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Masrour Barzani’s comments on Kurdish
independence rights
23.6.2011
By Baqi Barzani -
ekurd.net |
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June
23, 2011
Trailing his father and grandfather’s footmarks,
Masrour Barzani, the son of the President of the
Kurdistan Region, seeks to rekindle the long-sought
Kurdish nation’s optimism by asserting that Kurds
reserve the legitimate right to self-rule.
His late grandfather, Mustafa Barzani, is the most
the prominent political figure in the
contemporaneous and modern Kurdish politics. He was
the national and spiritual father of the demoralized
Kurdish people and a symbol of struggle, hope,
peace, and freedom for tens of millions of homeless
Kurds around the globe. The irreplaceable Mustafa
Barzani, passed behind a legacy of tolerance,
justice, leniency, diplomacy, harmony and love.
His father, Massoud Barzani, has persistently
lobbied for the universal recognition of Kurdish
independence right in hundreds of private interviews
and official meetings. In Damascus, Tehran, Baghdad
and Ankara, nothing has dissuaded him to stridently
bespeak, champion and convey the single message of
his people “An independent Kurdistan is our right”.
Barzani directly objected to the skewed “Baker
Hamilton report in 2006”, suggesting it would strip
Kurds of many of their legitimate constitutional
rights. Most recently, when he was honored with the
“Atlantic Award for Peace by the North Atlantic
Treaty Organization (NATO), he did not dither to
seize the prospect to put forward Kurdish self-rule
case once encore with his EU links.
Almost every Kurdish leader in any part of Kurdistan
has had strong convictions in Kurdish independence.
Kurdish Regional Government (KRG) in South Kurdistan
(Iraq) can turn into another “Republic of Mahabad”.
Kurds retain another golden chance in their hands,
and Kurdish hesitation and consternation should not
shelve its transpiration.
During a recent
interview with
The National in Erbil, Masrour Barzani, the son of
the President of the Kurdistan Region, states "If,
for instance, tomorrow we declare independence and
nobody in the world wants to deal with us, what good
would that do?" He goes on by saying, “We have
[minerals], we have gas, we have - you name it, but
if nobody wants to do business with an independent
Kurdistan, then it will not survive. ”We don't want
to be isolated; we don't want to live here without
being a part of the international community. "He
adds, “Kurds should exercise restraint and
demonstrate more meekness.
Masrour’s remarks are persuasive and reasonable.
Most Kurds grasp the geo-political sensitivities
surrounding Kurdistan; therefore, it would be in
Kurdish nation best interest to apply the United
Nation leverage and muscles to garner more support.
This would also circumvent any direct confrontation
or illegitimate aggression by the powerful adjacent
states. A starting proposition can be for the Kurds
to attempt collecting signatures and submit a
petition to the UNO to revitalize Kurdish case and
kick off the preliminary procedures.
Sooner or later, Turkey, Syria and Iran will have to
reluctantly admit to broaden the extent of autonomy
for their own sizable Kurdish population. An
independent Kurdish state only in South Kurdistan
(Iraq) will offer more security, stability, economic
advantages, primarily to Turkey. Turkey would
definitely prefer a Kurdistan over an Iraq dominated
by Islamists Arabs. Kurdistan has been flooded with
Turkish companies; especially in oil and energy
sector. Turkey harvests some 12 + billion US dollars
in annual trade with KRG,www.ekurd.netand
is currently the primary recipient of giant
reconstruction projects. Why would Turkey opt o
jeopardize its economic and political interests for
the Shiite or Sunni Arabs? Given the strong
antipathy by neighboring powers and vitality of
outstanding neighborhood ties, in particular toward
Turkey, any declaration of independence should be
contingent on merely containing the territorial
disintegration of South Kurdistan (Iraq). Turkish
objection could then be overcome and appeased by not
losing its lucrative exclusive economic deals with
Kurdistan Government (KRG).
Damascus and Tehran regimes are already on the verge
of collapse. It is just the matter of time.
Relying on international protection is a perquisite;
however, we can partially be blamed for our lack of
proper planning’s, as well. Have we contemplated
over some defined strategies to achieve our
independence ends?
There was an extensive advocacy for Kurdish
self-rule case, but it witnessed a steady decline as
Iraq overall stability level boosted partially. A
secure and stable Iraq, not Kurdistan, will not
serve our national interests. Baghdad central
government should not be strengthened by any means.
Baghdad can exploit oil funds to dominate the nation
and gain back its military strength. Kurdish
Peshmarga forces should resist being integrated into
a national Iraqi Army. The pro- Kurdish US should be
dragged into mediating a settled solution among the
lingering dissensions between the Kurds and Arabs.
Implementation of article 140, once and forever
determining the status of Kirkuk and other disputed
Kurdish regions, should no more be postponed and it
is more stress-free to be clinched while the US
military is still in attendance.
Concluding my opinion: centralism will only
strengthen Arabs position in Baghdad and federalism
will only result in our discrepancies remaining in
the offing. Every successive Iraqi centralized
system of control has failed to assimilate and
integrate the Kurds since last century. It is a
substantiated vain effort. With the drawdown or
relocation of US forces, Iraq will eventually break
apart. We must be geared up to confront the
challenges and thwart the potential menaces ahead
of. Are we ready?
Baqi Barzani is a Kurdish citizen of Sought
Kurdistan [Iraq]. He advocates the notion of "
establishing an independent Kurdish state". He
contributes to various Kurdish media outlets,
especially ekurd.net. You may reach the author via
email at: baqi.barzani@yahoo.com
Copyright © 2011 ekurd.net. All rights reserved
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