The following is an archived copy of a message sent to a Discussion List run by the Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq.
Views expressed in this archived message are those of the author, not of the Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq.
[Main archive index/search] [List information] [Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq Homepage]
http://www.kurdmedia.com/reports.asp?id=1726 The US and Iraqi Governing Council deny the Kurdish identity 17 November 2003 KurdishMedia.com The Iraqi "Political Process" is signed between the Iraqi Governing council (GC) and the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) on the 15th November 2003. This will define the future Iraq and form the foundation for the Iraqi constitution. The "Political Process" is signed by Jalal Talabani, as the leader of this month's GC, and Paul Bremer and David Richmond for the CPA. The "Political Process" is in five sections: 1. The "Fundamental Law" 2. Agreements with Coalition on Security 3. Selection of Transitional National Assembly 4. Restoration of Iraq's Sovereignty 5. Process for Adoption of Permanent Constitution The implication of "Political Process" on Kurds and Kurdistan is very serious. It deprives Kurds and their country from the basic national rights, in which Kurds in Iraq historically enjoyed. Kurds will also lose what they have gained since the Gulf War II in 1991. Other implication of the "Political Process" is that Kurdistan Parliament and Kurdistan government will dissolve. Also, geographical coverage of Kurdistan has been ignored. Kurdistan does not exist in new-Iraq. This is less than what Saddam offered Kurds over three decades ago. To make Kurds happy or/and to cheat Kurds, a "Federal system" for Iraq has been proposed, not based on nationality but on "governorates". The federal system is based on 18 governorates and the "Political Process" does not say how many of these governorates constitute Kurdistan. The number of governorates that constitute Kurdistan is irrelevant: Kurds and Kurdistan have been made irrelevant in the "Political Process". Bremer strongly stands against the definition of geographical converge of Kurdistan. He believes that this will open great problems. The Fundamental Law states: "Election of members of the Transitional National Assembly will be conducted through a transparent, participatory, democratic process of caucuses in each of Iraq's 18 governorates." Therefore the local entities "governorates" will be under the central government, which is an Arab one. This is not the Federal solution that the Kurds have been fighting for, for the last 11 years. This solution suits America. In this way America makes the regional powers happy by not defining the Kurdistan federal state, which would have been very controversial with Turkey, Iran and Arab countries. It is much easier to abandon their lonely-war partners: the Kurds. This is yet another betrayal of Kurds by America. The fact that the "Political Process" is signed during the leadership of a Kurdish member of the GC makes one wonder. Was it to make sure that Kurds themselves abandoned the solution that their parliament decided 11 years ago? However, this is not to say that only one Kurdish member of the Iraqi GC takes the responsibility. This month (November 2003), Talabani acts on behalf of all the members of GC, including the five Kurdish members who all agreed on the "Political Process". The "Political Process" is the first step for the Kurdish genocide, the denial of their identity. The practical steps are yet to come, which will be with the arrival of a strong central Arab government in Iraq. This is how Saddam also started the Kurdish genocide, slowly but surly. The time is short for Kurds, who need to flood the streets of Kurdistan to demand their legitimate rights to self-determination. _______________________________________________ Sent via the discussion list of the Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq. To unsubscribe, visit http://lists.casi.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/casi-discuss To contact the list manager, email casi-discuss-admin@lists.casi.org.uk All postings are archived on CASI's website: http://www.casi.org.uk