samedi 28 février 2015

IRAQ's MINORITIES BEING ERADICATED BY ISIS - report of consortium of NGOs

Launch of "Between the Millstones: Iraq's Minorities Since the Fall of Mosul"A report of a consortium of NGOs   

(Minority Rights Group, Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization, No Peace Without Justice and Institute for International Law and Human Rights).

Brussels, 27th February 2015.

Since June 2014, the rapid spread of ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and al Sham) forces across northern Iraq has triggered a wave of displacement, with more than 2 million people uprooted.  Ethnic and religious minorities have been particularly targeted, including Turkmens, Christians, Yezidis, Kaka'is, and Shabaks, with thousands killed and many more injured or abducted.


Alison Smith, NPWJ; Johanna Green, UNPO; Mays Al-Juboori, MRG; William Spencer, HLHR


William Spencer, Institute for International Law and Human Rights and
Dr Hassan Aydinli, Iraqi Turkmen Front (ITF) EU Representative


Marino Busdachin, General Secretary of  UNPO and
Dr Hassan Aydinli, Iraqi Turkmen Front EU Representative.

Minority communities in Iraq have been targeted by the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) in a systematic strategy to remove them permanently from large areas of Iraq, warns a group of human rights organizations in their new report.

"Between the Millstones: Iraq's Minorities Since the Fall of Mosul" provides critical information on the legal basis for war crimes prosecutions.

According to the report, the Iraqi government lacks a legal framework to address the rights and entitlements of the displaced people, it should clarify its role and responsibilities.

The Iraqi government and the Kurdish Regional Government should investigate and prosecute corruption in the delivery and acquisition of humanitarian aid and make sure that humanitarian aid is fairly divided among the displaced people.

The Iraqi government should provide urgent assistance to the humanitarian effort and resettle minorities who have been displaced.

Summary executions, forced conversion, rape, sexual enslavement, the destruction of places of worship, the abduction of children, the looting of property and other severe human rights abuses and crimes under international law have been committed repeatedly by ISIS.  While minorities have long been vulnerable to attacks by extremists, this violence appears to be part of a systematic strategy to remove these communities permanently from areas where they have lived for centuries.

For these groups to have a future in the country, Iraqi and Kurdish authorities, the international community and other stakeholders must work together not only to ensure their immediate security, but also take steps through comprehensive legal and social reform to bring an end to their long-standing marginalization and prevent further abuses.

All IDPs are suffering especially minority women.

Regarding the TURKMENS, the report states that prior to June 2014, Turkmens were intimidated by Kurdish and Central government authorities, as well as by extra-judicial militias, on religious and ethnic grounds as well as for the presence in the 'disputed territories'. More recently, Shi'a Turkmens have been summarily executed by ISIS fighters.

The reports also states that Iraq's Turkmen community has strong support from Turkmen diaspora organizations such as the Europe-Turkmen Friendships and other groups.

Concerning TURKMEN SITES, the report says:

As ISIS forces swept through Tal Afar and the surrounding areas in June and July 2014, numerous Turkmen mosques, shrines and religious and cultural sites were destroyed or desecrated, including Shi'a mosques in the villages of hardaghli, Brauchli and Qaranaz, all of which until recently had a large Turkmen population.  ISIS forces also destroyed the shrine of Arnaour and the Shi'a mosques of Husseiniyh al-Qubba, Husseiniyh Jawad, Husseiniyh Kaddo, Husseiniyh Muslim Bin-Aqeel and Husseiniyh Askar-Mullah in Tal Afar. The largest and oldest library in the Tal Afar district was also blown up - a huge blow to the Turkmen population. Another library in the Diyala governorate, with some 1,500 Islamic historical texts and stories, was reportedly burnt to the ground by ISIS forces.

In Mosul the tomb of Ibn al-Athir was destroyed, and the shrine of Imam al-Abbas in al-Qubba village and three Shi'a mosquess were set ablaze by ISIS militants in the village of Al-Sharikhan. ISIS forces reportedly used bulldozers in the Turkmnn town of al-Mahlabia to destroy the shrines of Sheikh Ibrahim and the shrine and tomb of the Sufi Sheikh Ahmed Rifa'i.

Shi'a mosques and other sites of religious significance were reportedly set on fire by ISIS forces in the Turkmen towns of Qubba and Qubbek, in Tal Afar district.

Several important Sunni shrines were also reportedly destroyed in Mosul and Kirkuk, including the shrine of Sufi Salih, in addition to some Kaka'i shrines. Two Shi'a shrines in Sinjar - Sayida Zainab and Saiyed Zakariya - were also destroyed, as well as the Shi'a holy shrine of Imam Ridha in Tiskhrab village.

In the Tukmen village of Chardaghli, a Sunni mosque was destroyed along with three Shi'a mosques. In the Turkmen village of Staeh, Sunni and Shi'a mosques as well as Yezidi religious shrines were destroyed.

The report also mentions the Denial of Entry issue that minority communities have experienced from certain areas of Iraq, particularly by Kurdish forces. The KRG has been criticized by numerous human rights activists for applying discriminatory rules based on ethnicity and religion, with Assyrians, Kurds and Yezidis typically being permitted to enter the Iraqi Kurdish region, while Iraqi Turkmen and Shi'a and Sunni Arabs have been denied access.

Regarding Employment and Education, the report states that though children have the right to be educate in their mother tongue under the Iraqi Constitution of 2005, this has not been respected.
In the Iraqi Kurdish Region minority groups are pressured to be educated in Kurdish and fincancial incentives are used to promote the language. Provision of education in the children's native tongue is also under-resourced in Iraq: many Turkmen communities, for example, have struggled to access education in their own language. 

On the Sexual and gender-base violence, the report says:
There have been numerous reports of sexual abuse, rape, abductions, enslavement and other violations of a sexual nature perpetrated by ISIS militants on women and children across Iraq.
In many cases, sexual violence has been used as a tool of terror and coercion. In one incident on 12-13 June 2014, ISIS forces reportedly raped and killed at least nine women and girls as young as 12 years old in the Turkmen town of BESHIR. The bodies of the women were then stripped naked and hung from lamp posts and water tanks around the town. 

The report also says that some Turkmen and Yezidi children left by ISIS forces in an orphanage in Mosul showed signs of being physically and sexually assaulted.

While Yezidi women have been especially targeted, at least several hundred Shi'a women, mostly Turkmen, have also been kidnapped and sold into sexual slavery by ISIS, as well as Christian women.

Finally the report makes several recommendations to the Federal Government of Iraq, to the Kurdish Regional Government and to the International Community, to prevent further abuses and for the Restoration and Reconciliation.

PLEASE SEE:

http://unpo.org/downloads/1271.pdf

http://unpo.org/article/17993





vendredi 27 février 2015

Turkmens of Iraq: The Third Ethnic Component of Iraq


Turkmens of Iraq: The Third Ethnic Component of Iraq

Author: Mr. Zahid Jihad Albayati, Member of Iraqi Writers Union & Dr. Elham MA Albayati, Writer Date: Feb 06, 2015 Research/Policy Papers

Turkmens of Iraq: The Third Ethnic Component of Iraq
I. Introduction

Turkmens are the third largest ethnic group in Iraq after Arabs and Kurds. Today, the Iraqi Turkmen population is estimated to be at around 2.5-3 million, taking into account all available estimates of towns and townships that they live in. They may constitute around 10% of the population, however previous sources provided estimates such as 14%-16% of the Iraqi population.[1] Turkmens speak the Turkmen language which is one of the Turkish languages similar to the Azerbaijani language (Azeri Turkish). Turkmens of Iraq have been settled in Iraq before the Ottoman Empire in 1516 A.D. In general terms, 60% Iraqi Turkmens are Sunni whereas 40% of them are Shia Muslims. In addition, there are Christian Turkmens living in Kirkuk (Gala Kawar).

Turkmens in the modern Iraqi history have been undergoing decades of assimilation campaigns in Iraq –often, in a more brutal fashion than the one carried out against Kurds.
II. Origin of Turkmens

Most people link the presence of Turkmens in Iraq to Ottoman Empire. However, Turkmens have been in Iraq much earlier than the Ottomans. There is a research indicating that the Sumerians who moved from central Asia in 5000 B.C. and settled around the river Tigris, were originally ancestors of Turkmens. This argument is based on some similarities found between Sumerian and Turkish language, as there are around 600 words similar to each other in both languages. There have also been similarities such as the shape of their skulls between Mongolian Turks and Sumerians.

The historian Abbas Al Azwai in his book “Iraqi History between Two Occupations”, writes that Turkmens came from Turkmenistan, lived in Khurasan (Iran) and migrated from there to various parts of the world. The Russian historian, Bartold, in his book “History of Turk in Central Asia” claimed that they were three groups of nations: Akaz, Al Karlok, Al Tokaz or Alguz. They lived in the land extending from the Kazar Sea to China border and formed two biggest Empires in the history of Seljuk and Ottoman Empires. They moved to Iraq during different periods of Islamic invasion or in more specific terms during the caliphate of Omar Al Kattab. Others claim that 2,000 Turkmen fighters came to Iraq during the Ammuyiat period, subsequently more people came during the Abbasid period. They formed six Turkmen countries over 900 years. They lived in harmony with Arabs and other people in their lands.

According to the Encyclopedia Britannica, the name Turkmen is a synonym of Oguz, which includes all Turkish population that lives in the southwestern Central Asia. This includes the Turkish population of Turkey, Republic of Azerbaijan, Azerbaijan of Iran, Turkmenistan and other countries (i.e., Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Greece, Cyprus, Bulgaria, Yugoslavia and other European countries). In the Turkish language, men/man means powerful, magnificent, pure or original; so Turkmen in Turkish means a pure/original Turk. Also, others stated that Turkmen means Turkish man or Turkish fighter.

Turkmens of Iraq have established several Turkmen states in Iraq, such as Seljuk Empire (1118-1194), Dynasty of Mosul Atabekians (1127-1233), Dynasty of Erbil Atabekians (1144-1209), Turkmen Dynasty in Kirkuk (1230), State of Kara Koyunlu (1411-1470) and State of Ak Koyunlu (1470-1508).

To summarize, Turkmens are the descendants of those Oguz tribes who originally came from Central Asia. As stated by the El-Maroozi, the Oguz were divided into two main branches. The first branch settled in the cities; the second branches which settled in plain grasslands, and the Oguz tribes who converted to Islam were called Turkmen.

Turkmens did not leave their ancestral lands in one massive migration. However, they departed their land in successive waves over a long period and eventually settled in the Middle East.[2]
III. Population of Turkmens

Some sources generously estimate that Turkmens consist of up to 16% of the Iraqi population, and others estimate 10% of the Iraqi population. If the current Iraqi population is 35 million, this means that Turkmen population would be more than 3 million (see Figure 1).

There is no accurate census about the number of Turkmens in Iraq. In recent years, there are only estimates for various reasons: Turkmens have been subject to systematic assimilation and deliberate displacement over decades for ethnic cleansing. For instance, they had been displaced from their lands where they had been living for hundreds of years.

During Saddam’s ruling period, between 1970 and 2003, many Turkmen people were forced to change their identity and ethnicity and to become Arab. Turkmens had no right to build up or own a land in Kirkuk unless they changed their identity and they became Arab. In addition, Turkmen citizens were forced by the official channels (The Ministry of Planning) and were being paid as little as 500 Iraqi dinars (equal to ¼ USA dollars) to do so. They were allowed to sell their lands, but not to buy.

Arabs were given free grants and lands to come to live in Kirkuk in order to change the demographic nature of the city.

After Saddam’s ruling period in 2003, the situation of Turkmens has not been better off, with many feeling that the post-Saddam period is worse under Kurdish control; when Kurds took control of Kirkuk, all the government buildings, empty houses as well as the military campuses, were turned into houses for Kurdish families which were also brought illegally to change the demographics of the city. This was done in a very speedy way.

There were thousands of disputed lands and assets confiscated from Turkmen citizens during the Ba’ath regime, which have not been returned back to their original owners, in Tal Afar, Erbil, Mosul, Kirkuk, Yayachi, Tassain, Turklan, Taza, Tuzkhormatu and many other Turkmen towns and villages.


IV. Language of Turkmens

The main spoken language in Turkmen Eli (Turkmen homeland) is a Turkmen dialect. This is a part of the Western Turkish language group that also includes Turkish spoken in Turkey, Cyprus, the Balkans, Iranian Azerbaijan (south) and Republic of Azerbaijan (north), northern Syria, Iran, Turkmenistan and southern Turkistan (northern Afghanistan). The Turkmen language, with its various accents, is closer to the Turkish spoken language in both Azerbaijan (Republic of Azerbaijan, Azerbaijan of Iran) and Urfa in southeastern Turkey rather than the Turkmen language in the Republic of Turkmenistan.[3]

Spoken language is the foundation of Iraqi Turkmen culture, folk literature, group identity, ethnic consciousness and world outlook. The spoken mother tongue is naturally passed on to new generations and this, naturally, creates a strong bond uniting the Turkish-speaking peoples of Iraq. However, there is a group of Turkmen called Christian Turkmen of Kirkuk Castle “Kala Gaweri”, which has, for centuries, lived in Kirkuk among Turkmens. They have their own script, bible and mourning songs. However, all these activities are practiced in the Turkmen language.

Unfortunately, compulsory education in Arabic has led to the weakening and deterioration of the spoken Turkish from generation to generation. In fact, the older generation with no formal education speaks relatively pure and more correct Turkish.

Formal written Turkish is the second major source of the Turkish language in Iraq. Local dialects have not found their place in written literature. Turkmens have adopted formal Anatolian Turkish as the written language. Up until the 16th Century, the literary works of Turkmens were written in Azeri dialect, but from the second half of that century onwards, the written literature of Turkmens came under influence of the rising Ottoman language, a western Turkish dialect. However, after the First World War with the separation of Turkey, Turkmens have continued with their preference of Anatolian Turkish by using Arabic letters.
V. Geographical Location of Turkmens

For centuries, Turkmen territories were considered as a buffer zone separating Arabs from Kurds. Cultural, social, religious, economic and political factors have considerably influenced the relations and distribution of the population of Turkmens in the area. The Turkmens of Iraq are mainly merchants, manual labourers and professionals.

Turkmens are concentrated mainly in the northern and central regions of Iraq. This is a diagonal strip of land stretching from Telfar at the north Syrian border to Diayla in the middle part of Iraq.[4]

In this region, there are several major cities and some smaller districts, where Turkmens are living. These are mainly four provinces of Iraq; Erbil, Kirkuk, Saladin and Diyala. In addition to these, historically Turkmen-populated areas have encompassed Telfar; the towns and villages around Mosul such as Al Rashadiya, Shierkan, Nabi Yunis; villages of Shabak around Erbil, Kupery, Kirkuk city, Tassain, Tazakurmatoo, Dakook (Taook), Bashir, Tuzkhormatu, Amerli, Bastamali, Yengaja, Brawachilli, Karanaz, Shasewan, and many other villages around Amerli, Kifri, Karatappa, Karaghan (Jalwalaa), Sharaban (Magdadia), Kizilarbatt (Alsayadia), Kanakeen, Mandeli, Kazania.

An estimate of ¼ million Turkmen lives in the capital city Baghdad too; in Ragiba Katoon, Al Fathal, Al Aathamia, Alsalyiagh, Kanbar Ali, Hay Adan, Zyuna, Hay Oor, Alsahab city and in other places of Al karagh part of Baghdad.

There are Turkmens in other middle and southern part of Iraq as well, from Albayat, Alkarghol, Alsalahi, Al Amerli, and Alatragchji, settled in Babal, Al Messan, Karbala and Basra.

Turkmens, are known as a community greatly attached to their national consciousness, tradition and religion.
VI. Turkmen Families and their Social Life

There are some similarities between Turkmen society and Arabic and also Kurdish societies.

In the rural areas, it is mostly tribal, where people and head of families will be loyal to their head of the tribe. You find out that the family will be proud of their origins and they are using their tribal titles and families’ name, –some of the names may come from their grandfathers or great grandfathers’ names. There are some positive aspects for such allegiances, where the families will be competing for various economic, social and political affairs. However, there are some negative aspects such that they have to be adherent to their cultural rules such as paying a ransom or using these tribes as a means of gaining political or economic gain. Unfortunately, this issue has been recently used and also during the Ba’ath era to gain political seats in parliament.

Turkmen people living in urban parts and cities are more loyal to their families than to their tribes. In recent days, this issue may have contributed to Turkmens’ losing in the elections and failure of a fairer representation.

Turkmens appear to be weak in such gains, as they have been divided amongst themselves, between, religious groups, some being Sunni and others Shia, and some being secular against being Islamic, while others being with the extremist versus moderate groups. Some are nationalist and others are loyal to Turkey. All above issues have caused significant damages to the whole of Turkmen society in the recent political climate of the new Iraqi political system.

Another reason that Turkmen have been less represented is that Turkmens have lived in harmony with other groups such as Arabs, Kurds and Christians, Shabaks, Yazidis in Mosul province and in the past with Jewish community. Turkmen people accepted the intermarriage between themselves and other communities which may have led to further underrepresentation as well.
VII. Turkmens Living in Harmony with Other Iraqi Ethnic Groups

There are, until today, Christian Turkmens who live in Kirkuk old Castle (Kirkuk Kala). Turkmens have lived in harmony with Jewish people, especially before 1948, as since then, most of them have left Iraq for Israel. Turkmens were and are easy to mix with and live in harmony with Arabs and Kurds, through intermarriages happening between Sunni and Shia as well as with other ethnic groups.

The old religions of the Turkmen were Al Shamaniya, Judaism, Buddhism and Zaradishet, but Turkmens converted to Islam after Islamic forces’ conquest of central.[5]

The majority of Turkmens are Muslims and threy are divided into two Muslim faiths: Shiite and Sunni. In addition, there are about 30,000 Christian “catholic” Turks living in Iraq. They are called the Kala Gaweri.

These two Turkmen Muslim and Christian sects helped Turkmens to be more dynamic in the Iraqi society. They facilitated mixed marriages with Arabs and Kurds; therefore, there are a large number of Arab tribes who have originated from Turkmen, such as Albayati. There is no difference at all between the Sunni and Shiite Turkmens regarding the dialogue, language or culture. Intermarriage between the Shiite and Sunni Turkmen is very common. However, some Kurdish militias are trying to utilize various methods to divide the Turkmen community by carrying out a policy of divide and conquer.
VIII. Turkmens’ Contributions for Building up Iraqi Society

There are many well-announced Turkmen scholars who contributed to various fields of education, culture, academia, military and medical for building up Iraqi civilization in the recent history of Iraq.

Professor Mustafa Jawad, Dr. Ihsan Aldogramachi , who was the ambassador of UNICEF, lived in Turkey and refused to be Turkish President. Dr. Salam Al Dogramachi was one of the leading professors in pediatric oncology and hematology in Iraq for many years.

Turkmens gave birth to two well-known poets, like Fazooly Al Baghdadi who has been buried in the Imam Hussain’s Mosque in Karbala.

Dr. Sinnan Saeed was one of the first PhD scholars in media studies, who first put the corner stone of Iraqi media in Baghdad University in 1975.

Dr. Ibrahim Al Dakookly wrote the first letter in Al Aalam in Arab world, 1972, he produced weekly newspaper, and first news journal about role of Media in Arab world.
IX. Modern History of the Iraqi Turkmens

Many considered the maintenance of Iraq’s territorial integrity as a critical issue due to the knowledge of the country’s enormous ethnic and religious diversity. One must also take into account the aspirations of these groups and the problems they are facing now. For better understanding, this historical period will be divided into four stages.[6]

1. Post-Ottoman Empire (1924-1958)

Over the twentieth century, and until now, Turkmens have been subject to many atrocities and programed aggressions, starting with the massacre of 1924 in Kirkuk, to Kwar Baghi events in 1946, and the massacre of 1959.

Under the Iraqi constitution of 1925, both Turkmens and Kurds had the right to use their own languages in schools, government offices and press.

It is stated in the Royal Constitution, which was valid until 1958, that the Iraqi State consisted of Arabs, Kurds, Turkmens and other minorities.

According to Article 14 of the same constitution, Turks, like other minorities, were also entitled to receive an education in their own language and to be in charge of their own educational institutions. In fact, until the proclamation of the republic, various constitutional amendments did not cause ethnic or political discrimination.

The military coup of 1958, that toppled the monarchy, brought a glimpse of hope for Turkmens at first when they heard radio announcements by coup leader General Abdul-Kerim Qasim and his deputy General Abdul-Salam Arif that Iraq was made up of three main ethnic groups: Arab, Kurd and Turkmen. Turkmens interpreted these statements as the end of the suppression. However, happy days did not last long.

2. Post-Monarchy (1958-1970)

As a result of the general amnesty, once Kurdish leader Mullah Mustafa Barzani returned from the Soviet Union, he started negotiations for an autonomous Kurdish region. This has increased the tension in the region and, as the result of this incitement, for the first time in history, clashes between Turkmens and Kurds took place with heavy casualties. When the new regime decided to steer a policy independent of other influential Arab states, the Communist Party and Kurds gained favour with the political ascendancy, and, soon afterwards, Turkmens in Kirkuk were attacked on the false pretext that they helped the Mosul resistance.

On 14th July, 1959, Kirkuk was put under curfew and its population slaughtered by Communists and Kurds. When 25 innocent Turkmen civilians were killed and 130 people were injured in day light in streets of Kirkuk, this was known to be one of the city’s most brutal moments in history.

This massacre was totally disregarded by the world that turned a blind eye to it. It was only after this massacre that the Communist Kurds became so bold as to ask for the inclusion of Kirkuk in their autonomous region under negotiations. Attempts by the Iraqi government to restrict the operations of foreign oil companies and its threats towards Kuwait’s oil put it at loggerheads with other Arab countries and Great Britain.

The ensuing era of General Abdul- Salam Arif (1963-1967) was one of the best periods for the Turkmens in Iraq. Turkmens were allowed to operate cultural associations and schools, publish magazines and newspapers in the Latin characters of Turkish, and get some posts in government. They demonstrated excellently that as citizens of Iraq, they could work for their country and live in cooperation with other Iraqis.

3. Arabization Period (1970-2003)

Then, the Ba’ath party rule, commencing in 1968, opened one of the darkest chapters in Turkmen history. The Ba’ath party forced people to sign petitions asking for the closure of Turkish language schools, and to appoint Arab administrators in Turkmen areas. Boycotts by Turkmens were suppressed in a bloody means.

Many Turkmen traders and professionals were captured and imprisoned. In early 1970, Mr. Mohammad Salah, who was the Head of Kirkuk Trade Union was the first Iraqi executed by Ba’ath rulers together with many Turkmen intellects and human rights activists.

In 1971, the Artist Hussain Ali Damerchi was killed along with many students, teachers, and professionals after peaceful demonstration, as the Turkmen speaking schools were abolished and all Turkmen rights were cancelled after only a year of having been issued.

In November 1979, four of most influential Turkmen people were captured: Dr. Najidat Kojak, Professor in Engineering College of Baghdad University; Abdullah Abdul Al Rahman, who was a retired general, who was the chair of Turkmen Brotherhood Club; Professor Raza Damerchi, the Chief Director of Forests, in Iraqi Agriculture Ministry and the well-known trade man, Adaal Sherif. They were subject of worst physical abuse and torture and later in January 1980, they were killed without even charging them with any criminal charges or court proceedings.

The 1980s saw the execution of countless Turkmen leaders and elders who were, often falsely, accused of spying for Turkey or Iran. During the Iran-Iraq war, dozens of Turkmen villages were totally bulldozed to the ground. Many young Turkmen people (from the Shia community) were captured, they disappeared from Telfar, Kirkuk, Tasseen, Bashir, Dakook, Tuzkhormatu, Tazakurmatoo, Amerli, Quratappa, Kifiri, Kanakeen, Mandeli, Kazania, Baghdad. Some were accused of being part of Islamic movements and of being loyal to Iran and others accused of being loyal to Turkish government.

Mr. Aziz Alsamanji in his book published in 1999 in London, “The political history of Turkmen of Iraq”, a list of 283 Turkmen people were executed by Saddam’s regime between 1980-1990.[7] Furthermore, he published another list of 75 Turkmens who were killed by shooting in the uprising of 28th of March 1991. All of those people were professionals, university students and other served in the military services. He documented a further list of 103 Turkmens who were imprisoned, and another 13 people who disappeared and never returned to the families.

Mofak Salman wrote in his book, that the Turkmen Cultural Directorate that was set up by the government to bring Turkmens under strict control was not working according to the government plans.[8] Therefore, the Iraqi government started a new strategy to replace all Turkmen teachers with Arab teachers; they also sent all Turkmen teachers to non-Turkmen areas. An all-out assimilation campaign against Turkmens was unleashed. Young Turkmen people holding university degrees were given jobs in non-Turkmen areas. Arabs were encouraged to settle in Turkmen areas with rewards of 15,000 Iraqi Dinars to each person. Those Arabs who bought farmlands were offered an extra reward ranging between 7,000 and 10,000 Dinars (approximately $30,000), and the lands confiscated from Turkmens under various pretexts, were given to Arabs.

Young Arab men were encouraged to marry Turkmen girls with offers of 10,000 Iraqi Dinars. All this was designed to change the demographic balance of the Turkmen-dominated region, with its capital city Kirkuk.

This was followed by government decrees that changed Kirkuk’s name to that of Al-Tamim and also changed its administrative borders, taking other Turkmen towns like Tuzkhormatu and Kifri from Kirkuk to other provinces.

Subsequently, the Ba’ath government banned the use of the Turkmen language in public. Religious leaders who did not speak Arabic, were forced to deliver sermons in Arabic, and when they failed to, they were executed.

While the Islamic Union of Iraqi Turkmens, in their well-documented book, published in detail, the name of 432 Turkmen people, who were executed and assassinated by Saddam’s regime between 1979-1991.[9]

The Chief of Iraqi Revolution, said to the retired General Abdul Hussain Mula Ibrahim originally from Tuzkhormatu, when he read his execution order, that he should be hanged and killed twice, once for being Turkmen and second time for being Shia. However, Abdul Hussain could not tolerate the brutality and passed away from the torture.

Turkmens have been severely intimidated into silence, and they have been waiting helplessly, not knowing what to do. Here, I would like to mention the 1987 national census in Iraq, as it is relevant to a number of ethnic groups. In this census, Turkmens were openly threatened to declare themselves as either Arabs or Kurds. If they declared themselves as Turkmens, they would be deported to Saudi.

As a result of Erbil events in 31th August 1996, many Turkmens were captured, and on 2ndSeptember 1996, 25 Turkmen citizens were executed.[10]

The decomposition of the Iraqi Turkmens was an Iraqi policy inherited from one government to the subsequent one. The aim was to remove Turkmens from the oil-rich northern region and to disperse them to the south of Iraq.

4. Targeting Turkmens after 2003 (Kurdization)

After 2003, Shiite Turkmens have been a target of systematic terror attacks in various ways, although the attack seems mainly on Shiite Turkmens, however Sunni Turkmens also had their own share as people are mixed together, living next to each other and married to each other. All Turkmen areas indiscriminately had many attacks from Telfar, Erbil, Mosul, Kirkuk, especially Tassin area, Bashir, Taza, Tuzkhormatu, and Amerli.[11] These are some example of atrocities but not the exhausted list of all the attacks.

4.1. Kirkuk

From 2003 onwards, the Iraqi Turkmens have continued to be subjected to targeted campaigns of intimidation, assimilation, kidnapping, threatening and land confiscation practices, which have resulted in wide-scale emigration. Moreover, Turkmen political actors are often targeted based on their ethnicity, religion and political opinion. In 2011, e.g., the headquarters of the Iraqi Turkmen Front in Kirkuk were completely demolished by explosives. Many university students, scholars, lectures were attacked and killed.

Many Turkmen doctors and professionals were target of killing and kidnapping, almost all of them received letters asking them to leave or pay a ransom. It is estimated that Turkmens paid more than 50 million US dollars until today many medical colleagues left as result of such indiscriminate threats.[12] Indeed many young doctors and university graduates left to other parts of Iraq if not to Turkey or elsewhere in the world.

A report from Iraqi Turkmen Doctors Association reported that Turkmen medical sector specifically, were a target for abductions, kidnapping and assassinations in Kirkuk to drain the city from their minds and intellect. They listed 46, most of whom were Turkmen doctors from Kirkuk alone, who were kidnapped and ransomed for $10,000-50,000 for their release; some of whom were killed and others left the city for good.[13]

In Kirkuk, 95% of the terror attacks targeted Turkmens, Turkmen neighborhoods left no protection despite the heavily presences of security forces which are protecting non-Turkmen neighbourhoods like Kurdish residential areas, and this is exactly what is happening and happened in Tuzkurmatu town.

4.2. Telfar

On 9th of September 2004 and 5th September 2005, Telfar was attacked by tanks, helicopters, soldiers, leaving 1,350 dead people and 2,650 injured, including many children, women and elderlies. During this period more than 48,000 families were displaced from Telfar.

While Telfar was a site of daily attacks of car bombs, kidnapping, killing by various methods, on 9th of July 2009 two suicide bombers killed themselves in the middle of the town, killing more than 34 people and injured hundreds with many houses and belongings were destroyed.

4.3. Tazakhormatu

It is located 20 km south of Kirkuk and it had its own share from terror attacks, on 20th of July 2009, a large explosion of a trailer in the middle of busy market similar to Amerli attack, killed 82 persons and injured 228 people and many shops, and more than 80 houses were collapsed.

4.4. Tuzkhormatu

Countless Turkmen people from Tuzkhormatu were killed and targeted by various terrorist attacks, from kidnapping, road side bombs, car bombs, suicide bombers, head hunting and targeted explosions of their houses and neighborhoods. Explosion of Mosques, worship places like Hussinyia, even nurseries and primary schools and high schools were targets, killing innocent children and people regardless. All these attacks were mainly in the streets of Turkmen neighbourhood.

In January 2013, a suicide bomber exploded himself in the middle of gathering of funeral, killed more than 42 people and injured more than 70 people.

13th of June another deadly suicide bomber attack on peaceful demonstration in Tuzkurmatu killed the Iraqi Turkmen Front Vice president Ali Hashim Mukhtar Oglu with other 13 TurkmenS prominent people and injured more than 30 people.

July 2013, a massive car bomb exploded in 5 a.m. while people sleeping in their beds, in a Turkmen neighbourhood, killed 12 people, children, elderly and young people regardless and more than 20 houses were destroyed with more than 50 people who got injured.

More than 1,500 Turkmen people killed in Tuz, and more than 1,000 houses were destroyed and more than thousands of families were forced to leave their homeland and to move to the south especially to Karbala and Baghdad as they were being fearful of their lives.

It was reported that, between January 2013 and August 2013; “Three hundred attacks took place in the province of Kirkuk”, with “Two hundred seventy attacks” were in Salah al-Din, mainly in Tuzkhurmatu.

4.5. Amerli

A small district located 20 km south of Tuzkhurmatu, which is 80 km south of Kirkuk city. In July 2007, Amerli was subject to a deadly trailer bomb explosion in the middle of a busy market where 160 civilians were killed, more than 300 people were wounded and more than 100 were destroyed. The attack left behind many widowed, orphaned and disabled children and adults. Since then many young people and professionals were targets for deliberate killing on their way to work between Amerli, Tikirit and Kirkuk .
X. Recent Atrocities against Turkmens by Islamic State of Iraq and Sham (ISIS)

Moreover, the recent rapid rise of the ISIS in Iraq has left the state in chaos and its minorities extremely vulnerable, of which in particular Turkmens and Assyrians, as they do not have their own security forces. Reportedly, on 15th June 2014, ISIS fighters took over Telfar, which is mostly populated by Turkmens. In total, 100 people were killed and 200.000 people are estimated to have fled Telfar according to Human Rights Watch.[14] ISIS forces kidnapped at least 40 Shiite Turkmens and ordered 950 Shiite Turkmen families to leave the villages of Guba and Shireekhan. Many more than 100 Turkmen families were forced from Al Rashidyia village, and other Turkmen villages around Mosul (UN Report, 2014). In another report, an estimate of 350,000 Turkmen people from Telfar were displaced.

Bashir a district located at southwest of Kirkuk city, is one of the Shiite Turkmen villages, which were destroyed when Saddam forced their habitants to leave, confiscated their lands, killed many youth and imprisoned others. After 2003, many orders from central government were dismissed and local Arab tribes who took over Bashir lands refused to leave.

On 12th and 13th of June 2014, ISIS terrorists attacked Bashir civilians, kidnapping, killing, abducting, raping children and women. Mosques and worship places were destroyed, 59 people, including three children and women were killed. Little girls and young women were raped and then killed and their corpses were hung from the lamp posts. Around 1000 families fled from Bashir.

Macro Babille; the United Nations children’s fund representative in Iraq, said; that “ISIS militants have massacred 700 Turkmen civilians, including women, children and the elderly, in a northern Iraqi village, Bashir between July 11 and 12”.

Brawachilli and many other villages around Amerli were attacked, people were killed indiscriminately including, sick, children, women and elderly, some people managed to escape their villages by leaving behind the most vulnerable to be abused and killed. Their houses, mosques, lands and livestock were destroyed.

Amerli was under siege for 80 days (17/06/2014-31/08/14) under harsh inhumane conditions, with food, water and electricity supplies were cut off. 20,000 people were under daily attacks. More than 50 children, along of 10 new born babies lost their lives in one day as result of lack of milk and nutrition, more than 100 people were, perished as result of the siege and daily attacks.

Michael Knights is a Boston-based Lafer fellow of the Washington Institute, in his article (Iraq’s City of Orphans), urged US government to rescue Amerli people and argued why the international communities ignored thousands more Iraqi communities of Amerli.

Michael stated in his article that saving Iraqi Turkmens is a Win-Win-Win. A U.S.-backed effort to save besieged Iraqi Turkmens in the Tuzkhurmatu district could bring Baghdad, the Kurds, and Turkey into a joint fight against the ongoing jihadist offensive.[15]

Ayatullah Ali Sistani, Shiite Muslims’ most influential scholar, said through his representative, Abd al-Mehdi al-Karbalai that “we appeal to the relevant sides to work sincerely in breaking the siege. [We also call for] saving the brave town’s citizens from the dangers of the terrorists”. Ayatullah Sistani added, “the speeding up of the air delivery of food to the people of Amerli is a top priority”.[16]

The people of Amerli, with their determination, defeated ISIS by defending themselves with the help of Iraqi coalitions from various groups and Kurdish Peshermega as well as with the help of international communities from the USA, and other Western countries.

The American help to save Amerli came very late, which left some doubts in the minds of many Turkmens as to the intentions of America in supporting Turkmens in their struggle.

Amerli was the first town in Iraq stood bravely against the atrocities of ISIS. As Mr. Knight predicted that Iraqis with its various fractions including Kurds came together to defend and fight against the evil ISIS. However, the Turkish government was no longer interested in helping Turkmens any more for reasons out of scope of this review.

Reports from Turkmen Front, human right office in London, June 2014 and from Beladi Strategic Center, said that “the human misery and severe human suffering continue in the Turkmen towns and cities after the invasion of the ISIS, especially in Telfar, Shirghan, Qura Quyan, Bashir, Tazakurmatu, Tuzkurmatu, as well as Al Bayat villages and towns around Tuzkurmatu in Salahadin, other villages and towns around Mosul, Al Sa’dia district and other villages in Diyala province”.[17]

The above communities have suffered from killings via car bombs, suicide bombers, road side bomb explosions as well explosions of their houses by various means prior to the above events. Many loved ones have been killed, and hundreds disabled, leaving behind numerous widows, and orphans, let alone the daily mental anguish and fear of what will happen next. However, these atrocities have not affected Turkmens alone, but later others; Christians and Yazidi ethnic minorities, Shabak and Kurd Shia Faili were targeted as well.[18]
XI. Conclusion

The Iraqi Turkmens have suffered immensely from intimidation by the central government, Kurds and extrajudicial militia groups for religious and ethnic reasons, ‘Arabization’ assimilation policies during the Saddam Hussein regime, and the “Kurdization” policy after 2003.

Since 2003, various groups, including extrajudicial militia, have targeted Turkmens via car bombings, assassinations, kidnappings, arbitrary arrests, harassment and torture, with impunity and torture.

The most recent events by ISIS attacks on Turkmens did not come as a surprise; it is an extension of decades of assimilations, intimidations by Arabs and Kurds, in order to forcefully displace them from their motherland where they had been living for centuries.

The official combination of the assimilation policy and the decomposition policy was successfully played out for years, but assimilation and decomposition would not have been enough to erase or eradicate Turkmens and the languages of the Iraqi Turkmens.

There is no evident sign that official Turkish positions on the Iraqi Turkmens will change. However, changes to improve the present conditions and to solve the Iraqi Turkmen problems within the Iraqi sovereignty may be timely, especially with a view to the Kurdish Spring in northern Iraq. The Kurdish Spring encouraged by the United States, the European Union, Russia and others needs to be emulated by the Iraqi Turkmens who cannot afford to be isolated from northern Iraq geographically or politically, and, least of all, economically.

It is very clear that various policy makers of Western countries calling to divide Iraq into three states of: Arab Shias in the south, Kurds in the north and Sunnis in the west, ignoring the human rights and existence of the original Turkmen people in this land and other ethnic minorities. However, Turkmens should not be seen as a danger to Iraqi sovereignty but as a credit to strengthen Iraqi stability and as a part of the big mosaic of Iraqi unity. The Iraqi government must guarantee human rights for all citizens, regardless of ethnicity, and reach an agreement about these issues, with representation from Kurds, Turkmens and Arabs. They should present a regional security plan in which the Turkmens are given a role to play. The second stipulation concerning Turkmens is that the world should be reminded of Turkmens’ presence in Iraq. Baghdad should be aware of this presence, and it should be noted that providing certain rights and guarantees to Turkmens would contribute to the ending of the division of the country.

Above all, Turkmen people themselves need to wake up, with its various fractions; Shia, Sunni, Muslim and non-Muslim should come together and extend their hands to each other in order to help their wounded and shattered people with many, orphaned children and women who were left defenseless and who were struggling day by day. To take them back to their own home land.
Mr. Zahid Jihad Albayati, Writer, Journalist, and Member of Iraqi Writers Union &Dr. Elham MA Albayati, Writer and Consultant Paediatrician, UK


Please cite this publication as follows:

Albayati, Z. J. & Albayati, E. (February, 2015), “Turkmens of Iraq: The Third Ethnic Component of Iraq”, Vol. IV, Issue 2, pp.6-28, Centre for Policy and Research on Turkey (ResearchTurkey), London, Research Turkey. (http://researchturkey.org/?p=7873)
XII. References

FOAB Newsletter: Sistani urges support for Amerli; August 22nd 2014. www.foab.org

Political history of Turkmen of Iraq; Aziz Samanji; 1993; London,UK.

Report of Beladi center for Strategic studies and Research; Department of Human Rights, Baghdad, Iraq; August 2014.

Report of Turkmen front party; Atrocities that Iraqi Turkmen subjected to by ISIS; July 2014.

Report of Iraq Turkmen Doctors Association; Iraq-Kirkuk; www.idakerkuk.org

Saving Iraqi Turkmens Is a Win-Win-Win (PolicyWatch 2285);http://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/view/saving-iraqi-turkmens-is-a-win-win-win

Turkmen of Iraq; Mofak Salman; 2007, Dublin; Ireland.

Turkmen Martyrs, by Islamic Iraqi Turkmen; 1999; London, UK.

Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization in cooperation with Iraqi Turkmen Front; UNPO Alternative report; July 2014.

UN Report, 2014.

http://www.ohchr.org/Documents/Countries/IQ/UNAMI_OHCHR_POC_Report_FINAL_6July_10September2014.pdf

Available Websites:

http://www.tuzkhurmato.com/

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/michael-knights-besieged-iraqi-town-of-amerli-desperately-needs-us-help/2014/08/25/93a32398-2c50-11e4-994d-202962a9150c_story.html

https://www.oximity.com/article/Help-save-us.-Say-NO-to-genocide-of-Ir-1

https://www.oximity.com/article/Will-there-be-any-hope-for-the-childre-1

http://news.yahoo.com/displaced-iraqis-escape-fighting-not-hardship-184953456.html

XIII. Endnotes

[1] Mofak Salman, Turkmen of Iraq, 2007, Dublin, Ireland.

[2] See Mofak Salman, Turkmen of Iraq, 2007, Dublin. Ireland.

Turkmen Martyrs, by Islamic Iraqi Turkmen, 1999, London, UK.

Aziz Samanji, Political history of Turkmen of Iraq, 1993, London, UK.

[3] Mofak Salman, Turkmen of Iraq, 2007, Dublin. Ireland.

Turkmen Martyrs, by Islamic Iraqi Turkmen, 1999, London, UK.

Aziz Samanji, Political history of Turkmen of Iraq, 1993, London, UK.

[4] See Mofak Salman, Turkmen of Iraq, 2007, Dublin. Ireland.

Turkmen Martyrs, by Islamic Iraqi Turkmen, 1999, London, UK.

Aziz Samanji, Political history of Turkmen of Iraq, 1993, London, UK.

[5] Mofak Salman, Turkmen of Iraq, 2007, Dublin, Ireland.

[6] Mofak Salman, Turkmen of Iraq, 2007, Dublin. Ireland.

Turkmen Martyrs, by Islamic Iraqi Turkmen, 1999, London, UK.

Aziz Samanji, Political history of Turkmen of Iraq, 1993, London, UK.

[7] Aziz Samanji, Political history of Turkmen of Iraq, 1993, London, UK.

[8] Mofak Salman, Turkmen of Iraq, 2007, Dublin. Ireland.

[9] Turkmen Martyrs, by Islamic Iraqi Turkmen, 1999, London, UK.

[10] http://www.tuzkhurmato.com/

[11] See Mofak Salman, Turkmen of Iraq, 2007, Dublin. Ireland.

Turkmen Martyrs, by Islamic Iraqi Turkmen, 1999, London, UK.

Aziz Samanji, Political history of Turkmen of Iraq, 1993, London, UK.

http://www.tuzkhurmato.com/

Report of Iraq Turkmen Doctors Association, Iraq-Kirkuk; www.idakerkuk.org

[12]Report of Turkmen front party, Atrocities that Iraqi Turkmen subjected to by ISIS, July 2014.

[13]Report of Iraq Turkmen Doctors Association, Iraq-Kirkuk; www.idakerkuk.org

[14]Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization in cooperation with Iraqi Turkmen Front; UNPO Alternative report; July 2014.

[15] See http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/michael-knights-besieged-iraqi-town-of-amerli-desperately-needs-us-help/2014/08/25/93a32398-2c50-11e4-994d-202962a9150c_story.html

Saving Iraqi Turkmens Is a Win-Win-Win (Knights | PolicyWatch 2285);http://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/view/saving-iraqi-turkmens-is-a-win-win-win

[16] Sistani urges support for Amerli, FOAB Newsletter, August, 2014;

www.foab.org

[17] See Atrocities that Iraqi Turkmen subjected to by ISIS, Report of Turkmen front party, July 2014.

UNPO Alternative Report, Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization in cooperation with Iraqi Turkmen Front, July 2014.

Report of Beladi center for Strategic studies and Research, Department of Human Rights, Baghdad, Iraq, August 2014.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/michael-knights-besieged-iraqi-town-of-amerli-desperately-needs-us-help

[18] UNPO Alternative Report, Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization in cooperation with Iraqi Turkmen Front, July 2014.

samedi 21 février 2015

ITF COORDINATOR AND TURKEY REPRESENTATIVE DR.HİCRAN KAZANCI VISITED THE TURKISH HEARTHS HEADQUARTERS



Iraqi Turkmen Front Coordinator and Turkey Representative Dr. Hicran Kazancı visited the Turkish Hearths in Ankara. Kazancı met with the President of Turkish Hearths Prof. Dr. Mehmet Öz. The problems of the Turkmen were discussed during the visit.

The President of Turkish Hearths Prof. Dr. Mehmet Öz reminded that they had started a campaign titled ’’Extend your hand to Turkmeneli ’’ and that all the organizations of the state of the Turkish Republic had addressed this campaign.

President Mehmet Öz said,’’I hope that the problems of the Turkmen will be resolved. Our objective is to prepare an environment in which the Turkmen can live comfortably and we will do what we can’.

Iraqi Turkmen Front Coordinator and Turkey Representative Dr. Hicran Kazancı extended his thanks to the state of Turkey; he said that it made the Turkmen proud to know that they were not alone. Kazancı said that the Iraqi government was not helping the immigrants who were displaced from their territories in Iraq. Help is provided by the Republic of Turkey, not the Iraqi government.



kerkuk.net

vendredi 20 février 2015

450 Turkmen civilians in ISIS captivity

450 Turkmen civilians in ISIS captivity

bayati


Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) militants have kidnapped 450 Turkmen civilians in Iraq, the president of the Turkmen Saving Foundation announced Thursday.

Ali Akram Bayati, the head of the Foundation, visited the Kurdistan region and presented a report to the Kurdistan Regional Government’s (KRG) parliamentary Committee of Human Rights on the situation of those Turkmens who have been taken captive in Nineveh, Kirkuk, Salahaddin, and Diyala provinces.

Speaking during a press conference held earlier in the day in Erbil, Bayati said they had concluded in their final report that 450 Turkmen civilians remain in ISIS captivity, including 50 women and 70 children.

He added that the Foundation gave the report to the Kurdistan parliament, requesting assistance from the KRG, Iraqi federal government, and international actors to help secure the release of the captives and let the world know about the crimes committed by ISIS.

The report was directed to the Committee of Human Rights in order to be investigated alongside related cases of kidnapped civilians, especially Turkmens, Yazidis, and Christians.

It is comprised of 54 pages and focuses mainly on ISIS crimes against Turkmen civilians in Nineveh and Diyala provinces.

During the ISIS offensives across much of northern and western Iraq last summer, militants kidnapped hundreds of civilians, including Yazidi and Turkmen girls whose fate remains unknown.

Iraq’s Turkmen community previously called for weapons to join in the fight against ISIS militants, and Shiite Turkmen fighters successfully resisted a months-long ISIS siege of the small town of Amerli in Salahaddin province.
http://www.nrttv.com/en/iraq/2015/02/19/450-turkmen-civilians-in-isis-captivity


jeudi 12 février 2015

The Implications of the ISIS’s Kirkuk Offensive




The Implications of the ISIS’s Kirkuk Offensive
Bilgay Duman, Researcher, ORSAM



The Kirkuk offensive of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), which started on 29 January 2015 and continued on 30 January, has been a clear indication that the ISIS is able to carry out surprise attacks even though it retreats with a defensive posture in the vicinity of Mosul, Tiqrit, Diyala and al-Anbar. For the last several months, even though the “voluntary forces” called Hashti Shaabi have made some gains with the support of the Iraqi security forces and the Pashmarga, they were unable to advance in the vicinity of Kirkuk. 

As it is well known, the ISIS attacked Kirkuk after Mosul and captured the southern and southwestern districts and villages that are populated by Sunni Arabs. Before the capture of Mosul, the Hawija district of Kirkuk was already under the ISIS control and now some districts and villages between Hawija and Kirkuk such as Abbasiyah, Zap and Riyaz have completely fallen under the ISIS rule. The Turkmen village of Beshir in the South of Kirkuk is controlled by the ISIS and other Turkmen settlements such as Taze Khurmato and Daquq have become the main battlefield. 

The ISIS has moved to the vicinity of Mulla Abdulla, which is 8-10 km from Kirkuk and on the Kirkuk-Tiqrit highway, and directed attacks towards Kirkuk city center, albeit without any success. As of the current situation, the ISIS controls the one-third of the province of Kirkuk and the frontline extends from the south to the northwest of Kirkuk, ranging 12-15 kms from the city center. This frontline is valid as of today. The ISIS militants, benefiting from the fact that the drones are unable to operate in the foggy weather, started an assault towards the Kirkuk city center and captured the villages of Mulla Abdulla, Mektep Halit, Meryembeg and Tel El Verd after a sudden breakthrough. Having activated its sleeper cells within Kirkuk, the ISIS attacked Kasr Kirkuk (Kirkuk Palace) Hotel near the Kirkuk Security Directorate and with a vehicle carrying explosives and stormed the building. ISIS snipers opened fire at the Kirkuk Security Directorate from their positions in the hotel.

 At the same time, a vehicle laden with explosives attacked the Azadi Police Station in the Musalla neighborhood. A curfew was declared and the city delved into a great deal of uneasiness. Kirkuk Emergency Response Police ended the firefight in the hotel by killing the terrorists and the Pashmarga and the police recaptured the villages of Mulla Abdulla, Mektep Halit, Meyrembeg and Tel EL Verd. With the fog dispersed, the drone operations contributed a great deal to the fight.

Even though the danger has been averted for the moment, it is an indication that the ISIS may once again move towards Kirkuk. The most important instrument for terrorist groups is its perpetuity in movement and action. The ISIS, who lost ground in Mosul, Tiqrit, Diyala and Baghdad, seeks to ensure its continuity through attacking a strategic region such as Kirkuk, while at the same time forcing its opponents to divide their strength in various fronts. Therefore, it gains valuable time and opportunity to regroup in the areas that it has been losing. Besides, looking at the details of the ISIS’s Kirkuk offensive, it is clear that it has been preplanned and premeditated. 

After the fog had gotten thicker, the ISIS militants burned rubber tires and oil tankers in the vicinity of the clash zones and activated the sleeper cells within Kirkuk. ISIS flags have been raised in the Al Wasiti neighborhood of Kirkuk, in which many operations have been held. The ISIS sought to divide its enemies’ power in Kirkuk by attacking simultaneously in both the surroundings and the center of the city. However, the security forces quickly restored order in the city center and therefore were able to focus on the fight in the city periphery and recaptured the outlying villages. Besides, Pashmarga forces have been deployed from Suleymaniyah and Chamchamal in order to reinforce Kirkuk. A detachment of 500 militias from the Hashti Shaabi volunteer force was also deployed to the village of Mulla Abdulla after the Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Defence and the Pashmarga officials reached an agreement in Baghdad. However, the ISIS threat to Kirkuk has not been completely eliminated.

The ISIS’s Kirkuk offensive has put forward several facts. Even though it has been battered, the ISIS maintains its offensive power. It is crucial to provide security in the areas captured from the ISIS and prevent it to capture those places once again. For this reason, it is vital to ensure the continuity and perpetuity of the operations against the ISIS. It is clearly seen that neither the Pashmarga nor the Iraqi security forces nor the militias are able to fight the ISIS one on one. Therefore, it is needed to overcome the political disagreements and maintain a united front against the ISIS. 

Moreover, the aerial operations against the ISIS are not sufficient on their own. Land operations need to be stronger and more effective. Severing its local support is critical in the fight against the ISIS. The ISIS has a strong potential for carrying out suicide attacks, especially in Kirkuk, where different groups live together. As it is forced to retreat, it will carry out suicide attacks in order to maintain its actions and strengthen its propaganda in cities such as Kirkuk, Arbil and Baghdad. 

However, unilateral actions in the disputed regions such as Kirkuk must be prevented. Unarmed groups, such as the Turkmens, must be protected. Even though the ISIS is a common enemy, political calculations for the post-ISIS period have become an integral part of the fight against the ISIS. If Kirkuk, as a disputed region, will be subjected to a “fait accompli” under the pretext of the fight against the ISIS, there will be further causes for conflicts in different platforms. For this reason, efforts for political reconciliation and collaboration must go alongside with the fight against the ISIS.



1 February 2015

mercredi 11 février 2015

Turkey Representative Dr. Hicran Kazancı attended the National Day Reception Ceremony of the Islamic Republic of Iran













His Excellency the Ambassador of Iran to Ankara Alireza Bikdeli hosted a reception at the Swissotel in Ankara on the occasion of the 36th anniversary of the Iranian Islamic Revolution. The reception was attended by the Iraqi Turkmen Front Coordinator and Turkey Representative Dr. Hicran Kazancı.

His Excellency Ambassador Alireza Bikdeli greeted his guests at the door of the reception hall. His Excellency Alireza Bikdeli thanked Hicran Kazancı for honoring the invitation. Kazancı congratulated His Excellency Alireza Bikdeli and the Iranian people on the occasion of their anniversary.

The reception was attended by the Minister for Development of the Republic of Turkey Cevdet Yılmaz, leaders of political parties and ambassadors from many countries and many distinguished guests.

lundi 9 février 2015

IŞİD'in Kerkük Saldırısı Ne Anlatıyor?


IŞİD'in Kerkük Saldırısı Ne Anlatıyor?
Bilgay Duman, Araştırmacı, ORSAM



Irak Şam İslam Devleti'nin (IŞİD) Kerkük'e yönelik olarak 29 Ocak 2015 günü gecesinde başlattığı ve 30 Ocak günü de devam eden saldırısı, IŞİD'in Musul çevresi, Tikrit, Diyala ve hatta Anbar'da gerilemesine ve savunma pozisyonunda olmasına rağmen sürpriz saldırılar yapabileceğinin en büyük göstergesi olmuştur. Son 1-2 aylık süreçte peşmergeler ile birlikte Irak güvenlik güçlerinin desteğiyle Haşti Şaabi adıyla “Gönüllü Savaşçılar” olarak bilinen milis güçlerin IŞİD'e karşı üstünlük sağlamasına rağmen Kerkük çevresinde aynı ilerlemenin olduğunu söylemek güçtür. Bilindiği gibi IŞİD, Musul'u ele geçirdikten sonra Kerkük'e yönelik de bir saldırı başlatmış ve Kerkük vilayetinin güney ve güneybatı bölgelerinde özellikle Sünni Arapların yaşadığı bölgelerde etkinlik sağlamıştır. Zira Kerkük'te nüfusunun neredeyse tamamını Sünni Arapların oluşturduğu Havice ilçesi IŞİD'in Musul operasyonu öncesinde de örgütün etkisi altındayken, Havice ve Kerkük arasındaki Abbasiye, Zap, Riyaz gibi nahiye ve köyler de IŞİD'in tam anlamıyla kontrolü altına girmiştir.

Ayrıca Kerkük'ün Güneybatısından güneyine doğru geçildiğinde özellikle Türkmenlerin yoğun olarak yaşadığı Beşir köyü de IŞİD'in işgali altında kalmış ve Tazehurmatu, Dakuk gibi Türkmenlerin yoğun olarak yaşadığı yerler ana çatışma hattı olarak ortaya çıkmıştır. Kerkük-Tikrit yolu üzerinde bulunan ve Kerkük'e sadece 8-10 km uzaklıkta bulunan Molla Abdulla bölgesine kadar yaklaşan IŞİD, zaman zaman buradan Kerkük'ün şehir merkezine doğru saldırılar yapmış, ancak Kerkük merkeze girememiştir. Mecvcut durum itibariyle IŞİD halen Kerkük vilayetinin yaklaşık üçte birini kontrol ederken, Kerkük'ün güneyinden itibaren güneybatı, batı ve hatta kuzeybatısına doğru Kerkük şehir merkezinden 12-15 km uzaklıkta bir çatışma hattı ortaya çıkmıştır. Bu çatışma hattı bugün de geçerliliğini korumaktadır. Nitekim havanın sisli olması nedeniyle droneların (insansız uçak) hareket edemeyeceğini fırsat bilen IŞİD mensupları Kerkük merkeze doğru saldırıya geçmiş, aynı hatta bulunan Molla Abdulla, Mektep Halit, Meryembeg ve Tel El Verd köylerini ani bir baskınla ele geçirmiştir. Ayrıca Kerkük içerisindeki uyuyan hücrelerini de harekete geçiren IŞİD, Kerkük şehir merkezindeki Kerkük Emniyet Müdürlüğü yakınındaki Kasr Kerkük (Kerkük Palace) Oteli'nin önünde önce bombalı araçla bir saldırı düzenlemiş, ardından otele girerek burayı ele geçirmiştir. 

Oteli ele geçiren IŞİD üyeleri buradan keskin nişancılarla Kerkük Emniyet Müdürlüğünü hedef almış ve uzun bir çatışma yaşanmıştır. Bununla birlikte Kerkük'ün Musalla Mahallesindeki Azadi Polis Karakolu'na yönelik olarak da bombalı araçla bir saldırı daha yapılmıştır. Olaylar üzerine sokağa çıkma yasağı ilan edilmiş ve şehirde büyük bir tedirginlik baş göstermiştir. Oteldeki çatışma Kerkük Acil Müdahale Polisi'nin operasyonuyla teröristlerin öldürülmesi sonucu sona erdirilmiş, aynı zamanda peşmerge ve Kerkük polisinin operasyonlarıyla IŞİD tarafından ele geçirilen Molla Abdulla, Mektep Halit, Meryembeg ve Tel El Verd bölgeleri yeniden alınmıştır. Burada havadaki sisin dağılmasıyla hava operasyonlarının yeniden başlamasının etkili olduğunu söylemek mümkündür.

Kerkük'teki tehlike şimdilik önlenmiş gibi görünse de bu saldırı IŞİD'in Kerkük'e yüklenmeye devam edebileceğinin göstergesidir. Bir terör örgütünün en önemli araçlarından biri hareket ve eylem sürekliliğinin sağlanmasıdır. Bu noktada Musul, Tikrit, Diyala ve Bağdat çevresinde zemin kaybeden IŞİD, Kerkük gibi stratejik bir bölgeye saldırarak eylem sürekliliğini sağlamaya çalışırken, aynı zamanda bir cephe daha açarak çatışan grupların gücünü de bölmektedir. Böylelikle zemin kaybettiği alanlarda zaman kazanan IŞİD, böylece toparlanma imkanı yakalamaktadır. Öte yandan Kerkük'e yapılan saldırının detaylarına bakıldığında IŞİD tarafından daha önce planlanan ve düşünülen bir eylem görüntüsü vermektedir. Zira havada sisin başlamasının ardından IŞİD mensuplarının çatışma bölgesi etrafında lastik ve petrol tankeri yaktığı, aynı zamanda Kerkük içerisindeki uyuyan hücreleri harekete geçirdiği söylenmektedir. Nitekim Kerkük'te sık sık operasyon düzenlenen El-Vasiti semtinin birkaç bölgesinde IŞİD bayraklarının görüldüğü bilgileri paylaşılmaktadır. Bununla birlikte IŞİD hem Kerkük merkez hem de Kerkük'ün etrafında eş zamanlı eylem başlatarak çifte saldırı düzenlemek suretiyle, Kerkük'teki gücü de bölmeye çalışmıştır. Ancak Kerkük merkezdeki güvenliğin çabuk sağlanması, güvenlik birimlerinin Kerkük'ün çevresine ağırlık vermesine imkan tanımış ve Kerkük'ün dışında IŞİD tarafından ele geçirilen bölgeler geri alınmıştır. Diğer taraftan Kerkük'e Süleymaniye ve Çemçemal'den takviye peşmerge birliklerinin gönderilmesi, Kerkük'teki güvenliğin sağlanmasını kolaylaştırmıştır. Ayrıca Bağdat'ta bütçe görüşmeleri yapılırken, aynı zamanda Kerkük'teki güvenlikle ilgili İçişleri Bakanlığı, Savunma Bakanlığı, peşmerge yetkileri toplantı yapmış ve Kerkük'e Haşti Şaabi olarak bilinen “Gönüllü Birlikler” adıyla anılan milis güçlerin yerleştirilmesi konusunda varılan anlaşma sonucu, Kerkük'ün Molla Abdulla bölgesine 500 kişilik Haşti Şaabi gücü yerleşmiştir. Buna rağmen Kerkük çevresindeki IŞİD tehdidinin bitirilebildiğini söylemek mümkün değildir.

IŞİD'in Kerkük saldırısı, bazı gerçekleri de ortaya koymuştur. IŞİD her ne kadar geriletilmiş olsa bile saldırı gücünü koruduğu net olarak ortadadır. IŞİD'in elinden alınan yerlerdeki güvenliğin net olarak sağlanması ve IŞİD'in tekrar bölgeleri eline geçirmesini engellemek oldukça önemlidir. Bu nedenle IŞİD'e karşı operasyonların sürekliliği ve devamlılığının sağlanmasının gerektiğini söylemek yerinde olacaktır. Bununla birlikte IŞİD karşısında ne peşmergelerin ne Irak güvenlik güçlerinin ne milislerin tek başına mücadele etme gücünün olmadığı da görülmektedir. Buradan hareketle Irak'taki siyasi ayrışmaların bir tarafa bırakılıp IŞİD'e karşı ortak mücadele edilmesi sağlanmalıdır. Bunun yanı sıra IŞİD'e karşı düzenlenen hava operasyonlarının dahi tek başına yeterli olmadığı ortaya çıkmıştır. IŞİD'le kara savaşının daha güçlü bir biçimde yürütülmesi de önemlidir. Ayrıca IŞİD'in yerel desteğinin de kesilmesi IŞİD'le mücadelede kritik adımlardan biridir. Özellikle Kerkük gibi farklı grupların bir arada yaşadığı yerlerde IŞİD'in intihar saldırıları düzenleme potansiyeli yüksektir. Zira IŞİD sıkıştıkça eylem devamlılığın sağlamak ve propaganda gücünü arttırmak için Kerkük, Erbil, Bağdat gibi merkezlerde ses getirebilecek eylemler yapması olasıdır. Bu nedenle şehirlerdeki güvenliğin arttırılması önemlidir. Ancak özellikle Kerkük gibi tartışmalı bölgelerde tek taraflı müdahalelere de izin verilmemelidir. Özellikle Türkmenler gibi silahlı gücü olmayan grupların korunması önemlidir. Bilindiği gibi IŞİD, tüm Iraklılar için ortak bir düşman olsa da IŞİD sonrası siyasi hesaplar da IŞİD'le mücadelenin bir parçası haline gelmiştir. Kerkük gibi ihtilaflı bölgelerin IŞİD bahanesiyle bir “oldu-bittiye” getirilmesi, Irak'ta ayrışma ve çekişmeleri derinleştirecek, çatışma dinamiklerini farklı platformlara taşıyabilecektir. Bu nedenle IŞİD'le mücadelenin yanı sıra siyasi uzlaşı ve işbirliği çabaları devam ettirilmeli ve arttırılmalıdır.





01 ŞUBAT 2015

The Implications of the ISIS’s Kirkuk Offensive


The Implications of the ISIS’s Kirkuk Offensive
Bilgay Duman, Researcher, ORSAM



The Kirkuk offensive of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), which started on 29 January 2015 and continued on 30 January, has been a clear indication that the ISIS is able to carry out surprise attacks even though it retreats with a defensive posture in the vicinity of Mosul, Tiqrit, Diyala and al-Anbar. For the last several months, even though the “voluntary forces” called Hashti Shaabi have made some gains with the support of the Iraqi security forces and the Pashmarga, they were unable to advance in the vicinity of Kirkuk.


As it is well known, the ISIS attacked Kirkuk after Mosul and captured the southern and southwestern districts and villages that are populated by Sunni Arabs. Before the capture of Mosul, the Hawija district of Kirkuk was already under the ISIS control and now some districts and villages between Hawija and Kirkuk such as Abbasiyah, Zap and Riyaz have completely fallen under the ISIS rule. The Turkmen village of Beshir in the South of Kirkuk is controlled by the ISIS and other Turkmen settlements such as Taze Khurmato and Daquq have become the main battlefield. The ISIS has moved to the vicinity of Mulla Abdulla, which is 8-10 km from Kirkuk and on the Kirkuk-Tiqrit highway, and directed attacks towards Kirkuk city center, albeit without any success. As of the current situation, the ISIS controls the one-third of the province of Kirkuk and the frontline extends from the south to the northwest of Kirkuk, ranging 12-15 kms from the city center. This frontline is valid as of today. 

The ISIS militants, benefiting from the fact that the drones are unable to operate in the foggy weather, started an assault towards the Kirkuk city center and captured the villages of Mulla Abdulla, Mektep Halit, Meryembeg and Tel El Verd after a sudden breakthrough. Having activated its sleeper cells within Kirkuk, the ISIS attacked Kasr Kirkuk (Kirkuk Palace) Hotel near the Kirkuk Security Directorate and with a vehicle carrying explosives and stormed the building. ISIS snipers opened fire at the Kirkuk Security Directorate from their positions in the hotel. At the same time, a vehicle laden with explosives attacked the Azadi Police Station in the Musalla neighborhood. A curfew was declared and the city delved into a great deal of uneasiness. Kirkuk Emergency Response Police ended the firefight in the hotel by killing the terrorists and the Pashmarga and the police recaptured the villages of Mulla Abdulla, Mektep Halit, Meyrembeg and Tel EL Verd. With the fog dispersed, the drone operations contributed a great deal to the fight.

Even though the danger has been averted for the moment, it is an indication that the ISIS may once again move towards Kirkuk. The most important instrument for terrorist groups is its perpetuity in movement and action. The ISIS, who lost ground in Mosul, Tiqrit, Diyala and Baghdad, seeks to ensure its continuity through attacking a strategic region such as Kirkuk, while at the same time forcing its opponents to divide their strength in various fronts. Therefore, it gains valuable time and opportunity to regroup in the areas that it has been losing. Besides, looking at the details of the ISIS’s Kirkuk offensive, it is clear that it has been preplanned and premeditated. After the fog had gotten thicker, the ISIS militants burned rubber tires and oil tankers in the vicinity of the clash zones and activated the sleeper cells within Kirkuk. ISIS flags have been raised in the Al Wasiti neighborhood of Kirkuk, in which many operations have been held. The ISIS sought to divide its enemies’ power in Kirkuk by attacking simultaneously in both the surroundings and the center of the city. 

However, the security forces quickly restored order in the city center and therefore were able to focus on the fight in the city periphery and recaptured the outlying villages. Besides, Pashmarga forces have been deployed from Suleymaniyah and Chamchamal in order to reinforce Kirkuk. A detachment of 500 militias from the Hashti Shaabi volunteer force was also deployed to the village of Mulla Abdulla after the Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Defence and the Pashmarga officials reached an agreement in Baghdad. However, the ISIS threat to Kirkuk has not been completely eliminated.

The ISIS’s Kirkuk offensive has put forward several facts. Even though it has been battered, the ISIS maintains its offensive power. It is crucial to provide security in the areas captured from the ISIS and prevent it to capture those places once again. For this reason, it is vital to ensure the continuity and perpetuity of the operations against the ISIS. It is clearly seen that neither the Pashmarga nor the Iraqi security forces nor the militias are able to fight the ISIS one on one. Therefore, it is needed to overcome the political disagreements and maintain a united front against the ISIS. Moreover, the aerial operations against the ISIS are not sufficient on their own. Land operations need to be stronger and more effective. Severing its local support is critical in the fight against the ISIS. The ISIS has a strong potential for carrying out suicide attacks, especially in Kirkuk, where different groups live together. 

As it is forced to retreat, it will carry out suicide attacks in order to maintain its actions and strengthen its propaganda in cities such as Kirkuk, Arbil and Baghdad. However, unilateral actions in the disputed regions such as Kirkuk must be prevented. Unarmed groups, such as the Turkmens, must be protected. Even though the ISIS is a common enemy, political calculations for the post-ISIS period have become an integral part of the fight against the ISIS. If Kirkuk, as a disputed region, will be subjected to a “fait accompli” under the pretext of the fight against the ISIS, there will be further causes for conflicts in different platforms. For this reason, efforts for political reconciliation and collaboration must go alongside with the fight against the ISIS.

http://www.orsam.org.tr/en/showArticle.aspx?ID=2763

dimanche 8 février 2015

Turkmens of Iraq: The Third main Ethnic Component of Iraq


















Turkmens of Iraq: The Third Ethnic Component of Iraq

Author: Mr. Zahid Jihad Albayati, Member of Iraqi Writers Union & Dr. Elham MA Albayati, Writer
http://researchturkey.org/author/albayatis/

Date: Feb 06, 2015


Turkmens of Iraq: The Third Ethnic Component of Iraq

I. Introduction

Turkmens are the third largest ethnic group in Iraq after Arabs and Kurds. Today, the Iraqi Turkmen population is estimated to be at around 2.5-3 million, taking into account all available estimates of towns and townships that they live in. They may constitute around 10% of the population, however previous sources provided estimates such as 14%-16% of the Iraqi population.[1] Turkmens speak the Turkmen language which is one of the Turkish languages similar to the Azerbaijani language (Azeri Turkish). Turkmens of Iraq have been settled in Iraq before the Ottoman Empire in 1516 A.D. In general terms, 60% Iraqi Turkmens are Sunni whereas 40% of them are Shia Muslims. In addition, there are Christian Turkmens living in Kirkuk (Gala Kawar).

Turkmens in the modern Iraqi history have been undergoing decades of assimilation campaigns in Iraq –often, in a more brutal fashion than the one carried out against Kurds.
II. Origin of Turkmens

Most people link the presence of Turkmens in Iraq to Ottoman Empire. However, Turkmens have been in Iraq much earlier than the Ottomans. There is a research indicating that the Sumerians who moved from central Asia in 5000 B.C. and settled around the river Tigris, were originally ancestors of Turkmens. This argument is based on some similarities found between Sumerian and Turkish language, as there are around 600 words similar to each other in both languages. There have also been similarities such as the shape of their skulls between Mongolian Turks and Sumerians.

The historian Abbas Al Azwai in his book “Iraqi History between Two Occupations”, writes that Turkmens came from Turkmenistan, lived in Khurasan (Iran) and migrated from there to various parts of the world. The Russian historian, Bartold, in his book “History of Turk in Central Asia” claimed that they were three groups of nations: Akaz, Al Karlok, Al Tokaz or Alguz. They lived in the land extending from the Kazar Sea to China border and formed two biggest Empires in the history of Seljuk and Ottoman Empires. They moved to Iraq during different periods of Islamic invasion or in more specific terms during the caliphate of Omar Al Kattab. Others claim that 2,000 Turkmen fighters came to Iraq during the Ammuyiat period, subsequently more people came during the Abbasid period. They formed six Turkmen countries over 900 years. They lived in harmony with Arabs and other people in their lands.

According to the Encyclopedia Britannica, the name Turkmen is a synonym of Oguz, which includes all Turkish population that lives in the southwestern Central Asia. This includes the Turkish population of Turkey, Republic of Azerbaijan, Azerbaijan of Iran, Turkmenistan and other countries (i.e., Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Greece, Cyprus, Bulgaria, Yugoslavia and other European countries). In the Turkish language, men/man means powerful, magnificent, pure or original; so Turkmen in Turkish means a pure/original Turk. Also, others stated that Turkmen means Turkish man or Turkish fighter.

Turkmens of Iraq have established several Turkmen states in Iraq, such as Seljuk Empire (1118-1194), Dynasty of Mosul Atabekians (1127-1233), Dynasty of Erbil Atabekians (1144-1209), Turkmen Dynasty in Kirkuk (1230), State of Kara Koyunlu (1411-1470) and State of Ak Koyunlu (1470-1508).

To summarize, Turkmens are the descendants of those Oguz tribes who originally came from Central Asia. As stated by the El-Maroozi, the Oguz were divided into two main branches. The first branch settled in the cities; the second branches which settled in plain grasslands, and the Oguz tribes who converted to Islam were called Turkmen.

Turkmens did not leave their ancestral lands in one massive migration. However, they departed their land in successive waves over a long period and eventually settled in the Middle East.[2]
III. Population of Turkmens

Some sources generously estimate that Turkmens consist of up to 16% of the Iraqi population, and others estimate 10% of the Iraqi population. If the current Iraqi population is 35 million, this means that Turkmen population would be more than 3 million (see Figure 1).

There is no accurate census about the number of Turkmens in Iraq. In recent years, there are only estimates for various reasons: Turkmens have been subject to systematic assimilation and deliberate displacement over decades for ethnic cleansing. For instance, they had been displaced from their lands where they had been living for hundreds of years.

During Saddam’s ruling period, between 1970 and 2003, many Turkmen people were forced to change their identity and ethnicity and to become Arab. Turkmens had no right to build up or own a land in Kirkuk unless they changed their identity and they became Arab. In addition, Turkmen citizens were forced by the official channels (The Ministry of Planning) and were being paid as little as 500 Iraqi dinars (equal to ¼ USA dollars) to do so. They were allowed to sell their lands, but not to buy.

Arabs were given free grants and lands to come to live in Kirkuk in order to change the demographic nature of the city.

After Saddam’s ruling period in 2003, the situation of Turkmens has not been better off, with many feeling that the post-Saddam period is worse under Kurdish control; when Kurds took control of Kirkuk, all the government buildings, empty houses as well as the military campuses, were turned into houses for Kurdish families which were also brought illegally to change the demographics of the city. This was done in a very speedy way.

There were thousands of disputed lands and assets confiscated from Turkmen citizens during the Ba’ath regime, which have not been returned back to their original owners, in Tal Afar, Erbil, Mosul, Kirkuk, Yayachi, Tassain, Turklan, Taza, Tuzkhormatu and many other Turkmen towns and villages.


IV. Language of Turkmens

The main spoken language in Turkmen Eli (Turkmen homeland) is a Turkmen dialect. This is a part of the Western Turkish language group that also includes Turkish spoken in Turkey, Cyprus, the Balkans, Iranian Azerbaijan (south) and Republic of Azerbaijan (north), northern Syria, Iran, Turkmenistan and southern Turkistan (northern Afghanistan). The Turkmen language, with its various accents, is closer to the Turkish spoken language in both Azerbaijan (Republic of Azerbaijan, Azerbaijan of Iran) and Urfa in southeastern Turkey rather than the Turkmen language in the Republic of Turkmenistan.[3]

Spoken language is the foundation of Iraqi Turkmen culture, folk literature, group identity, ethnic consciousness and world outlook. The spoken mother tongue is naturally passed on to new generations and this, naturally, creates a strong bond uniting the Turkish-speaking peoples of Iraq. However, there is a group of Turkmen called Christian Turkmen of Kirkuk Castle “Kala Gaweri”, which has, for centuries, lived in Kirkuk among Turkmens. They have their own script, bible and mourning songs. However, all these activities are practiced in the Turkmen language.

Unfortunately, compulsory education in Arabic has led to the weakening and deterioration of the spoken Turkish from generation to generation. In fact, the older generation with no formal education speaks relatively pure and more correct Turkish.

Formal written Turkish is the second major source of the Turkish language in Iraq. Local dialects have not found their place in written literature. Turkmens have adopted formal Anatolian Turkish as the written language. Up until the 16th Century, the literary works of Turkmens were written in Azeri dialect, but from the second half of that century onwards, the written literature of Turkmens came under influence of the rising Ottoman language, a western Turkish dialect. However, after the First World War with the separation of Turkey, Turkmens have continued with their preference of Anatolian Turkish by using Arabic letters.

V. Geographical Location of Turkmens

For centuries, Turkmen territories were considered as a buffer zone separating Arabs from Kurds. Cultural, social, religious, economic and political factors have considerably influenced the relations and distribution of the population of Turkmens in the area. The Turkmens of Iraq are mainly merchants, manual labourers and professionals.

Turkmens are concentrated mainly in the northern and central regions of Iraq. This is a diagonal strip of land stretching from Telfar at the north Syrian border to Diayla in the middle part of Iraq.[4]

In this region, there are several major cities and some smaller districts, where Turkmens are living. These are mainly four provinces of Iraq; Erbil, Kirkuk, Saladin and Diyala. In addition to these, historically Turkmen-populated areas have encompassed Telfar; the towns and villages around Mosul such as Al Rashadiya, Shierkan, Nabi Yunis; villages of Shabak around Erbil, Kupery, Kirkuk city, Tassain, Tazakurmatoo, Dakook (Taook), Bashir, Tuzkhormatu, Amerli, Bastamali, Yengaja, Brawachilli, Karanaz, Shasewan, and many other villages around Amerli, Kifri, Karatappa, Karaghan (Jalwalaa), Sharaban (Magdadia), Kizilarbatt (Alsayadia), Kanakeen, Mandeli, Kazania.

An estimate of ¼ million Turkmen lives in the capital city Baghdad too; in Ragiba Katoon, Al Fathal, Al Aathamia, Alsalyiagh, Kanbar Ali, Hay Adan, Zyuna, Hay Oor, Alsahab city and in other places of Al karagh part of Baghdad.

There are Turkmens in other middle and southern part of Iraq as well, from Albayat, Alkarghol, Alsalahi, Al Amerli, and Alatragchji, settled in Babal, Al Messan, Karbala and Basra.

Turkmens, are known as a community greatly attached to their national consciousness, tradition and religion.
VI. Turkmen Families and their Social Life

There are some similarities between Turkmen society and Arabic and also Kurdish societies.

In the rural areas, it is mostly tribal, where people and head of families will be loyal to their head of the tribe. You find out that the family will be proud of their origins and they are using their tribal titles and families’ name, –some of the names may come from their grandfathers or great grandfathers’ names. There are some positive aspects for such allegiances, where the families will be competing for various economic, social and political affairs. However, there are some negative aspects such that they have to be adherent to their cultural rules such as paying a ransom or using these tribes as a means of gaining political or economic gain. Unfortunately, this issue has been recently used and also during the Ba’ath era to gain political seats in parliament.

Turkmen people living in urban parts and cities are more loyal to their families than to their tribes. In recent days, this issue may have contributed to Turkmens’ losing in the elections and failure of a fairer representation.

Turkmens appear to be weak in such gains, as they have been divided amongst themselves, between, religious groups, some being Sunni and others Shia, and some being secular against being Islamic, while others being with the extremist versus moderate groups. Some are nationalist and others are loyal to Turkey. All above issues have caused significant damages to the whole of Turkmen society in the recent political climate of the new Iraqi political system.

Another reason that Turkmen have been less represented is that Turkmens have lived in harmony with other groups such as Arabs, Kurds and Christians, Shabaks, Yazidis in Mosul province and in the past with Jewish community. Turkmen people accepted the intermarriage between themselves and other communities which may have led to further underrepresentation as well.
VII. Turkmens Living in Harmony with Other Iraqi Ethnic Groups

There are, until today, Christian Turkmens who live in Kirkuk old Castle (Kirkuk Kala). Turkmens have lived in harmony with Jewish people, especially before 1948, as since then, most of them have left Iraq for Israel. Turkmens were and are easy to mix with and live in harmony with Arabs and Kurds, through intermarriages happening between Sunni and Shia as well as with other ethnic groups.

The old religions of the Turkmen were Al Shamaniya, Judaism, Buddhism and Zaradishet, but Turkmens converted to Islam after Islamic forces’ conquest of central.[5]

The majority of Turkmens are Muslims and threy are divided into two Muslim faiths: Shiite and Sunni. In addition, there are about 30,000 Christian “catholic” Turks living in Iraq. They are called the Kala Gaweri.

These two Turkmen Muslim and Christian sects helped Turkmens to be more dynamic in the Iraqi society. They facilitated mixed marriages with Arabs and Kurds; therefore, there are a large number of Arab tribes who have originated from Turkmen, such as Albayati. There is no difference at all between the Sunni and Shiite Turkmens regarding the dialogue, language or culture. Intermarriage between the Shiite and Sunni Turkmen is very common. However, some Kurdish militias are trying to utilize various methods to divide the Turkmen community by carrying out a policy of divide and conquer.
VIII. Turkmens’ Contributions for Building up Iraqi Society

There are many well-announced Turkmen scholars who contributed to various fields of education, culture, academia, military and medical for building up Iraqi civilization in the recent history of Iraq.

Professor Mustafa Jawad, Dr. Ihsan Aldogramachi , who was the ambassador of UNICEF, lived in Turkey and refused to be Turkish President. Dr. Salam Al Dogramachi was one of the leading professors in pediatric oncology and hematology in Iraq for many years.

Turkmens gave birth to two well-known poets, like Fazooly Al Baghdadi who has been buried in the Imam Hussain’s Mosque in Karbala.

Dr. Sinnan Saeed was one of the first PhD scholars in media studies, who first put the corner stone of Iraqi media in Baghdad University in 1975.

Dr. Ibrahim Al Dakookly wrote the first letter in Al Aalam in Arab world, 1972, he produced weekly newspaper, and first news journal about role of Media in Arab world.
IX. Modern History of the Iraqi Turkmens

Many considered the maintenance of Iraq’s territorial integrity as a critical issue due to the knowledge of the country’s enormous ethnic and religious diversity. One must also take into account the aspirations of these groups and the problems they are facing now. For better understanding, this historical period will be divided into four stages.[6]

1. Post-Ottoman Empire (1924-1958)

Over the twentieth century, and until now, Turkmens have been subject to many atrocities and programed aggressions, starting with the massacre of 1924 in Kirkuk, to Kwar Baghi events in 1946, and the massacre of 1959.

Under the Iraqi constitution of 1925, both Turkmens and Kurds had the right to use their own languages in schools, government offices and press.

It is stated in the Royal Constitution, which was valid until 1958, that the Iraqi State consisted of Arabs, Kurds, Turkmens and other minorities.

According to Article 14 of the same constitution, Turks, like other minorities, were also entitled to receive an education in their own language and to be in charge of their own educational institutions. In fact, until the proclamation of the republic, various constitutional amendments did not cause ethnic or political discrimination.

The military coup of 1958, that toppled the monarchy, brought a glimpse of hope for Turkmens at first when they heard radio announcements by coup leader General Abdul-Kerim Qasim and his deputy General Abdul-Salam Arif that Iraq was made up of three main ethnic groups: Arab, Kurd and Turkmen. Turkmens interpreted these statements as the end of the suppression. However, happy days did not last long.

2. Post-Monarchy (1958-1970)

As a result of the general amnesty, once Kurdish leader Mullah Mustafa Barzani returned from the Soviet Union, he started negotiations for an autonomous Kurdish region. This has increased the tension in the region and, as the result of this incitement, for the first time in history, clashes between Turkmens and Kurds took place with heavy casualties. When the new regime decided to steer a policy independent of other influential Arab states, the Communist Party and Kurds gained favour with the political ascendancy, and, soon afterwards, Turkmens in Kirkuk were attacked on the false pretext that they helped the Mosul resistance.

On 14th July, 1959, Kirkuk was put under curfew and its population slaughtered by Communists and Kurds. When 25 innocent Turkmen civilians were killed and 130 people were injured in day light in streets of Kirkuk, this was known to be one of the city’s most brutal moments in history.

This massacre was totally disregarded by the world that turned a blind eye to it. It was only after this massacre that the Communist Kurds became so bold as to ask for the inclusion of Kirkuk in their autonomous region under negotiations. Attempts by the Iraqi government to restrict the operations of foreign oil companies and its threats towards Kuwait’s oil put it at loggerheads with other Arab countries and Great Britain.

The ensuing era of General Abdul- Salam Arif (1963-1967) was one of the best periods for the Turkmens in Iraq. Turkmens were allowed to operate cultural associations and schools, publish magazines and newspapers in the Latin characters of Turkish, and get some posts in government. They demonstrated excellently that as citizens of Iraq, they could work for their country and live in cooperation with other Iraqis.

3. Arabization Period (1970-2003)

Then, the Ba’ath party rule, commencing in 1968, opened one of the darkest chapters in Turkmen history. The Ba’ath party forced people to sign petitions asking for the closure of Turkish language schools, and to appoint Arab administrators in Turkmen areas. Boycotts by Turkmens were suppressed in a bloody means.

Many Turkmen traders and professionals were captured and imprisoned. In early 1970, Mr. Mohammad Salah, who was the Head of Kirkuk Trade Union was the first Iraqi executed by Ba’ath rulers together with many Turkmen intellects and human rights activists.

In 1971, the Artist Hussain Ali Damerchi was killed along with many students, teachers, and professionals after peaceful demonstration, as the Turkmen speaking schools were abolished and all Turkmen rights were cancelled after only a year of having been issued.

In November 1979, four of most influential Turkmen people were captured: Dr. Najidat Kojak, Professor in Engineering College of Baghdad University; Abdullah Abdul Al Rahman, who was a retired general, who was the chair of Turkmen Brotherhood Club; Professor Raza Damerchi, the Chief Director of Forests, in Iraqi Agriculture Ministry and the well-known trade man, Adaal Sherif. They were subject of worst physical abuse and torture and later in January 1980, they were killed without even charging them with any criminal charges or court proceedings.

The 1980s saw the execution of countless Turkmen leaders and elders who were, often falsely, accused of spying for Turkey or Iran. During the Iran-Iraq war, dozens of Turkmen villages were totally bulldozed to the ground. Many young Turkmen people (from the Shia community) were captured, they disappeared from Telfar, Kirkuk, Tasseen, Bashir, Dakook, Tuzkhormatu, Tazakurmatoo, Amerli, Quratappa, Kifiri, Kanakeen, Mandeli, Kazania, Baghdad. Some were accused of being part of Islamic movements and of being loyal to Iran and others accused of being loyal to Turkish government.

Mr. Aziz Alsamanji in his book published in 1999 in London, “The political history of Turkmen of Iraq”, a list of 283 Turkmen people were executed by Saddam’s regime between 1980-1990.[7] Furthermore, he published another list of 75 Turkmens who were killed by shooting in the uprising of 28th of March 1991. All of those people were professionals, university students and other served in the military services. He documented a further list of 103 Turkmens who were imprisoned, and another 13 people who disappeared and never returned to the families.

Mofak Salman wrote in his book, that the Turkmen Cultural Directorate that was set up by the government to bring Turkmens under strict control was not working according to the government plans.[8] Therefore, the Iraqi government started a new strategy to replace all Turkmen teachers with Arab teachers; they also sent all Turkmen teachers to non-Turkmen areas. An all-out assimilation campaign against Turkmens was unleashed. Young Turkmen people holding university degrees were given jobs in non-Turkmen areas. Arabs were encouraged to settle in Turkmen areas with rewards of 15,000 Iraqi Dinars to each person. Those Arabs who bought farmlands were offered an extra reward ranging between 7,000 and 10,000 Dinars (approximately $30,000), and the lands confiscated from Turkmens under various pretexts, were given to Arabs.

Young Arab men were encouraged to marry Turkmen girls with offers of 10,000 Iraqi Dinars. All this was designed to change the demographic balance of the Turkmen-dominated region, with its capital city Kirkuk.

This was followed by government decrees that changed Kirkuk’s name to that of Al-Tamim and also changed its administrative borders, taking other Turkmen towns like Tuzkhormatu and Kifri from Kirkuk to other provinces.

Subsequently, the Ba’ath government banned the use of the Turkmen language in public. Religious leaders who did not speak Arabic, were forced to deliver sermons in Arabic, and when they failed to, they were executed.

While the Islamic Union of Iraqi Turkmens, in their well-documented book, published in detail, the name of 432 Turkmen people, who were executed and assassinated by Saddam’s regime between 1979-1991.[9]

The Chief of Iraqi Revolution, said to the retired General Abdul Hussain Mula Ibrahim originally from Tuzkhormatu, when he read his execution order, that he should be hanged and killed twice, once for being Turkmen and second time for being Shia. However, Abdul Hussain could not tolerate the brutality and passed away from the torture.

Turkmens have been severely intimidated into silence, and they have been waiting helplessly, not knowing what to do. Here, I would like to mention the 1987 national census in Iraq, as it is relevant to a number of ethnic groups. In this census, Turkmens were openly threatened to declare themselves as either Arabs or Kurds. If they declared themselves as Turkmens, they would be deported to Saudi.

As a result of Erbil events in 31th August 1996, many Turkmens were captured, and on 2ndSeptember 1996, 25 Turkmen citizens were executed.[10]

The decomposition of the Iraqi Turkmens was an Iraqi policy inherited from one government to the subsequent one. The aim was to remove Turkmens from the oil-rich northern region and to disperse them to the south of Iraq.

4. Targeting Turkmens after 2003 (Kurdization)

After 2003, Shiite Turkmens have been a target of systematic terror attacks in various ways, although the attack seems mainly on Shiite Turkmens, however Sunni Turkmens also had their own share as people are mixed together, living next to each other and married to each other. All Turkmen areas indiscriminately had many attacks from Telfar, Erbil, Mosul, Kirkuk, especially Tassin area, Bashir, Taza, Tuzkhormatu, and Amerli.[11] These are some example of atrocities but not the exhausted list of all the attacks.

4.1. Kirkuk

From 2003 onwards, the Iraqi Turkmens have continued to be subjected to targeted campaigns of intimidation, assimilation, kidnapping, threatening and land confiscation practices, which have resulted in wide-scale emigration. Moreover, Turkmen political actors are often targeted based on their ethnicity, religion and political opinion. In 2011, e.g., the headquarters of the Iraqi Turkmen Front in Kirkuk were completely demolished by explosives. Many university students, scholars, lectures were attacked and killed.

Many Turkmen doctors and professionals were target of killing and kidnapping, almost all of them received letters asking them to leave or pay a ransom. It is estimated that Turkmens paid more than 50 million US dollars until today many medical colleagues left as result of such indiscriminate threats.[12] Indeed many young doctors and university graduates left to other parts of Iraq if not to Turkey or elsewhere in the world.

A report from Iraqi Turkmen Doctors Association reported that Turkmen medical sector specifically, were a target for abductions, kidnapping and assassinations in Kirkuk to drain the city from their minds and intellect. They listed 46, most of whom were Turkmen doctors from Kirkuk alone, who were kidnapped and ransomed for $10,000-50,000 for their release; some of whom were killed and others left the city for good.[13]

In Kirkuk, 95% of the terror attacks targeted Turkmens, Turkmen neighborhoods left no protection despite the heavily presences of security forces which are protecting non-Turkmen neighbourhoods like Kurdish residential areas, and this is exactly what is happening and happened in Tuzkurmatu town.

4.2. Telfar

On 9th of September 2004 and 5th September 2005, Telfar was attacked by tanks, helicopters, soldiers, leaving 1,350 dead people and 2,650 injured, including many children, women and elderlies. During this period more than 48,000 families were displaced from Telfar.

While Telfar was a site of daily attacks of car bombs, kidnapping, killing by various methods, on 9th of July 2009 two suicide bombers killed themselves in the middle of the town, killing more than 34 people and injured hundreds with many houses and belongings were destroyed.

4.3. Tazakhormatu

It is located 20 km south of Kirkuk and it had its own share from terror attacks, on 20th of July 2009, a large explosion of a trailer in the middle of busy market similar to Amerli attack, killed 82 persons and injured 228 people and many shops, and more than 80 houses were collapsed.

4.4. Tuzkhormatu

Countless Turkmen people from Tuzkhormatu were killed and targeted by various terrorist attacks, from kidnapping, road side bombs, car bombs, suicide bombers, head hunting and targeted explosions of their houses and neighborhoods. Explosion of Mosques, worship places like Hussinyia, even nurseries and primary schools and high schools were targets, killing innocent children and people regardless. All these attacks were mainly in the streets of Turkmen neighbourhood.

In January 2013, a suicide bomber exploded himself in the middle of gathering of funeral, killed more than 42 people and injured more than 70 people.

13th of June another deadly suicide bomber attack on peaceful demonstration in Tuzkurmatu killed the Iraqi Turkmen Front Vice president Ali Hashim Mukhtar Oglu with other 13 TurkmenS prominent people and injured more than 30 people.

July 2013, a massive car bomb exploded in 5 a.m. while people sleeping in their beds, in a Turkmen neighbourhood, killed 12 people, children, elderly and young people regardless and more than 20 houses were destroyed with more than 50 people who got injured.

More than 1,500 Turkmen people killed in Tuz, and more than 1,000 houses were destroyed and more than thousands of families were forced to leave their homeland and to move to the south especially to Karbala and Baghdad as they were being fearful of their lives.

It was reported that, between January 2013 and August 2013; “Three hundred attacks took place in the province of Kirkuk”, with “Two hundred seventy attacks” were in Salah al-Din, mainly in Tuzkhurmatu.

4.5. Amerli

A small district located 20 km south of Tuzkhurmatu, which is 80 km south of Kirkuk city. In July 2007, Amerli was subject to a deadly trailer bomb explosion in the middle of a busy market where 160 civilians were killed, more than 300 people were wounded and more than 100 were destroyed. The attack left behind many widowed, orphaned and disabled children and adults. Since then many young people and professionals were targets for deliberate killing on their way to work between Amerli, Tikirit and Kirkuk .
X. Recent Atrocities against Turkmens by Islamic State of Iraq and Sham (ISIS)

Moreover, the recent rapid rise of the ISIS in Iraq has left the state in chaos and its minorities extremely vulnerable, of which in particular Turkmens and Assyrians, as they do not have their own security forces. Reportedly, on 15th June 2014, ISIS fighters took over Telfar, which is mostly populated by Turkmens. In total, 100 people were killed and 200.000 people are estimated to have fled Telfar according to Human Rights Watch.[14] ISIS forces kidnapped at least 40 Shiite Turkmens and ordered 950 Shiite Turkmen families to leave the villages of Guba and Shireekhan. Many more than 100 Turkmen families were forced from Al Rashidyia village, and other Turkmen villages around Mosul (UN Report, 2014). In another report, an estimate of 350,000 Turkmen people from Telfar were displaced.

Bashir a district located at southwest of Kirkuk city, is one of the Shiite Turkmen villages, which were destroyed when Saddam forced their habitants to leave, confiscated their lands, killed many youth and imprisoned others. After 2003, many orders from central government were dismissed and local Arab tribes who took over Bashir lands refused to leave.

On 12th and 13th of June 2014, ISIS terrorists attacked Bashir civilians, kidnapping, killing, abducting, raping children and women. Mosques and worship places were destroyed, 59 people, including three children and women were killed. Little girls and young women were raped and then killed and their corpses were hung from the lamp posts. Around 1000 families fled from Bashir.

Macro Babille; the United Nations children’s fund representative in Iraq, said; that “ISIS militants have massacred 700 Turkmen civilians, including women, children and the elderly, in a northern Iraqi village, Bashir between July 11 and 12”.

Brawachilli and many other villages around Amerli were attacked, people were killed indiscriminately including, sick, children, women and elderly, some people managed to escape their villages by leaving behind the most vulnerable to be abused and killed. Their houses, mosques, lands and livestock were destroyed.

Amerli was under siege for 80 days (17/06/2014-31/08/14) under harsh inhumane conditions, with food, water and electricity supplies were cut off. 20,000 people were under daily attacks. More than 50 children, along of 10 new born babies lost their lives in one day as result of lack of milk and nutrition, more than 100 people were, perished as result of the siege and daily attacks.

Michael Knights is a Boston-based Lafer fellow of the Washington Institute, in his article (Iraq’s City of Orphans), urged US government to rescue Amerli people and argued why the international communities ignored thousands more Iraqi communities of Amerli.

Michael stated in his article that saving Iraqi Turkmens is a Win-Win-Win. A U.S.-backed effort to save besieged Iraqi Turkmens in the Tuzkhurmatu district could bring Baghdad, the Kurds, and Turkey into a joint fight against the ongoing jihadist offensive.[15]

Ayatullah Ali Sistani, Shiite Muslims’ most influential scholar, said through his representative, Abd al-Mehdi al-Karbalai that “we appeal to the relevant sides to work sincerely in breaking the siege. [We also call for] saving the brave town’s citizens from the dangers of the terrorists”. Ayatullah Sistani added, “the speeding up of the air delivery of food to the people of Amerli is a top priority”.[16]

The people of Amerli, with their determination, defeated ISIS by defending themselves with the help of Iraqi coalitions from various groups and Kurdish Peshermega as well as with the help of international communities from the USA, and other Western countries.

The American help to save Amerli came very late, which left some doubts in the minds of many Turkmens as to the intentions of America in supporting Turkmens in their struggle.

Amerli was the first town in Iraq stood bravely against the atrocities of ISIS. As Mr. Knight predicted that Iraqis with its various fractions including Kurds came together to defend and fight against the evil ISIS. However, the Turkish government was no longer interested in helping Turkmens any more for reasons out of scope of this review.

Reports from Turkmen Front, human right office in London, June 2014 and from Beladi Strategic Center, said that “the human misery and severe human suffering continue in the Turkmen towns and cities after the invasion of the ISIS, especially in Telfar, Shirghan, Qura Quyan, Bashir, Tazakurmatu, Tuzkurmatu, as well as Al Bayat villages and towns around Tuzkurmatu in Salahadin, other villages and towns around Mosul, Al Sa’dia district and other villages in Diyala province”.[17]

The above communities have suffered from killings via car bombs, suicide bombers, road side bomb explosions as well explosions of their houses by various means prior to the above events. Many loved ones have been killed, and hundreds disabled, leaving behind numerous widows, and orphans, let alone the daily mental anguish and fear of what will happen next. However, these atrocities have not affected Turkmens alone, but later others; Christians and Yazidi ethnic minorities, Shabak and Kurd Shia Faili were targeted as well.[18]
XI. Conclusion

The Iraqi Turkmens have suffered immensely from intimidation by the central government, Kurds and extrajudicial militia groups for religious and ethnic reasons, ‘Arabization’ assimilation policies during the Saddam Hussein regime, and the “Kurdization” policy after 2003.

Since 2003, various groups, including extrajudicial militia, have targeted Turkmens via car bombings, assassinations, kidnappings, arbitrary arrests, harassment and torture, with impunity and torture.

The most recent events by ISIS attacks on Turkmens did not come as a surprise; it is an extension of decades of assimilations, intimidations by Arabs and Kurds, in order to forcefully displace them from their motherland where they had been living for centuries.

The official combination of the assimilation policy and the decomposition policy was successfully played out for years, but assimilation and decomposition would not have been enough to erase or eradicate Turkmens and the languages of the Iraqi Turkmens.

There is no evident sign that official Turkish positions on the Iraqi Turkmens will change. However, changes to improve the present conditions and to solve the Iraqi Turkmen problems within the Iraqi sovereignty may be timely, especially with a view to the Kurdish Spring in northern Iraq. The Kurdish Spring encouraged by the United States, the European Union, Russia and others needs to be emulated by the Iraqi Turkmens who cannot afford to be isolated from northern Iraq geographically or politically, and, least of all, economically.

It is very clear that various policy makers of Western countries calling to divide Iraq into three states of: Arab Shias in the south, Kurds in the north and Sunnis in the west, ignoring the human rights and existence of the original Turkmen people in this land and other ethnic minorities. However, Turkmens should not be seen as a danger to Iraqi sovereignty but as a credit to strengthen Iraqi stability and as a part of the big mosaic of Iraqi unity. The Iraqi government must guarantee human rights for all citizens, regardless of ethnicity, and reach an agreement about these issues, with representation from Kurds, Turkmens and Arabs. They should present a regional security plan in which the Turkmens are given a role to play. The second stipulation concerning Turkmens is that the world should be reminded of Turkmens’ presence in Iraq. Baghdad should be aware of this presence, and it should be noted that providing certain rights and guarantees to Turkmens would contribute to the ending of the division of the country.

Above all, Turkmen people themselves need to wake up, with its various fractions; Shia, Sunni, Muslim and non-Muslim should come together and extend their hands to each other in order to help their wounded and shattered people with many, orphaned children and women who were left defenseless and who were struggling day by day. To take them back to their own home land.
Mr. Zahid Jihad Albayati, Writer, Journalist, and Member of Iraqi Writers Union &Dr. Elham MA Albayati, Writer and Consultant Paediatrician, UK