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Kurds Face Crossroads In 2008
By: Dr. N. Hawramany
Switzerland
Dec 28, 2007
As we are approaching the end of year 2007 and looking
forwards to receive the new year 2008, the Kurds in general and Iraqi Kurds in
particular have very little to celebrate about.
Iraqi Kurdistan is facing a savage military aggression by
Turkish military machine with the blessing and direct guidance and intelligence
by American army in Iraq. The Kurds are shocked to realize that the Americans
are directly assisting the Turkish planes and artillery in targeting Kurdish
villages and killing innocent civilians and their livestock under the pre-text
of fighting the PKK, which they insist on calling a terrorist organization only
to appease the Turkish establishment and the Turkish lobby in the United States.
The Americans apparently have decided to ally themselves with the Turkey in its
unjust war against Kurdish freedom fighters from North Kurdistan. the Americans
could certainly have played a more constructive role in calling for a peaceful
dialogue with Turkish Kurds.
It's absurd to insist on calling the Kurdish fighters as
terrorists when they are fighting for basic human and national rights in Turkey.
To label them as terrorists in the same footing as the murderous Al-Qaida
elements, just to appease the kurdophobic nationalist rulers of Turkey is an
affront to basic human values and an insult to human intelligence.
The Iraqi Kurdish leadership is caught between their alliance
to the Am erican administration and the public dismay about the scale of Turkish
aggression and the abstinence of Turkish leadership towards any peaceful and
civilized solution for its internal problems with underprivileged Kurdish
citizens. The Kurdish leadership cannot withstand the public anger in Kurdistan
for too long, especially if the Turkish military adventure continues, and the
public opinion in Kurdistan might turn against Americans who are now seen as
collaborators with Turkey.
Every reasonable person can see that there is no military
solution for Kurdish issue in Turkey and only a peaceful dialogue and
recognition of Kurdish reality in Turkey will pave the way for a just and
lasting solution which will be advantageous to both Turks and Kurds in Turkey
and will open the doors of Europe for Turkey.
To make matters worse, we have reached the end of 2007 and the
issues of Kirkuk and other disputed areas likeKhanaquin, Shanga l, Makhmour are
not concluded as it was stipulated in article 140 of Iraqi constitution. The
constitutional deadline expires on the December 31st 2007 and there seems to be
confusion about the next step, The Kurdish leadership seems to be at loss about
the next step and contradictory statements are being muttered. The United
Nations representative apparently suggested a delay of the scheduled referendum
for another 6 months, The Kurdish regional parliament approved the plan, but
there is so far no constitutional legitimacy for such a plan and there are quite
few queries like what happens if the Iraqi authorities continued its delay
tactics on this issue and preparations were not in place for referendum even
after 6 month? will there be further delays indefinitely or will this be the
last permissible postponement. what exactly is the role of the united nations
envoy?, Unfortunately there is no transparency from the Kurdish leadership on
these issues and peop le are frustrated about lack of information.
The Kurdish political leaderships have bargained with the
Kirkuk card long enough to gain political support for its policies and Kurdish
people are expecting deliverance of their promises on Kirkuk. The Kirkuk issue
is no doubt the single most important issue for Kurdish public and Kurdish
re-integration into Iraqi society was conditioned on the reversal of atrocities
of previous Iraqi regimes like arabization of Kirkuk and other disputed areas
and any further delays will certainly undermine the support the Kurdish
leadership enjoyed so far and could bring instabiliy and violence into Kirkuk.
The American role on Kirkuk issue is vague and ambiguous and
while they claim that the solution should be constitutional, the recent visit by
Condi Rice to Kirkuk raised more than an eyebrow about the motives behand this
undeclared visit to Kirkuk just few days ahead of the constitutional deadline .
On the administrative level it seems that the relations of the regional
government of Kurdistan is increasingly marred in disputes with central
government of Mr Al-Maliki ( and I don't call it federal government because it
doesn't behave as such!), over issues like oil exploration contracts, the KRG
signed with foreign companies, the Peshmerga budget and Kirkuk issue.
The Kurdish regional government find it increasingly difficult
to coordinate with the central government in Baghdad and the recent visit by its
PM Mr Nechirvan Barzani failed to achieve any of its declared objectives.
Numerous hostile statements by Shiite officials in Baghdad like minister of oil
Mr Shahrastani and other top officials, is underlining a rift or coolness in
relations between Kurdistan regional government and Al-Maliki government in
Baghdad and probably we will see the downfall of Al-Maliki government in year
2008 as the Kurdish-Shiite alliance seem to be crumbling.
Kurdish leadership in Iraq are facing crossroads and should
consider serious alternatives to their current position in Iraq, and while the
western world is calling for independence for few hundred thousands of Kosovo
Albanians in Europe, they still consider any prospect for an independent Iraqi
Kurdistan as unworkable and unrealistic!.
I wonder what the Kurds could lose more if they declare independence, there is
already a uncontested Turkish violation of Kurdistan sovereignty, Arabs in
Baghdad wouldn't be more nastier regarding exploration of natural resources like
oil in Kurdistan and wouldn't care less about defending the borders of
Kurdistan. We will only lose our subservience to Baghdad and certainly going to
lose those ceremonial posts of Presidency and Foreign Ministry in Baghdad but
will gain our dignity, sovereignty and freedom in Kurdistan and live like every
other free nation on this planet but more importantly we will gain the respect
of the world.
