Bulletin de liaison et d'information - Institut kurde de Paris

Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basm Özeti
Kurdish uprising 1991
-'T- he Kurdish uprising of 1991 took place after the Coalition Forces'
recapture of Kuwait. Encouraged by US calIs for the overthrow of
Saddam Hussein, and by the rising of the Shi'i Arabs in south Iraq, a
popular revolt spread rapidly across Kurdistan during March. US
encouragement fell short of providing assistance to the Kurds or preventing
Iraqi helicopter attacks upon them. Once government forces
had suppressed the Shi'i revolt, they rapidly recaptured the main
towns of Kurdistan, killing thousands.
safe ha\Cll
The
I
Il a week, over 1..5 lllillion Kurds abandoned their hOlnes and lIed
to the borders. Embarrassed by public outrage at the plight of the
Kurds and their own failure to act earlier, the Coalition Forces agreed
to establish 'safe havens' inside Iraq. Then the Coalition Forces
started to hand over responsibilities to a United Nations (UN)
observer force. Within the 'safe haven', the UN and non-governmental
organizations have assisted the Kurds to rebuild their villages and
resume their traditional way of life in rural areas. However, since May
1994, the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) ançl the KDP have
been absorbed by internal fighting culminating in September 1996
when the KDP invited Saddam Hussein to assist in their bid to g,ùn
control of the region. The Iraqi government forces withdrew almost
immediately, but now both the KDP and PUK are reliant on external
support in their bid for leadership of Iraqi Kurds. The KDP is supported
by Iraq and the PUK by Iran. Many observers see it as a
matter to time until Saddam re-asserts total control of the region.
This is indeed a bleak prospect for the Kurds.
Improvised housing, Sharbazher region (in Kurdish autonomous region)
on the Iranian border. The building blocks are ammunition boxes supplied
to the Iraqi army by the USA during the Iran-Iraq war.
This Profile is a summary of the Minority
Additional
THE KURDS
By David McDowall.
Published December 1996, 44pp, £4.95/$8.95
ISBN 1 89769346 X
Rights Group International Report
+ postage
copies of this profile are. available from MRG at 25p each or 10 for
£2 from the address shown opposite
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