Kurds Should Get Prepared For Secession From Iraq

By: Dr. Nazhad Khasraw Hawramany

Aug 5, 2005

The large gaps in views over vital issues like Kirkuk, authorities of federal regions,  geographic boundaries of Iraqi Kurdistan , distribution of oil wealth and other natural resources, role of Islam, identity of the Iraqi state...etc,  between Iraqi Kurds  on one side and Iraqi Arabs on the other side ( Both Shiite Arabs and Sunnite Arabs)  which surfaced during the ongoing discussions about the drafting of the envisaged permanent Iraqi constitution, raised serious doubts and question marks about the futility of participation by Kurds in this political process when the other side is behaving so obstinately and obviously with bad intentions about all those vital issues mentioned earlier.

The government of Dr Al-Jaafari and before him the government of Dr Allawi are playing delay tactics with Kurds over such crucial issues like implementation of article 58 of Transitional Administrative Law (TAL) of Iraq about Kirkuk and other Arabized Kurdistani regions, and so far have failed to follow any practical steps or to show any good intentions in this regard. On the contrary there have been some steps taken by the Al-Jaafari government which shows a hidden agenda of the Shiite coalition after very secretive and suspicious visits by Al-Jaafari and some prominent Shiite leaders to both Turkey and Iran, both archenemies of Kurdish ambitions for federalism. All these attempt pour in the direction of denying the Kurdistani identity of Kirkuk and forcing an Arab identity and so practically continuing Arabizazion policies of precious regimes, and the Americans and regional countries are complacent.

Many  Arab Iraqi politicians are nowadays publicly antagonizing Kurdish demands to include Kirkuk in Kurdistan federal region boundaries and the authorities of Kurdistan regional government and consider such demands as  separative intentions as if Iraqi Kurdistan with its current boundaries is a different state and not part of Iraq.

The Iraqi Arabs (Shiites and Sunnis alike) tend to forget or deliberately disregard the facts, that the Iraqi Arabs are all guilty in the crimes of genocide against Iraqi Kurds during the previous Arab governments of Iraq, the genocide of 8000 Barzani men in 1983, the genocide of 182 000 Kurds during Anfall operations of Iraqi army 1987-1988, the genocide of 5 000 innocent civilians with chemical agents in Halabja 1988. The Kurds expect an apology from all Arabs in Iraq  and not instead putting hurdles before the just Kurdish demands in the new constitution which are based on undeniable historical and geographic facts and the long suffering of Kurds in Iraq.

The Kurds in Iraq are getting really worried and disappointed about the current state of affairs and the big question is really forcing itself on the Kurds: Is it really worth to participate in such a doomed political process in a country which has never shown any respect for human rights or an Arab nation which in all its 22 states is nowhere near a democracy.

The Kurdish leadership is in a dilemma, on one side they told their people that by participation in building the new Iraq, they will ensure Kurdish rights and on the other side any sensible or intelligent person is seeing that this process is leading nowhere and the confrontation with the new Iraqi regime over Kirkuk and other issue is almost inevitable and that the same tactics adopted by Saddam Hussein during 1970-1975 truce with Iraqi government then, is repeating itself  now in an undisguised analogy and that the next Arab military campaigns and genocides are already in planning by the new chauvinistic Islamic rulers of Iraq, this time the Shiites.

It seems that it`s the destiny of Kurds in all parts of Kurdistan to fall so easily to the cunning and false promises of the occupying powers of Kurdistan only to be crushed with brutal force later.

The people of Kurdistan have shown clearly in the referendum which accompanied January 2005 elections that they want an independent Kurdistan (98% voted for an independent Kurdistan and only 2% to remain within Iraq). This is a clear mandate to the Kurdish leadership that they they should pursue  secession and not integration in an  Arab dominated chauvinistic and repressive state.

The Americans are looking for an exit strategy from Iraq at any price nowadays even if that meant that the Kurdish rights are ignored or that an Islamic state  similar to the model of Iran is built in Iraq.

The Kurdish leadership must consider the option of secession seriously and prepare the Kurdish public for the war of independence which is worth fighting anyway , instead of falling again for the treacherous tricks of Iraqi Arabs again.