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KURDISTAN - HOMELAND FOR KURDS
Introduction
Aim
3. The aim of this paper is to give a brief idea about the Kurdistan and its
people and the present situation prevailing there .
Scope
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b. Language
c. Kurdistan the home land of Kurds
d. Natural resources of Kurdistan, water oil and mineral
e. Political awareness for nationalism
f. Political parties in Kurdistan and leaders
g. Kurds of Turkey
h. The Kurds of Iraq
j. Kurds in Iran , Syria and CIS
k. Future of Kurds hope and dream of freedom.
5. The origin of Kurdish division dates back to the end of first world war
when Turkey unconditionally surrendered and allies divided among
themselves the vast Ottoman Empire. The kurdish nation and the whole
middle eastern region except Iran was under the Ottoman rule for more then
three centuries , from 1636 until 1918. In terms of ethnic origin , the Kurds
belong to the Indo European family of nations. The origins of the Kurds are
uncertain and much disputed . What is clear is that they are amongst the
oldest people on earth. In the third millennium BC , there were tribes in the
western Iran Known to the Sumerians , the Babylonians , and later the
Assyrians , as Guto or Qurti. In the 8th century BC , the Assyrian were
conquered by the Medes, who overrun a large part of the territory occupied
today by the Kurds. Around 550 BC the Medes were in turn conquered by the
Persians , the two population merged together without much difficulty. The
Kurds adopted the monotheistic Zoroastrian religion of the Persians.
6. Nomadic Aryan tribes who began to migrate from their original home in
central Asia in about 2500 BC . However the Aryan s’ migration accelerated
by 1500 BC and spread to Afghanistan , India , to the Zagros highlands, and
Europe where , they imposed their language and ethnic characteristics upon
the people whom they brought under their control. Some historical records
shows that the Kurds have been living continuously in the Kurdistan highlands
since the beginning of history in 3000 BC.
7. In the course of long time of ancient history now and then one or
another tribe or principality , living in any one of those numerous Zagros
district , became prominent and their names appeared in the historical
records. At a later date another group of people or tribe might developed into
a strong kingdom and became powerful enough to challenge the empires of
the plain. Those names that appeared in the ancient historical records are
called Zagros group of people or Zagros nation who were ethnically and
linguistically related and were branches of the ancient Kurds. Who all were
those ancient Kurds ? The ancient Kurds were mountaineer people who were
the native inhabitants of the Zagros highlands at the time when Sumarians
established themselves in the southern part of Mesopotamia in about 3000
BC. The historians call those mountaineer people of the Zagros highlands
‘Zagros people’ ‘Zagros group of people’ , ‘ Zagros nation’ . In ancient times
Zagros was inhabited by mountaineer group of people or tribe who were
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more or less homogeneous in speech and ethnically related. Among these
Zagros groups , the Elamites and Kurds were the most prominent.
8. From the history we can say that the ancient Kurds were the native
inhabitants of the Zagros highlands and ethnically and linguistically belonged
to the ancient Caucasian race and spoke the ancient Caucasian language the
living survival of which still is in use among the Georgian people. The Zagros
group whose names appeared in the ancient historical records , such as Lullu,
Guti, kashshu (Kassite) , Hurri - Mittani , and Urartu were identified as
branches of the same ancient Kurds who appeared on the historical scene at
different times and in different parts of the Zagros highland. In the ancient
world the ancient Kurds were party to the two-way struggle which was going
on between the plain dwellers of the south and the highlanders of the north..
The famous conquerors from Sumerian city state , Akkadian , Babylonian and
Assyrian empires carried on campaigns of war and conquest against the
ancient Kurds in the Zagros highland. In the Sumarian , Akkadian ,
Babylonian, cuneiform inscriptions and in the Assyrian annals we find
sufficient historical records dealing with these two-way struggle between the
plain dwellers of Mesopotamia and the highlanders of Zagros which throw
light on Kurdish ancient history.
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million and in Syria 1 million. Tribes of kurdish origin are settled in
Baluchistan, Afghanistan and Algiers. An estimated 170,000 Kurds live in
different European countries , Canada, USA and Australia. (graph showing
population in annex A)
Language.
11. The modern Kurdish nation belongs to the Indo European family of
nation. The Kurdish language is a branch of the Indo - European (Aryan)
family of language which includes Kurdish, Baluchi, Persian, Afghan , Urdu ,
Russian , German , French and English. All these Indo - European languages
have a common root, they all are derives from the original primitive Aryan
language which was spoken by actual people called nomadic Aryan tribes
who began to migrate from their original home in central Asia in about 2500
BC. However the Aryans migration accelerated by 1500 BC and spread to
Afghanistan , India , to the Zagros highlands ,and Europe where they impose
their language and ethnic characteristics upon the people whom they brought
under their control.
12. The ancient Kurds , however the native inhabitants of the Zagros
highlands , belonged to the Caucasian race and spoke the ancient Caucasian
language. These changes in the ethnic and linguistic composition of the Kurds
were brought about by Median control over Zagros for 150 years (700 BC -
558 BC ) . It was during this period of Median supremacy over Zagros and
most part of the middle east when ancient Kurds coalesced with the Medes
and changed their ancient Caucasian language into the median dialect. The
Median dialect was a branch of the primitive Aryan tongue. In order to explain
how these changes in the ethnic and linguistic composition of the ancient
Kurds were brought about by mixing with the Medes , it is required to narrate
who the Aryan people were how they arrived in the Iranian plateau and the
Zagros highlands, and when the great Aryan migration commenced.
13. The Aryan nation was composed of numerous Nomadic tribes who
dwelt in the steppe region of central Asia. They called themselves Aryan and
spoke a language called Aryan. Their original place of residence must have
lain in the great steppe that stretches north and Northeast of the Caspian sea
to the oxas and Jaxartes rivers. From the region east and north of Caspian
sea , waves of Nomadic Aryan tribes migrated through the steppe into the
Iranian plateau. The name Iran is derived from the ancient Iranian genitive
plural Aryanam - (land) of the Aryans , the geographical expression Iran ,
therefore, is a modified form of Aryanam , which means the land of Aryan.
14. Modern historians use the term Indo- European to cover all three
branches of the Aryan nations : Indic , Iranic and European families of nation.
However , in spite of omitting the use of the Aryan name, the fact remains
that the Aryan called themselves Aryans , not Indo- Europeans, the Aryan
nation were real living people and spoke the real Aryan language. They called
themselves Aryan , meaning the noble people. The meds called themselves
Aryans , and were generally known under that name by their neighbours and
subjects. The term Indo- European is of recent origin , coined to replace the
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name of ancient Aryan nation . It seems modern historians have avoided the
use of Aryan because the term Aryan has been used in a superior racial
connections since the 19 th century.
15. The Median nation. Kurds claims themselves as the successors of the
Medes. Ethnically and linguistically the Medes belonged to the Aryan nation
and constituted one of its important subdivisions. The Median nomadic tribes
emigrated during the time of the Great Aryan Migration through the steppe to
the cultivated land of Northern Iran , subsequently the Medes moved
Southwest and occupied a tract of land between the eastern edge of the
Zagros range and the Iranian plateau , close to the modern district of
Hamadan. Medians dominated Zagros for 150 years . It was during this 150
years of Median domination and supremacy over the Zagros highlands and
adjacent region when the Kurds coalesced with the Medes and changed their
ancient Caucasian language into the Median Aryan language.
16. How the Median nation imposed their Ethnic and Linguistic
Characteristics upon the ancient Kurds. The Medes were by far the most
successful of the Aryan tribes interms of their ability to assimilate other
cultures, perhaps due to the fact that they were hailed as liberators by those
who suffered under the Assyrian yoke. The Medes showed mighty military
strength when they defeated the Scythians and cleared them out of the
Zagrose highland and its adjacent areas . The Medes rose to the position of a
great power when they defeated the Assyrian Empire and occupied Nineveh
in 612 BC. With the outstanding victories the Medes gained a tremendous
fame and prestige which simulated many different groups living in Zagros to
enter willingly under their banner to affiliate themselves with them. By the
Aryans of Zagros , The Medes were welcomed as champions come to deliver
them from grievances and oppression. The Medians power and influence had
a unified effect among the Aryan tribes who were living in the Zagros
highlands. Aryan tribes united under Medes command , and lead intern to
increase of median power and helped them to establish their supremacy over
Zagros. Subsequently the name Mede became an appellation for all Aryan
tribes living in Zagros highlands
17. The Medes and Ancient Kurds. Among the ancient Kurds , the Medes
were regarded as heroes and liberators for leading anti - Assyrian opposition.
when the Medes arrived in eastern Zagros, they found themselves among the
settled communities of ancient Kurds. During that time they were a weak and
were under the threat of Assyrian aggression. In 700 BC when Medes
emerged as a nation it began to offer resistance to the Assyrians , the ancient
Kurds sided with the Medes. The alliance with the ancient Kurds contributed
to the economic resources and the military powers of the Medes. As the
Medes advanced westward along the Zagros chain they came into control of
ancient grain belt which added to their food supply. Metal which Medes could
easily obtain adds to their arms. The Kurds provided the Median army with a
solid fighting force. During 150 years period (700 BC - 550 BC ) of Median
rule over the Zagros highlands and its adjacent area, the ancient Kurds
coalesced with the Medes and changed their ancient Caucasian language into
Median language. One of the unique and amazing attributes of the Indo
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European tribes was their capacity to assimilate the people they dominated
and with this quality they changed or assimilated all the peoples living in the
Zagros including Kurds within them.
18. Who are the Kurds ? The logical place to begin the search for a truly
Kurdish spirituality is at the origin of the Kurdish nation which can be traced
back to the ancient Zagros mountain people and in particular , to the Kassites.
Though little is known of the Kassites , the name of some of their gods have
survived. Significantly , these names are Indo - Iranian in origin even though
the Kassites were not of Aryan stock and spoke a semetic language. It also
explains the readiness of the Kassites to be assimilated by the north Iranian
speaking Medes in the early to middle seventh century BC , and their
subsequent adoption of the Median language.
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the old Zagros chain running from Ararat in the north along the present Iraq -
Iran border southward to join the southern ranges near Kaaniqin, this forms
its spinal and the parallel ridges which are connected with it from the west and
east , constitute its ribs, to some writers ,Kurdistan resembles a crescent , the
southern and northern ends of which touch the Persian gulf and the
Mediterranean sea . To others the shape of Kurdistan resembles a sickle.
More frequently Kurdistan has been described as the heart of the region
because almost all the water supply of the area comes from Kurdistan. In the
hills , valleys , and mountain sides of Kurdistan almost all the rivers of the
area have their origin. The Euphrates , Tigris, Khabour , great Zab, Lesser
Zab, Diyala, Alwand ( Halwan ) Aras, Kizli Uzan or Safid Rud , Kerkha river
and Dizful headwaters, all have their sources in Kurdistan which churns out
water. ‘a life giving element in the dry region of the middle east, like a heart
through which these rivers resembles arteries. Other writers considers
Kurdistan to be the ‘cradle of mankind” because here at the foot of some of its
southern outer ranges the earliest farming villages developed around 7000
BC. Having certain degree of culture and social organisation. These
communities contrasted with southern Iraq, with its natural beauty, grand
scenery , flowing plains , misty valleys , and fair weather Kurdistan is said to
be like the Garden of Eden which was described in the Bible. Indeed to those
who come from the bare desert steppe of Iraq , Syria, and arid bare plateau of
Iran , Kurdistan look like a perfect paradise.
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Persians and Arabs. The Kurds ethnic boundaries with the Arabs can be
accurately traced . There is a natural demarcation line separating Kurdish
highland from the semi desert lowland inhabited by Arabs. The Kurds share
about 2000 km of border with the Arabs, commencing from the Persian gulf
and extending to the Mediterranean sea . Along their long frontier the Arab
tribes have in some places , crossed beyond the Kurdish ethnic line and have
established enclaves and communities on the kurdish land.(French sources).
(Percentage of total area Kurdistan in the countries as per annex D)
24. A fairly large number of Kurds are distributed outside of the Kurdistan
border, or outside the border of Turkey , Iran , and Iraq, especially in Syria
and in the Soviet Union ( in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and other
provinces) . There are kurdish colonies located outside of the real Kurdistan of
Turkey and also outside of Iranian Kurdistan (especially in Mazindaran ,Near
Kilon Abdo and around Kazvin.) This phenomenon is explained by the exile
policy which was followed by the Shahs of Fars with the Kurds. From all these
we can say that Kurds In Turkey at present time, represent the absolute
majority in the wilayets of Erzurum, Sivas , Kars, Akri, Van,Mush , Sorat,
Diarbakir, Mardin , Arafa, and Alaziz. In Iran they occupy completely the
vilayet of Azerbaizan . In Iraq the Kurds concentrates in the four northern
provinces of suleimaniyah , Arbil , kirkuk, and Mosul., and also in the Khaniqin
area of the Diyala province. The Suleimaniyah province is purely a Kurdish
province as is Arbil province except for an Arab tribe of Tai which inhabits the
district of Kuer or the Turkoman of Erbil. In the two provinces of kirkuk and
mosul almost half of the population are Kurds.
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that proportion is increasing rapidly as Kurds are driven from the countryside
by unemployment and the repressive policies of their rulers. The rural Kurdish
population has always subsisted on an economy combining cultivation and
pasture, and the nomadic way of life has never been the predominant one.
The most common crops are wheat barley and lentils . The cultivation of
vegetables and fruit varies from region to region . Although a substantial
economy predominates in the mountain regions a surplus of grain is produced
in the plains of Iraq and Syria. Cotton has recently begun to grow for the first
time in some parts of Turkish Kurdistan.
27. In Kurdistan , there are two vast grain belts for the production of grain
and cereal which depends solely on rain for cultivation. The western grain belt
alone is about twice the size of England . An excellent pasturland and grazing
ground exists for raising folks of goat sheep and cattle. Kurdish society is
basically agrarian. Its economy is based on agriculture and animal husbandry.
It should be observed that the Kurdistan highland is the natural habitat for
grain and serial. They are still grown naturally on the hill sides and slopes of
the mountains. Prior to the present political termoil in the middle east Iraq was
exporting large quantities of grain and cereal grown in Kurdistan. Iraq
exported one million tons of barley annually to Europe. About two million tons
of wheat and cereal were sold annually to Iran , Syria, Lebanon and central
Europe. Summer crops such as rice , corn , cotton, beets are produced in
large quantities by means of irrigation. Kurdish tobacco , considered to be a
good quality , is sold throughout the middle east or delivered to cigarette
factories. There are one cigarette factory in Suleimaniyah , one in Mosul and
two in Baghdad, which consume tobacco cultivated in Kurdistan in Iraq.
29. These agricultural elements of the Kurdish economy have been joined
in the 20th century by oil and water . Much of Iraq’s oil reserves appear to lie
in the Kurdish areas around Kirkuk and Mosul. Most of the Turkey’s oil has
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been found in Kurdistan. In the fields near Adiyaman ,Batman, and Diyarbakir
. Syria has oil in its north eastern corner , close to the areas claimed by
Kurdish nationalists. In short Kurdistan is rich in oil- a fact which would help
to make an independent Kurdistan viable but which almost makes it highly
unlikely that its present host states will relinquish control. water too is a major
asset for the Kurdish mountains are the source of most of the river water
which flows into Syria , Iraq and western Iran. Turkeys ability to control the
head waters of the Tigris and the Euphrates gives it a powerful weapon to
brandish against rivals to the south . Yet Turkish water could also be a tool for
peace and mutual economic advantage. Turgut Ozal proposed a giant peace
pipeline to carry water from Turkey down as far as Saudi Arabia . But his idea
was received with more suspicion then enthusiasm by the Arab nations. Trust
is a rare commodity in the middle east.
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d. Showan District - About 20 km north of Kirkuk city and 10 km
west of Aghjalar municipality, sulphate comes out of the ground and
strong smell of oil exists in the surrounding.
e. Arbil Province - Taq Taq belt . An oil belt is located in the area
around Taq Taq , which is on the lesser Zab, where the Arbil - Kirkuk
road cross lesser Zab . North and south of Taq Taq oil mixes with
lesser Zab water.
33. One of the heroes of the Kurdish history during the Ottoman ere was ,
Prince Badir khan Bey. he planned to found an independent Kurdistan which
would also grant autonomy to all non Muslims , such as Armenians and
Assyrian Christians. Like many Kurdish leaders before and since, Badir khan
was betrayed ( by his own nephew ) and ended up in exile. On the collapse of
the Ottoman Empire at the end of World war 1 its former territories were
divided up into new countries with the conquering powers retaining spheres of
influence. France acquired a mandate over Syria , Britain over Mesopotamia.
However in 1918, US president Woodrow Wilson had declared a set of 14
points for world peace which included the right of self determination. This right
was promised to the Kurds in the treaty of Sevres which was signed in 1920
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between the defeated Ottomans and the victorious European powers. The
Treaty provided for Kurdish autonomy in part of the former Ottoman empire
with a Kurdish majority in the population, “lying east of the Euphrates , to the
south of a still to be established Armenian frontier and to the north of the
frontier between Turkey , Syria and Mesopotamia.
34. The Treaty provided for absolute guarantees for the minorities within
the region , but also that if the Kurdish majority subsequently voted for
complete independence , Turkey would renounce all her remaining rights and
titles to the area. The newly established League of nations was to surprise the
preparation of the Kurds for independence. Unfortunately for the kurds , the
treaty was signed by the outgoing Ottoman administration and not by the new
ruler of Turkey Mustafa Kemal (later known as Ataturk, the father of Turkey
) ,who soon rejected it. For the Kurds , who had fought alongside Kemal for
the new Turkish republic , it was a bitter blow, made worse when the new
Turkish government banned the Kurdish language from official use and from
schools , and embarked on a tough programme of “Turkisation” of place
names and public life. The fact Kemal was able to carry out this programme
was at least partly due to a change in the policy of western powers towards
the Kurds. The high morale tone of promising independence for an oppressed
people quickly succumbed to strategic expediency. After all , the new Turkey
under Kemal was developing into a secular Europeanised state , having shed
the out - moded trappings of the Ottomans. The thought of embarking on
another war in order to create a new country for a divided and unruly group of
tribes had little appeal. It was better to accept the idea of kurd assimilation
into a unified Turkish state in return for control of the oil provinces of Iraq,
which were also claimed by Kemal.
35. The founding of the state of Iraq under British mandate in the 1920s
brought the British face to face with the Kurdish problem. Britain’s nominee
for King of Iraq , Faisal - 1 wanted the oil provinces of Mosul and Kirkuk ,
both in Kurdish territory, in order to make the economy more viable , and he
also doubted his ability to keep control of a predominantly Shiite population .
By incorporating the Kurds ,mainly Sunnis , into Iraq both problems might be
solved. But although the Kurdish language was to be officially recognised and
taught in Iraqi schools , and Kurds were invited to take positions of
responsibility in government and administration , the Kurdish leaders felt
betrayed . They had been promised their own state. Now they were expected
to support an artificial country in which Arabs would form majority. There
began a series of uprisings and Britain was drawn into the position of having
to help the new king of Iraq to suppress the Kurds. The RAF carried out
bombing raids on Kurdish rebel areas.
36. All the countries in the region were afraid of Kurdish separatism as well
as suspicious of each other. The Kurds were frequently used as pawns in the
strategic game played by both western and regional powers. Thus before
world war ll Turkey , Persia and Iraq signed a joint agreement to co- operate
to resist groups (kurds) who aimed to destroy or destabilise existing
institutions. Once again the kurds were made to realise the truth of their
proverb ‘ the kurds have no friends but the mountains’. Kurdish national
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consciousness continued to developed despite the attempts of all countries in
the region to suppress it. A Kurdish voice first appeared in 1898 ( with the
publication in Cairo of the news paper Kurdistan) and there have been
successive attempt by Kurdish intellectuals to create a nationalist movements.
However the leadership has all too often remain divided and inward looking ,
relying on shifting alliances and weighted down by the encrustation of
tribalism. The kurds educational disadvantages have not helped .A sense of
unity has been elusive , but now seems to be gathering stean following the
shared experience of recent Gulf wars and greater international awareness of
the Kurdish plight.
37. There are many parties in Kurdistan with different ideologies .The Main
parties are as follows :
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The Kurds of Turkey
39. Conciliatory move by the Turgut Ozal government in early 1991 (repeal
of the law forbidding use of the Kurdish language and amnesty for the Kurdish
prisoners ) were forgotten when Ozal was replaced by the conservative
Suleyman Demirel. Demirel is opposed to allowing any special recognition of
the Kurdish region on the ground that this would open a Pandora’s box of
claims from other ethnic group. Better to complete the integration of Kurds
into Turkish society than to recognise special minority rights. Faced with what
it sees as ‘rampant terrorism’ the government has restored to its traditional
policy of military crack down. A new anti-terrorist law has passed in 1992,
effectively giving the military carte blanche in dealing with the Kurds.
Meanwhile the regional governor in south east Turkey ( who has draconian
power) had set up a system of ‘village guards’ , local civilians who are paid
and armed by the government to protect the villages from the PKK. There are
some 42000 village guards but it is unclear how many are genuine volunteers.
Villagers are faced with a stark choice. If they resist the invitation to become
village guards they are likely to be shot or tortured as PKK collaborators. If
they agree to become village guards, they run the risk of being shot by the
PKK. Not surprisingly many villagers avoid the choice by moving to western
Turkey or into cities.
40. The attempt by the Turkish government to defeat the terrorist seems to
be having the opposite effect to that intended. For every villager tortured ,
another dozen are turned against the government. Military oppression has
become a recruiting sergeant for the PKK. Which now claims to be able to put
30,000 guerrillas into the field. Meanwhile the campaign is soaking up fifth of
the national budget. Conscription has become more and more unpopular and
there are perhaps as many as 250,000 draft dodgers. Turkey’s army of half a
million men is largely conscripted force and many conscripts don’t like the job
of fighting the PKK. As a loyal Nato ally , Turkey has been given the benefit of
the doubt when it comes to concern over human rights in Kurdistan. Turkey
has also been given large quantities of arms by its NATO partners , some of
which are used to wage war against the PKK. It is American made F 16 and F
15
11 jets which make periodic bombing raids against PKK camps in border
region.
42. Following the creation of Iraq after WW 1 and the failure to establish a
separate state of Kurdistan , many of the Kurds who lived in north east of Iraq
took up arms against the new “king” Faisal 1 who had been imposed upon
them. An attempt by the Kurdish leader Sheikh Mahmoud to set himself up as
King of Kurdistan ended in defeat and exile. But further rebellions persisted
throughout the 1920s and 1930s. During this period the British , as holder of
the Iraqi mandate supported the Iraqi regime in efforts to quell the Kurds.
Other states have always used Kurds to further their own political ends. Thus
the Kurds in Iraq have experienced regular cycle of help and abandonment by
the Iranians and the Syrians, the Russians and the Turks , not to mention the
European powers and the United states. Prominent in Kurdish insurrections in
Iraq was the Barzani family and , in particuler , Mulla Mustafa Barzani , who
was recognised as the principle Kurdish leader of his time. Since world war II
the struggle for kurdish autonomy in Iraq has continued relentlessly. In 1958
Faisal II and his family were assassinated in a coup led by general Qasim .
The KDP was legalised and Barzani returned from exile to attempt
negotiations with the new regime. When that failed , he led intensified Kurdish
resistance , supported by Iran , which resulted in Qasims removal from power.
43. But the Kurds were still too divided to take advantage of the situation.
Then in 1970, Barzani reached an agreement with the new Ba’athist
government (in which Saddam Hussain was already vice -president ) for
autonomy for the Kurds in Iraq and a share in government. However , as it
consolidated its power , the Ba’athist regime began to claw back some of the
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rights promised to the Kurds and embarked on a war of suppression. In 1975
the treaty of Algiers cut off Iran’s support for the Kurds and made it easier for
saddam to carry out his programme of Arabisation in northern Iraq. During the
Iran - Iraq war of 1980 - 1988 Kurds fought on both sides but the continuing
guerrilla activities of the KDP and the PUK tied down many of Saddams
troops in northern Iraq. As the war wound down , he began to take bloody
revenge on the Kurds , In Halabja 6000 were killed by poison gas. Iraq used
these poison gas in a major offensive that began August 25 1988. The
offensive was intended to break the Kurdish insurgency and accomplished
that objective. These Chemical weapons attacks were part of an Iraqi military
policy intended to depopulate large parts of Iraqi Kurdistan . Elements of the
policy include :
44. The official reason given for the destruction in the northern Iraq was
the decision to establish an unpopular safety zone , 30 km wide and 1200 km
long, along the frontier with Turkey and Iran. The devastation wrought by the
Anfal campaign was a key factor in the wholesale flight of the kurdish
population into the mountains at the end of the Gulf war in 1991. The
expectation that the qualition force would oust Saddam had not been fulfilled
and the Kurds expected a repeat of the Anfal atrocities. The main fear was of
chemical weapons , which the Kurds didn’t know how to combat. The
intangible clouds of chemicals dropped from aircraft were an altogether
different matter. Fleeing from Saddam Hossain’s troops and the threat of
chemical attack , almost 2 million refugees took the rough mountain track to
Iran and Turkey. Many specially the very young and the old , did not survive
the extreme cold of the mountains or were killed by Iraqi bombing raids, which
includes the use of Napalm. More then thousand people died every day.
45. The main focus of world media attention was on those refugees who
tried to enter Turkey, but almost three times as many fled to Iran. Turkey
closed its border after admitting some 200000 refugees, Iran excepted all who
came. Most of the refugees quickly returned to their home when it became
clear that Saddam was not going to be allowed to bomb them to extinction
after all. The international public attention given to the plight of the refugee
kurds forced the west to take some protective action . The notion of a ‘safe
haven’ was born and allied forces imposed a no fly zone on Iraqi planes
above the 36 th parallel. The area thus protected was only a third of Iraqi
Kurdistan, but the kurds own force have extended the region and a sort of
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mini state has been created with its own government. It is a matter to be
observed that how long it can sustain.
46. The Kurds are related to the Persians by language and race. This is a
different situation from that in Iraq, Syria and Turkey, where the Kurds are
subordinate to majority race which do not belong to the Iranian cultural group.
About a quarter of all Kurds now live in Iran. The region settled by them
extends from Lake Urmia in the north west down to the southern foothills of
the Zagros Mountains . In particular kurdish speaking groups inhabit the
region of Ilam , Luristan and Bakhtaran. There is also a substantial Kurdish
community in Khorasan in north east Iran. One difference between the
Iranians and kurds is that the latter are sunni muslims, while Shi’ism has been
the principal faith in Persia since about the beginning of the 16th century,
when the Safavid dynasties were still in power. Nationhood was not a centre
point of dispute between the two people during this period. As in the Ottoman
Empire . Kurdish tribe enjoyed a degree of independence although this was
largely the result of the weakness of the central power base. The Persian
Empire was even ruled by a Kurdish prince in the 18th century.
47. Kurdistan was a buffer in the conflicts and disputes between the vast
Ottoman and Persian Empires and in 1639 the two agreed to divide Kurdistan
between them by drawing their state frontiers through the land of the Kurds.
The Iran Iraq border is still virtually identical with the line drawn at that time. In
1925 the Qajar dynasty was overthrown by the Persian commander Reza
Khan Pahlavi. His centralising policies included a ban on Kurdish dress and
language and firm repudiation of political independence movements. Kurdish
revolts, led by tribal chieftains such as the notorious Simko (the Cannibal ) ,
were met with repression and deportation . In 1930 Simko was assassinated
during negotiations with Persian government officials . About 60 years later ,
similar fates , in similar circumstances , were to befall two successive Kurdish
leaders, Dr Abdur Rahman,Ghassemlou and Dr Saeed Sharafkandi. No
wonder that Kurds find it difficult to trust anyone.
48. Soviet and allied troops invaded Iran following Reza Shah’s espousal
of the German cause in world war 2 . The shah abdicated and was replaced
by his son. The Kurds saw their opportunity to found their own state and
persuaded the Soviets who were occupying the north of the country to allow
the establishment of the separate state known as Mahabad. The soviets,
however were more interested in securing oil concession from the Iranian
government than they were in defending the rights of the Kurds. When the
war was over , Iranian government troops quickly retook Mahabad. Despite
curtailing Kurds activities at home , Iran supported kurdish peshmerga in rival
Iraq. In 1975 however, aid for the rebels acting under the leadership of
Barzani were withdrawn by the Shah after he reached agreement with
Saddam Hossain in the Treaty of Algiers. The overthrow of the Shah in 1979
appeared at first sight to be another opportunity for the kurds to achieve self
determination . After all , they were fellow revolutionaries and hoped for a
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better deal from the new populist governments. The Kurds quickly took over
police and army barracks in Kurdish areas.
49. New leader Ayatullah Khomeini had no more intention than the shah of
allowing a separatist movement to gain ground in Iran. He sent in heavy
armour and the Kurds were defeated, at least in the town. Recognising ,
however , that a purely military solution was not enough , the Kurds were
granted concessions which gave them a limited amount of self rule and
freedom for their language and culture. When Iraq invaded Iran in 1980 , the
Kurds were called into action and fought bravely - on both sides. Kurdish
rebels continued guerrilla activities in Kurdistan and KDP-I , led by Abdur
Rahman Ghassemlou took a more conciliatory and realistic line than past
Kurdish leaders and agreed to attend peace talk with Iranian in Vienna in
1988. He was assassinated in his hotel probably by Iranian agents. His
replacement Dr Saeed Sharafkandi was murdered as he sat with friends in a
restaurant in Berlin in 1992, also by Iranian agents.
50. Kurds lived in Syria alongside Arabs and Christians for centuries.
However , Kurdish languish and culture are proscribed in Syria and there
have been continuous effort to Arabise Kurdish areas. President Assad has
restricted Kurdish rights in Syria while simultaneously supporting Kurdish
guerrillas abroad when it is suited for Syria’s strategic interest. Thus the PKK
is believed to have received substantial aid from Syria. Even though PKK
bases in Syrian controlled Lebanon are no longer tolerated.* more can be
added*
51. About a million Kurds live in the CIS . Although Stalin ordered mass
deportation during the 1930’s . Kurds living in soviet controlled areas were left
relatively free as far as language and culture were concerned. Kurdish
communities exists in Armania , Azarbaizan , Georgia, Kazakhstan,
Turkmenstan and Krrgyzatan . Nearly 50 % of the Kurdish population in the
CIS live in Azarbijan. In recent decades many kurds had left their traditional
homeland to move to other countries around the world, and specially to
Germany and Scandinavian the USA. New York houses the worlds only
Kurdish library and Museum. Paris has the Institute Kurds de Paris. Kurds all
over the world trying to bring awareness regarding their freedom and
independence among all the kurdish people though the progress is very slow
but gradually it is spreading towards a common goal .
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Turkey will not allow essential goods to cross the border and most foreign aid
to the kurds is channelled through Baghdad. Saddam Hossain restrained from
overt military action by the presence of US war plane nearby, is doing his best
to destroy the Kurdish community in other ways. For example ,the recent
withdrawal of the 25 diner note (with which most Iraqi Kurds accumulated their
savings ) destroyed many business overnight. A separate Kurdistan is
probably out of reach for the foreseeable future. But the Kurds demand for
greater cultural and political freedom must somehow be met in the interest of
regional security as well as of human rights.
54. During the last week of August 1996 , KDP taken over the control of all
Kurdistan including Suleimaniyah the stronghold of PUK. They captured all
three govornorate without much bloodshed.During last week of August PDK
with the help of GOI forces took over control of the Erbil governorate from
PUK . PUK lost one of their strong hold in northern Iraq and retreated to
Suleimaniyah.
8 September KDP took control of PUK held Deghala , Koisonjaq . On 9
September KDP proceeded from there and took over Dokan . They further
advanced and entered Suleimaniyah city . PDK captured Suleimaniyah
without any resistance from PUK side. It is reported that all PUK fled to Iran
via Rania and Qaladiza. Out of fear of invading forces, due to the rumour that
GOI forces are coming in support of PDK. An estimation shows that 100,000
out of 400,000 person in Suleimaniyah city fled towards the Iranian border .
After the KDP took over the administration PUK organised violent
demonstration against UN. During this period UN personnel were harassed by
the PUK. The law and order situation was unstable. It took time for PDK to
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take control over whole area of Suleimaniyah. For that some clearing
operations were still in progress. And in those they faced some opposition.
55. During the first half of October 1996 situation turned to another side .
On 11 October 1996 PUK and PAZADR Iranian intelligent force took control
over Penjween area . On 12 October after heavy shooting and shelling Mawat
fall under PUK. On 13 October 1996 night from 0030 hrs upto 0200 hrs
morning PUK conducted operation in and around Suleimaniyah city and by
morning they took over control of some important buildings of Suleimaniyah
city. Fighting was on and the pressure were increasing from PUK side ,
finding no other alternative PDK forces retreated towards Erbil. At the same
time new Kirkuk governorate was also came under control of PUK after some
piece battle with PDK forces.
56. On 23 October 1996 cease fire agreements took place between two
fighting fraction that is PUK and PDK. Fighting was stopped in the dividing line
and elsewhere. Peace negotiation started for the extension and continuation
of cease fire. Reported by news media PDK adhered to the cease fire
agreement . After the implementation no major cease fire violation took place
in the area. In the meantime the situation in the Turkish border was
deteriorating and the situation there was tensed due to the Turkish air attack
in the bordering areas against PKK activists. On 31 December 1996 Turkish
force crossed Iraq Border and invaded Sanat valley and conducted operation
against PKK. After some time without any further progress they retreated and
went inside Turkey.
57. On 24/25 March 1997 Peace monitoring forces ( PMF ) were deployed
in the dividing line in between two fighting fractions . They have been
deployed as per the agreements between the warring fractions in Ankara.
During the month of April 1997 fighting took place between IM and PUK in
Halabja area. This was localised and not allowed to aggravate . And after
some negotiation that died down.
58. During the first week of May 1997 large concentration of Turkish forces
were visible and reported near the bordering areas with Iraq. They were
conducting operations against PKK. Some PKK personnel were reported to
move towards Syrian and Iranian borders. On 14 May 1997 Government
forces of Turkey invaded Dohuk governorate of northern Iraq and with the
help of local administration were conducting operations against PKK. Huge
deployment of Turks were visible and fighting was going on with PKK in the
mountain areas of the governorate.
59. In the last week of June 1997 Turkish force started to withdraw
themselves from the invaded areas but some of the elements are still there .
During the month of July the security situation in the north Iraq/ Kurdistan was
calm and peaceful except some tension near the Turkish border where the
troops are still present. This is in brief regarding the security situation in the
North in last one year.
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BIBLIOGRAPHY
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