Peace & Justice Conversations: Peacemaker Teams in Iraqi Kurdistan

Since 2006 a Community Peacemaker Team (CPT) has worked in Iraqi Kurdistan alongside Kurdish farmers and shepherds impacted by cross-border bombings and international companies' operations, civil society activist and minority groups facing discrimination and violence, and non-violent initiatives to build peace and respect for individual and communal rights.   

CPT is an international violence-reduction and human rights organization. They offer an organized, nonviolent alternative to war and other forms of lethal inter-group conflict and provide organizational support to persons committed to nonviolent alternatives in situations where violence is an immediate reality or is supported by public policy. They accompany communities affected by violence and oppression, document human rights violations and advocate for nonviolent solutions.  

Kamaran Osman is a Kurdish human rights defender and member of Community Peacemaker Teams–Iraqi Kurdistan (CPT-IK), known for documenting the civilian impact of Turkish and Iranian cross-border military operations in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. Through field visits to remote border communities, he records civilian casualties, displacement, and human rights violations affecting villagers and farmers. In December 2024, he accepted the Human Rights Tulip Award in The Hague on behalf of CPT-IK, recognizing the organization's commitment to nonviolent resistance and civilian protection. Osman has also represented CPT in northeastern Syria, documenting human rights abuses against Kurdish communities during periods of military escalation. His work connects affected communities with the international community, ensuring that violations are documented and victims' voices are heard.