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Kurds don't want the new Iraqi flag in
Kurdistan
11.2.2008
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Kurdish legislators unsatisfied with the new Iraqi
flag in Kurdistan
February 11, 2008
Erbil-Hewler, Kurdistan Region 'Iraq',-- The
new flag of the Republic of Iraq is flapping in
Kurdistan region, but some Kurd figures are
unsatisfied with that flag.
Despite the objections of Kurd regional
parliamentarians that the modified design of the
Iraqi flag doesn't refer to the Kurdish nation,
Kurdish authorities in Erbil, capital city of
Kurdistan,
raised the
amended Iraqi flag on their territories, side by
side with the local Kurdistan flag of that region,
on Sunday morning. |
Kurds wants Kurdistan flag in their region |
In September 2006, Massoud Barzani, President of
Kurdistan Region of Iraq, ordered to
bring the old Iraqi flag
down from all governmental institutions of that
region, and to replace it with the local flag of
Kurdistan, because "the genocides of Al-Anfal
military operations were committed against Kurds
under the old Iraqi flag in late 1980s, when Iraq
was ruled by the regime of Saddam Hussein".
On January 22, the Iraqi parliament had approved
with a majority of votes a draft to modify the
national flag by removing the three stars from the
old flag and keeping the sentence 'Allahu Akbar'
(God is Greater), but with a different font face.
The Iraqi Presidency Council approved, on February
5, 2008, the new Iraqi flag that consists of three
equal rectangles of red, white in between, and black
colors, respectively, with 'Allahu Akbar' statement
written with a green color, in Kufi Calligraphy, on
the white area of that flag.
The Kurd official figure in charge of foreign
relations of Kurdistan cabinet, Falah Hassan, has an
optimistic tone in describing the event of the new
Iraqi flag fluttering in Kurdistan region. Hassan
said "Raising the new flag of Iraq in Kurdistan
renders a big change in Iraq,"www.ekurd.net
adding "It is a rhetoric
of respecting others' view, since this came as an
outcome of dialogue and negotiations," asserting
"Now, we are confident that through dialogue and
negotiations, we can solve all our problems."
But the two major powerful Kurdish parties in
Kurdistan region, Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) –
the political party of the President of Kurdistan
Region, Massoud Barzani, and the Patriotic Union of
Kurdistan (PUK) – the political entity headed by the
President of Iraq, Jalal Talbani, are both
unsatisfied with the new flag of Iraq.
Dlear Shawese, a member of the KDP Yellow slate of
Kurdistan regional parliament said "I am unsatisfied
with the shape of the new Iraqi flag, because it
includes nothing that refers to Kurds,"www.ekurd.net
adding "But it is better
than the old one." Another member of that party's
slate in the regional parliament, Naznaz Mohammed,
seemed to be sad to have the new flag of Iraq in
Kurdistan, "I am unhappy with this flag, because it
doesn't imply any trait of Kurd nationalism,"
Mohammed said.
Although she considered raising that flag in
Kurdistan as a legal measure, Mohammed asserted said
"It was supposed to have the regional parliament of
Kurdistan votes on the new flag of Iraq first, not
to depend on a decree that was made by the
Presidency Council in Baghdad, or the Presidency of
Kurdistan Region in Erbil."
Another member of Kurdistan regional parliament, but
of the Green Slate associated with the PUK, Areez
Abdullah told VOI "Comparing with the old Iraqi
flag, I see no qualitative changes in the new flag
of Iraq," confirming "If there would be further
changes on the new Iraqi flag on this year; we will
make our decision by then."
Turkman member of the regional parliament of
Kurdistan, Karkhi Alti-Barmagh, is critical
regarding the new flag of Iraq, "The Federal
Parliament of Iraq and the Kurdistan Alliance entity
of that parliament were supposed to post more
clarifications concerning the new Iraqi flag."
Alti-Barmagh said, adding "We agreed to raise the
new flag of Iraq in Kurdistan to preserve the unity
of the country."
On the contrary of Abdullah of the PUK, Alti-Barmagh
was more conclusive regarding any possible further
amendments on the current Iraqi flag on this year.
"If there would be any further modifications on the
new flag of Iraq during this year, we will reject
them," Alti-Barmagh said.
As an independent member of the regional parliament
of Kurdistan, Sardar Hargee perceives "Raising the
new flag of Iraq in Kurdistan region will subdue
many problems in this federal country," said "There
was a kind of misunderstanding to our position
regarding the old Iraqi flag."
But Hargee believes, like his other Kurd
parliament-mates, "This new flag does not represent
all the components of the Iraqi people, and does not
reflect the purport of the Iraqi constitution."
Hargee hoped that "raising the new flag of Iraq in
Kurdistan would contribute to solving the problems
that Kurds have with the federal government in
Baghdad."
Kurdish political analyst, Kamal Mohammed said "When
the regional parliament of Kurdistan raises the new
flag of Iraq in special ceremonies, it means an
important and serious step on the way to cull the
relations between the regional government of
Kurdistan in Arbil, and the central government in
Baghdad – capital of Iraq."
The analyst called on all Iraqi provinces to raise
the new Iraqi flag on the governmental institutions
there, in the same way that Kurdistan region did.
A Kurd civil servant, Shereen Faraj (48 years) said
"Raising the new Iraqi flag in Kurdistan renders the
commitment of Kurds that they fulfill their
promises," adding "Even if it would be raised for
only one year, this new flag will unify Iraqis."
Faraj proceeded to explain "Keeping Kurdistan
regional flag side by side with the new flag of Iraq
is a normal issue. In many federal countries, such
as Switzerland and Germany, regional flags stand
together with the national federal flag."
The new Iraqi flag does not satisfy Rebwar Mohammed
Morad (35 years), another Kurd civil servant, "The
amount of changes that took place on the old Iraqi
flag do not respond to our ambition," adding "'Allahu
Akbar' sentence is still part of the new Iraqi
flag," confirming "We have no objection with these
holy words, but we totally disagree with Saddam
Hussein who wrote them on the flag of Iraq."
Morad revealed "We are disappointed with these minor
changes on the Iraqi flag," and he proceeded "But,
we are committed to respect the new Iraqi flag to
tell everyone that we are part of Iraq, and we have
no plans to declare independency." School teacher,
Vian Ahmed (Kurd, 28 years), told VOI "One of the
differences that delayed the progress of the
political process in Iraq has been omitted by
modifying the Iraqi flag,www.ekurd.net
and raising the new flag
in Kurdistan." Ahmed supplicated all Iraqi cities to
"raise the new Iraqi flag to have a new domain where
all Iraqis can equally gather under their new flag."
Some average Kurds believe that Iraqis are
interested in more important problems, rather than
changing the flag of Iraq. Mohammed Mohsen, 29 years
Kurd, perceives "Changing the flag is not as
important as other issues, such as security and
stability of Iraq, providing services to Iraqis, and
helping Iraqi refugees that return to Iraq from
abroad." Mohsen demanded the federal government of
Iraq to "concentrate on bigger problems, and to
postpone minor issues that do not affect the daily
life of Iraqis."
An old retired Kurd, Sabeeh Makram (55 years) sees
that Kurds exaggerated their rejection to the old
Iraqi flag, "Kurds added the flag notch to the
troubles that Iraq already has," Makram said, hoping
that "within the presence of the new Iraqi flag,
there would be a space for new understandings and
agreements between Iraqi political parties and
forces; a matter that should help them to conceive
the dreams of average Iraqis to have security,
progress, and prosperity in the unified Iraq."
VOI
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