NEW SOUTH KURDISH INDENTITY...

[Diri]

New atmosphere in Hewler

26 July 2005
KurdishMedia.com - By Azad Ali
As recent as a year ago, there was almost no terror threat in Hewler (Erbil), the province which is the seat of government for the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) in the Kurdish autonomous region of Iraq. Unfortunately, following a small number of high profile attacks in the city of Hewler, this has changed.

Earlier this month, Kurdish security forces uncovered a terror cell led by a man calling himself “Sheikh Zana,” and the subsequent arrest of the so-called sheikh and a number of Kurdish terrorists working for him shocked and angered a population slowly coming to terms with the fact that not only have a small number Kurds within the KRG region been working for the terrorists, but also the more disturbing revelation that some of them have infiltrated high levels of the local establishment. In a region in which support for President Bush and the US-led war on terror and remains very high, this unwelcome news was received with shock and anger directed not only at the terrorists themselves but also at the local government and security forces, who the people expect to do more to fight terror.

I personally heard rumors of kidnappings and even decapitations taking place in the KRG region. Many of these rumors are indeed false, but their presence indicates that at least some portion of people found them believable, while a year ago such reports would have been dismissed as impossible. To a certain extent, terror is now literally the talk of the town in Hewler, which was not the case until recently. The Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) satellite channel Kurdistan TV is now running a show every night called “Tiror Wek Xoy (Terror As It Is)” in which captured terrorists are shown on camera speaking of their crimes and plans for terror attacks. This is apparently inspired by the show “Terror in the Hands of Justice”, which is shown on the al-Iraqiah satellite channel. The most shocking feature of “Tiror Wek Xoy”, of course, is that the captured terrorists are speaking Kurdish – they are Kurds from cities as far north as Zaxo who have decided to become terrorists and try to bring the chaos and death that is known all to well to Baghdad residents north to the peaceful and prosperous KRG region. In Baghdad, “Terror in the Hands of Justice” is a hit program that allows the cities residents, tired and frightened by the constant campaign of terror, to cheer victories against terrorism and see that the Iraqi security forces are making progress against the terrorists. However, in Kurdistan I am not so sure if “Tiror Wek Xoy” is having the same impact, despite its intentions. In my opinion, the daily showcase of captured Kurdish terrorists may actually be increasing the masses fear that organized terror has successfully moved north, and may be a factor in increasing the frequency of the rumors such as those I heard about kidnappings and decapitations.

The terror campaign is resulting not only in fear but also in a backlash against religion. While Kurds are overwhelmingly Muslim at least by birth, a fair number will make anti-Islamic statements that are a bit harsh on the ears. More than one person in Hewler told me simply that Islam is a “terror religion”. One told me that Kurds are “ashamed” of Islam. A Kurd born in Suleimani who was visiting Hewler from his home in Germany told me that more Kurds should and are in the process of becoming Christians, while a Yezidi Kurd of 18 years of age bragged to me that he is not a Muslim and, furthermore, alcohol was not forbidden for him. “The problem is in the mosques,” I was told. Indeed, I felt a bit uncomfortable hearing some of the more radical anti-Islamic and anti-religious statements being made. That aside, many people still do worship at mosques, and some are quick to point out that terror in the name of Islam is indeed not part of the religion at all.

Fears of terror aside, foreign investors coming to Hewler at an increasing rate. The Erbil International Hotel, known more commonly as “the Sheraton”, is a Western-style hotel that seems ready to cater to these foreign investors. While located in the administrative capital of the KRG region, its staff primarily speaks Arabic and some English, and only a minority of hotel workers actually speak Kurdish. Indeed, the lunch buffet has foods labeled only in English and Arabic! Indeed, a Kurdish visitor may think that he or she has taken a wrong turn and ended up in Baghdad or Beirut after arriving at the Sheraton. Businessmen from Lebanon, Turkey, the US, and other countries mingle with Kurdish businessmen and government officials in the lobby of the hotel. Many of these foreign businessmen make frequent trips to Hewler, looking for business opportunities in the most stable part of Iraq. Some of them spend most of their time within the Sheraton, behind its fortified walls and armed security guards, without taking time to venture out into the city for anything other than business meetings, being unsure of their safety.

Terror, or rather, the perceived new threat of terror, has not shut down life in Hewler. Indeed, for the most part, things are running as they would in any normal city, and only the frequent chatter of security concerns hints at anything out of the ordinary. The bazaar in the ancient city center which forms at the side of the historic castle remains busy and crowded, where consumers can buy everything from common household products to Kurdistan flags and pictures of Kurdish heroes and notable figures. While pictures of KDP figures such as Mesud Barzani and Nechirvan Barzani are available, one can also find the now famous picture of current Iraqi President Jalal Talabani at a meeting in Baghdad waving a map that serves to support Kurdish claims to the city of Kirkuk. Next to pictures of political figures, one can also buy pictures of popular singers, including a large number of Turkish pop stars. Turkish language music remains very popular in Iraqi Kurdistan, regardless of the fact that many of its most dedicated fans do not speak Turkish. In one strange demonstration of this fact, a music store selling Zakaria albums also sold not only Turkish language albums from Ibrahim Tatlises and Sibel Can but also albums from a Turkish pop star commonly known in Turkey to be a fascist, allied with political currents that deny the existence of the Kurdish people. When the owner of this music shop was asked about the strange presence of albums from a Turkish fascist at his store, he simply responded that he had no idea about the politics of the man.

Nightlife remains in Hewler, as groups of friends head out to popular restaurants to enjoy drinks, nargile (Arabic water pipe), and of course a few bad jokes, with one another past midnight. It does not take long to notice that many of those working at these popular restaurants are not Kurds and do not even speak Kurdish. More and more, non-Kurds are coming to Hewler and other places in the KRG region to work and escape the insecurity of other areas in Iraq. Christians from Mosul in particular are overrepresented in the ranks of these hotel and restaurant workers. A spirited and perhaps off-color conversation in Kurdish may be interrupted by a diner to request more bread or another drink, in Arabic, from a waiter.

The Iraqi flag is nowhere to be seen in Hewler. Many people will explain quite sensibly that there is no place for an Arab flag, “the flag of Halabja” as many say, in Kurdistan. That said, it seems more and more that an indication of Iraqi identity than present in years past. Many people do refer to their home as “Iraqi Kurdistan”. Travelers entering and exiting the region via the Ibrahim Khalil crossing that cuts Kurdistan into pieces, separating free Iraqi Kurdistan from Turkish-occupied Kurdistan, now receive a passport stamp bearing the name “Iraq Kurdistan Region”.

The two administrations in the KRG region, that of the KDP and that of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), are still not fully integrated, although a new atmosphere of unity within the region seems to be present. In Dohuk, where genuine support for the KDP remains high, side by side photographs of KRG and KDP President Mesud Barzani and Iraqi President and PUK Secretary General Jalal Talabani can be seen in restaurants and other places. This encouraging phenomenon was not present a year ago.

Looking to the future, there is indeed reason to be optimistic. As the overwhelming majority of the population stands strongly against terror, there is reason to think that their pressure on the local government and security forces will result in more effective anti-terror measures in the region. Increased foreign investment will likely bring greater prosperity. After weathering an attempt at genocide by the now incarcerated former dictator Saddam Hussein and surviving years of threats and war, the Kurds of Iraq are enjoying the benefits of relative stability, and may see their homeland rise as a new trade center and, more importantly, a center of hope in a region plagued by turmoil.