{"id":591,"date":"2026-06-23T11:16:54","date_gmt":"2026-06-23T08:16:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.scientificconferenceofgenocide.krd\/?p=591"},"modified":"2026-07-09T16:14:08","modified_gmt":"2026-07-09T13:14:08","slug":"reconstructing-lives-as-well-as-remains-witness-narratives-and-psychological-needs-families-of-mass-grave-victims-in-sorya-duhok-governorate-iraqi-kurdistan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.scientificconferenceofgenocide.krd\/?p=591","title":{"rendered":"Reconstructing Lives as Well as Remains: Witness Narratives and Psychological Needs Families of Mass-Grave Victims in Sorya, Duhok Governorate, Iraqi Kurdistan"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

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Abstract<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Background and objectives:<\/em><\/strong> Northern Iraq has endured repeated mass atrocities, producing violent bereavement, disappearances, and prolonged uncertainty. In Sorya (Duhok Governorate, Iraqi Kurdistan), recent humanitarian forensic interventions have begun to identify victims and return remains. This study centers families\u2019 witness narratives to map psychological needs, illuminate how grief is lived, and examine how forensic truth-seeking, justice, and cultural practice intersect in recovery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Methods:<\/em><\/strong> A hermeneutic phenomenological desi<\/p>\n\n\n\n

gn was employed to study 10 relatives of mass-grave victims (7 men, 3 women; ages 41 – 75) residing in Kurdistan Region-Iraq. Semi-structured interviews were conducted in July\u2013August 2025 to gather required data. Data analysis was conducted using Van Manen\u2019s six methodological activities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Results:<\/em><\/strong> Five thematic clusters emerged: (1) Trauma and Loss; (2) Memory and Testimony; (3) Psychological Needs and Wellbeing; (4) Social and Family Dynamics; and (5) Reconstruction of Lives. Families explicitly linked psychosocial stabilization to dignified exhumation, identification, and return of remains, alongside official acknowledgment and naming of perpetrators.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Conclusion:<\/em><\/strong> The accounts of the victims\u2019 relatives indicate that effective support in Sorya requires integrating layered MHPSS with humanitarian forensic action and justice-oriented documentation, delivered through culturally grounded, survivor-led practices that validate grief, strengthen everyday social support, and protect dignity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Keywords:<\/strong> Iraqi Kurdistan; Sorya mass graves; violent bereavement; ambiguous loss; hermeneutic phenomenology; psychosocial support; humanitarian forensic action; recognition and justice. Full Text Research<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Abstract Background and objectives: Northern Iraq has endured repeated mass atrocities, producing violent bereavement, disappearances, and prolonged uncertainty. In Sorya (Duhok Governorate, Iraqi Kurdistan), recent humanitarian forensic interventions have begun to identify victims and return remains. This study centers families\u2019 witness narratives to map psychological needs, illuminate how grief is lived, and examine how forensic […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":592,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-591","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-research"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.scientificconferenceofgenocide.krd\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/591","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.scientificconferenceofgenocide.krd\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.scientificconferenceofgenocide.krd\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.scientificconferenceofgenocide.krd\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.scientificconferenceofgenocide.krd\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=591"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.scientificconferenceofgenocide.krd\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/591\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":707,"href":"https:\/\/www.scientificconferenceofgenocide.krd\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/591\/revisions\/707"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.scientificconferenceofgenocide.krd\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/592"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.scientificconferenceofgenocide.krd\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=591"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.scientificconferenceofgenocide.krd\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=591"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.scientificconferenceofgenocide.krd\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=591"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}