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Iraqi Kurdish MP lambasts agitators
Turkish media
1.2.2012
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Dr. Mahmoud Othman is an Iraqi
Kurdish parliamentarian, represents the KDP and PUK- dominated
Kurdistani List in Baghdad. Photo: Facebook
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February 1, 2012
ERBIL-Hewlêr,
Kurdistan region 'Iraq', — Iraq is in the grip of a
political storm and a prominent Kurdish politician
has accused Turkish media of stirring things up even
more.
The sky above Baghdad crackles with tension as the
political crisis that engulfed the country late
December continues unabated. Politics in Baghdad is
stymied by the rift between Iraqiya and State of Law
Coalition.
Erbil is on the road to a transition of power, the
prime minister's office is shifting from PUK man
Barham Salih to KDP man Nechirvan Barzani - nephew
of Kurdistan President Massoud Barzani. There is
little trust between the political factions and the
strain is making this more evident by the day.
Dr Mahmoud Othman, a leading member of the Kurdish
Blocs Coalition, believes Turkish media is taking
advantage of this to stir up trouble between the
Kurdish leadership and between the Kurdistan
Regional Government KRG in Erbil and Iraqi federal
government in Baghdad.
Othman is part of the KBC, a caucus of Kurdish
parties in Baghdad. He believes Turkish TV is
maliciously broadcasting allegations of a gulf
between the Kurdistan Democratic Party KDP and
Patriotic Union of Kurdistan PUK,www.ekurd.net
the two constiuent parts of the coalition running
the KRG.
Furthermore Othman accuses broadcasters north of the
border of reporting on deteriorating relations
between the governments of Baghdad and Erbil.
On Monday the Turkish newspaper Ledenlk reported:
"The President of Kurdistan region Massoud Barzani
decided to announce the establishment of an
independent Kurdish state."
The newspaper claimed to have information indicating
the rebel group Kurdistan Workers Party, known as
the PKK, supports Barzani completely. But Ledenlk
said leader of the PUK and Iraqi President Jalal
Talabani "objected to the announcement in the
current climate".
"I think talking about the declaration of
independence at present is only intended to create
problems for us," Othman said, scorning what he sees
as Turkish agitators.
"Half of what the Turkish press publishes about the
Kurds is false," added Othman. "It is within our
rights to announce the formation of a Kurdish state
tomorrow."
"Talabani and Barzani's positions about the right of
the Kurds to declare independence are 100%
identical. All Kurds are as one about this ambition.
The problem is whether it can be achieved or can
not. [Talabani and Barzani's] differences may be
about the timing of announcement, but not about the
substance."
The ambition of an independent Kurdistan is a dream
stretching back over many decades. Kurds have had
glimpsed such a utopia like in the 1920s when
Kurdish nationalist declared a Kurdish state. They
were brutally suppressed by the British army.
Othman asks: "But where is this state and who will
support us making a declaration? The legitimate
right to declare it is one thing, whether or not it
will become a reality is something else."
He continues: "The declaration of the Kurdish state
is not in our hands, and if we announced it who will
recognize it? The first country that will stand
against us is America."
Othman cited the disputed territories and the
failure to implement article 140 as examples where
despite semi-autonomy, Kurdistan still is not master
of its own fate. "How can we declare the Kurdish
State?" he demands. "We have our Region and we still
suffer from problems."
By Khudr Khallat
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