The Necessity of Safeguarding The Kurdish Self- Rule
by Eamad Mazouri
In May 1992, the Iraqi Kurds held the first free democratic elections under the auspices of the international monitors. As a result, the Kurdistan National Assembly (Parliament) was born and a federal government was established. These democratic institutions were chosen by the Kurdistani people of their free will to run their affairs out of Baghdad’s control in a free atmosphere, a task that has been accomplished outstandingly and in a most admirable manner.
One of the major issues the Kurds have been diligently working on is to let it be known to whomever it may concern that they absolutely reject to be in any union with other Iraqis on a basis other than a voluntary union. The sheer idea of maintaining this involuntary union that has tied the Kurds forcefully and against their free will to the Iraqi state should totally be abandoned.
The other momentous subject that concerns the Kurds and ought to worry other Iraqis is the tendency of some to install a strong central government in Baghdad. As if the Iraqis in general and the Kurds and Shiites in particular have readily forgotten all the horrifying crimes and atrocities committed against them by such regimes. Iraqis have to realize that such a call is a perfect recipe for dictatorship, war and disaster.
The Kurds, through their legitimate leadership have been seeking to underscore their demand in federalism and corporate this concept in the future democratic united federation of Iraq. They have been extremely keen to include that nationally built requisition into the new forthcoming Iraqi constitution.
For years, the Kurds have aspired to gain recognition from Iraqi Arabs, the neighboring countries and the international community to acknowledge this very fact. They have faced various challenges from every direction aiming at undermining their democratic experience, which they hold so dearly. First, some Iraqi Arabs (Nationalists, Baathists, and Fundamentalists) are unjustifiably alleging that partitioning Iraq into 2-3 federated territories actually means dividing Iraq as a unified country. On the contrary, a federal system that satisfies the very fundamental concerns of the people who make up the fabric of the Iraqi society is the right approach and perhaps the only viable resolve to keep the country together. Let’s not forget that only freedom of choice does bring people together, while coercion distance them from each other, not to mention the chaos and turmoil it creates.
From the other end of the equation, we have the neighboring countries, and specifically Turkey trying everything in order to abort the current Kurdish experience and to prevent any future Kurdish gains in Iraq or anywhere else for that matter. They have done so through various venues, by meddling in the internal affairs of the Iraqi Kurdistan, employing their leverage with U.S. led coalition, and plotting a variety of schemes to discredit the Kurds and their just cause. Naturally, all their attempts failed. The Kurdish regional government remains an invaluable ally to the coalition forces, not only in deposing of the dictatorial regime of Saddam Hussein, but also in maintaining security and peace and participating actively and effectively in rebuilding a new democratic Iraq.
There are numerous occasions, where the Kurdish leadership has went out of its way to reassure them time and again, that the Kurds have no intention whatsoever to set up an independent Kurdish state. They have made it very clear with or without occasion that they are committed to the integrity of Iraq so long as their demands in federalism are met.
The latest assurance came from His Excellency, the Prime Minister of Kurdistan Regional Government in Erbil, Mr. Nechirvan Barzani. In a conference that was held a couple of days ago in Kurdistan, for the Iraqi regional leaders and businessmen, His Excellency warned against tempering with the Kurdish self-rule, saying: such an attempt would threaten the peace and stability. His Excellency reiterated once again that it would be impossible to regain stability in Iraq without finding a permanent and just solution to the Kurdish problem. He stated and I quote” All those who are concerned, should try to understand the Kurdish position, it would be a grave mistake to ignore the Kurdish demands”. His Excellency further emphasized the Kurds’ anxiousness to be part of Iraq on the basis of a voluntary union “ we want to resolve the Kurdish problem within the Iraqi borders” in an open reference to dissipate the frequently expressed but unsubstantiated Turkish fears of the Kurds’ intentions to establish a Kurdish state in Iraqi Kurdistan. In his speech, Mr. Prime Minister offered sharing Kurdistan natural resources with the rest of Iraq as long as other parts are willing to do the same, stipulating that the new constitution recognizes Kurdish demands. Finally, His Excellency called for good neighborly relationships with all the Iraqi neighbors, including Turkey.
Now there is no ambiguity in the Kurdish demands nor they are unreasonable. These demands hardly match the long odyssey of the Kurdish struggle and their countless sacrifices in lives and property over the years. The Iraqis, the regional countries and the international community should not have any difficulty in seeing and understanding that. The Kurds have suffered too much not to fathom the complexity of their plight. They do believe in the democratic process as long as it is conducted under the supervision of the world community. The Kurds have every reason not to trust a strong central government in Baghdad. The international community has ignored the Kurdish issue long enough. Today there is a chance to find a solution and this historic momentum shouldn’t be overlooked. At the present the Kurds justifiably consider themselves a major element of stability and peace. They have proved that beyond any doubt especially during operation Iraqi Freedom and in dealing with the aftermath. They intend to play their rule as loyal allies to the coalition forces and contribute aggressively and uncompromisingly to the establishment of a democratic federated Iraq, where Kurds are recognized as actual equal partners.