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Iraqi Kurdistan PM says I support autonomy
for Christians: Interview
30.11.2008
Interviewed by Sirwan Haci Hussein
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November 30, 2008
The German newspaper Frankfurter Rundschau (FR), one
of the famous newspapers in Germany, on its November
28, issue published an interview with Kurdistan
Regional Government’s Prime Minister Nechirvan
Barzani over the situation of Christians in the
region.
A day before the interview was published the
European Union decided to grant asylum to 10,000
Iraqis who are in Jordan and Syria. Germany has
decided to give asylum to thousands of Iraqis, most
of them are Christians.
In this interview Barzani revealed that while in
other parts of Iraq Christians are murdered or
forced out of their homes, in Kurdistan they live in
peace.
Here is the transcript of
the interview. |
Nechirvan Barzani, Prime
Minister of
Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) |
Frankfurter Rundschau (FR):
Before a while in Mosul a number of Christians were
killed and many more forced to leave their lives and
properties behind and flee the city. Then some
accused Kurds of these crimes. What do you have to
say for this?
Barzani: It is
not in our interest to force Christians out of
Mosul,www.ekurd.net
because in Mosul Kurds
and Christians are allies. Without Christians our
votes in Mosul will decrease and in the provincial
council we will get fewer seats. Here I have a
question: Is it possible for a nation oppressed for
decades, to oppress other peoples in the same way?
For us, as Kurds, this is not a proper behavior
morally and politically.
Our support for Christians is not a political move
rather it is a moral one. It is not important for us
what the population of the Christians is, what
matters is that they live in Kurdistan and have
their own historical heritage in this country. When
Saddam’s regime destroyed our villages and country,
no one asked us which one of these villages were
Kurds’ or Christians’ or Yezidies. After the war (in
2003) when the Christians of Basrah and Baghdad were
forced out of their homes, we opened embraced them
and settled thousands of them in Kurdistan.
FR: What did you
do?
Barzani: We
settled them in Hawler (Erbil), Sulaimaniyah and
Duhok provinces and allocated a monthly finical aid
to each one of the Christian families. We have also
rehabilitated about 100 Christian villages in Duhok
province. We have done many things for them and we
have not even talked about them (in the media). In
Kurdistan, they have their own cultural centers and
TV station, they are taught in their mother tongue
in their own schools, and they are free to perform
their religion and rituals. Christians hold many
important posts in the Kurdistan Regional
Government. These are their legitimate rights. We
look at them as the citizens of this country.
FR: How many
Christians have resorted to Kurdistan?
Barzani: About
20,000 families have sought refuge in Kurdistan.
FR: Which model
do you prefer for the future of Christians and other
minorities in Iraq?
Barzani: Now we
are drafting the constitution of (Iraqi) Kurdistan.
We do not call them minorities,www.ekurd.net
call them nations. We
guarantee the rights of these nations in our
constitution. I, myself, support autonomy for them.
We in Kurdistan pay a lot of attention to their
protection. We do not believe that only Kurds live
in Kurdistan. We regard ourselves as Kurdistanis. In
Kurdistan Kurds, (within Kurds Yezidies and Shabak),
Turkmans, and Christians live. So far now it is not
clear which form of authority will be decided in the
constitution and this is a critical subject.
FR: Can the
Kurdistan Regional Government alone solve the
problems of the minorities in Iraq? How can Europe
and particularly Germany help in this regard?
Barzani:
Unfortunately, when we were helping the Christians
no one came to ask if they can help. The federal
government in Baghdad did nothing except issuing
some negative statements and practically did not
assist us. The oppressed nations need constant help
to return to their regions.
FR: What is
Kurdistan’s interest in helping the Christians?
Barzani: The
interest is more moral than political. They are a
nation that has lived with us and we have undergone
the same agony (under the former regime).
FR: A great number of Christians in Mosul
area coexist with Kurds. Do you want to attach this
region to Kurdistan region?
Barzani: If the
residents of this region, through a referendum,
demand this, we will obey their demands. Otherwise,
we do not demand that.
For German version from Frankfurter Rundschau
click here
Copyright, respective author or news agency, fr-online
de | Frankfurter Rundschau | rudaw net
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