|
Iraqi Kurdistan Face Crossroads In 2008
4.1.2008
By Dr. N. Hawramany
|
|
|
|
January 4, 2008
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.www.ekurd.net
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.www.ekurd.net
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 people 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.
Dr. N. Hawramany, Switzerland, Dec 28, 2007
khwendkar blogspot.com
Top |
Kurd Net
does not take credit for and is not responsible for the content of news
information on this page
|
® 