Iraqi Kurdistan
– Demonstrations have spread all over the cities of
Iraqi Kurdistan region, demanding for approving on
the historical rights of Kurds and including them in
the Iraqi constitution, whose draft is supposed to
be submitted to the National Assembly today.
These demonstrations that spread all over the cities
of Al Sulaimaniyah (330 km north of Baghdad), Kirkuk
(255 km north of Baghdad), Erbil (350 km north of
Baghdad), and Dahuk (450 km north), were organized
by "The Plebiscite Movement", a non-governmental
organization, which calls for conducting a
plebiscite for the residents of Kurdistan region to
decide on their destiny, and is supporting the
establishment of a Kurdish state in the north of
Iraq. |
"We demand that the
constitution clearly includes the right of Kurdish
people to decide on their destiny" |
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In
Erbil, capital of Kurdistan region, thousands of
Kurds have demonstrated in front of the building of
the National Council for Iraqi Kurdistan (regional
Parliament) for the same purpose.
In Al Sulaimaniyah, thousands of people have
gathered in Nali Square, in the center of the city,
carrying big signs that read "We demand that the
constitution clearly includes the right of Kurdish
people to decide on their destiny", "Respect the
demands and will of Kurdistani people", "Kurdistani
people would not negotiate on their fundamental
rights", and "No agreement on the destiny of
Kurdistan without referral to the will of Kurdistani
people."
In Kirkuk, hundreds of Kurds have demonstrated to
include the demands of Kurds in the draft of the
permanent constitution. The demonstrators, who
gathered in front of Kirkuk castle, have demanded
that the coming constitution includes "stressing
that Kirkuk is Kurdistani", granting the people of
Iraqi Kurdistan the right to decide on destiny,
applying Article 58 of the state administration
code, and stabilizing the map of Iraqi Kurdistan, as
the safety valve for unity and the new coexistence.
In Dahuk, Thousands of Kurds have demonstrated in
the center of the city, demanding for including an
article in the Iraqi permanent constitution for the
right to decide on destiny and stabilize the borders
of Kurdistan region and how to distribute the Iraqi
resources between the central government and the
government of Kurdistan region, in addition to
handling the issue of Kirkuk. The demonstrators have
carried Kurdish lags and signs that demand for
approving the federation.
Al Sharq Al Awsat
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