KurdistanObserver.com

Kurdistan Referendum Movement Criticized

Roj-TV-Mar 3, 2005-Kurdistan Referendum Movement lost its Danish public spokesman Shakhawan Shorash six months ago, although he is still accredited on the KRM website. The Danish representation warns against KDP and PUK influence, that negatively blocks the development of the KRM.

The Danish spokesman of the Kurdistan Referendum Movement resigned from the movement back in 2004, followed by the rest of the Danish group of represents. Shorash claims, that KRM has sacrificed its founding principles.

Kurdistan Referendum Movement organized an informal Kurdish independence election on the day of the Iraqi elections, collecting nearly two million Kurdish votes. The result was a spectacular 98 per cent of the Kurds supporting independence.

According to Shorash, other representatives in several other countries also left the KRM. But he wishes KRM good luck in the future and accepts the election result.

-98 per cent out of two million Kurds favoring independence is a pretty clear statement on behalf of the people. But I am afraid this election came too late. The original idea was to stage an election before Iraq was rebuilt, says Shakhawan Shorash.

Shakhawan Shorash does not expect any significant consequences, even if the election result is presented to international bodies like the European Union or United Nations. According to Shorash, Kurdish politics are too influenced by the dominating political parties, KDP and PUK, and their leaders do not support the election.

-If one wants to promote peace and progress in the region, you have to follow peoples wishes. Kurds want independence, and the political parties have to reflect that. KRM failed, because too many people were thinking like KDP and PUK. In conclusion, Kurds were not ready yet, says Shakhawan Shorash.