A scheduled seminar in Marivan’s Peyame Noor University on the so-called Kolbars was canceled by the security forces moments before the event starts on Wednesday, sources told Avatoday.
Kolbars are Kurdish cross-border porters carrying goods across the mountainous border areas from Iraqi Kurdistan Region to Iranian Kurdistan on their backs.
a student member of preparatory team published a note on the cancelation of the program on his social media page, declaring that the seminar had been authorized by the university but canceled by security forces at the last moment.
According to his notes, the students have been preparing for the seminar during the last three months.
The disappointed students complained to the forces and university officials over the cancelation, declaring that it is against their educational rights, a source told Avatoday on condition of anonymity.
“The seminar under the name ‘Kolbari’ was planned to address the social, economic, legal and cultural aspects of this important issue,” read the note.
Iranian regime has been banning several other university seminars on Kolbars, including a recent one in the Kurdish city of Sanandaj.
The regime considers the Kolbars as smugglers. They frequently come under the fire of Iranian border guards or risk their lives in the treacherous mountain passes and cold winter temperatures.
According to a report published by The Center of Democracy and Human Rights in Kurdistan, “eight Kurdish border porters known as Kolbars have been shot dead by Iranian border guards and ten more wounded,” only in July 23 to August 22.
