3rd, my thoughts are totally negative. Despite all the years that I have been with Springs of Hope, I have never attended a memorial ceremony. Part of me just wants to go to sleep until that day passes. This year I decided to attend and to be the photographer.

I was shocked. I was amazed. Everything was so full of life. Life and hope. I took great pics, and totally forgot about the bad memories. It was great.”

Dalya, Survivor

“It’s so hard to light a candle and to remember those who did not come back from captivity, to remember those who we have no information about, not one single shred of information in ten years. This year was so different. Everything was full of life. It was full of hope and dare I say, smiles and laughter.

We opened a new chapter. This was a new beginning. I believe the decade ahead will be way better than this one that has just ended. I am full of hope.”

Shex Khalid

“Every year Springs of Hope Foundation has commemorated the Black Day in very different ways, each year it has been in keeping with the journey of that year. Each year has been special. Each year has been exactly right for that season.

Last year, as we walked through a tent filled with paintings from the start of our journey, hard paintings, paintings of death, of imprisonment, each one a depiction of ISIS or captivity, we knew that we had finished with death. We could no longer revisit it, or give death any space, in any way. It was totally behind us.

This year, the planting of the trees led us all into new life. The students who participated in the planting did so with joy and a smile. Yes some wanted to remain in mourning, but the survivors were in a different place, truly a place of life. They chatted and laughed as they dug holes and planted trees. Putting the tree into the earth became symbolic of burying any remnant of death. It was going deep into the ground, receiving its burial.

The street that we were given was perfect although we didn't think that at first. We wanted an area that we could pack full of trees, and we were given a street. Later we realized how amazing that was.

All of the neighbors turned out. They were delighted that their dead area was coming to life. Traffic came to a halt as people got out and declared that this would be their new sitting area. The elders left their sitting spot in the shade of the primary school and came to check out their new turf, talking about how fast the trees would grow and that they would relocate to the Trees for Hope area.

They became custodians of the trees, basically daring the municipality or the good ladies of the neighborhood to interfere. The memory of this August 3rd, the memory of the planting of trees will remain in the hearts and minds of our students and the villagers for as long as the trees will live. Generations will sit and chat in the shadow of these trees.

This was a very good planting.”

Shex Khalid.