Who Is Dilshad Meriwani?
Dilshad Meriwani was a Kurdish Iraqi singer born in 1947 in the Meriwan area of Iraqi Kurdistan who became one of the most beloved Kurdish musical voices of his generation before being killed in 1989 during the Anfal genocide — the Ba'athist campaign of mass murder against the Kurdish people that killed between 50,000 and 180,000 Kurds.
His death at age 42 during the Anfal — which destroyed hundreds of Kurdish villages and killed tens of thousands — made him one of the most poignant victims of that genocide. A beloved singer cut down at the height of his artistic powers, his death represents the cultural as well as human cost of the Anfal.
He is remembered both for his musical gifts and as a victim of the Anfal — a symbol of what was destroyed by Saddam Hussein's campaign of genocide against the Kurdish people.
Key Takeaways
• Born in 1947 in the Meriwan area; beloved Kurdish singer.
• Killed in 1989 during the Anfal genocide at age 42.
• His death represents the cultural cost of the Anfal alongside its human toll.
• A symbol of what was destroyed by Ba'athist genocide.
Quick Facts
Table of Contents
Early Life
Born in 1947 in the Meriwan area of Iraqi Kurdistan. He developed as a singer in the Kurdish musical tradition and built a career as one of the most beloved Kurdish voices of his generation.
Historical Context
The Anfal campaign (1986-1989) was a Ba'athist programme of genocide against the Kurdish people — mass murder, destruction of villages, and displacement on a catastrophic scale. Among its victims were cultural figures like Dilshad Meriwani.
Achievements
Kurdish Musical Legacy
Dilshad Meriwani's recordings are his legacy — a body of Kurdish musical work that preserves his voice and his contribution to Kurdish cultural life. His death during the Anfal makes his music both a celebration of Kurdish culture and a memorial to what the genocide destroyed.
Timeline
Debates
His Kurdish identity and his death during the Anfal are established.
Legacy
Dilshad Meriwani is a symbol of the cultural cost of the Anfal genocide — a beloved Kurdish singer whose death at 42 represents the destruction of Kurdish cultural life that Ba'ath genocide wrought alongside its human catastrophe.
Connections
Sherko Bekas — whose witness poetry from the Anfal era mourned such losses
Hassan Zirak — beloved Kurdish singer, previous generation
FAQ
Who was Dilshad Meriwani?
Dilshad Meriwani (1947-1989) was a beloved Kurdish Iraqi singer from the Meriwan area who was killed during the Anfal genocide at age 42. He is remembered both for his musical gifts and as a victim of Ba'athist genocide.
Was Dilshad Meriwani Kurdish?
Yes. He was from the Meriwan area of Iraqi Kurdistan and sang in the Kurdish musical tradition.
References
Wikipedia contributors. 'List of Kurds.' Wikipedia. Accessed 2025.