Displaced and refugee families in Suleimaniya ... - Kurdish Globe

The Kurdish Globe No. 314, Saturday, July 23, 2011 2Globe EditorialIranian incursions into Kurdistan damagethe credibility of Baghdad and the U.S.PressStatementWhile Turkey’s long standing battlewith the PKK on the Iraqi Kurdistanborder region often dominates theheadlines, ironically there is a mirrcror conflict on the other side of theborder between Party for Free Lifeof Kurdistan (PJAK) and Iran.In a familiar tone to their Turkicish neighbors, Iran has accused theKurdistan Regional Governmentof supporting the Iranian Kurdishrebels and has frequently defendedtheir frequent violation of Iraqi sovecereignty as a “right.”Much like their Turkish counterpcparts, Tehran sees the issue of therebels as a terrorist issue as opposedto a greater national identity issueand has refused to address the rootsof the problems through dialogue,reconciliation and modern princciples.This week saw fierce clashesbetween the Islamic RevolutionGuards Corps (IRGC) and PJAKrebels along the Kurdish regionborder and within KRG territory itscself. Some Iraqi media reports hadclaimed as many as 10,000 Iraniansoldiers may have penetrated theregion.Although clashes appear to beintensifying, Iranian shelling andbombing of the northernmost areasof the provinces of Erbil and Suleimcmaniya is nothing new. This has ledto much damage, death of livestock,disruption of lives and civilian cascsualties.The recent incursion and fierceclashes in Iraqi territory comes descspite a recent warning by PresidentMassoud Barzani over his increasicing weariness with Iranian actions."We condemn the artillery fireagainst Iranian citizens in the borderregion of Kurdistan," stated Barzaniearlier in the month. Such measuresshould naturally lead to reviewof bilateral relationships even ifKurdistan has worked hard to forgestrong relations with Tehran.In light of the Shiite-led governmcments of Iran and Iraq enjoyingclose cooperation, the violation ofsovereignty with U.S. troops still inlarge numbers on Iraqi soil, is starkthreat, sets the wrong precedent andendangers Kurdistan’s credibility.Can Baghdad prove it can throw itsown weight in the face of transgresscsion from the Shiite partners or doesTehran’s increasing military andpolitical clout now place Iraq undertheir direct sphere of influence?As Iran tries to eliminate its Kurdicish rebels, it continues to support anumber of proxy forces in Iraq andthe Middle East, on the doorstepof U.S. forces. U.S. Secretary ofDefense Leon E. Panetta recentlystated that Iran's government hadstepped up its weapons shipmentsto Shiite extremist groups, echoingtrends of the past few years.PJAK took up arms in 2004 butKurdish resentment with successiveIranian governments goes back seveceral decades. While Iranian Kurdshave never been denied outright,unlike their brethren in Turkey, andhave had a level of cultural freedom,any notion of Kurdish power or autctonomy has been harshly crushed.The Kurdish battle for self-rule andmore government representationgoes back to before and after theIranian Islamic Revolution.For the best part, the Kurds hadshaky relations with the shah’s govecernment and initially supported theoverthrow of Mohammad RezaShah Pahlavi in favor of the Islamicrevolution in hopes of achieving anew break and stronger politicalinfluence. However, as a predomincnantly Sunni group, their demandsfor power, representation and autctonomy was seen as a threat to thenew regime in Tehran and a steptoo far for Iran’s new leaders. TheKurds were denied seats in the asscsembly of experts formed in 1979and tasked with the writing of thenew constitution.As early as 1979, Kurdish rebecels were engaged in battles againstIranian forces with Ayatollah Khomcmeini declaring Jihad against theKurdish people.The Democratic Party of IranianKurdistan (KDPI) and the leftistKomala (Revolutionary Organizatction of Kurdish Toilers) held theflagship of the Kurdish armed rescsistance at the time. Although theKDPI has long withdrawn from itsmilitary struggle, its new quest ofachieving goals through diplomacyand non-violent means has hardlyborne great fruit proving Iran’s lackof real desire for a sincere reach-outto the Kurds as it simultaneouslytries to crush the rebels but offerlittle alternative in return.PJAK is a part of the KurdistanDemocratic Confederation (KomaCivakên Kurdistan or KCK) umbcbrella, along with the PKK and effcfectively share common ideologyand command structure. While thePKK has been strongly condemnedPRESS PHOTOThe border area between Kurdistan Region and Iran has been bombarded by Iraniantroops.by the U.S., for years there werereports of U.S. contact and supportwith the PJAK rebels, much to theannoyance of the Iranians.With Iranian proxy cells causingchaos for the U.S. at the height ofthe Iraqi insurgency, the PJAK wasone tool the Americans could useagainst Tehran.However, perhaps owed to U.S.President Barack Obama’s vision ofsoothing ties with Iran and repairingthe damaged U.S. foreign image,Obama was quick to declare PJAKa terrorist organization and froze itsassets to appease Tehran.Furthermore, the PJAK and PKKissue has somewhat given Turkeyand Iran a further incentive in theirrecent warming of ties.As we have seen with Turkey, deccades-old problems will not disappcpear with a continuation of outdatedpolicies. Tehran must embrace theKurds as a key component of thelandscape and not continuously asa threat due to ethnic and sectariandifferences.With the might of the Turkishmilitary on the one side and the Irancnian forces on the other, the KurdishRegion is somewhat caught in themiddle and in a tenuous position.It relies on both powers heavily foreconomic and political prosperitybut the at the same time its land canncnot be used as a board for Iranianand Turkish military games.Even with Iranian military commcmanders claiming that Iranian seccurity forces took control of threebases and inflicted heavy losses onPJAK rebels, the end game doesnot change. Neither the PKK norPJAK will go away anytime soon.Iran needs more comprehensivemeasures to deal with its internalproblems and the U.S. and Europcpean powers should play their partin embracing increased rights forthe Kurds and condemning Iranianaggression.The KRG leadership must continueto strongly denounce any incursioninto its territory. The Kurdistan Regcgion aims to become a formidableregional power in its own right andmust at a minimum not succumb tobeen used as a pawn for the agendaof its neighbors against their respectctive Kurdish populations.The wider message is simple. TheKurds are here to stay and have evecery right to live in peace, freedomand prosperity as their Iranian, Iraqi,Syrian or Turkish counterparts.Turkey and Iran has worked hardto pressure the Iraqi Kurds intoconflict with the PKK and PJAKthrough their baseless political mindgames. PKK and PJAK are not andnever have been Iraqi Kurdish isscsues. They are both the byproductof years of oppression and denial ofrights in both respective countries.The KRG leadership must standfirm against Turkish or Iranianbullying but crucially provide diplclomatic support for their Kurdishbrethren. The Kurds were dividednot through choice but by bruteforce. A Kurd is no different whethecer in Syria, Turkey or Iran.The Kurds in Iraq must not beweary of conceding relations withIran by taking a firm stance.Bashdar Pusho IsmaeelErbil – July 21st2011France defendsvalues that sheconsiders universcsal and inalienable.From these valuesderives our motto:Liberté, Egalité,Fraternité.France subscribesto a principle, rescspect of fundamentctal rights, the basisof human dignity.Those are theshared values Istood for on the14th of July, Frenchnational day.I notice today thedistorted interpretctation of my words,which have beentaken to imply thatFrance was puttcting in doubt hersupport for the ongcgoing democraticprocess in theKurdistan Region.This is not so.Aware of the needfor time and of theinfluence the pasthas on the future– President Françcçois Mitterrandsaid “ a peoplewithout memoriesis a people withocout future” –, wepraise the effortsmade by all politiccal leaders to makethe region of Kurdicistan a democraticmodel chosen byits population,source of peace,social justice andwell-being.Weekly paper printed in ErbilFirst published in 2005www.kurdishglobe.netinfo.kurdishglobe@gmail.comAddress:Erbil, Bakhtiyari QuarterEXECUTIVE EDITORJawad QadirEDITORAzad Aminazad.kurdishglobe@gmail.comSenior U.S. EditorSuzanne DeRouensuzi.kurdishglobe@yahoo.comSenior U.K. EditorBashdar Pusho Ismaeelbashdar@hotmail.comAko Muhammed+964 750 4661936ako.kurdishglobe@gmail.comAiyob Mawloodi+964 750 4776905aiyob.kurdishglobe@gmail.comQassim Khidhir+964 750 4823081qassim.kurdishglobe@gmail.comSTAFF WRITERSSazan M. Mandalawisazan.kurdishglobe@gmail.comZakaria Muhammed+964 750 475 3897zakaria.kurdishglobe@gmail.comHawzhen Rashadaddin+964 750 4707416hawjin.kurdishglobe@gmail.comARTS EDITORDiyaco Qayoumy +964 750 4036252diyaco.kurdishglobe@gmail.comAdvertisementFor information and prices of ad spots, please contactGlobe’s Advertisement section: Rizgar Yahyarizgar.kurdishglobe@gmail.comCell: +964 750 4055888You can also check prices and packages by loggingon to: kurdishglobe.net/adSubscriptionThe Kurdish Globe can be delivered to your office orhome address, whether in Kurdistan or abroad.To subscribe: Please contact the Globe DistributionSection: Rauf Aspindarairauf.kurdishglobe@gmail.com+964 750 4497976You can also subscribe by logging onto:kurdishglobe.net/subscription