Iraqi Turkomans concerned about security 
Ankara - Turkish Daily News 
Mar 18, 2002
SAADET ORUC 
Concerned about their security, the Iraqi Turkomans have demanded Ankara assist them in assuring their safety, top figures in Ankara told the Turkish Daily News. 

On the eve of a U.S. strike on Iraq, Iraq Turkomans took steps so as not to become the initial victim of the upcoming developments in Iraq. 

Senan Ahmet Aga, the head of the Iraqi Turkoman Front (ITC), has been in Ankara for a meeting with Turkish officials to describe the situation in northern Iraq. 

In an exclusive interview with the TDN on Friday, Aga expressed his opposition to a possible strike on Iraq and stated that they have been demanding political support from Turkey. 

However, the main concern of the Turkomans is related with the enhancing of security, top Turkish leaders, who met with the Turkomans in Ankara, told the TDN. 

"There are 70 to 80,000 armed men in the region, while we only have 300 to 400 guards for our protection," the Iraqi Turkoman leader said, without getting into their expectations from Ankara related with security. 

Indicating that the Iraqi Turkomans had served in the Iraqi army, Ahmet Aga stated that 70 percent of the Turkomans were well-trained. 

The population of the Turkomans in Iraq is around 3 million according to the Iraqi Turkoman leader, who refers to a "ratio calculation" from the latest census figures which were held in 1957. 

"There were 567,000 Turkomans, while the total population of Iraq was 6 million in 1957. We were 13 percent of the whole population. And when we calculate our number considering this ratio, we can see that there are 3 million Turkomans," Aga says. 

Aga was received by Deputy Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz, Foreign Minister Ismail Cem, True Path Party (DYP) leader Tansu Ciller, Justice and Development Party (AKP) Chairman Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal and Muhsin Yazicioglu of the Grand Unity Party (BBP). 

The leader of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) Devlet Bahceli will also receive the delegation, which is continuing its meetings in Ankara. 

The Turkomans met with Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) leader Jalal Talabani at a lunch, where Turkish military officials were also present during a recent visit paid by the Iraqi Kurdish leader to Ankara. 

Iraqi Turkomans repeated that they were a part of Iraq, and that a strike against Baghdad would definitely harm them, however, they have been spending most of their time having consultations related with the future of Iraq. 

'Turkomans should not be erased' 

Turkomans commented that they didn't want to be erased following a strike on Iraq. "We are not a part of the strike," said Aga. He also commented that an internal war could erupt following such a strike. "We want to have equal rights like the Arabs and the Kurds in Iraq," he said. 

*Rift between the Turkomans and the KDP 

Aga also stated that the problems with the Massoud Barzani-led Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) were continuing. 

"We signed an agreement with the KDP on July 7, 2001. However, the issues remain unsolved," the Turkoman official said. 

Turkomans complained that they had problems related with their cultural rights and security in the region. 

"We are faced with KDP prevention to opening our schools, buying fields and other bureaucratic matters," he said. 

Safeen Dizayee, the Ankara representative of the KDP, denied the accusations of the Iraqi Turkoman leader. 

"First, I don't respond to his claims that they don't reflect reality. He is from Arbil, from a rich family. They are doing a lot of business. If there are barriers, then how are they able to do this? In the past, there was no market economy or private sector, and in the last five years, the KDP has been trying to develop a free market and private sector. There is no restriction on business activities based on ethnicity. That is far from reality, first he should look into his own family," Dizayee said. 

Regarding the restrictions on the Turkoman schools, Dizayee made the following statement: 

"There are 14 schools being supported by our Ministry of Education's Directorate of Turkoman Studies. Turkoman education is free, as is the education in Assyria." 

The KDP official commented that there were political reasons behind the accusations of the ITC. 

He also accused the ITC of carrying out illegal activity as the party has not applied for a licence yet. 

"We don't have any problems with other Turkoman parties, but the ITC has not been abiding by the law," he went on to say. 

Complaints over the INC 

Iraqi Turkomans are not satisfied with the work being carried out by the Iraqi National Congress. 

"We don't have the place that we deserved to have at the INC. There are seven leaders at the INC, however the Turkomans are not included in this body," Aga stated.