LAST NEWS ABOUT KIRKUK/ KURDISTAN

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KRG Urges UN to Monitor Kirkuk

The Kurdistan Regional Government's (KRG) Office of the Coordinator for International Advocacy has issued a compelling call to the United Nations and international organizations to closely monitor the situation in the disputed Kurdish province of Kirkuk

The call comes as four Kurdish demonstrators were killed and several more were injured by Iraqi security forces during Saturday’s protests in Kirkuk city. The office said in a statement that killing and arrest of demonstrators on “is contrary to human rights principles and international law.”

“We call on all international partners, the UN, and international organizations to closely monitor the situation in Kirkuk, particularly the violations perpetrated by security forces, in accordance with established international standards,” reads a statement by the office.

The initial protests on Saturday were sparked by the closure of the road linking Kirkuk to Erbil, an action carried out by pro-Iran Hashd al-Shaabi supporters. The response from police forces resulted in four fatalities and multiple injuries.

This roadblock was in response to a directive from the Iraqi Prime Minister, calling for the return of the headquarters of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) to the party in Kirkuk.

Despite the federal government's decision to hand over the headquarters of Kurdish political parties to allow them to resume political activities in Kirkuk, several parties have obstructed the return of other communities as political and social actors in the city, the statement continued.

The first paragraphs of Articles 39 and 44 of the Iraqi Constitution safeguard the right of political parties and their association. Concurrently, the constitution guarantees the right of every individual to freedom of movement, it further underlined.

While the roads have been reopened, it has been reported that several parties have conducted raids on Kurdish residences using hammers and military equipment to identify participants in the demonstration. Such actions contradict the constitution and the principles of coexistence, the statement noted.

https://www.basnews.com/en/babat/822316

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Unpacking the Kirkuk Conflict

Kirkuk, the oil-rich city, once again finds itself at the center of tensions and violence. The recent confrontations and clashes, with the unfortunate death of protestors, serve as a poignant reminder of the deep-seated ethnic and political tensions that persistently afflict Iraq

At the heart of the turmoil lies a contentious dispute regarding the handover of a building that once housed the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) headquarters. This altercation underscores the urgency for a comprehensive and just solution that transcends divisive lines.

Kirkuk, historically emblematic of ethnic diversity and discord, has harbored Kurds, Arabs, Turkmen, and other ethnic minorities for generations. In the years preceding 2014, Kirkuk was administered as a shared territory, a testament to its distinctive multicultural character. However, the rise of the Islamic State (ISIS) presented a turning point, with Kurdish Peshmerga forces assuming control and the Kurdish flag adorning government buildings.

The trajectory of Kirkuk's fate was significantly altered in 2017 when the PMF and other Iraqi forces reasserted control over the city, ousting Kurdish forces and leading to a substantial reduction in Kurdish presence in Kirkuk. It is essential to acknowledge the instrumental role played by the Kurdish Peshmerga forces during this critical period. The Peshmerga stepped in to protect and secure Kirkuk, ensuring its stability. Their unwavering commitment underscores the importance of addressing their rights within any resolution to the ongoing conflicts.

The clashes over the disputed building are just one facet of a broader power struggle. While Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani has worked towards improving relations since taking office, many Kurds in Kirkuk have endured marginalization and discrimination under the central government control for too long. For the Kurdish population, with deep cultural and historical bonds to Kirkuk, the return of the KDP signifies an endeavor to regain their rightful place.

On the opposing side of the spectrum, Arab and Turkmen demonstrators argue that the KDP's return jeopardizes the province's security. While these concerns may warrant attention, it is crucial to distinguish between legitimate security apprehensions and attempts to infringe upon the Kurds' rights in Kirkuk.

The protests serve as a concerning indication of persistent attempts to erode the rights and stability of the Kurdish people, as well as the broader Kurdistan Region while the international community shoulders an imperative role in mediating the Kirkuk dilemma. The United Nations, alongside regional stakeholders, must spearhead efforts to promote dialogue and facilitate negotiations amongst all stakeholders.

A resolution that guarantees the peaceful coexistence of Kirkuk's diverse ethnic and religious communities is imperative. The upcoming provincial council elections, scheduled for December 18, assume a pivotal role. These elections hold the potential to provide a platform for addressing Kirkuk's future, potentially redressing the balance of power among its diverse populace.

Kirkuk, historically steeped in Kurdish heritage, should remind us that the KDP's return goes beyond mere political strategy. It stands as a symbol of commitment to the rights and aspirations of Kirkuk's Kurdish population.

Furthermore, an inclusive approach, which respects the rights of all ethnic and religious groups, is indispensable for Kirkuk's and Iraq's long-term stability. The realization of Kurdish self-determination and representation within Kirkuk can serve as an inspiring model for fostering pluralism and peaceful coexistence throughout the region.

In summation, the clashes in Kirkuk are a stark indictment of the unresolved issues that continue to fester within Iraq's borders. It is high time for all stakeholders to prioritize dialogue, reconciliation, and the protection of human rights. A just and inclusive resolution in Kirkuk will not only usher in tranquility to this beleaguered city but will also catalyze broader efforts to construct a stable and democratic region.

Rejna Alaaldin is an international lawyer whose expertise has contributed towards legal advocacy and reform, crisis management, as well as the advancement of women’s rights and transitional justice.

https://www.rudaw.net/english/opinion/03092023

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Baghdad's Treatment of Kurdistan

Civil society organizations and human rights activists are taking part in public demonstration in the city of Duhok on Tuesday to protest against Baghdad's hostile policies against the people of the Kurdistan Region

The aim of the protest is to convey our strong dissatisfaction with the policies of the current federal government of Iraq, and call on the international community to pressure Baghdad to reverse course on the Kurdistan Region, Kurdistan 24 reported Mala Anas Doski as saying about today's protest.

Baghdad has been practicing hostile policies toward the Kurdistan Region in recent months, including by delaying and not sending sufficient funds to the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) to pay public sector salaries, which analysts see it as a "deliberate attempt" to cause public discontent in Kurdistan.

On the other hand, over the weekend, the Kurdish community in Kirkuk staged a protest to express their dissatisfaction with the ongoing shutdown of the route that links the city to Erbil. During these protests, four Kurdish demonstrators met a tragic end, and several others were injured after the city's security forces used lethal force to respond to the protest.

The closure of this road had been in effect since the previous week due to demonstrations by supporters of the pro-Iran Hashd al-Shaabi militia, which were sparked by the handover of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) headquarters in Kirkuk back to the party.

Link to Photos:

https://www.basnews.com/en/babat/822333

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Demonstrators in Duhok

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – A demonstration was held on Tuesday morning in Newroz Park by thousands of Duhok residents in response to both the killing of four Kurdish protesters in Kirkuk and the failure of the Iraqi government to grant the Kurdistan Region its fair share of the country’s budget

Demonstrators from Akre, Bardarash, Semel, Amedi, Shekhan and Zakho expressed sympathy for the families of the martyrs and those injured in Kirkuk.

Demonstrators also called on the Iraqi government to adhere to the constitution and the federal budget law and to implement its agreements with the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG).

Moreover, an organizer of the demonstration in Duhok, Mullah Anas Doski, told Kurdistan 24 that the demonstration was intended to convey to the political parties in the Kurdistan Region and to the international community a message that the Iraqi government must change its policies.

During the demonstration Duhok Governor Ali Tatar told Kurdistan 24 that the people of Duhok had very specific demands; they demanded that the Iraqi constitution articles related to Kurds, particularly Article 140, be implemented, the Kurdistan Region's financial entitlements be paid, and that the recent agreement between the Kurdistan Region and the Iraqi prime ministers be implemented.

Governor Tatar added “It is important that the demonstrators directed their demands, which were constitutional, legal and peaceful, to the Iraqi government and expressed their attitude towards Baghdad's decisions." ‎

The governor later thanked the citizens who participated in the demonstration from different parts of Duhok governorate and the Kurdistan Region, and he further thanked the Asayish security forces for maintaining security during the event.‎

On Monday, Peshawa Hawramani, spokesman for the KRG, announced on Tuesday that the Iraqi government is conducting a “policy of deprivation against the people of the Kurdistan Region.”

https://www.kurdistan24.net/en/story/32 ... competence

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Activate of Article 140

The United States has called on the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and the Iraqi federal government to resolve the disputes in Kirkuk through the activation of Article 140

The remarks were made by Vedant Patel, a US State Department spokesperson, in a press briefing following the recent tensions in Kirkuk where four Kurdish protesters were killed and dozens were injured by Iraqi security forces.

Patel said that Washington is closely monitoring the situation in Kirkuk and that it condemns “the violence”, also offering condolences to the families of the victims

The initial protests on Saturday were triggered by the closure of the Kirkuk-Erbil road, carried out by Hashd al-Shaabi supporters, believed to have pro-Iran affiliations. This action led to a police response resulting in four fatalities and numerous injuries.

This road closure was a response to the Iraqi Prime Minister's directive, which called for the return of the Kurdistan Democratic Party's (KDP) headquarters to Kirkuk. Despite the federal government's decision to facilitate the return of Kurdish political party headquarters to the city to resume political activities, various parties have impeded the reintegration of other communities as political and social entities within Kirkuk.

According to the constitutional Article 140, the Iraqi federal government is required to conduct a referendum across Kirkuk and other territories disputed between Erbil and Baghdad, and determine the status of the areas: whether its people wish to be ruled by the KRG or remain under the administration of the central government.

The KRG has, on different occasions, asked Baghdad to implement Article 140 from the Iraqi Constitution to address the issues in Kirkuk and other disputed territories. However, since 2005, Baghdad is reluctant to implement Article 140.

https://www.basnews.com/en/babat/822412

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Militarization of Lands

Kurdish farmers in Kirkuk's Topzawa village in a news conference on Thursday called on Baghdad to stop encroaching on their farmlands

They urged the federal government of Iraq to intervene, and stop the Iraqi army from the militarization of their farmlands. They also called for the long overdue implementation of article 140 of the Iraqi constitution.

The article makes it compulsory for Arab settlers to return to their places of origin, and be compensated in return for handing over the farmlands they have occupied. In the province of Kirkuk, at least 1.1 million dunams of land are contested

Residents in disputed Kurdish territories have continuously reached out to both local officials in Kirkuk and Kurdish representatives in Baghdad for assistance in averting military incursions into native Kurdish villages and agricultural lands in these areas.

In 2017, the Iraqi military assumed control over disputed Kurdish territories, Kirkuk included. This military intervention sparked the resurgence of the Arabization process, involving the resettlement of Arab families in these places. Consequently, tensions between Kirkuk's Kurdish and Arab populations flared up, exacerbating concerns surrounding demographic shifts in the area.

https://www.basnews.com/en/babat/822630

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Iraq violating Kurdistan's rights

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) announced in a statement on Sunday that some chauvinistic forces in Iraq are violating the rights of the Kurdistan Region people

In a statement commemorating the 62nd anniversary of the September Revolution, the KDP reiterated that the only path to prosperity and progress in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region is through understanding, peace, and coexistence.

The statement added that the party has expressed regret about the agreements signed between the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and the Iraqi Federal Government led by Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani.

Instead of honoring the terms of the accords signed with the Kurdistan Region, the federal government has betrayed and excluded the Kurdish people, which has caused deep instability and crises, the KDP statement added.

Moreover, the statement added that the post-2003 Iraqi regime turned away from the Iraqi constitution and has further exacerbated the deteriorating conditions in the country.

On Sept. 3, the Iraqi Council of Ministers decided to send 500 billion Iraqi dinars (over $384 million) in the form of loans to pay salaries to the Kurdistan Region; however, Peshawa Hawramani, spokesperson for the KRG, stated at a press conference on Monday that the federal government had unilaterally made the decision without consulting the KRG.

Meanwhile, KRG Finance Minister Awat Noori stated on Sept. 4, that the amount of money the federal government is going to send, with a domestic revenue of about 320 billion Iraqi dinars, is not sufficient to cover all salaries.

The courts on Sept. 3 decided to stop the implementation of the Iraqi Prime Minister’s decision to hand over the current Iraqi Joint Operations Command center to the KDP, which previously conducted its political affairs inside the building prior to the 2017 military takeover of the city by Iranian-backed Shiite militias and the Iraqi military.

Prior to the court’s decision, members of the Shiite militia forces staged a sit-in for over a week in front of the KDP’s headquarters in Kirkuk, demanding that the building must not be returned to the ruling Kurdish party, which has ceased all its operations in protest of Iraqi military rule in the city.

Kurdish protesters, affected by the closure of the Erbil-Kirkuk main road for several days, protested on Saturday afternoon on the city’s popular Raheemawa street, which was met with a violent crackdown by Iraqi security forces. At least four Kurdish protesters were killed while 14 others were wounded.

The protests ended when militia members reopened the main road, whose closure negatively affected the local population.

The militias’ protest comes as the political parties, including the KDP, are set to run in the provincial elections in December. The Kurdish parties won the majority seats in the Kirkuk provincial council in the last election.

Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani on Sunday ordered the KRG Ministry of Martyrs and Anfal Affairs to register the killed protestors in Kirkuk as “martyrs” and provide medical assistance to the wounded, the spokesperson announced.

https://www.kurdistan24.net/en/story/32 ... ights:-KDP

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Building Kirkuk Future

Kurdish leader Masoud Barzani, president of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), has emphasized the need for inclusivity in building the future of the disputed Kurdish city of Kirkuk

The Kurdish leader received representatives of different communities from Kirkuk on Thursday to discuss recent events in the province.

He stressed that the city of Kirkuk is a place of brotherhood and peaceful coexistence of different ethnic and religious communities, read a statement released by the Barzani Headquarters yesterday.

He called for all parties to be allowed to take part in the management of the city and in building its future. President Barzani reiterated the need to resolve disagreements in the city through dialogue and within the framework of the country's constitution and laws.

Last week, members of the Kurdish community in Kirkuk city staged peaceful protests, calling for the reopening of the road connecting the city to Erbil. The road had been blocked the week prior by supporters of the pro-Iran Hashd al-Shaabi militia in response to the recent transfer of Kurdistan Democratic Party's (KDP) headquarters in Kirkuk back to the party.

In a report, Human Rights Watch verified that during recent protests in the disputed Kurdish city of Kirkuk, Iraqi security forces opened fire on demonstrators without giving prior notice, leading to the loss of at least four Kurdish lives and injuries to 16 others.

https://www.basnews.com/en/babat/823493

There was always a small percentage of Arabs sharing Kurdish land in Kirkuk. Saddam drove many Kurds from their lands, homes and businesses and ARAB THIEVES KNOWINGLY STOLE Kurdish lands, businesses and property

When Saddam was removed from power the thieving Arabs should have been removed from Kurdish lands

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Kurdish education in Kirkuk

Kurdistan Region - Iraq’s education minister on Friday said that there is Kurdish-education in Kirkuk and other Iraqi provinces and that his ministry had good relations with its counterpart in the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG)

“We have a general directorate in the ministry of education concerning this matter - Kurdish education going on in Kirkuk, Baghdad, and other provinces,” Education Minister Ibrahim Namis al-Jubouri told Rudaw’s Diyar Kurda on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York City.

Jubouri said that they are currently employing teachers who specialize in Kurdish and education in Kurdish, and that there were no problems in his ministry regarding this matter.

The minister also said that there is a “huge cooperation and activity” between the education ministries of both the federal government and the KRG.

There was a ban on Kurdish language in Kirkuk under Saddam Hussein, as a part of effort to convert the multi-ethnic oil-rich territory into a predominantly Arab region. After the US-led invasion that ousted the Baathist regime in 2003, Kurdish education resumed in Kirkuk. The KRG established administrative units in many of the disputed areas such as Kirkuk, Shingal, Mandali, Makhmour, Sheikhan, Dubiz, and Tuz Khurmatu, employing thousands of employees.

A large number of Kurdish teachers and students fled Kirkuk after October 16, 2017, when the Peshmerga withdrew from the disputed province and the Iraqi army and Shiite paramilitaries took over in the wake of the Kurdistan Region’s independence referendum.

An estimated 615 schools and 32 kindergartens in Kirkuk province educate students in the Kurdish language. These are run by 7,600 teachers and 400 support staff, according to a 2020 data from the Kurdish Studies Department in Kirkuk. There are 98,000 students studying the Kurdish language in the province.

https://www.rudaw.net/english/middleeast/iraq/220920231

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Unfair police employment

A recent decree by the Iraqi government to provide the majority of Kirkuk police’s employment share to the Arab component has angered Kurds and Turkmen who demand equal employment among the city’s ethnic groups

The Iraqi government has planned to employ 37,000 cops aged between 18 to 22, to be paid 500,000 Iraqi dinars monthly and serve on the basis of a three-year contract on the interior ministry’s payroll. Of this number, more than 2,500 positions are allocated to Kirkuk province.

Kurds and Turkmen are dissatisfied that sixty percent of those who have been granted employment are Arabs from other Iraqi provinces, taking up their city’s share.

On Sunday, a number of Kurdish applicants whose applications were rejected staged a protest, saying they were unhappy that they had been replaced by Arabs from other parts of the country.

"We applied online, provided our names, and submitted our primary school certificates, but our names have not been accepted. We are uncertain about the issue. They have informed us that people from other provinces like Diyala and Mosul have been hired to fill positions in Kirkuk, and we are in the dark about the situation," said Adnan Ismail, a resident of Kirkuk.

Kirkuk is a multiethnic city home to Kurds, Arabs, and Turkmen, as well as an Assyrian minority.

[list=]The Arabs who have been hired and received residency cards, as well as food rations, are set to begin working as early as next week, a development seen as a new phase of Arabization in the province, disputed between the Iraqi government and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG)[/list]“The minister of the interior should issue instructions to Kirkuk, ensuring an equal distribution of shares among the Kurdish, Arab, Turkmen, and Christian communities. Straying from this approach will foster division. Having only two or three Kurds and two or three Turkmens out of 50 women is unjust,” said Arshad Salihi, a prominent Turkmen leader and a current lawmaker in the Iraqi parliament.

Like the Turkmen component, Kurdish parties are troubled by the unequal distribution of employment opportunities and have lodged complaints. They are also considering the possibility of organizing demonstrations in response to this issue.

"In this process, some of the Arabs who are going to be contracted are from other Iraqi provinces and will be employed in Kirkuk's share. This is surprising, and we will oppose it in every way," stated Dilan Ghafoor, a Kurdish MP in the Iraqi parliament from Kirkuk.

"We will start strong parliamentary and civil pressure to correct this unfavorable situation, and we will not stop to the extent of taking to the streets and demonstrations if our demands are not heard," she added.

For the fourth time in three years, Baghdad has offered employment opportunities to Kirkuk given mostly to Arabs, while little shares went to Kurds and Turkmen.

Kirkuk was under administration before 2014 when Kurds took full control after Iraqi forces withdrew in the face of a brazen offensive by the Islamic State (ISIS) group threatening the city. Kurds held Kirkuk until October 16, 2017, when Iraqi forces retook control and expelled Kurdish security forces following the KRG’s independence referendum.

https://www.rudaw.net/english/middleeast/iraq/260920231

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Police Investigate Food Poisoning

The Kirkuk provincial police command has initiated legal proceedings against 262 individuals in response to a case of food poisoning that unfolded during a wedding celebration in Hawija district of the province

The local police command said in a statement that upon receiving reports of food poisoning among residents of Hawija district, a specialized team was assembled, led by the Deputy Police Chief and his assistant. The team's mandate encompassed monitoring the health conditions of the affected individuals, identifying the responsible parties behind the incident, and commencing legal actions against them.

Concurrently, a tactical unit was swiftly dispatched to Hawija district, and heightened security measures were implemented. Through the dedicated efforts of both medical personnel and security forces, all those affected by the food poisoning have now been discharged from the hospital, as their health considerably improved.

The cumulative number of citizens affected in this incident reached 262. Notably, the statement further disclosed that three individuals have been arrested in connection with the incident, having received the approval of the investigating judge.

Preceding this announcement, medical sources had initially reported that no fewer than 50 individuals endured food poisoning during a wedding celebration in Hawija district, situated in the southwest region of Kirkuk province.

Roughly 50 individuals within Kirkuk province's Hawija district fell victim to food poisoning today, following the consumption of contaminated food at a wedding celebration.

These sources have clarified that the afflicted individuals were promptly transported to a hospital, where their conditions are now described as being "under control." The root cause of this food poisoning episode has been attributed to the consumption of spoiled food.

https://www.basnews.com/en/babat/825052

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Kirkuk's History of Oppression

The head of the Kurdish Jewish community, recently delivered a documentary report to the European Parliament's Human Rights Committee, shedding light on a century of oppression in the disputed Kurdish province of Kirkuk

In a letter addressed to the media, Sherzad Mamsani explained, "On behalf of the International Kurdish Lobbying and as representatives of the Kirkuk people, we submitted a comprehensive documentary report to the European Parliament's Human Rights Committee in Brussels.”

This report covers the historical, racial, political, and terrorist injustices committed against this city over the last hundred years, against the Kurdish nation on the ancestral land of their forefathers, he added

“It particularly highlights the plight of the Yarsani Kurds, who, due to their religion and Kurdish identity, have consistently been the primary victims of inhuman oppression by Iraqi governments and militia groups affiliated with radical organizations and terrorists."

This report comes as part of ongoing efforts to draw international attention to the suffering and injustices faced by the people of Kirkuk and to advocate for their rights and security in the face of historical and ongoing challenges.

https://www.basnews.com/en/babat/824996

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Iraqi Army Occupies Kirkuk Building

Signifying Anfal Tragedies

The Iraqi army on Monday raided and occupied a historic military barracks in the disputed (stolen) Kurdish province of Kirkuk, which has stood as an emblem signifying former Baathist regime's infamous Anfal and genocide campaigns against ethnic Kurds.

The military barracks, which is located at the village of Tobzawa in Kirkuk province, stands as a stark reminder of Saddam Hussein’s brutality against local Kurds in the area. The occupation of the building by the Iraqi army has now prompted villagers in Topzawa to come together and protest the army's actions in the village, Kurdistan 24 reported today.

During the days of former Baathist regime, ethnic Kurds in Kirkuk province were indiscriminately rounded up and taken to the barracks before they were transported to prison cells in Samawah deserts, where they were tortured and mass murderer subsequently

Local populations in Topzawa village had previously requested from local authorities in Kirkuk province to preserve this important piece of history and turn it into a museum. The building stands as a relic of the past and an emblem of Saddam Hussein’s oppression and discrimination against the Kurds.

This incident coincides with the sixth anniversary of the infamous October 16th treason in 2017, where several elements in the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) colluded with the Iran-backed Hashd al-Shaabi militias to hand over Kirkuk province to these militia groups to be ruled against the wishes of its people.

During the Anfal campaign in Kurdistan, thousands of innocent Kurds were subjected to a brutal wave of kidnappings, disappearances, and mass killings under Saddam Hussein's regime. This campaign also led to the displacement of tens of thousands of Kurds and the destruction of numerous villages across Kurdistan, as Saddam Hussein used prohibited weapons of mass destruction targeting ethnic Kurds.

Enduring significant suffering under Saddam Hussein's rule, the Kurdish population experienced multiple genocidal campaigns. One of the most tragic events was the Halabja chemical attack, which claimed the lives of more than 5,000 innocent people. Additionally, thousands of Kurds were abducted and subsequently killed during the 1980s, including 8,000 Barzanis. The infamous Anfal campaign, which claimed the lives of 182,000 Kurds, remains a dark chapter in the history of the country.

https://www.basnews.com/en/babat/827076

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Kurds fear forced displacement

ERBIL, Kurdistan - Kurdish villagers in Kirkuk have decried the return of Iraqi army soldiers to a military base previously used by the Baathist regime, claiming that they have been asked by the Iraqi forces to evacuate their houses to make way for the camp’s renovation

The military camp was built in Topzawa village, 15 kilometers southwest of Kirkuk, in 1987, leading to villagers being forcibly displaced from their homes and moved elsewhere in the country. Many victims of the regime’s genocidal Anfal campaign against the Kurds were held in the camp until they were moved to southern provinces and massacred.

The Iraqi army’s 11th Division have in recent days made their way back into the military camp, setting up concrete walls in preparation for the base’s renovation, despite the strong protest of the people of the village.

“They tell us that we have to leave and say ‘this is not your place. Why did you build houses here?’ This is our land. This is our village. They are telling us that we must leave,” Dilbar Mohammed, an elderly resident of Topzawa, told Rudaw’s Hardi Mohammed on Thursday, while sitting on one of the concrete walls that have been set up right next to her house.

“We have no one coming to our aid,” she decried.

Loudspeakers in mosques have been used to call on the people of the village for protests against the army’s return, but their efforts have proved futile.

“The first thing they said was that they would force the families out of here. That was the first thing they said. We then tried to go see the Commander of 11th Division, Maad Badai, but they would not let us,” said Abdullah Mohammed, another Topzawa resident.

“They have come here and they are trying to trespass. I just came back from farming, hoping to rest in my own home, but I see the army is standing by my door. Do I look like a terrorist?” said Aras Mohammed, another resident.

The Commander of the Iraqi army’s 11th Division, Badai, in late May sent a letter to the Kirkuk agriculture department, asking them to make land in several villages south of Kirkuk available to be turned into military bases and residential units for the soldiers. The decree was strongly opposed by Kurdish and Turkmen farmers who held sit-in protests for over a month.

A decree from Hussein’s regime in 1975 expelled Kurdish and Turkmen farmers out of their lands in south of Kirkuk, transferring the ownership of the properties to the defense ministry and the municipality.

The Kurds and Turkmen came back to re-inhabit the land following the fall of Hussein’s Baath regime in 2003. The Iraqi Council of Ministers issued a decree in 2012 calling for annulling all decisions from the body in charge of northern Iraq affairs during the Baath regime’s reign.

The 2012 decree was never fully implemented, causing problems for the Kurdish and Turkmen farmers in Kirkuk following the Iraqi army’s 2017 takeover of the city as there have been multiple attempts to take advantage of anti-minority bills and decrees issued under the Baath regime.

https://www.rudaw.net/english/middleeast/iraq/15102023

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Iraqi Army Agricultural Constraints

A group of Kurdish farmers in the disputed (stolen) Kurdish area of Makhmur staged a roadblock on Sunday to protest the Iraqi army's constraints on their agricultural activities

According to the farmers in Makhmur, this incident occurred during the wheat planting season. The Iraqi forces stationed at the checkpoint in Makhmur allegedly obstructed them from transporting seeds and chemical fertilizers into the region.

The farmers claimed that intelligence checkpoints were established, and if they carried these agricultural materials, they would be subjected to extortion. The protesting farmers have vowed to keep the road closed until their concerns are addressed.

Such impediments imposed by Iraqi authorities on Kurdish farmers are not new, particularly in areas straddling the disputed territories between the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and the federal government.

For years, Kurdish farmers in Kirkuk province have faced discriminatory treatment from both the Iraqi military and local authorities. They have repeatedly sought assistance from Kurdish and Iraqi legislators, urging the Iraqi military to stop its encroachment on their agricultural lands, some of which have been converted into military zones

The situation escalated in 2017 when the Iraqi military took control of disputed Kurdish territories, including Kirkuk. This intervention led to the revival of Arabization efforts, which involves resettling non-indigenous Arab families in these areas. Consequently, tensions between Kirkuk's Kurdish and Arab communities have escalated, raising concerns about demographic changes in the province.

Just last week, the federal Iraqi army reportedly conducted an overnight raid in the village of Palkana in the disputed Kurdish province of Kirkuk, resulting in the alleged damage to farming equipment owned by Kurdish farmers.

The military's activities in the villages of Palkana, Shanagha, Sarbashakh, Gabalaka, and Kharaba in Kirkuk province continue to hinder farming and agricultural operations.

https://www.basnews.com/en/babat/827011