Now that the Turkish
government and the Islamic Regime of Iran are on the
same political wavelength, Turkey is increasing
pressure for military action against the Kurds,
targeting the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) in
Northern Kurdistan, and Party for Life and Freedom
in Kurdistan (PJAK) in Eastern Kurdistan, and the
Kurdish Regional Government in Southern Kurdistan.
Turkey and Iran are weaving a game of deceit and
manipulation that is becoming increasingly clear and
posing yet another challenge to the already
beleaguered Kurds.
When Turkey had a good economic and military
relationship with Israel, Iran attacked the Turkish
government‘s policies. However, after the Islamic
party took power, a new, eerie friendship emerged
between the two former enemies. Both saw an
opportunity to further their own goals. Iran, for
example, fully recognized that the United States
would need the support of Turkey if it were to
launch a war against Iran.
A war against Iran is becoming a real possibility
due to its continue defiance against the
international community’s increasingly agitated
calls for an end to its nuclear ambitions and its
negative interference in support of terrorist causes
in Iraq and Lebanon. Iran wants to cement its
relation with Turkey to preemptive US policy against
Iran to continue it is nuclear program and to
further its ambitions of becoming the super power of
the region. In addition, the U.S. needs the support
of Turkey for the war in Lebanon against Hezbollah. |
Dr
Saman Shali, President of Kurdish National Congress
of North America
Photo:KURDNET |
|
Turkey has been making rapid moves in this game,
taking advantage of the situation and utilizing it
to pressure the U.S. and the Kurdish Regional
Government to attack the PKK base in Southern
Kurdistan (North of Iraq). For the first time, Iran
has openly expressed support for Turkey in its war
against the PKK and PJAK.
The two countries are also playing a game of
psychological manipulation by labeling the various
Kurdish groups as terrorist organizations. In a day
and age that everyone fears and loathes this strong
term, it is indeed a threat to Kurds that they
associate this term with Kurds in talking with the
press. Kurds have always been known as a peaceful
people who have suffered too many tragedies, so it
is unlikely that this war of words that Turkey and
Iran continue to employ will have so great of an
impact as they wish. This is especially true since
Kurdistan is increasingly being recognized as the
sole beacon of hope, peace, and stability in
war-ravaged Iraq.
The Turkish Army has conducted 53 operations in
Iraqi Kurdistan since March 2006, allegedly against
bases and assets of the PKK. The reality is a very
different scenario: much of the activity commenced
in order to build a network of capabilities based on
the Turkmen of the region. Significantly, one of the
Turkish operations against the PKK was conducted
with Iranian forces, and the Iranians have
themselves conducted eight operations against the
PKK and PJAK during the same period.
Reports have stated that eyewitnesses from villages
close to the Iraqi-Iranian border noted armed gunmen
from the Ansar Al-Islam organization, a small
fundamentalist, terrorist group with links to
Alqaida, being stationed in those areas. The sources
added that about 70 armed men were seen in south
Bashmakh area; among them were Arabs, Kurds,
Persians and Afghans.
All of them were dressed in traditional Kurdish
attire. These new activities are supported by the
Iranian Government to further destabilize Iraq and
especially Kurdistan of Iraq. It has been reported
that any village guard who kills an PJAK guerrilla
and hands in the body will be rewarded 6 million
Rials from the Iranian administrations in the cities
of Kamyaran and Kermanshah. [$650 USD]. Every
soldier serving compulsory in the Iranian army will
be also rewarded, but with honorable discharge. Iran
is amassing all of its resources to destabilize the
area and create insurmountable problems for the U.S.
Turkey wants to destabilize the area further by
starting a war against the Kurds and occupying
Southern Kurdistan because the Turkish government
feels threatened by the flourishing economy and
stability that Kurds have fostered. They fear that
these successes will incite the Kurds in Turkey to
seek federalism too. Turkey is pressuring the U.S.
to support its action against PKK and is accusing
the U.S. of having a double standard policy with
regard to the Kurdish issue.
Turkey is drawing an analogy between the war between
Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon, which is supported
by the U.S., and opposing action against PKK, which
Turkey and Washington both consider to be a
terrorist organization. The U.S. ambassador in
Ankara Ross Wilson, has noted that the connection
Turkey is attempting to draw is a falsehood and
completely arbitrary. He stated: "These are two
different cases, they should be judged from
different perspectives,"
Meanwhile, Kurdish leaders have condemned terrorists
and their unlawful acts. Kurds have joined the
International community in fighting against
terrorism everywhere. The Kurds made a wise move by
not being drawn into the trap of war. Instead, the
Kurdish leaderships in Iraq is calling for a
peaceful resolution to the conflict and to grant the
Kurds in these countries their rights, because war
is the harbinger of destruction and despair. The
solution to these issues must be through diplomacy
and democratic process.
The U.S. has opposed Turkey's wish to send its
military across the boarder because it would do
nothing but further destabilize Iraq. In addition,
such a move would most certainly put the U.S. at
odds with its most trusted ally in the region and in
the war in Iraq, the Kurds.
The only possible winner if Turkey launches its
military operations against the Kurds is Iran.
Turkey would lose its chance to become a member of
the European Union, a goal it has been chasing for
years but which has not come to fruition due to its
history of heinous crimes against the Kurds and
Armenians. In addition, Turkey would be in direct
conflict with the U.S.. This would help Iran buy
more time to proceed with its nuclear program and
have more influence in the area especially with
regard to Iraq and Lebanon.
Our fear is that this game will go one step further,
and lead to devastation, as in the case with
Lebanon. We fear that the Turkish government is
waiting for an opportunity to arise in which it
could declare the kidnapping of its soldiers by the
PKK or PJAK, giving way to a strike against the
Kurds. They are looking for an excuse to beat the
Kurdish nation down, as they have tried to do for
years upon years.
It is apparent that the Turkish government is not
interested in a just, lasting solution to the
issues. The Turkish government has refused the
mediation of the Kurdish Prime Minister Mr.
Nechirvan Barzani between the Turkish Government and
PKK. The Turkish government refused similar
mediation offered by the deputy Prime Minister of
Iraq, Dr. Barham Salih and the Iraqi foreign
Minister Mr. Hoshyair Zebari. The President of
Kurdish region and the Prime Minister did inform the
Turkish government of their resistance to any
military operation inside Kurdistan of Iraq.
We call on the Kurdish leaders to be prudent in
their decision-making at this critical time. We urge
them to do this by ceasing all military activity,
and pursuing a diplomatic solution that will protect
the rights of the Kurds and ensure a lasting peace.
This is the only way. At a time when other nations
are falling to the call of war, we will light the
way to peace.
Dr Saman Shali is president of Kurdish National
Congress of North America -
www.kncna.org, The Kurdish National Congress is
a non-profit, member-driven organization
representing Kurds from all parts of Kurdistan
living in the United States and Canada. Its
objective is to unite Kurds living in North America
to work for common goals, to promote the idea of a
United Free Kurdistan, and to strengthen the voice
of all Kurds living in the United States and Canada.
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