BASRA - Anatolia News Agency
Friday, October 30, 2009
Turkish State Minister for Foreign Trade Zafer Cağlayan reiterated a proposal to finance Turkish investments in Iraq in return for Iraqi oil, reported Anatolia news agency.
"I would like to re-state our proposal: Iraq can give Turkey oil in exchange for the financing needed for Turkish investments here," Zafer Cağlayan told a business forum in the Iraqi city of Basra.
Cağlayan said their main goal was to bring more investments into Iraq instead of selling more goods to the country.
"There are eighty businessmen accompanying us in our visit here and they are willing to make investments in construction, tourism, food and service sectors," Caglayan said, adding that Turkey placed special importance on its trade with Iraq.
© 2009 Hurriyet Daily News URL: www.hurriyetdailynews.com/n.php?n=turkish-delegation-proposes-turkish-investment-in-return-for-iraqi-oil-2009-10-30
samedi 31 octobre 2009
vendredi 30 octobre 2009
Two-state solution required in Cyprus, say Turkish Cypriots
GÖKSEL BOZKURTNICOSIA - Hürriyet Daily News
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Members of the government in Turkish Cyprus believe that negotiations between Turkish Cypriot President Mehmet Ali Talat and Greek Cypriot President Dimitris Christofias are at a standstill. Turkish Cypriot Prime Minister Derviş Eroğlu and Foreign Minister Hüseyin Özgürgün say the answer lies in a two-state solution
While Turkish Cypriot President Mehmet Ali Talat and his Greek counterpart Dimitris Christofias continue to talk about reunifying Cyprus, other members of the government on the northern side of the island have come to believe the negotiation process has reached a deadlock.
Two leading Turkish Cypriot politicians, Prime Minister Derviş Eroğlu and Foreign Minister Hüseyin Özgürgün, both recently said they believe the solution lies in the formation of two separate states.
The change in tack could be a sign of more trouble on the horizon for the ailing negotiations in regard to Turkey’s European Union aspirations. As long as Turkey keeps its ports closed to shipping from Greek Cyprus, on grounds that the EU should keep its word on easing the isolation of Turkish Cyprus, then EU-member Greek Cyprus can push the 27-nation bloc to decide at an upcoming December summit to punish Turkey for keeping its ports closed.
Talat continues as the Turkish Cypriot community’s representative in the talks for now, but he faces strong criticism for the lack of progress toward a solid agreement, both Eroğlu and Özgürgün told Hürriyet Daily News & Economic Review in an interview last week.
The right-wing National Unity Party or the UBP, headed by Eroğlu, which favors closer links with Turkey rather than EU membership, won 44 percent of the vote in April's parliamentary elections. That has left the Republican Turkish Party, or CTP, leader Talat with only 29 percent.
Presidential elections will be held in Turkish Cyprus in April 2010 and Talat is expected to have a difficult time seeking re-election if a positive result is not achieved by the end of this year.
Eroğlu said the negations have not gone well and things have come to a breaking point over the issue of “property acquisition.” Eroğlu is expected to run against Talat in the upcoming elections.
He said he believed the negotiations continued only due to international pressure. “To this date, many deals have been signed but not one has been implemented.”
Eroğlu said those who accepted the Annan Plan regretted it today. The Annan Plan was a U.N.-brokered plan accepted by the Turkish side but rejected by the Greek side in simultaneous referenda conducted in April 2004. Eroğlu said he conducted a survey concluding that only 15 percent of the population supports a federation. “Talat should consider the opinion of the people in the negotiations, not just his own. Sticking to conjuncture brought us where we are today.”
Eroğlu said many countries, including Kosovo, were recognized by the international community as independent states, and that Russia had recognized South Ossetia and Abkhazia, which broke away from Georgia in 2008.
“They say there cannot be two separate governments in Cyprus. But it has happened already, there have been two separate governments on the island since 1974,” he said. “Travel between the Greek and the Turkish sides has started, too. Two separate governments can exist side by side.”
Troop withdrawal
Turkish Cypriot Foreign Minister Hüseyin Özgürgün also supported the view that a deadlock has been reached in negotiations and developments are pointing toward a two-state solution, and therefore recognition of Turkish Cyprus by the international community.
“Cyprus is not a problem,” Özgürgün said. “It is just being imposed upon Turkey as one.”
The minister said the contentious issue is the withdrawal of Turkish soldiers from the island. “However, if Turkey says Cyprus is strategically important, then a detailed treaty must be signed – one that also protects the rights of Turkey.”
Özgürgün said it is impossible to reach an accord through the current talks. He said Turkish Cyprus wanted the continuation of Turkey’s role as a guarantor of security. He said the Greek Cypriots believe there is no need for further guarantees because Greek Cyprus is now a European Union member.
Özgürgün said most Greek Cypriots believe they were being invaded and that 250,000 Greeks should return to their former homes when the treaty is signed. “However, this means that 250,000 Turks would be losing their homes,” he said.
“If all the Greeks returned to the Turkish regions, then we would probably have to climb the Pentadaktylos Mountains and live there. No adjustment that would disrupt the bi-communality should be accepted. As of now, the Turkish side controls 36 percent of the island. Only minor border adjustments should be made.”
The Turkish Cypriot foreign minister said the Greek side maintains that each individual has property rights and that it advises individuals to petition to the European Court of Human Rights. Özgürgün said this would lead not to a solution but only further conflict.
No change with Papandreou
Özgürgün said the newly elected Greek prime minister, George Papandreou, would not change anything in terms of the Cyprus issue. “There is a general policy of Greece and Greek Cyprus in terms of the ‘Megalo’ idea. Cyprus was considered a Hellenistic island when the plan was formed in the 18th century. It does not matter if Karamanlis is gone or Papandreou has come – that policy does not change.”
Özgürgün said a similar situation was experienced when Christofias took over from Tassos Papadopoulos. “What changed when the uncompromising Papadopoulos left and the more agreeable Christofias arrived? It does not matter which politician is in power,” he said.
“The general Greek policy [for Cyprus] does not change. Some of us naively believe that it will. I would like to believe that, too. I am not a foreign minister who enjoys disputes, but I have to see the reality.”
© 2009 Hurriyet Daily News URL: www.hurriyetdailynews.com/n.php?n=two-state-resolution-needed-in-cyprus-say-turkish-cypriots-2009-10-29
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Members of the government in Turkish Cyprus believe that negotiations between Turkish Cypriot President Mehmet Ali Talat and Greek Cypriot President Dimitris Christofias are at a standstill. Turkish Cypriot Prime Minister Derviş Eroğlu and Foreign Minister Hüseyin Özgürgün say the answer lies in a two-state solution
While Turkish Cypriot President Mehmet Ali Talat and his Greek counterpart Dimitris Christofias continue to talk about reunifying Cyprus, other members of the government on the northern side of the island have come to believe the negotiation process has reached a deadlock.
Two leading Turkish Cypriot politicians, Prime Minister Derviş Eroğlu and Foreign Minister Hüseyin Özgürgün, both recently said they believe the solution lies in the formation of two separate states.
The change in tack could be a sign of more trouble on the horizon for the ailing negotiations in regard to Turkey’s European Union aspirations. As long as Turkey keeps its ports closed to shipping from Greek Cyprus, on grounds that the EU should keep its word on easing the isolation of Turkish Cyprus, then EU-member Greek Cyprus can push the 27-nation bloc to decide at an upcoming December summit to punish Turkey for keeping its ports closed.
Talat continues as the Turkish Cypriot community’s representative in the talks for now, but he faces strong criticism for the lack of progress toward a solid agreement, both Eroğlu and Özgürgün told Hürriyet Daily News & Economic Review in an interview last week.
The right-wing National Unity Party or the UBP, headed by Eroğlu, which favors closer links with Turkey rather than EU membership, won 44 percent of the vote in April's parliamentary elections. That has left the Republican Turkish Party, or CTP, leader Talat with only 29 percent.
Presidential elections will be held in Turkish Cyprus in April 2010 and Talat is expected to have a difficult time seeking re-election if a positive result is not achieved by the end of this year.
Eroğlu said the negations have not gone well and things have come to a breaking point over the issue of “property acquisition.” Eroğlu is expected to run against Talat in the upcoming elections.
He said he believed the negotiations continued only due to international pressure. “To this date, many deals have been signed but not one has been implemented.”
Eroğlu said those who accepted the Annan Plan regretted it today. The Annan Plan was a U.N.-brokered plan accepted by the Turkish side but rejected by the Greek side in simultaneous referenda conducted in April 2004. Eroğlu said he conducted a survey concluding that only 15 percent of the population supports a federation. “Talat should consider the opinion of the people in the negotiations, not just his own. Sticking to conjuncture brought us where we are today.”
Eroğlu said many countries, including Kosovo, were recognized by the international community as independent states, and that Russia had recognized South Ossetia and Abkhazia, which broke away from Georgia in 2008.
“They say there cannot be two separate governments in Cyprus. But it has happened already, there have been two separate governments on the island since 1974,” he said. “Travel between the Greek and the Turkish sides has started, too. Two separate governments can exist side by side.”
Troop withdrawal
Turkish Cypriot Foreign Minister Hüseyin Özgürgün also supported the view that a deadlock has been reached in negotiations and developments are pointing toward a two-state solution, and therefore recognition of Turkish Cyprus by the international community.
“Cyprus is not a problem,” Özgürgün said. “It is just being imposed upon Turkey as one.”
The minister said the contentious issue is the withdrawal of Turkish soldiers from the island. “However, if Turkey says Cyprus is strategically important, then a detailed treaty must be signed – one that also protects the rights of Turkey.”
Özgürgün said it is impossible to reach an accord through the current talks. He said Turkish Cyprus wanted the continuation of Turkey’s role as a guarantor of security. He said the Greek Cypriots believe there is no need for further guarantees because Greek Cyprus is now a European Union member.
Özgürgün said most Greek Cypriots believe they were being invaded and that 250,000 Greeks should return to their former homes when the treaty is signed. “However, this means that 250,000 Turks would be losing their homes,” he said.
“If all the Greeks returned to the Turkish regions, then we would probably have to climb the Pentadaktylos Mountains and live there. No adjustment that would disrupt the bi-communality should be accepted. As of now, the Turkish side controls 36 percent of the island. Only minor border adjustments should be made.”
The Turkish Cypriot foreign minister said the Greek side maintains that each individual has property rights and that it advises individuals to petition to the European Court of Human Rights. Özgürgün said this would lead not to a solution but only further conflict.
No change with Papandreou
Özgürgün said the newly elected Greek prime minister, George Papandreou, would not change anything in terms of the Cyprus issue. “There is a general policy of Greece and Greek Cyprus in terms of the ‘Megalo’ idea. Cyprus was considered a Hellenistic island when the plan was formed in the 18th century. It does not matter if Karamanlis is gone or Papandreou has come – that policy does not change.”
Özgürgün said a similar situation was experienced when Christofias took over from Tassos Papadopoulos. “What changed when the uncompromising Papadopoulos left and the more agreeable Christofias arrived? It does not matter which politician is in power,” he said.
“The general Greek policy [for Cyprus] does not change. Some of us naively believe that it will. I would like to believe that, too. I am not a foreign minister who enjoys disputes, but I have to see the reality.”
© 2009 Hurriyet Daily News URL: www.hurriyetdailynews.com/n.php?n=two-state-resolution-needed-in-cyprus-say-turkish-cypriots-2009-10-29
Arabs and Turkmen in Iraq’s Kerkuk want to seek international protection
By Marwan al-Ani
Azzaman, October 29, 2009
Arab and Turkmen political factions want to ask for international protection if the government fails to safeguard their rights.
In a statement, issued by their representatives in the provincial council and their political leaders, they said conditions in the oil –rich city were worsening and tension escalating.
The parliament has failed to come up with a legislative formula for holding the national elections in the city in January next year.
The Kurds who practically control the city with large numbers of their armed militias deployed in it have vowed to add it to their semi-independent enclave.
“We want a revision of the population counts in the city and no delay in the January elections,” the statement said.
It said since the 2003-U.S. invasion the Kurds have persistently tried to change the demographic character of the city.
The statement said a revision of the count should remove those who flocked to the after the invasion.
“Kirkuk needs more attention and a special status and a sincere attempt to solve outstanding issues,” the statement said.
Azzaman, October 29, 2009
Arab and Turkmen political factions want to ask for international protection if the government fails to safeguard their rights.
In a statement, issued by their representatives in the provincial council and their political leaders, they said conditions in the oil –rich city were worsening and tension escalating.
The parliament has failed to come up with a legislative formula for holding the national elections in the city in January next year.
The Kurds who practically control the city with large numbers of their armed militias deployed in it have vowed to add it to their semi-independent enclave.
“We want a revision of the population counts in the city and no delay in the January elections,” the statement said.
It said since the 2003-U.S. invasion the Kurds have persistently tried to change the demographic character of the city.
The statement said a revision of the count should remove those who flocked to the after the invasion.
“Kirkuk needs more attention and a special status and a sincere attempt to solve outstanding issues,” the statement said.
jeudi 29 octobre 2009
The IHEC Invents New Problems
Posted by Reidar Visser on October 29, 2009
After the idea of using the 2004 registers of voters for Kirkuk in the next parliamentary elections has been circulating as an alternative since at least June, all of a sudden yesterday night – and only hours before a bill including an option to use the 2004 registers is scheduled to be presented to parliament for a vote later today – Iraq’s Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) announced that it would be “technically impossible” to use those registers. One press report states that the IHEC cites the fact that the registers were compiled by the United Nations and that the IHEC would need “a very long period of time” to make them compatible with its own system. Another simply says the IHEC does not have the registers and there is even talk about the possible “loss” (fiqdan) of the records!
Meanwhile, the Iraqi press is discussing the contradiction whereby the political council for national security including several key Kurdish representatives first agreed by consensus to a package of three different alternatives for Kirkuk that could be voted on, only to see them rejected by Kurdish politicians the day after. The speculation focuses on possible intra-Kurdish conflicts, highlighting the fact that Masud Barzani was represented at the meeting only by a person acting in his capacity (he himself rarely travels to Baghdad) and once more identifying Barzani and his party as the real obstacle to progress.
It cannot escape notice in this context that Faraj al-Haydari, the chairman of the IHEC, used to be a member of the highest political leadership in Barzani’s party, the KDP. He, along with Qasim al-Abbudi (who broke the news about the “unavailability” of the 2004 registers), has been a frequent focus of criticism by the Iraqi parliament lately which has questioned his political independence.
The main defender of the IHEC against any suggestion about changes to its membership has been UNAMI, the UN body which has consistently sided with the Kurds in the discussion of the election law (and which receives lots of credit in statements by Kurdish politicians for that reason). If it is correct that the IHEC has deliberately withheld information about supposedly insurmountable technical problems concerning the 2004 registers for so long, then the capital I for “independence” in its acronym is no longer meaningful.
After the idea of using the 2004 registers of voters for Kirkuk in the next parliamentary elections has been circulating as an alternative since at least June, all of a sudden yesterday night – and only hours before a bill including an option to use the 2004 registers is scheduled to be presented to parliament for a vote later today – Iraq’s Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) announced that it would be “technically impossible” to use those registers. One press report states that the IHEC cites the fact that the registers were compiled by the United Nations and that the IHEC would need “a very long period of time” to make them compatible with its own system. Another simply says the IHEC does not have the registers and there is even talk about the possible “loss” (fiqdan) of the records!
Meanwhile, the Iraqi press is discussing the contradiction whereby the political council for national security including several key Kurdish representatives first agreed by consensus to a package of three different alternatives for Kirkuk that could be voted on, only to see them rejected by Kurdish politicians the day after. The speculation focuses on possible intra-Kurdish conflicts, highlighting the fact that Masud Barzani was represented at the meeting only by a person acting in his capacity (he himself rarely travels to Baghdad) and once more identifying Barzani and his party as the real obstacle to progress.
It cannot escape notice in this context that Faraj al-Haydari, the chairman of the IHEC, used to be a member of the highest political leadership in Barzani’s party, the KDP. He, along with Qasim al-Abbudi (who broke the news about the “unavailability” of the 2004 registers), has been a frequent focus of criticism by the Iraqi parliament lately which has questioned his political independence.
The main defender of the IHEC against any suggestion about changes to its membership has been UNAMI, the UN body which has consistently sided with the Kurds in the discussion of the election law (and which receives lots of credit in statements by Kurdish politicians for that reason). If it is correct that the IHEC has deliberately withheld information about supposedly insurmountable technical problems concerning the 2004 registers for so long, then the capital I for “independence” in its acronym is no longer meaningful.
dimanche 25 octobre 2009
Horror in Baghdad - Twin Baghdad blasts kill scores
For video please click on:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8324546.stm
At least 132 people have been killed and 520 injured in two car bomb attacks in Baghdad, Iraqi officials say.
The blasts hit the ministry of justice and a provincial government office near the heavily fortified Green Zone.
They came in quick succession at 1030 (0730 GMT) as people headed to work during the morning rush hour.
This is the deadliest attack in Iraq since August 2007
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8324546.stm
At least 132 people have been killed and 520 injured in two car bomb attacks in Baghdad, Iraqi officials say.
The blasts hit the ministry of justice and a provincial government office near the heavily fortified Green Zone.
They came in quick succession at 1030 (0730 GMT) as people headed to work during the morning rush hour.
This is the deadliest attack in Iraq since August 2007
Petition: To bring Tony Blair to trial for War Crimes
BlairFoundation.WordPress.Com – To bring Tony Blair to trial for war crimes
Blair War Crimes Foundation
Blair President of Europe? No, A War Crimes Trial
Blair President of Europe? No, A War Crimes Trial
Various undersigned
Via: Uruknet.
Noam Chomsky, Bruce Kent, Baroness Jenny Tonge, Naji Haraj , John Pilger, Haifa Zangana and 3,346 other citizens have today on Thursday 22 October 2009 asked the United Nations General Assembly to uphold the United Nations Charter, The Geneva and Hague Conventions, and The Rome Statute of International Criminal Court and to charge Anthony Charles Lynton Blair with War Crimes in connection with the Iraq War of 2003.
Peter Brierley, whose son was killed in Iraq, said on 9 October to Blair after the St Pauls service ” you have blood on your hands” ……….. and there is an awful lot of blood, and a catastrophic rise in birth deformities and cancers among the population of Iraq since 2003. As Lord Norman Tebbit said, Blair is ” like a vine bearing poisonous fruit, and I see these fruit everywhere”. If our Charters, which were fought for by so many, are not upheld today, they will not be worth the paper they are written on, and torture, rendition, hooding, cable ties, cluster bombs, depleted uranium, and smashed homes will be the order of the day.
BWCF – Blair War Crimes Foundation
letter sent to UN 22 Oct 2009
H.E. Dr. Ali Abdussalam Treki
President of the Sixty-fourth session of the United Nations General Assembly
United Nations
New York, NY 10017
October 22nd 2009
Your Excellency,
RE ANTHONY CHARLES LYNTON BLAIR
We, the citizens of the United Kingdom and other countries listed, wish to uphold The United Nations Charter, The 1998 Rome Statute of The International Criminal Court, The Hague and Geneva Conventions and the Rule of International Law, especially in respect of:-
1: 1949 Geneva Convention IV: Article 146
The High Contracting Parties undertake to enact any legislation necessary to provide effective penal sanctions for persons committing, or ordering to be committed, any of the grave breaches of the present Convention.
2: 1907 Hague Convention IV: Article 3
A belligerent party which violates the provisions of the said regulations shall, if the case demands, be liable to pay compensation. It shall be responsible for all the acts committed by persons forming part of its armed forces.
We therefore call on you to indict Anthony Charles Lynton Blair in his capacity as recent Prime Minister of the UK, so long as he is able to answer for his actions and however long it takes, in respect of our sample complaints relating to the 2003 Iraq War waged by the UK as ally to the United States of America.
We are concerned that without justice and respect for the rule of law, the future for us and our progeny in a lawless world is bleak, as revealed by recent US declarations about the use of torture and the events of December 2008 in Gaza show.
The following are our sample complaints relating to the Iraq War 2003-2009:
1: Deceit and conspiracy for war, and providing false news to incite passions for war, causing in the order of one million deaths, 4 million refugees, countless maimings and traumas.
2: Employing radioactive ammunition causing long-term destruction of the planetary habitat.
3: Causing the breakdown of civil administration, with consequent lawlessness, especially looting, kidnapping, and violence, and consequent breakdown of womens’ rights, of religious freedom, and child and adult education.
4: Failing to maintain the medical needs of the populace.
5: Despoliation of the cultural heritage of the country.
6: Supporting an ally that employs ‘waterboarding’ and other tortures.
7: Seizing the assets of Iraq.
8: Using inhumane restraints on prisoners, including dogs, hoods, and cable ties.
9: Using Aggressive Patrolling indiscriminately, traumatising women and children and wrecking homes and property.
10: Marking bodies of prisoners with numbers, writing, faeces and other degrading treatment.
11: The use of cluster bombs and other indiscriminate weapons including white phosphorous on “shake and bake” missions.
12: Supporting indiscriminate rocket attacks from F16 fighter planes on women and children in Fallujah in Nov 2004
13: Supporting the shooting up of ambulances and medical personnel in Fallujah in Nov 2004
14: Supporting the expulsion of the entire population of Fallujah save for young men of military age, for a reprisal attack on that city in Nov 2004.
David Halpin, MB, FRCS, Nicholas Wood, MA, RIBA, FRGS, Chris Burns-Cox, MD, FRCP, Joyce Morgan, Sara Wood MA (Oxon), Roslyn Cook, Geoff Evans, Dr. Margaret Evans, Nisar Ali Shah, Michael Culver (actor) and Amanda Culver (artist), Jonathan Cook (Journalist), Euan Donaldson (Film Makers Against War), Dr Nawal Saadawi (writer Egypt), Haifa Zangana (Iraqi woman writer and activist), Edward S Herman, Ph.D (Berkeley USA – professor, writer), Mundher al adhami (academic), Rikki Blue (journalist), Noam Chomsky, John Pilger, Yasmin Alibhai-Brown, David Edwards, Anabella Pellens (translator Argentine), Sarah Case, Angela Baguena (Barcelona), Jenny Wood (academic), Peter Day, Andrew Goodman, David Miller (Professor of Sociology, Strathclyde), Richard Dawkins, Lindsey German, Ben Griffin (former SAS soldier), Dr Kamil Mahdi, Ken Loach, Bruce Kent, Naji Haraj, Malak Hamdan, And 3,463 other signatories, ( cf Blair War Crimes Foundation on line petition)
Issued by Nicholas Wood, Dr David Halpin ( joint secretaries to letter)
PO BOX 64656 NW3 9NG (UK)
What Ranj Alaaldin does not mention in his article: “The Kirkuk conundrum”
Comment posted in the Guardian:
What Ranj Alaaldin omits to mention in his article: “The Kirkuk conundrum”
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/oct/24/iraq-kirkuk-kurds-elections
Facts about the demography and ethnic composition of Kerkuk.
Kerkuk was a TURKMEN city until 1958 when the Communist Iraqi government invited Mustafa Barzani the Kurdish rebel leader back from his exile in Russia. Barzani’s first demand was to include Kerkuk in his proposed autonomous Kurdistan region. From that date the Kurds poured into the city to change its demographics. This campaign intensified in 1970 when Saddam, without consulting the Iraqi people, gave autonomy to the Kurds.
Upon Kurdish insistence on annexing Kerkuk to their autonomous region, Saddam brought Arabs from the South and settled them in Kerkuk.
According to the ration card data base, considered by the United Nations to be a reliable source for information on the Iraqi population, some 12.000 families (Turkmens and Kurds) were expelled from Kerkuk city under the previous regime, one third being Turkmens!
In April 2003, after the US-UK invasion of Iraq the Kurdish militias (peshmerga) invaded Kerkuk city with the blessing of the US military, they took control of the city and appointed Kurds in all the important positions. The first thing the Kurds did when they invaded Kerkuk was to loot and put fire to the city’s land registry office, in order to destroy the deeds which were proof that Kerkuk was a Turkmen city.
Since 2003 the Kurds have been trying to include Kerkuk officially into their Kurdistan through a referendum that they are sure of winning. For that purpose they settled 600.000 Kurdish emigrants from Iran, Syrian and other parts of Northern Iraq in Kerkuk, changing the demographics of the city from 750.000 on 10th April 2003 to 1.35 million nowadays.
Today, citing ‘Article 140 of the constitution which was written under US OCCUPATION (see: http://gulfanalysis.wordpress.com/2009/10/19/new-information-in-the-tawke-gate-affair-galbraith-was-also-a-paid-dno-consultant/ )
the Kurds insist to start the ‘normalization process in Kerkuk Province. But their interpretation of ‘normalization is to establish Kurdish hegemony in a region of Iraq which is inhabited by Turkmens, Arabs and Kurds and which has never been part of ‘Kurdistan’.
Arabs and Turkmens are opposed to the annexation of oil rich Kerkuk to the Kurdish Region, they maintain that Kerkuk is an Iraqi city and that its wealth belongs to all the Iraqi people.
See:http://merryabla64.wordpress.com/2009/10/24/the-turkmens-of-iraq/
What Ranj Alaaldin omits to mention in his article: “The Kirkuk conundrum”
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/oct/24/iraq-kirkuk-kurds-elections
Facts about the demography and ethnic composition of Kerkuk.
Kerkuk was a TURKMEN city until 1958 when the Communist Iraqi government invited Mustafa Barzani the Kurdish rebel leader back from his exile in Russia. Barzani’s first demand was to include Kerkuk in his proposed autonomous Kurdistan region. From that date the Kurds poured into the city to change its demographics. This campaign intensified in 1970 when Saddam, without consulting the Iraqi people, gave autonomy to the Kurds.
Upon Kurdish insistence on annexing Kerkuk to their autonomous region, Saddam brought Arabs from the South and settled them in Kerkuk.
According to the ration card data base, considered by the United Nations to be a reliable source for information on the Iraqi population, some 12.000 families (Turkmens and Kurds) were expelled from Kerkuk city under the previous regime, one third being Turkmens!
In April 2003, after the US-UK invasion of Iraq the Kurdish militias (peshmerga) invaded Kerkuk city with the blessing of the US military, they took control of the city and appointed Kurds in all the important positions. The first thing the Kurds did when they invaded Kerkuk was to loot and put fire to the city’s land registry office, in order to destroy the deeds which were proof that Kerkuk was a Turkmen city.
Since 2003 the Kurds have been trying to include Kerkuk officially into their Kurdistan through a referendum that they are sure of winning. For that purpose they settled 600.000 Kurdish emigrants from Iran, Syrian and other parts of Northern Iraq in Kerkuk, changing the demographics of the city from 750.000 on 10th April 2003 to 1.35 million nowadays.
Today, citing ‘Article 140 of the constitution which was written under US OCCUPATION (see: http://gulfanalysis.wordpress.com/2009/10/19/new-information-in-the-tawke-gate-affair-galbraith-was-also-a-paid-dno-consultant/ )
the Kurds insist to start the ‘normalization process in Kerkuk Province. But their interpretation of ‘normalization is to establish Kurdish hegemony in a region of Iraq which is inhabited by Turkmens, Arabs and Kurds and which has never been part of ‘Kurdistan’.
Arabs and Turkmens are opposed to the annexation of oil rich Kerkuk to the Kurdish Region, they maintain that Kerkuk is an Iraqi city and that its wealth belongs to all the Iraqi people.
See:http://merryabla64.wordpress.com/2009/10/24/the-turkmens-of-iraq/
Disinformation About Kerkuk on BBC
Disinformation About Kerkuk
Orhan Ketene
To whom it may concern at BBC:
It is very disappointing to see the most prestigious news site in the world do such a mistake as in BBC correspondent Gabriel Gatehouse’s report about Kerkuk on Tuesday, 20 October 2009.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8315893.stm
In his report he states :
“Kirkuk is divided between Arabs, Kurds and a small number of Turkmens. All three communities claim the city and its surrounding lands as their own.”
Another wrong information! There were no Arabs or Kurds in Kerkuk for centuries. I am wondering if Gabriel is misinformed or is he disinforming the public? Whichever is true it is unjustifiable.
Let me tell you and others, the simple facts of Kerkuk:
Kerkuk remained a Turkmen city up until 1958 when the Communist Iraqi government declared the Kurds as partners of the Arabs and neglected the Turkmens. They invited Mustafa Barzani the Kurdish rebel leader back from his exile in Russia. Whose first demand was to include Kerkuk in his proposed autonomous Kurdistan. From that date on, the Kurds poured into the city to change the demographics. This campaign intensified in 1970 when Saddam, without consulting the Iraqi people, gave autonomy to the Kurds and neglected the Turkmens again.
Upon Kurdish insistance on Kerkuk, Saddam filled the city with Arabs from the south.
Before the American invasion of Iraq, and despite all the Kurdification and Arabization efforts, Kerkuk was still a Turkmen majority city with Arabs as one third and the Kurds as one quarter.
It was the Americans who allowed the 600.000 Kurds to pour into the city because they were angry with the Turks decision not to allow passage to the American troops through Turkey to Iraq.
Turkmens paid the heaviest price for a quarrel between US and Turkey which they have no responsibility or control what so ever.
The only reason for Kurdish insistance on including Kerkuk in their federal Kurdistan is because they need Kerkuk’s oil for their future independent state.
Therefore, the information that the Turkmens are a little minority in Kerkuk is false. The Turkmens are the original and majority inhabitants of Kerkuk.The names of the districts of original Kerkuk (before the Kurdish and Arabic influx) are Turkmen names.
Orhan Ketene
To whom it may concern at BBC:
It is very disappointing to see the most prestigious news site in the world do such a mistake as in BBC correspondent Gabriel Gatehouse’s report about Kerkuk on Tuesday, 20 October 2009.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8315893.stm
In his report he states :
“Kirkuk is divided between Arabs, Kurds and a small number of Turkmens. All three communities claim the city and its surrounding lands as their own.”
A small number of Turkmens? Where did he get this information?
If this statement came from correspondents of other countries, it would have been excused. But to come from a British correspondent? That is unacceptable.
Because Britain dominated Iraq for fourty years (1918-1958) and they knew exactly who is who and how many.It would have been very beneficial if he made a little research in the British archives or read Cecil J. Edmonds book “Kurds, Turks and Arabs” where he clearly stated in the twenties that the city of Kerkuk was a Turkmen city.
Because Britain dominated Iraq for fourty years (1918-1958) and they knew exactly who is who and how many.It would have been very beneficial if he made a little research in the British archives or read Cecil J. Edmonds book “Kurds, Turks and Arabs” where he clearly stated in the twenties that the city of Kerkuk was a Turkmen city.
In another paragraph he states:“Inside the city itself, Arabs and Kurds and Turkmens have lived alongside one another for centuries.”
Another wrong information! There were no Arabs or Kurds in Kerkuk for centuries. I am wondering if Gabriel is misinformed or is he disinforming the public? Whichever is true it is unjustifiable.
Let me tell you and others, the simple facts of Kerkuk:
Kerkuk remained a Turkmen city up until 1958 when the Communist Iraqi government declared the Kurds as partners of the Arabs and neglected the Turkmens. They invited Mustafa Barzani the Kurdish rebel leader back from his exile in Russia. Whose first demand was to include Kerkuk in his proposed autonomous Kurdistan. From that date on, the Kurds poured into the city to change the demographics. This campaign intensified in 1970 when Saddam, without consulting the Iraqi people, gave autonomy to the Kurds and neglected the Turkmens again.
Upon Kurdish insistance on Kerkuk, Saddam filled the city with Arabs from the south.
Before the American invasion of Iraq, and despite all the Kurdification and Arabization efforts, Kerkuk was still a Turkmen majority city with Arabs as one third and the Kurds as one quarter.
It was the Americans who allowed the 600.000 Kurds to pour into the city because they were angry with the Turks decision not to allow passage to the American troops through Turkey to Iraq.
Turkmens paid the heaviest price for a quarrel between US and Turkey which they have no responsibility or control what so ever.
The only reason for Kurdish insistance on including Kerkuk in their federal Kurdistan is because they need Kerkuk’s oil for their future independent state.
Therefore, the information that the Turkmens are a little minority in Kerkuk is false. The Turkmens are the original and majority inhabitants of Kerkuk.The names of the districts of original Kerkuk (before the Kurdish and Arabic influx) are Turkmen names.
The names on the cemeteries are of the Turkmens.
Just as the large numbers of Indians in London does not make it an Indian city so does the large numbers of Kurds in Kerkuk does not make it a Kurdish city.
For more information Gabriel and other at BBC can contact the Iraqi Turkmen Front London representative Mrs. Sundus Abbas at itf_london@hotmail.com or many Turkmen websites which can supply enough information about the Turkmenity of Kerkuk (www.kerkukmedya.com, www.kerkuk.net, www.turkmen.nl)
Yours truly,
Orhan Ketene
Orhan Ketene
oketene@hotmail.com
samedi 24 octobre 2009
Iraq Embassy (Baghdad) Scandal Expands: Contractor May Have to Repay $130 Million
Iraq Embassy Scandal Expands: Contractor May Have to Repay $130 Million
By Jeremy Scahill
rebelreports.com/post/221011301/iraq-embassy-scandal-expands-contractor-may-have -to
A new State Department audit zeroes in on a politically-connected Kuwaiti company over shoddy work in constructing the world’s largest embassy
By Jeremy Scahill
The extent of the massive waste and abuse surrounding the construction of the monstrous US embassy in Baghdad continues to expand. The State Department has just released another audit of the embassy’s construction and suggests that the Kuwaiti contractor hired by the Bush administration to do most of the construction work may have to repay more than $130 million to US taxpayers as a result of construction deficiencies, incomplete and undocumented design work, inadequate quality control and interest on unauthorized payments.
First a bit of background:The Baghdad embassy—the largest of any nation on planet earth and ten times bigger than any other US embassy—is striking evidence indicating a continued US presence in the country for many years to come. The structure cost more than $700 million and is the size of 80 football fields. It is bigger than the Vatican, six times larger than the United Nations compound in New York and is about two thirds the size of the National Mall in Washington. It has space for 1,000 employees who are guarded by scores of paramilitary mercenary forces.
In other words it is the perfect structure for a nation that claims to be leaving Iraq very soon. The embassy is more like a fortress and hardly sends a message of warm diplomacy. "What kind of embassy is it when everybody lives inside and it’s blast-proof, and people are running around with helmets and crouching behind sandbags?" said Edward Peck, the former US ambassador to Iraq when the embassy was first being constructed.
The company that was contracted to build the embassy was First Kuwaiti General Trading & Contracting (FKTC). It’s run by Mohammad I. H. Marafie, "a member of one of the most powerful mercantile families in Kuwait," according to CorpWatch. "FKTC’s general manager and co-owner, Wadih al-Absi jets back and forth to the United States, dreaming of magazine covers celebrating his rise to a global player in large-scale engineering and construction… FKTC is one of the many Middle East companies that collectively ship tens of thousands of cheap day laborers to Iraq’s war zones where they are paid just dollars a day."
Continued on :
rebelreports.com/post/221011301/iraq-embassy-scandal-expands-contractor-may-have -to
By Jeremy Scahill
rebelreports.com/post/221011301/iraq-embassy-scandal-expands-contractor-may-have -to
A new State Department audit zeroes in on a politically-connected Kuwaiti company over shoddy work in constructing the world’s largest embassy
By Jeremy Scahill
The extent of the massive waste and abuse surrounding the construction of the monstrous US embassy in Baghdad continues to expand. The State Department has just released another audit of the embassy’s construction and suggests that the Kuwaiti contractor hired by the Bush administration to do most of the construction work may have to repay more than $130 million to US taxpayers as a result of construction deficiencies, incomplete and undocumented design work, inadequate quality control and interest on unauthorized payments.
First a bit of background:The Baghdad embassy—the largest of any nation on planet earth and ten times bigger than any other US embassy—is striking evidence indicating a continued US presence in the country for many years to come. The structure cost more than $700 million and is the size of 80 football fields. It is bigger than the Vatican, six times larger than the United Nations compound in New York and is about two thirds the size of the National Mall in Washington. It has space for 1,000 employees who are guarded by scores of paramilitary mercenary forces.
In other words it is the perfect structure for a nation that claims to be leaving Iraq very soon. The embassy is more like a fortress and hardly sends a message of warm diplomacy. "What kind of embassy is it when everybody lives inside and it’s blast-proof, and people are running around with helmets and crouching behind sandbags?" said Edward Peck, the former US ambassador to Iraq when the embassy was first being constructed.
The company that was contracted to build the embassy was First Kuwaiti General Trading & Contracting (FKTC). It’s run by Mohammad I. H. Marafie, "a member of one of the most powerful mercantile families in Kuwait," according to CorpWatch. "FKTC’s general manager and co-owner, Wadih al-Absi jets back and forth to the United States, dreaming of magazine covers celebrating his rise to a global player in large-scale engineering and construction… FKTC is one of the many Middle East companies that collectively ship tens of thousands of cheap day laborers to Iraq’s war zones where they are paid just dollars a day."
Continued on :
rebelreports.com/post/221011301/iraq-embassy-scandal-expands-contractor-may-have -to
vendredi 23 octobre 2009
IMPORTANT NEWS FROM OCCUPIED IRAQ
Layla Anwar writes: http://arabwomanblues.blogspot.com/2009/10/important-news-from-occupied-iraq.html
October 23, 2009
IMPORTANT NEWS FROM OCCUPIED IRAQ
Managed to get hold of some alternative Iraqi sat TVs namely Al-Rafidain, Ar-Rai, Al Babeliya which I have mentioned before. I made it a point to watch some of the news on these channels as they cover events that are totally blacked out in the mainstream media, including the Arabic speaking ones.
1) The Iraqi Resistance under its different factions
Several resistance activities against the Occupier namely in Kirkuk, where one US patrol came under attack. Same in Mosul. Two days ago, another US patrol under attack in El Anbar province, and in North of Baghdad. Today another US patrol came under fire in Falluja, and several mortar bombs fell on the US airbase in Nasseriya. I must add that all the above were successful operations. US commander Odierno in Baghdad admitted that there has been a upsurge of Resistance activities in the past week.
2) Elections
A deliberate stalemate provoked by the puppet government and its Shiite parties.Several issues :
a) the debate around the open/closed list. This latter is favored by the sectarian government as it will ensure another round of victory in the upcoming elections.
b) the refusal of the Shiite parties to allow Iraqi refugees to vote, again to ensure its victory in the upcoming elections.
c) Kirkuk. Much haggling is around Kirkuk which the Kurds insist to turn into another province under the so called Kurdistan regional government. Hence the possibility of the elections being postponed and consequently the deferral of US troop withdrawal is very likely.
According to several Iraqi analysts, Iran is playing a very important role in the current election deadlock through the Shiite parties and the U.S is concerned that the initial agenda it invaded Iraq with remains as is — i.e the partition along ethnic and sectarian lines. Hence the likelihood of having the same sectarian faces re-appear in post election Iraq (if they take place at all) are a very likely happening.
3) Oil and other resources
A member of congress by the name of Paul Perkins ? (am now told the exact name is Boone Pickens) has presented a bill demanding that a share of Iraqi oil revenues be automatically allocated to the US for its “liberation effort”, to cover the costs of the war, also arguing that the death of U.S soldiers in Iraq (5′000), and the trillion of dollars spent in invading and occupying Iraq had to be reimbursed one way or another.
Kuwait is still claiming 40 billion dollars in reparations and now the US is claiming its lion share of Iraqi oil revenues for “reparations” as well, since American oil companies did not get the full desired quota in Iraq. In other words there are claims being made for an Iraqi financing of the American war industry, to cover the American bill of occupations both in Iraq and in Afghanistan.
Furthermore, apart from oil, the Anbar province, according to some analysts comprises important minerals, still unexplored, one of which is phosphate which can produce uranium and also red mercury amongst others…
Prior to the occupation, Iraq was more or less self sufficient in its industry and agriculture, today Iraq relies solely on imports of goods namely from Iran. Another example that can be taken as a measurement yardstick just to show the extent of Iraq’s economic dependency since 2003 – Iraq used to have 30 million date palms, today it imports dates from Iran and the Gulf countries !
The deliberate destruction of Iraq’s economic and industrial infrastructure is meant to keep Iraq as a satellite province, another banana or pistachio republic, another Dubai, an open arena for vulture foreign investments, in particular American and Iranian.
4) The Israeli connection
A bill of law has been passed in the Iraqi parliament authorizing companies that were previously banned due to their (direct/indirect) connection to the Zionist state to become operational again in Iraq. This is most evident in the so-called Kurdistan were several Israeli companies are operating as tourism, industrial and real estate. Israelis have already “visited” other parts of Iraq, namely in the South and some reports confirm that they have also purchased land there and in Baghdad.
Furthermore, while there is much media brouhaha around the so called US troop withdrawal, there is a total failure in mentioning the American “logistic” bases which will remain in Iraq and the largest US embassy in the world, in Baghdad.
On that subject, an article appeared in the Zionist newspaper, Yehodot Aranot,(can’t spell those bloody names correctly), stating that the U.S embassy in Baghdad is to employ 185 Israeli advisers, for its running/management of Iraq.
The Israeli model for the West Bank is much sought by the Americans i.e a military occupation with a handing out of the Civil administration functions/matters to the puppet government (as in the model of the West Bank and the PA). Coincidentally I watched Amira Hass (the Haaretz journalist) on the Riz Khan show, and she did affirm that Israeli “advisers” are much sought worldwide for “security matters”
I have the full article in Arabic, if anyone cares to translate the whole thing into English please contact me via Twitter.
5) A message to Iraqis with a conscience left.
If you have a relatively good command of the English language and no, it does not need to be perfect, I urge you to do something for your country, instead of sitting on your backsides engaging in nonsensical drivel on the Internet. There is much that needs to be done in English. I can’t do it alone anymore. Please contact me via Twitter. And thanks in advance.
October 23, 2009
IMPORTANT NEWS FROM OCCUPIED IRAQ
Managed to get hold of some alternative Iraqi sat TVs namely Al-Rafidain, Ar-Rai, Al Babeliya which I have mentioned before. I made it a point to watch some of the news on these channels as they cover events that are totally blacked out in the mainstream media, including the Arabic speaking ones.
1) The Iraqi Resistance under its different factions
Several resistance activities against the Occupier namely in Kirkuk, where one US patrol came under attack. Same in Mosul. Two days ago, another US patrol under attack in El Anbar province, and in North of Baghdad. Today another US patrol came under fire in Falluja, and several mortar bombs fell on the US airbase in Nasseriya. I must add that all the above were successful operations. US commander Odierno in Baghdad admitted that there has been a upsurge of Resistance activities in the past week.
2) Elections
A deliberate stalemate provoked by the puppet government and its Shiite parties.Several issues :
a) the debate around the open/closed list. This latter is favored by the sectarian government as it will ensure another round of victory in the upcoming elections.
b) the refusal of the Shiite parties to allow Iraqi refugees to vote, again to ensure its victory in the upcoming elections.
c) Kirkuk. Much haggling is around Kirkuk which the Kurds insist to turn into another province under the so called Kurdistan regional government. Hence the possibility of the elections being postponed and consequently the deferral of US troop withdrawal is very likely.
According to several Iraqi analysts, Iran is playing a very important role in the current election deadlock through the Shiite parties and the U.S is concerned that the initial agenda it invaded Iraq with remains as is — i.e the partition along ethnic and sectarian lines. Hence the likelihood of having the same sectarian faces re-appear in post election Iraq (if they take place at all) are a very likely happening.
3) Oil and other resources
A member of congress by the name of Paul Perkins ? (am now told the exact name is Boone Pickens) has presented a bill demanding that a share of Iraqi oil revenues be automatically allocated to the US for its “liberation effort”, to cover the costs of the war, also arguing that the death of U.S soldiers in Iraq (5′000), and the trillion of dollars spent in invading and occupying Iraq had to be reimbursed one way or another.
Kuwait is still claiming 40 billion dollars in reparations and now the US is claiming its lion share of Iraqi oil revenues for “reparations” as well, since American oil companies did not get the full desired quota in Iraq. In other words there are claims being made for an Iraqi financing of the American war industry, to cover the American bill of occupations both in Iraq and in Afghanistan.
Furthermore, apart from oil, the Anbar province, according to some analysts comprises important minerals, still unexplored, one of which is phosphate which can produce uranium and also red mercury amongst others…
Prior to the occupation, Iraq was more or less self sufficient in its industry and agriculture, today Iraq relies solely on imports of goods namely from Iran. Another example that can be taken as a measurement yardstick just to show the extent of Iraq’s economic dependency since 2003 – Iraq used to have 30 million date palms, today it imports dates from Iran and the Gulf countries !
The deliberate destruction of Iraq’s economic and industrial infrastructure is meant to keep Iraq as a satellite province, another banana or pistachio republic, another Dubai, an open arena for vulture foreign investments, in particular American and Iranian.
4) The Israeli connection
A bill of law has been passed in the Iraqi parliament authorizing companies that were previously banned due to their (direct/indirect) connection to the Zionist state to become operational again in Iraq. This is most evident in the so-called Kurdistan were several Israeli companies are operating as tourism, industrial and real estate. Israelis have already “visited” other parts of Iraq, namely in the South and some reports confirm that they have also purchased land there and in Baghdad.
Furthermore, while there is much media brouhaha around the so called US troop withdrawal, there is a total failure in mentioning the American “logistic” bases which will remain in Iraq and the largest US embassy in the world, in Baghdad.
On that subject, an article appeared in the Zionist newspaper, Yehodot Aranot,(can’t spell those bloody names correctly), stating that the U.S embassy in Baghdad is to employ 185 Israeli advisers, for its running/management of Iraq.
The Israeli model for the West Bank is much sought by the Americans i.e a military occupation with a handing out of the Civil administration functions/matters to the puppet government (as in the model of the West Bank and the PA). Coincidentally I watched Amira Hass (the Haaretz journalist) on the Riz Khan show, and she did affirm that Israeli “advisers” are much sought worldwide for “security matters”
I have the full article in Arabic, if anyone cares to translate the whole thing into English please contact me via Twitter.
5) A message to Iraqis with a conscience left.
If you have a relatively good command of the English language and no, it does not need to be perfect, I urge you to do something for your country, instead of sitting on your backsides engaging in nonsensical drivel on the Internet. There is much that needs to be done in English. I can’t do it alone anymore. Please contact me via Twitter. And thanks in advance.
jeudi 22 octobre 2009
BBC Bias: Distortion of the ethnic composition of Kerkuk
Hereunder is a letter of complaint addressed to the BBC by our friend Imad:
Subject: Thanks BBC but NO Thanks for biased reporting
Only Arabs and Kurds in Kerkuk?
I am sure the British government own records since the first occupation of Iraq back in 1917 show this is not the case.
What happened with the Turkmens who have always been the original inhabitants of the city and still are the majority?
Arabs started settling to the west since the thirties and Kurds have always lived in the countryside to the east and north. But in the city and the immediate surrounding where the oil is has always been a Turkmen city.
All Iraqi censors show this.
No offence meant to anyone, Kerkuk is an Iraqi city and will always remain so, all Iraqis have the right to live and work in Kerkuk, but facts are facts and no amount of BBC reported crap would change history.
We are well aware of this kind of propaganda, it smacks of old colonial British tactics perfected by the zionists in ARAB ISLAMIC PALESTINE.
Just as Palestine will always be ARAB ISLAMIC Kerkuk will, its history is Turkmen, the name of its original residential areas and streets are Turkmen, its cemeteries are full of Turkmens, its character is Turkmen, in fact every Iraqi young and old know these.
Even the UN has stated that the number of Kurds who were displaced from Kerkuk at the time of Saddam were about 11,000.
Kerkuk is nobody’s Jerusalem it is Iraqi.
Besides, in whose interest do the Americans remain in Kerkuk?
Is it not to tilt the balance in favour of the aggressors?
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8315675.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8315893.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/today/newsid_8313000/8313936.stm
Imad
Subject: Thanks BBC but NO Thanks for biased reporting
Only Arabs and Kurds in Kerkuk?
I am sure the British government own records since the first occupation of Iraq back in 1917 show this is not the case.
What happened with the Turkmens who have always been the original inhabitants of the city and still are the majority?
Arabs started settling to the west since the thirties and Kurds have always lived in the countryside to the east and north. But in the city and the immediate surrounding where the oil is has always been a Turkmen city.
All Iraqi censors show this.
No offence meant to anyone, Kerkuk is an Iraqi city and will always remain so, all Iraqis have the right to live and work in Kerkuk, but facts are facts and no amount of BBC reported crap would change history.
We are well aware of this kind of propaganda, it smacks of old colonial British tactics perfected by the zionists in ARAB ISLAMIC PALESTINE.
Just as Palestine will always be ARAB ISLAMIC Kerkuk will, its history is Turkmen, the name of its original residential areas and streets are Turkmen, its cemeteries are full of Turkmens, its character is Turkmen, in fact every Iraqi young and old know these.
Even the UN has stated that the number of Kurds who were displaced from Kerkuk at the time of Saddam were about 11,000.
Kerkuk is nobody’s Jerusalem it is Iraqi.
Besides, in whose interest do the Americans remain in Kerkuk?
Is it not to tilt the balance in favour of the aggressors?
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8315675.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8315893.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/today/newsid_8313000/8313936.stm
Imad
KERKÜK'TE TÜRKMEN GAZETECİLERE BOMBALI SALDIRI
ÇARŞAMBA, 21 EKİM 2009
KERKÜK’ÜN HADRA SEMTİNDE MEYDANA GELEN PATLAMADA, BİR TÜRKMEN KAMERAMAN ÖLDÜ, BİR GAZETECİ YARALANDI. KERKÜK POLİS KAYNAKLARINA DAYANDIRILAN BİLGİYE GÖRE, KERKÜK'ÜN HADRA SEMTİNDE EVİ ÖNÜNE YERLEŞTİRİLEN BİR BOMBANIN İNFİLAK ETMESİ SONUCU ÖZEL EL RAŞİD TELEVİZYONUNUN KAMERAMANI ORHAN HİCARN'İN ÖLDÜĞÜNÜ, ESKİDEN TÜRKMENELİ UYDU TV. DE ÇALIŞAN VE EL BAĞDADİYE TELEVİZYONUNUN MUHABİRLERİNDEN MUHAMMED ABDULLAH ŞEHİTZADE'NİN DE YARALANDIĞI BİLDİRİLDİ.BU ARADA PARLAMENTO SEÇİMLER ÖNCESİ TÜRKMENLERE KARŞI YOĞUNLAŞAN SALDIRILAR PARELELİNDE ESKİ ITC YENGİCE SORUMLUSU ADNAN RIFAT BU GÜN KERKÜK’TE KİMLİĞİ BELİRSİZ KİŞİLER TARAFINDAN UĞRADIĞI SİLAHLI SALDIRI SONUÇU YAŞAMINI YİTİRDİ .
KERKÜK’ÜN HADRA SEMTİNDE MEYDANA GELEN PATLAMADA, BİR TÜRKMEN KAMERAMAN ÖLDÜ, BİR GAZETECİ YARALANDI. KERKÜK POLİS KAYNAKLARINA DAYANDIRILAN BİLGİYE GÖRE, KERKÜK'ÜN HADRA SEMTİNDE EVİ ÖNÜNE YERLEŞTİRİLEN BİR BOMBANIN İNFİLAK ETMESİ SONUCU ÖZEL EL RAŞİD TELEVİZYONUNUN KAMERAMANI ORHAN HİCARN'İN ÖLDÜĞÜNÜ, ESKİDEN TÜRKMENELİ UYDU TV. DE ÇALIŞAN VE EL BAĞDADİYE TELEVİZYONUNUN MUHABİRLERİNDEN MUHAMMED ABDULLAH ŞEHİTZADE'NİN DE YARALANDIĞI BİLDİRİLDİ.BU ARADA PARLAMENTO SEÇİMLER ÖNCESİ TÜRKMENLERE KARŞI YOĞUNLAŞAN SALDIRILAR PARELELİNDE ESKİ ITC YENGİCE SORUMLUSU ADNAN RIFAT BU GÜN KERKÜK’TE KİMLİĞİ BELİRSİZ KİŞİLER TARAFINDAN UĞRADIĞI SİLAHLI SALDIRI SONUÇU YAŞAMINI YİTİRDİ .
mardi 20 octobre 2009
Amsterdam şiir gecesi
Yavuz Bülent Bakiler (Amsterdam şiir gecesi 1)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0j-GylK9AY&feature=channel
Yavuz Bülent Bakiler (Amsterdam şiir gecesi 2)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dLTyP5D7kaM&feature=channel
Yavuz Bülent Bakiler (Amsterdam şiir gecesi 3)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gOfk-EY2_30&feature=channel
Pr. Dr. Suphi Saatcı (Hoyrat ve Şiir kerkük için) 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9loTHH3NZGI&feature=channel
Hüseyin Bayatlı Şiir (Yurdum Kerkükün derdi Gazi Paşama)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMwDBORyCVQ&feature=channel
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0j-GylK9AY&feature=channel
Yavuz Bülent Bakiler (Amsterdam şiir gecesi 2)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dLTyP5D7kaM&feature=channel
Yavuz Bülent Bakiler (Amsterdam şiir gecesi 3)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gOfk-EY2_30&feature=channel
Pr. Dr. Suphi Saatcı (Hoyrat ve Şiir kerkük için) 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9loTHH3NZGI&feature=channel
Hüseyin Bayatlı Şiir (Yurdum Kerkükün derdi Gazi Paşama)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMwDBORyCVQ&feature=channel
Iraq approves return of British troops to protect oil ports
Iraqi MPs have approved the return of a limited number of British troops to Iraq to help protect the country's southern oil ports.
Published: 5:21PM BST 13 Oct 2009
Iraq's parliament approved the security agreement with Britain months after the military contingent was forced to pull out because a United Nations mandate allowing UK forces to legally operate in the country expired.
Under the agreement sealed on Tuesday, about 100 British troops would return for about a year to provide protection to the oil sites and train Iraqi forces.
President Jalal Talabani and his two vice presidents must still sign off on the agreement.
The deal limits British military operations in Iraq strictly to naval operations at the southern port of Umm Qasr, said Jabir Khalifa Jabir, of the Baghdad parliament's oil and gas committee.
Almost all British forces left Iraq earlier this year. A contingent of about 100 to 150 troops who were training Iraq's new navy remained, but those forces were moved to Kuwait when Iraq's parliament began the summer recess without agreeing to allow the British to stay.
US military officials have repeatedly said Iraq has still not purchased the navy ships and patrol planes it badly needs to defend its waters.
Tuesday's pact drew objections and harsh words from MPs representing the Shia cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, whose allies in the southern city of Basra oppose the presence of foreign troops in the region.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/iraq/6318453/Iraq-approves-return-of-British-troops-to-protect-oil-ports.html
Published: 5:21PM BST 13 Oct 2009
Iraq's parliament approved the security agreement with Britain months after the military contingent was forced to pull out because a United Nations mandate allowing UK forces to legally operate in the country expired.
Under the agreement sealed on Tuesday, about 100 British troops would return for about a year to provide protection to the oil sites and train Iraqi forces.
President Jalal Talabani and his two vice presidents must still sign off on the agreement.
The deal limits British military operations in Iraq strictly to naval operations at the southern port of Umm Qasr, said Jabir Khalifa Jabir, of the Baghdad parliament's oil and gas committee.
Almost all British forces left Iraq earlier this year. A contingent of about 100 to 150 troops who were training Iraq's new navy remained, but those forces were moved to Kuwait when Iraq's parliament began the summer recess without agreeing to allow the British to stay.
US military officials have repeatedly said Iraq has still not purchased the navy ships and patrol planes it badly needs to defend its waters.
Tuesday's pact drew objections and harsh words from MPs representing the Shia cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, whose allies in the southern city of Basra oppose the presence of foreign troops in the region.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/iraq/6318453/Iraq-approves-return-of-British-troops-to-protect-oil-ports.html
lundi 19 octobre 2009
Almanya´dan Kurdistan Vizesi
Almanya’nın Erbil Konsolosu Dr. Oliver Shinatin Kürdistan TV’ye yaptığı açıklamada “2010 Mart ayından itibaren Kürdistan pasaportuna Schengen vizesi vereceklerini” söyledi.
Alman Dışişleri’nin bu yönde kararının olduğunu söyleyen Shinatin, bu vizenin Kürtler açısından bir ilk olacağını söyledi.
Bilindiği gibi daha önce vize almak için Kuzey Irak Kürtleri Irak pasaportu ile işlem yapıyordu. Almanya’nın bu kararı ile bölge vatandaşları Irak’tan ayrı bir prosedür izleyecek.
Alman Dışişleri’nin bu yönde kararının olduğunu söyleyen Shinatin, bu vizenin Kürtler açısından bir ilk olacağını söyledi.
Bilindiği gibi daha önce vize almak için Kuzey Irak Kürtleri Irak pasaportu ile işlem yapıyordu. Almanya’nın bu kararı ile bölge vatandaşları Irak’tan ayrı bir prosedür izleyecek.
samedi 17 octobre 2009
Turkey to help Iraq on natural gas
Friday, 16 October 2009
Turkish Minister of Energy & Natural Resources Taner Yildiz said on Thursday that Turkey would make technical and training assistance to Iraq on natural gas.
Yildiz said, "talks in Baghdad regarding energy area were discussed under three main topics; oil, natural gas and electricity". Yildiz said, "a study will be carried out to direct private sector, building natural gas power plants, to Iraq. Pumping of 8 billion cubic meters natural gas from Iraq to Turkey is planned at the first stage." Yildiz said, "Kirkuk-Yumurtalik pipeline has 70 million tone capacity. It currently works with 18 percent capacity.
We will make a 15-year agreement about this. Kirkuk-Yumurtalik pipeline is a departure gate for Iraq. We want this pipeline to work in full capacity."
AA
http://www.worldbulletin.net/news_detail.php?id=48543
Turkish Minister of Energy & Natural Resources Taner Yildiz said on Thursday that Turkey would make technical and training assistance to Iraq on natural gas.
Yildiz said, "talks in Baghdad regarding energy area were discussed under three main topics; oil, natural gas and electricity". Yildiz said, "a study will be carried out to direct private sector, building natural gas power plants, to Iraq. Pumping of 8 billion cubic meters natural gas from Iraq to Turkey is planned at the first stage." Yildiz said, "Kirkuk-Yumurtalik pipeline has 70 million tone capacity. It currently works with 18 percent capacity.
We will make a 15-year agreement about this. Kirkuk-Yumurtalik pipeline is a departure gate for Iraq. We want this pipeline to work in full capacity."
AA
http://www.worldbulletin.net/news_detail.php?id=48543
vendredi 16 octobre 2009
Turkish company to build dam in Kerkuk
14 October 2009
KERKUK : The Ministry of Water Resources on Wednesday said it has signed a contract with a Turkish firm to build a dam in Kirkuk to overcome water shortage in the province.
"The cost of the project, located near Kajk village across Khassa Jay River (10 northeast of Kirkuk), is 84.9 billion Iraqi dinars (ID)," according to a ministry statement received by Aswat al-Iraq news agency.
The dam will ensure the continuous flow of water through Khassa Jay River during all seasons and the irrigation of 3,000 donums (1 donum eq; 2,500 square meters) of land in Taza area, according to the statement.
"The estimated completion period of the project is 40 months," the statement added.
KERKUK : The Ministry of Water Resources on Wednesday said it has signed a contract with a Turkish firm to build a dam in Kirkuk to overcome water shortage in the province.
"The cost of the project, located near Kajk village across Khassa Jay River (10 northeast of Kirkuk), is 84.9 billion Iraqi dinars (ID)," according to a ministry statement received by Aswat al-Iraq news agency.
The dam will ensure the continuous flow of water through Khassa Jay River during all seasons and the irrigation of 3,000 donums (1 donum eq; 2,500 square meters) of land in Taza area, according to the statement.
"The estimated completion period of the project is 40 months," the statement added.
mercredi 14 octobre 2009
Iraqi Turkmens, their History and their Struggle
The Struggle of the Turkmens in Iraq
By Orhan Ketene
Please click on the link below:
British MPs Call for Investigation of Kurdish Militia in Assyrian Assassinations
GMT 10-14-2009
Assyrian International News Agency
London (AINA) -- A motion in the British parliament was put forth today calling for an investigation of the targeted assassinations of Assyrians in Iraq's Kurdish north (AINA 10-17-2008, 10-17-2008).
The motion, introduced by Edward Leigh and signed by five others, reads as follows:
That this House is deeply concerned by the targeted assassinations of Christians in Mosul, northern Iraq, in September and October 2008, which killed at least 14 Iraqi Christians and displaced over 2,000 Christian families from that city; notes that a Washington Times news report dated 26 October 2008, stated that on 17 October 2008 Iraqi security forces arrested six men in connection with the killings of Christians in Mosul and found that four of them had links to the Kurdish Regional Government militia, not Al Qaeda; further notes that the Kurdish Regional Government and its militia are dominated by the Kurdistan Democratic Party and that on 29 October 2008 Gulf News reported that investigations had been completed, and proved the involvement of Kurdish militias in the displacement and killing of Christians, a claim which was re-stated by Iraq's Prime Minister Nouri Al Maliki during a discussion with Iraqi lawmakers, according to Osama Al Nojaifi, a deputy in the Iraqi parliament; and, in view of such serious and widespread allegations, urges Her Majesty's Government to press the Iraqi government to fully investigate these allegations and publicly to announce all the investigation's conclusions.
Leigh, Edward Farron,
Timothy Brown,
Russell Drew,
David Russell,
Bob Pound, Stephen
15,000 Assyrians, about 2500 families, were driven out of Mosul in October, 2008. Threats, intimidation and murder by unidentified groups instilled fear and panic in the Assyrian community, and caused a massive exodus into the Assyrian villages in the Nineveh Plain. Thirteen Assyrians were killed in a period of four weeks. At least three Assyrian homes were bombed. Notes were left instructing the Assyrians to leave the city immediately or face reprisal (AINA 10-16-2008, 10-17-2008).
The following video report on the Assyrians of Mosul is from Al-Jazeera.
Click here to view the report.
Assyrian International News Agency
London (AINA) -- A motion in the British parliament was put forth today calling for an investigation of the targeted assassinations of Assyrians in Iraq's Kurdish north (AINA 10-17-2008, 10-17-2008).
The motion, introduced by Edward Leigh and signed by five others, reads as follows:
That this House is deeply concerned by the targeted assassinations of Christians in Mosul, northern Iraq, in September and October 2008, which killed at least 14 Iraqi Christians and displaced over 2,000 Christian families from that city; notes that a Washington Times news report dated 26 October 2008, stated that on 17 October 2008 Iraqi security forces arrested six men in connection with the killings of Christians in Mosul and found that four of them had links to the Kurdish Regional Government militia, not Al Qaeda; further notes that the Kurdish Regional Government and its militia are dominated by the Kurdistan Democratic Party and that on 29 October 2008 Gulf News reported that investigations had been completed, and proved the involvement of Kurdish militias in the displacement and killing of Christians, a claim which was re-stated by Iraq's Prime Minister Nouri Al Maliki during a discussion with Iraqi lawmakers, according to Osama Al Nojaifi, a deputy in the Iraqi parliament; and, in view of such serious and widespread allegations, urges Her Majesty's Government to press the Iraqi government to fully investigate these allegations and publicly to announce all the investigation's conclusions.
Leigh, Edward Farron,
Timothy Brown,
Russell Drew,
David Russell,
Bob Pound, Stephen
15,000 Assyrians, about 2500 families, were driven out of Mosul in October, 2008. Threats, intimidation and murder by unidentified groups instilled fear and panic in the Assyrian community, and caused a massive exodus into the Assyrian villages in the Nineveh Plain. Thirteen Assyrians were killed in a period of four weeks. At least three Assyrian homes were bombed. Notes were left instructing the Assyrians to leave the city immediately or face reprisal (AINA 10-16-2008, 10-17-2008).
The following video report on the Assyrians of Mosul is from Al-Jazeera.
Click here to view the report.
mardi 13 octobre 2009
UNPO Condemns Chinese Death Sentences without Fair Trial
Tuesday, 13 October 2009
The Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization (UNPO) strongly condemns the decision of the Chinese court to sentence six Uyghur men to death without fair trial.
The men were not permitted any form of legal aid and suffered as a result of discriminatory decisions and a complete lack of transparency throughout the process. The death sentences are further proof of China’s unwillingness to abide by the United Nations Global Moratorium on the Death Penalty, adopted in 2007, which establishes a suspension on executions with the view to abolish the death penalty.
“This goes against all international standards of human rights, most notably the universal right to equality before the law”, Marino Busdachin, Secretary General of UNPO, stated in immediate response to the Chinese decision.Dolkun Isa, Secretary General of the World Uyghur Congress and prominent human rights activist, expressed the need for the international community to respond. “An independent investigation must be carried out, to impartially determine what has truly taken place”, he said. “These men were neither granted their right to a lawyer, nor to a fair legal process, thereby violating both international law and the Chinese constitution.” He continued by stating that “[t]his was not a legal, but merely a political decision”. Immediate involvement of the international community and an independent investigation are urgently needed. “If no response comes”, Mr. Isa said, “the Chinese government has no reason to stop the discriminatory sentencing of the Uyghurs still up for trial.”
http://www.unpo.org/content/view/10191/236/
The Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization (UNPO) strongly condemns the decision of the Chinese court to sentence six Uyghur men to death without fair trial.
The men were not permitted any form of legal aid and suffered as a result of discriminatory decisions and a complete lack of transparency throughout the process. The death sentences are further proof of China’s unwillingness to abide by the United Nations Global Moratorium on the Death Penalty, adopted in 2007, which establishes a suspension on executions with the view to abolish the death penalty.
“This goes against all international standards of human rights, most notably the universal right to equality before the law”, Marino Busdachin, Secretary General of UNPO, stated in immediate response to the Chinese decision.Dolkun Isa, Secretary General of the World Uyghur Congress and prominent human rights activist, expressed the need for the international community to respond. “An independent investigation must be carried out, to impartially determine what has truly taken place”, he said. “These men were neither granted their right to a lawyer, nor to a fair legal process, thereby violating both international law and the Chinese constitution.” He continued by stating that “[t]his was not a legal, but merely a political decision”. Immediate involvement of the international community and an independent investigation are urgently needed. “If no response comes”, Mr. Isa said, “the Chinese government has no reason to stop the discriminatory sentencing of the Uyghurs still up for trial.”
http://www.unpo.org/content/view/10191/236/
British have covered up hundreds of Iraqi casualties, ex-officer says
By John Byrne
Monday, October 12th, 2009
http://rawstory.com/2009/10/british-have-covered-up-hundreds-of-iraqi-casualties-ex-officer-says/
The British military's chain of command has instructed the country's top investigators not to examine hundreds of incidents involving Iraqi deaths and serious injury, a former British military police officer told the BBC Sunday.
http://rawstory.com/2009/10/british-have-covered-up-hundreds-of-iraqi-casualties-ex-officer-says/
The British military's chain of command has instructed the country's top investigators not to examine hundreds of incidents involving Iraqi deaths and serious injury, a former British military police officer told the BBC Sunday.
"I've seen documentary evidence that there were incidents running into the hundreds involving death and serious injury to Iraqis where the chain of command of the Army had decided that the circumstances did not warrant a Royal Military Police investigation," the former British Army officer, whose face was obscured, told a BBC interviewer. "And if you look at the general picture that the media says, Afghanistan seems a lot quieter in terms of alleged misconduct of British troops, that to me is quite concerning, because it tells me that the Army hasn't suddenly gotten a lot better. It tells me that the Royal Military Police are very efficiently toeing the party line for the Army."
The BBC interview has received scant attention, meriting only a brief mention in the UK Guardian and little coverage by outlets cataloged in Google News. Video of the interview is available here.
"It is an extremely dark and sorry situation," the officer added. "I think that the vast majority of soldiers have served the country well and with distinction. It is the actions of a few that have been shown to be bad apples. But it is very fair to say that because the system is so structurally flawed, and some of the decision making has been so perverse, that I is fair to say that the barrel is probably rotten."
The Royal Military Police is charged with policing military personnel, service property and military operations.
In the interview, the officer said that he and others had brought their concerns to the military, but that few come forward because of the consequences to their careers. He didn't specifically spell out what the incidents that weren't investigated entailed.
"As soon as you raise concerns... life can be very easily made very difficult for anybody not toeing the party line," he said. "It's well known that if you don't toe the official party line... you won't get promoted."
Part of the problem, the officer suggested, was likely due to the fact that the police weren't used to such a magnitude of serious inquiries.
"The Iraq War... catapulted the Royal Military Police onto the world stage and took them out of a comfort zone where they'd previously be investigating quite routine lower level type crimes to investigating very serious allegations of alleged torture and murder," he remarked. "And if you look back at all the serious allegations arising out of all the operations in Iraq there's a catalog of blunders, mistakes, ineptitutde and the course of investigations being bent to serve the real or perceived interests of the chain of command of the army."
The military can stymie investigations without directly covering them up, he said -- pointing out that because the conflict zones remain dangerous, investigators need only be denied access to the scene.
"If its a hot operation environment," the officer said, "the chain of command can deny the use of helicopters, they can deny protection for the investigators to go to scenes... They can make it very difficult."
"I would say that it is definitely the case that the public and indeed international partners do not have any trust and confidence in the investigation of incidents involving alleged misconduct by British troops," he added.
لقاء ممثلة الجبهةالتركمانية في لندن مع النائب البريطاني السيد نك راينسفورد
ضمن مساعي ممثلية الجبهة التركمانية العراقية في لندن لإيصال صوت التركمان إلى أعضاء البرلمان البريطاني إلتقت المهندسة سندس عباس السيد نك راينسفورد النائب البريطاني عن حزب العمال الحاكم وقد تركزت الحديث حول وضع الجالية التركمانية في بريطانيا ووضع التركمان في العراق التي أكدت فها السيدة سندس أن التركمان كانوا وما زالوا من دعاة وحدة العراق أرضآ وشعبآ وتواقون للديمقراطية كما شمل الحديث أيضآ الأنتخابات ألتي من المزمع إجرائها في شهر كانون الثاني المقبل وحول هذا الموضوع أوضحت ممثلةالجبهة أن إستئثار بعض الجهات بالسلطة والأمن وخصوصآ في المناطق التركمانية وعدم السماح لهم المشاركة بالحكم كان من أهم ألاسباب عدم إجراء إلانتخابات بصورة نزيهة وشابتها كثير من أعمال تزوير وقد فقد التركمان كثيرا من إستحقاقاتهم متمنيآ دورآ أكبر للحكومة البريطانية في مساعدة الحكومة العراقية أثناء إلانتخابات وإرسال مراقبين دوليين ومراقبة سير ها مما يحول دون وقوع مثل هذه الأعمال .بدوره أشاد السيد نك بدور التركمان في العراق وأضاف أن المملكةالمتحدة مع حلفائها قد خاضت الحرب من أجل تغيير نظام الديكتاتوري في العراق بنظام ديمقراطي يشارك فيها جميع في السلطة دون تهميش أي طرف وسوف يسعى جاهدآ لحث الحكومة للعب دورآ أكبر لمساعدة الحكومة العراقية أثناء الأنتخابات لضمان سيرها بصورة نزيهة .وفي نهاية اللقاء شكرت السيدة سندس السيد النائب وأهدته كتبآ عن تأريخ التركمان و مدينة كركوك وبدوره شكر السيد نك على الهدية القيمة وتمنى لتركمان العراق الموفقية ووصولهم الى إستحقاقاتهم الوطنية
المكتب الاعلامي
للممثلية الجبهة التركمانية العراقية/لندن
samedi 10 octobre 2009
New DNO Revelations: While He was Influencing the Shape of the Iraqi Constitution, Peter Galbraith Held Stakes in an Oilfield in Dahuk
By Reidar Visser (www.historiae.org)
10 October 2009
To read the article please click on:
http://historiae.org/galbraith.asp
A blog entry for this piece with comments options is available at http://gulfanalysis.wordpress.com
10 October 2009
To read the article please click on:
http://historiae.org/galbraith.asp
A blog entry for this piece with comments options is available at http://gulfanalysis.wordpress.com
TÜRKMENLERİN MİLLİ İSTEĞİ BAŞBAKAN MALİKİYE
MİLLİ İSTEK İLETİLDİ
Muzaffer Arslan
Muzaffer Arslan
Saygıdeğer Başbakan Nuri El-Maliki
Konu: Türkmen bölgelerini korumak için hükümet kuvvetlerine Türkmenlerin alımı
Konunun önemli olması bakımından ve Irak birliğinin en büyük destekçisi olan Türkmen bölgelerinin güvenini ve selametini güvence altına alınması bakımından, yurt dışında bulunan Iraklı Türkmen siyasi hareketlerinin temsilcileri ve sivil toplum kuruluşlarının bizlere yolladıkları mektubu ilişikte gönderiyorum.
Dikta düzeninin düşmesinden önce ve sonra, Türkmenlerin verdiği fedakarlıklar herkesçe malumdur. Türkmen bölgelerinin çoğu, terrör hareketlerinin saldırı alanı ve hedefi haline gelmiştir. Türkmenler bu terrör saldırılarının kurbanı olmuşlardır.
Bizde, bölge halkının canlarını ve mallarını acımasız terrörden korumaları için, Türkmen hareketleri temsilcilerinin, hükümet kuvvetlerinin bölge halkından oluşturulması isteklerini destekliyoruz.
Mektuplarını yüce makamınıza iletiyorum, incelemenizi ve uygun gördüğünüzü yapmanızı rica ederim.
Saygı ve teşekkürler.
Dr. Muzaffer Arslan
Cumhurbaşkanı Türkmen İşleri Danışmanı
6.10.2009
6.10.2009
***
IRAK PARLAMENTOSUNDAKİ SAYGIDEĞER TÜRKMEN MİLLETVEKİLLERİNDENVE IRAK DEVLETİNDEKİ SAYGIDEĞER TÜRKMEN YETKİLİLERİNDEN İSTEK
Milletvekillerimiz:
Sayın Şeyh Muhammed Taqi Mevla- Irak Yüksek İslam Meclisi
Sayın Abbas Bayatlı-Irak Türkmenleri İslamcı Birliği Başkanı
Sayın Sadettin Ergeç-Irak Türkmen Cephesi Başkanı
Sayın Fevzi Ekrem- Sadr Hareketi
Sayın Feryat Tuzlu- Irak Türkmenlerine Vefa Hareketi Başkanı
Sayın Muhammet Mehdi Bayatlı-Irak Yüksek İslam Meclisi
Sayın İzzettin Devlet-Bağımsız
Sayın Hüseyin Şerif- Sadr Hareketi
Bakanımız:
Sayın Casim Muhammed Cafer- Gençlik ve Spor Bakanı
Devlet Danışmanlarımız:
Sayın Muzaffer Arslan-Cumhurbaşkanı Danışmanı
Sayın Faruk Abdullah-Başbakan Danışmanı
Sayın Hüseyin Avni- Cumhurbaşkanı Yardımcısı Danışmanı
Sayın Avni Ömer Lütfi- Parlamento Başkanı Danışmanı
Konu:
Türkmen bölgelerini koruyacak hükümet güçleri içine yerli Türkmenlerin yerleştirilmesi
Kendini savunma hakkı her insanın ve her toplumun en doğal hakkıdır. Bu güne kadar, Irakta, Türkmenlerin dışında, her toplum bu hakka sahip olmuştur. Telafer, Kerkük, Tuz Hurmatu, Dakuk, Yengice, Amirli ve Kara Tepe’den sonra, Taze Hurmatu kentinde meydana gelen patlama, savunmasız Türkmenlere karşı yapılan saldırı zincirinin en son örneğidir.
Bu durumdan tek bir sonuç çıkıyor o da “Türkmenlerin can güvenliği kalmamıştır”. Can güvenliği olmayan yerde, insanca yaşama imkanı kalmaz
Nitekim Irak Cumhurbaşkanı Sayın Celal Talabani ve Başbakan Sayın Nuri El Maliki ve devletin diğer yüksek makamdaki yetkilleri, Türkmenlerin mağdur olduklarını kabul etmişlerdir.
Ancak inanıyoruz ki, saldırıları kınamak çözüm getiremez, Bu konuda ciddi ve etkin önlemlerin alınması gerekir. He şeyden önce Türkmenlerin can güvenliği sağlanması gerekir.
Bu tür saldırıları önlemenin tek yolu, her bölgede bulunan, güvenlik güçlerinin (polis, ordu) yerli Türkmenlerden oluşmasıdır.
Her Türkmen siyasetçinin başlıca görevi, bu amacı gerçekleştirmek olmalıdır. Gücüne ve konumuna göre, herkesin, elinden geleni yapması, öncelikli bir milli görevdir. Bu çözümde tüm Türkmenler oybirliğiyle anlaşmaktadırlar.
Bizler, yurt dışındaki, Türkmen parti temsilcileri ve örgütleri, sözbirliğiyle diyoruz ki:
Bu düşüncenin uygulamaya geçmesi için, siz siyasetçilerimizin, baş öncelikli olarak, bu isteği, Irak devletinden ve hükümetinden resmen istemenizi ve bu isteği, tam uygulanana kadar, takip etmenizi bekliyoruz ve istiyoruz.
Tuz Hurmatu ve Taze Hurmatuda bu yönde olumlu adımlar atılmıştır ancak bu uygulamanın tüm Türkmen bölgelerine yayılmasını arzuluyoruz.
Bu isteğin yerine getirilmesinde emeği geçen tüm siyasetçiler, Türkmen tarihinde şan ve şerefle yerlerini alacaklardır. Milletimiz, yapılan bu yüce hizmeti sonsuza kadar anacaktır.
Türkmenlerin can güvenliği sağlandıktan sonradır ki, Türkmenler arası her türlü işbirliği ve geliştirme sağlanabilecektir.
Saygılarımızla,.
İmzalayanlar:
1- Irak Türkmen Cephesi Londra Temsilcisi- Sündüs Abbas
2- Irak Türkmen Cephesi Brüksel Temsilcisi- Dr. Hasan Aydınlı
3- Irak Türkmen Cephesi Ankara Temsilcisi- Sadun Köprülü
4- Irak Türkmen Cephesi Şam Temsilcisi- Aydın Selim Maruf
5- Irak Türkmen Cephesi Berlin Temsilcisi-Ganim Osman
6- Türkmeneli Partisi Fransa Temsilcisi-Murat Sarıkehye
7- Türkmeneli Partisi İsveç Temsilcisi-Yılmaz Towfiq
Dış Türkmen Örgütleri:
Amerika:
1- Bir Ocak Türkmen Kültür Derneği- Yılmaz Ali-Chicago
2- Newyork Türkmen Enstitüsü- Ali Koçak-Newyork
3- Musul Federasyonu Hareketi-Orhan Ketene-Seattle
Kanada:
4- Kanada Irak Türkleri Derneği-İsmet Necat Şükrü-Hamilton
5- Türkmen Baba Gürgür Merkezi-Halil Mahmut-Hamilton
6- Türkmen Enformasyon Merkezi-Usame Özkan- London
7- London Türkmen Derneği- Halit Sarı Kehye- London
8- Irak Türkmen Örgütü-Salih Çavuşoğlu-Ottawa
9- Türkmen Halk Partisi- Nihad İlhanlı- Ottawa
10- Kerkük Medya Gurubu-Burhan Bayatlı-Toronto
11- Kanada Türkmen Evi-Heyecan Salih-Toronto
12- Kanada Türkmen Merkezi-Kemal Dağıstanlı-Toronto
13- Türkmen Kardaşlık Ocağı-Şahin Özkan-Toronto
14- Windsor Türkmen Dernegi-Faysal Hürmüzlü-Windsor
5- Türkmen Baba Gürgür Merkezi-Halil Mahmut-Hamilton
6- Türkmen Enformasyon Merkezi-Usame Özkan- London
7- London Türkmen Derneği- Halit Sarı Kehye- London
8- Irak Türkmen Örgütü-Salih Çavuşoğlu-Ottawa
9- Türkmen Halk Partisi- Nihad İlhanlı- Ottawa
10- Kerkük Medya Gurubu-Burhan Bayatlı-Toronto
11- Kanada Türkmen Evi-Heyecan Salih-Toronto
12- Kanada Türkmen Merkezi-Kemal Dağıstanlı-Toronto
13- Türkmen Kardaşlık Ocağı-Şahin Özkan-Toronto
14- Windsor Türkmen Dernegi-Faysal Hürmüzlü-Windsor
İngiltere:
15- Irak Türkmen Hakları Savunma Komitesi-Necati Kılıncı-Londra
15- Irak Türkmen Hakları Savunma Komitesi-Necati Kılıncı-Londra
Hollanda:
16- Irak Türkmenleri İnsan Hakları Araştırma Vakfı-Şit Cercis-Nijmegen
Belçika:
17- Irak Türkmen Hakları Savunma Komitesi-Merry Fitzgerald-Brüksel
Danimarka:
18- Aarhus Türkmen Derneği-Cengiz Şevki-Aarhus
19- Biz Türkmeniz Gurubu-Şükran Kayacı-Kopenhagen
20- Tekaful Hayır Cemiyeti-Yurtan Kervancı-Kopenhagen
Almanya:
21- Hamburg Türkmen Derneği-Remzi Casim-Hamburg
22- Munich Türkmen Kültür Derneği-İsam Nureddin-Munich
23- Stutgart Türkmen Kültür Derneği-Necmeddin Kara-Stutgart
İsviçre:
24- Irak Türkmen Basın Konseyi-Dr.Nusret Merdan-Cenevre
İsveç:
25- Irak Türkmen Kültür Derneği-Fazıl Nasır-Goteborg
26- Irak Türkmen İnsan Hakları Örgütü-Muhammed Bayatlı-Goteborg
27- Irak Türkmen Kadınlar Derneği-Deniz Türkmen-Goteborg
28- Türkmen Adalet Derneği-Abdulgani-Hakkı-Goteborg
29- Irak Türkmen Derneği-Ali Salah-Stockholm
30- Irak Türkmen Derneği- Hüseyin Şükür-Vasteros
31- Tuz Hurmatu Gurubu-Abbas Hüseyin-Vasteros
Türkiye:
32- Kerkük Feneri Sitesi Gurubu-Dr. Ertan Beyatlı-Adapazarı
33- Türkmeneli İşbirliği ve Kültür Vakfı-Fatih Türkcan-Ankara
34- Türkmen Aydınları Derneği-Fuat Tigin-Ankara
35- Irak Türkleri Kültür ve Yardımlaşma Derneği-Mahmut Kasap-Ankara
36- Türkmeneli Sağlık ve Sosyal Yardımlaşma Derneği-Aydın Beyatlı-Konya
37- Irak Türkleri Kültür ve Yardımlaşma Derneği-Dr. İlham Bayatlı-Konya
38- Türkmeneli Konya Öğrenci Birliği-Ahmet Kerküklü-Konya
39- Irak Türkleri Kültür ve Yardımlaşma Derneği-Mehmet Tütüncü-İstanbul
40- Irak Türkmen Basın Konseyi-Kemal Beyatlı-İstanbul
41- Musul Türkleri Gurubu-Mehmet Tahir Çam-Yalova
42- Irak Türkmen Birliği ve Dayanışma Derneği- Kürşat Çavuşoğlu- Antalya
43- Irak Türkleri Kültür ve Yardımlaşma Derneği - Timur Taş – İzmir
Türkmen Eşgüdüm Merkezi
Turkmencenter@yahoo.com
التركمان يطلبون تشكيل وحدات عسكرية تركمانيه للدفاع عن أنفسهم و لحماية مناطقهم ضد الإرهاب
طلب ادخال التركمان في القوات الحكومية لحماية المناطق التركمانية
الدكتورمظفر ارسلان
فخامة دولة رئيس الوزراء السيد نوري المالكي المحترم
الموضوع/ طلب ادخال التركمان في القوات الحكومية لحماية المناطق التركمانية
نرسل لكم طيا نص الرسالة المقدمة لنا من ممثلي الحركات السياسية التركمانية ومنظمات المجتمع المدني للتركمان العراقيين المقيمين في خارج الوطن ونظرا لاهمية الموضوع ولظمان سلامة وامن المناطق التركمانية الذين هم كانوا ولا يزالوا سندا لوحدة العراق العظيم.
حيث لا يخفى للملأ ما قدمه التركمان من تضحيات قبل وبعد سقوط النظام الدكتاتوري وان معظم المناطق التركمانية اصبحت ساحة وهدفا للحركات الارهابية والتركمان هم كانوا ضحية لهذه الحركات الارهابية . فنحن بدورنا نؤيد ما ورد في طلب الأخوة ممثلي الحركات التركمانية لتشكيل قوات حكومية من اهالي تلك المناطق ليحفظوا اهلهم وممتلكاتهم من الارهاب الغادر .
وبدوري ارسل لفخامتكم الرسالة راجيا الاطلاع عليها واجراء ما تتخذونه مناسبا .
ولكم جزيل الشكر والاحترام
الدكتورمظفر ارسلان
مستشار رئيس الجمهورية
لشؤون القومية التركمانية
6/10/2009
***********************************
رسالة طلب الى الأعضاء التركمان في مجلس النواب العراقي
والمسؤولين التركمان في الدولة العراقية الموقرين
أعضاء البرلمان المحترمين:
سماحة الشيخ محمد تقي المولى - المجلس الأعلى الإسلامي العراقي
الأستاذ عباس البياتي - الأمين العام للاتحاد الاسلامي لتركمان العراق
الدكتور سعد الدين أرگيج - رئيس الجبهة التركمانية العراقية
الأستاذ فوزي أكرم ترزي - التيار الصدري
الأستاذ فرياد طوزلو رئيس حركة الوفاء لتركمان العراق
الأستاذ محمد مهدي البياتي - منظمة بدر
الأستاذ - عزالدين دولت عضو مستقل
الأستاذ حسين شريف – التيار الصدري
see:
mardi 6 octobre 2009
THE STRUGGLE OF THE TURKMENS OF IRAQ by Orhan Ketene
Orhan Ketene
Union of Diaspora Turkmens (UDT) Coordinator
For the Power Point Presentation please click on the link below:
http://www.turkmen.nl/1A_Others/Presentation-Turkmen.ppt
Union of Diaspora Turkmens (UDT) Coordinator
For the Power Point Presentation please click on the link below:
http://www.turkmen.nl/1A_Others/Presentation-Turkmen.ppt
Hereunder is the text of the presentation (without maps and pictures):
THE STRUGGLE OF THE TURKMENS OF IRAQ
Who are the Turkmens?
The Turkmens are a Turkic people living in Iraq, they are mostly concentrated in Northern Iraq and parts of Central and Southern Iraq(East of Himrin Mountains and North of Jazeera desert is Northern Iraq).They are the second largest nationality in Northern Iraq after the Kurds and the third largest in Iraq after the Arabs and the Kurds.
Turkmeneli
The areas of Northern Iraq where Turkmens live is called TurkmeneliThe Turkish speaking Turkmens currently inhabit a diagonal line that starts from Telafer in the north on the Syrian border eastward to Musul, Erbil, then southward to Kerkuk, Khaneqin and Bedre on the Iranian border.
The Arabic speaking Turkmens exist in every major city of Central and Southern Iraq.
Who are the Turkmens?
Turkmens used to be the majority in Northern Iraq, but due to political and military reasons, continuous population exchange of the Turkmens with the Kurds from Iran and the Arabs from Arabian Iraq over the centuries, reduced the Turkmens nowadays to one third of the Northern population.Currently their population is estimated at 2.5-3 million.
Turkmens used to be the majority in Northern Iraq, but due to political and military reasons, continuous population exchange of the Turkmens with the Kurds from Iran and the Arabs from Arabian Iraq over the centuries, reduced the Turkmens nowadays to one third of the Northern population.Currently their population is estimated at 2.5-3 million.
Kerkuk-Political and Cultural Center
Their political and cultural center is the city of Kerkuk which is the center of the oil wealth of Northern Iraq. Usually they work as professionals or in agriculture. They have the highest ratio of educated people than any other community in Iraq. The largest Turkmen tribes are the Bayat and Qara Qollu (Qaraghulli). They are non-violent, peace-loving and friendly people.
Their political and cultural center is the city of Kerkuk which is the center of the oil wealth of Northern Iraq. Usually they work as professionals or in agriculture. They have the highest ratio of educated people than any other community in Iraq. The largest Turkmen tribes are the Bayat and Qara Qollu (Qaraghulli). They are non-violent, peace-loving and friendly people.
Turkmen Cities
Other Turkmen cities are Telafer, Musul, Erbil, Altun Kopru, Tawukh, Tuz Khurmatu, Kifri, Qara Teppe, Qaraghan, Qizlarbat, Khanaqin, Mendeli and Bedre. They also exist in Baquba, Baghdad, Tikrit, Ramadi, Aziziyya, Mahmudiyya, Iskenderiyya, Yusufiyya, Kut, Hilla, Diwaniyya, Nasiriyya and Kerbela.
The Place of the Turkmens in the Turkic World
- Oghuz = Turkmens
Western Turkmens: Turkey, Cyprus,Western Syria, Eastern Bulgaria, WesternThrace (Greece), Dobruja (Romania),
Gagavuzia & Gok Oghuz (Moldova),
Central Turkmens: Azerbaijan, SouthernAzerbaijan (Iran), Southern Iran (Qashqais),Turkmeneli-Northern Iraq, NorthernCaucasia (Russia)
Eastern Turkmens: Turkmenistan,Southern Turkmenistan (Khorasan-Iran)Southern Turkistan(Afghanistan)
- Karluks : Uzbeks (Uzbekistan, TajikistanSouthern Turkistan (Afghanistan)Uyghur(Eastern Turkistan-Northwest China)
- Kipchaks: Kazaks (Kazakistan andEasternTurkistan), Kirghiz,Karakalpaks of Uzbekistan, Tatars (Tatarstan, Crimea,Siberia), Bashkurts, Karachays, Balkars, Kumukand Nogays of Northern Caucasia (Russia)
- Siberians: Altay-Sayan (Tuvans, KhakasiaAltais)and Sakha-Yakutians (Russia)
- Chuvashians: Chuvashia (Russia)
The Position of the Turkmens in the Turkish World
Iraqi Turkmens
History of the Turkmens in Iraq
Iraqi Turkmens
History of the Turkmens in Iraq
The Turkmens came to Iraq from Turkestan (Central Asia) and particularly from today’s Turkmenistan, in successive waves.
The first recorded document of their existence as “Turks” in Iraq was in 632 AD in a peace treaty of “Banuqia”, between the Turkish prince Bozbörü Sülübay and Khalid Bin Walid, mentioned in the book of “Mu’jamul Buldan- Dictionary of the Countries” written by the Muslim historian Yaqut Al-Hamawi who mentioned about the existence of several Turkish principalities in Iraq and emphasized on two of them in central Euphrates called the Banuqlu and Batuqlu which were allied with the Sassanid Persian Empire.
Turks took high positions up to the level of prime ministry in the Sassanid Empire and portrayed the fiercest resistance against the Islamic Arab conquest of Iraq.
The high military capabilities of the Turkish soldiers attracted the attention of the muslim Arabs, so, the Umayyad Arab Empire recruited large numbers of Turkish military experts from Turkestan (Central Asia).They became highly influential in the army and the administration of the Abbasid Empire which followed the Umayyads.
The Abbasid Caliph of Baghdad asked for the help of Tughrul Beg, the chief of the Seljuk Turks to remove the Persian Buwaihids who dominated Baghdad for a century. In 1055 the Caliph of Bagdad declared Tughrul Beg as a “Sultan” (the master of power) and from that day on, the Turkish era began and the Turks became the rulers of the Middle East.
The Turkish Era in Iraq
The word Turk and Turkmen became synonymous in the Middle East, one means the other.
The Turkmens established 6 states in Iraq:
1- The Seljuk Empire: 1055- 1149 94 years
2- The Atabegs (of Musul, Erbil and Kerkuk): 1149- 1258 109 years
3- The Ilkhans (Mongol and Turkish mix): 1258- 1336 78 years
4- The Jalairids (Mongol and Turkish mix): 1336- 1360 24 years
5- The Barans (Qara Qoyunlu) : 1360- 1469 109 years
6- The Bayindirs (Aq Qoyunlu): 1469- 1508 39 years
. The Safawid Turks of Azerbaijan ruled Iraq: 1508- 1534 26 = years
1623- 1638 = 15 years
Total : 41 years.
Ottoman Turks ruled Iraq until the end of WWI: 1534- 1623 89 years
1638- 1918 280 years
Total: 369 years.
Total Direct Turkish/Turkmen rule: 863 years
TURCOMANIA:
The Turkmen identity of today’s Northern Iraq was so evident, that it was known as “Turcomania” by the European geographers such as William Guthrie who issued his famous map of the Middle East in 1785 in London, Great Britain.
Map of Turcomania (Turkmenia) in 1785
By British Geographer William Guthrie
Magnified map of Turcomania
Showing Kerkuk
Kerkuk
The Contributions of the Turkmens to the Iraqi Civilization
Turks, then known as Turkmens were defenders and builders of Iraq for over a millennium.During the Seljuk era, Nizam-ul Mulk, the prime minister of the Seljuk Sultan Melik Shah, built the first university in the world in Baghdad, in 1127 AD, called Al-Mustansiriyya, which stands even today.
Turkmens defended every part of Iraq against all foreign invasions for more than 1500 years. That is why they are spread all over the country.
The Atabegs of Musul were the first state in the Middle East to react to the greatest European invasion in history, the Crusades, which lasted for 200 years.
Nureddin Zengi the Atabeg of Musul built the leaning minaret mosque in 1172 AD.
The “Gok Kumbet”(Blue Dome) a tomb of a Turkmen princess “Bugday Khatun” in Kerkuk castle surrounded by a school, reminder of the Bayindir (Aq Qoyunlu) Turkmen state era (1469- 1508).
The “Chol Minare”(Desert Minaret) built by Muzaffereddin Gokboru the Atabeg of the Beg Tigin Atabegs of Erbil in 1200 AD. In which Erbil lived its’ golden age. It was the center of wealth, prosperity and science.
End of the Turkish Era:
During the Ottoman era, Northern Iraq was called the “Musul Province”.
In WWI, the British occupied Basra and Baghdad provinces and the southern part of the Musul Province.
Cease fire was declared on Oct.30.th 1918. However, the British army occupied the city of Musul on Nov. 11, 1918 which created the “Dispute of Musul” between Turkey and Britain which lasted for 8 years.
The Resistance:
The people of Musul resisted occupation through a series of revolts;
After 6 months from the occupation, the first revolt was started by the Soran Kurds of Suleymaniya in May 1919. Followed by The Turkmen revolt in Telafer in June 1920 which spread to the whole of Iraq. Followed by the revolt of the Behdinan Kurds in Imadiya in March 1921.
In June 1922, all peoples of Musul (Kurds, Turkmens, Arabs) united under the command of Shafiq Ozdemir, the administrator of Rawanduz, who won the victory of “Derbend” on August 31,1922, against the British army, liberating most of the mountainous parts of Musul. This resistance was the longest one and lasted until April 1923.
However, all those revolts were suppressed by the overwhelming British military power, especially the Royal Air Force and the use of poisonous gas.
Shafiq Ozdemir, the guerrilla leader of the Musul Resistance
The Breaking of the Resistance:
- In August 1921 the British installed Faisal as a king in Iraq, Turkmens of Kerkuk refused allegiance and the Kurds of Suleymaniya refused to participate in the referendum.
- The cooperation between Kurds and Turkmens was creating big problems for the British to establish their authority in the North. So, they divided the two by promising the Kurds a separate Kurdistan. Most of the Kurds stopped fighting thus breaking the resistance.
- The first mass killing of the Turkmens happened on May 4th, 1924 in Kerkuk by the British Army legionnaires called the “Levies” who killed 100 Turkmens in one day.
- To pacify the North and the Turks, the British prepared a very liberal constitution for Iraq in 1925, where the country had 3 official languages (Arabic, Kurdish and Turkish) with full rights for all minorities.
Musul Incorporated into Iraq:
- Exhausted by 11 years of continuous wars since 1911, Turkey, opted for peace and good relations with the west, relinquishing its’ claim on the Musul province at the Ankara Treaty of June 5, 1926.
- Musul was incorporated into Iraq since then.
- The Ankara Treaty gave the people of Musul, one year to choose Iraqi or Turkish citizenship. Turkmens choose to remain in Iraq and become Iraqi citizens as long as their constitutional rights are respected.
The Start of the problems for the Turkmens in Iraq
The Monarchy Era (1921-1958) 37 years
Although Turkey declared that it was no longer interested in Musul anymore, the successive Iraqi governments (even today) were haunted by the paranoia that Turkey, one day, would reclaim it back.
This fear lead them to marginalize Turkmens, on the suspicion that they might support Turkey in case Turkey reclaimed back Musul. Although Turkmens were loyal citizens they were barred from high and sensitive government positions.Kurds continued rebellions as the British did not fulfill their promise of establishing Kurdistan.
The first demographical change was the settlement of the Assyrians in Kerkuk in a newly built suburb called “New Kerkuk” in the Arafa district, as employees of the oil field facilities.After becoming a sovereign country and entering the League of Nations in 1932, Iraq amended the 1925 constitution to remove Turkish from the official languages.
The second demographical change occurred as the Arabization policy started with the settlement of the Bedouin Arab tribes west of Kerkuk in the Hawija district in the Forties. Kerkuk, Erbil, Khaneqin and Kifri were still majority Turkmen cities.
However the third demographical change happened after the Barzani rebellion was suppressed in 1949. Vast numbers of rebel Kurdish villages were destroyed and the villagers forcefully settled by the Iraqi government in those cities. Thus changing the ethnic balance.
In 1957 a census was conducted and the results declared in 1959, showed the Turkmen population at 567.000 when Iraq was 6.5 million. Although the 400.000 Turkmens of Musul and Diyala were not counted. Turkmen population then was 950.000.
The Communist Era (1958-1963) 5 years
The monarchy was overthrown by the Communists in 1958. In a major policy shift towards the minorities, they declared the Kurds as partners of the Arabs, whereas the Turkmens, who remained loyal citizens, were discriminated against and were left as a minority. Thus, a double standard between the two peoples was applied.
Kurdish leader Barzani was brought back from his exile in Russia. He claimed the oil rich Kerkuk to be the capital of his proposed autonomous Kurdistan, which was rejected by the Turkmens.Turkmens in Kerkuk were attacked by the Communist and Kurdish gangs. All main Turkmen figures were killed in a three day long massacre. It was only stopped by the Iraqi army which came from Baghdad upon fears of Turkish intervention.
President Qasim, tried to appease the Turkmens. He declared that the Turkmens were one million (Iraq was 7 million) and promised to persecute the criminals who conducted the Kerkuk Massacre.
Turkmens formed a secret organization and assassinated a number of Kerkuk massacre criminals.
It was understood that a quick ethnic cleansing of the Turkmens might trigger a Turkish intervention. Therefore, the method was changed to “Minimize them in the official records”. To ignore the reality and manipulate census records to suit the political purposes.
The formerly declared census results were ignored and the Turkmen population was officially recorded as 2% (140.000).
The fourth demographical change in Kerkuk was; building of the “Iskan” suburb east of Kerkuk for the Kurds by president Qasim. Although this concession did not stop the Kurds from rebelling again because the government refused to give them Kerkuk.
The Arab Nationalists Era (1963-1968) 5 years
To appease the Turkmens, president Abdusselam Arif ordered the execution of the Kerkuk massacre criminals.Barzani continued rebellion with military and intelligence help from Israel which was aiming at weakening Iraq on the Palestinian issue.
The Ba’ath Era (1968-2003) 35 years
Application of double standards continued. On January 24, 1970, Turkmens were granted cultural rights. while the Kurds were given autonomy in 3 northern provinces on March 11, 1970 and the Turkmen city of Erbil was made their capital. All those major concessions were given without asking the Iraqi people.
The fifth demographical change was; building of the Azadi settlement for the Kurds, East of Kerkuk.
Kurds continued their rebellion because the government refused “again” to give Kerkuk. This time they were aided by Iran which was after Iraqi border concessions.
Major crackdown on the Turkmens started after a nationwide demonstrations by the Turkmens protesting the reluctance of the authorities in the application of their cultural rights.
The Four top leaders of the Turkmens were hanged on January 16th 1980. Followed by a spree of arrests, torture and executions among the Turkmen rights advocates.
Turkmenian speaking was banned in public and even on phone conversations.
Turkmens as a nationality were removed from the official census forms. Turkmens had to choose from either becoming Arabs or Kurds.
Turkmens, had to declare “change of nationality” to Arabic in order to get jobs.
Real estate sales were banned amongst the Turkmens. Sale could only be done to Arabs.
Turkmens were even banned from repairing their own houses.
Under the pretext of city planning, buildings resembling the Turkish era, were either demolished or modified. The 3000 year old Kerkuk Qal’a (fortress) which was a symbol of Turkmen architecture was demolished.
The sixth demographic change was in the form of settlement of hundreds of thousands of Arabs in Kerkuk by the government.
Turkmen villages and districts inside and outside Kerkuk were demolished; inhabitants were resettled in central and southern Iraq.
The Exiled Opposition and the Safe Haven Era (1991-2003) 12 years
The Iraqi army massacred over 100 Turkmens in the district of Altun Kopru in March 1991.
Free from Saddam’s dictatorship, The “Safe Haven” in Northern Iraq was supposed to be a good model for a democratic and free Iraq. This system was intended to be transferred into the rest of Iraq after liberating from Saddam.
Until 1996 Turkmens thrived in Erbil, they formed their own political parties, free media, democratic institutions and even their own defense militia.
However, after the intervention of the Iraqi army to help Barzani against Talabani on August 30, 1996 in Erbil, 56 pioneers of the Turkmen movement were executed by the Iraqi intelligence.
Barzani took over Erbil from Talabani. This time, supported by the U.S. and U.K., he converted the “Safe Haven” into Kurdistan and tried to impose authority upon the Turkmens, regarding them as a minority of Kurdistan.
Intimidations and clashes with the Turkmens began.Turkmens focus was shifted from helping their brethren under Saddam, into resisting Barzani’s demands of submission in Erbil.
Barzani, who was made a major player in the exiled opposition activities and armed with a veto power and Despite the desire of the Americans and other opposition figures to include the Turkmens, he blocked every effort and prevented the Turkmens from being major players in the opposition activities.
The same old tactic of marginalization was used. It was claimed that the Turkmens were a small minority, that they were not worth having a major say in the new Iraq.
It was even claimed that the Turkmens were only 10.000 in Erbil, whereas they were at least one third of Erbil (pop.750.000)
U.S. and Iraqi opposition figures used the same double standard. Turkmens were placed in the category of small minorities and treated accordingly in the opposition meetings and decisions. They were never allowed to grow their symbolic and weak militia power to the level of the Peshmergas who were allowed to grow to the level of a professional army.
Although the U.S. gave assurances to Turkey that Kerkuk and Musul were red lines for the Kurds (no entry), the defeat of the bill in the Turkish parliament (allowing the passage of the American forces through Turkey) angered the US and as a result, ignored the Turkish red lines and supported Kurdish demands on Kerkuk and Musul.
Turkmens paid a heavy price for disagreements between US and Turkey and they were completely out of the picture.
The American Era (2003-Present) 6 years
The Turkmens in principle were happy to see the Americans enter Iraq. expecting to see the application of American values of justice, equality and progress in Iraq.
However, the US anger over the Turks blocking US troops passage during the war, lifted the red lines and the Kurds occupied the whole of Northern Iraq including Kerkuk and Musul.The weak and symbolic Turkmen militia in Erbil was disbanded.All high governing and administration positions were filled with Kurds brought from the North.
The seventh and so far the largest demographical change happened in Kerkuk and surrounding Turkmen towns. 600.000 Kurds were brought from other areas and settled in the city.Americans did not interfere with fraud and violations during the elections in Northern Iraq.
Turkmens are still categorized as a small minority and given symbolic posts and positions in the governing councils and parliament.
Although every major group in Iraq has a strong militia power, Turkmens are still not allowed to form their own defense militia power that makes them vulnerable to terrorist and ethnic attacks which happened many times so far in many Turkmen towns.
Today, there is a lot of tension in the North between the Kurds on one side and the Turkmens, Arabs and Assyrians on the other side.
The same Arab refusal to give up Kerkuk to the Kurds has recurred and a new rivalry between Arabs and Kurds is resurfacing, warning of a new ethnic war.
Some progress has been made recently in Kerkuk only, after declaring Turkish as an official language beside Arabic, Kurdish and Assyrian. But that is too little to solve the problems of Northern Iraq.
Every Turkmen city had been a target of explosions that killed thousands of Turkmens so far.
The Role of the Western Academia and Media:
Northern Iraq is the home of three major nationalities; the Turkmens, Kurds and Northern Arabs. The Turkmens and the Kurds have the same desire of self rule and autonomy.
However, Kurds’ desires of autonomy and self-rule have been promoted and emphasized to the level of “independence” and establishing the “Greater Kurdistan” by some powers which intend to exploit those desires to achieve their own purposes (i.e. the British to occupy the Musul Province, the Soviet Russians to establish a Communist Kurdish state, Israel to weaken Iraq, Shah’s Iran to get Iraqi border concessions, Islamic Iran to weaken Iraq and finally US-UK to remove Saddam from power and control the Middle East).
Whereas, the same desires of the Turkmens of self-rule and autonomy were suppressed and the whole people was marginalized to a symbolic level because they can’t be exploited to serve anybody’s purpose.
Throughout the twentieth century and even today, the western academia and media was and is utilized extensively in this double standard operation.
Too many universities, NGO’s, Think Tanks, and news agencies throughout the western world received astronomical grants to establish Kurdish institutes (Kurdish Institute at the Sorbonne University- Paris, France, Barzani Institute at the American University, Washington DC, US) to do researches promoting and emphasizing the Kurdish cause, hundreds of conferences, seminars, books, brochures, films and documentaries had been produced.
Whereas, there is not a single research done on the Turkmens by the same academia and media centers and not a single book produced about them.On the contrary, those academia and media centers, produce maps and data, showing the Kurds as the absolute majority and dominants of the North. Whereas the Turkmens are either omitted from those maps and data or shown as dots and minute entities.
All those misinformation and disinformation is provoking the appetite of the chauvinistic feelings of some Kurdish political groups that will lead to extreme rivalry between the 3 main ethnic groups of Northern Iraq (The Turkmens, Kurds and Arabs). Which will bring disasters upon all peoples of the North and especially upon the Kurdish people.
Greater Kurdistan Fiction (inspired by the Soviets)
Greatest Kurdistan Fiction (inspired by R. Col. Ralph Peters at Stars & Stripes a Pentagon publication Sep.2006)
Examples of How Western Media Minimizes Turkmen Existence:
Imbalance Created by Excessive Rights to One Minority Only:
The Turkmen language, culture and socio-economic life have eroded to the lowest level in history.
Ethnic pressures from both the Arabs and the Kurds upon the Turkmens resulted in mass Arabization and Kurdification.
After the US invasion of Iraq in 2003, the Kurdish desires have been increased to include all of Northern Iraq into Kurdistan. This endless appetite have lead to violating and confiscating the rights of the Turkmens and other minorities and as well as strong intimidation between the two peoples of the North.
Although the Kurds constitute only 17-18% of the population of Iraq, currently they have more rights than their size.
The President, the Deputy Prime Minister, the Foreign Minister, the Chief of Staff of the Army, the Chief of the Military Intelligence, and many important ministries are Kurdish in the Central Government. The army and police force in the North is mostly made up of Peshmergas.Whereas the Turkmens are 12-13% of the population and have only one symbolic ministry of Youth and Sports. They do not have militias or autonomy.
Since 2003 the Kurds have been trying to include Kerkuk officially into their Kurdistan through a referendum that they are sure of winning.
For that purpose, they settled 600.000 Kurdish emigrants from Iran, Syria and other parts of Northern Iraq in Kerkuk, changing the demographics of the city from 750.000 on April 2003 to 1.35 million nowadays.
The same situation is happening in Tuz, Altun Kopru and other Turkmen towns.
The Solution
The best solution is to bring JUSTICE, EQUALITY and BALANCE between the minorities of Iraq.
The Kurds are given the rights of Federalism, Autonomy, a Separate Army and Police, a Share from the National Treasury and Partnership in the Central Government.
The Turkmens should get the same rights so that Justice, Equality and Balance is established.
Actions
The following actions must be taken in order to reach this solution:
1- Withdrawal of the Kurdish Militias (Peshmergas and Asayish) from Turkmeneli – the Turkmen areas of Northern Iraq.
2- Formation of the Turkmen security forces to act in their own zones.
3- Reversal of the Arabization and Kurdification processes which resulted in mass ethnic settlements in Kerkuk, Musul and Diyala provinces.
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