Baghdad: Lesson Not Learned

Omar Sindi | Exclusive to iKurd.net

Iraqi Arab leaders in Baghdad have repeatedly failed to comprehend that Iraq is not a homogenous State, rather it is a heterogeneous one, consisting mainly of Arabs and Kurds along with other minorities.

Alas, misguided leadership causes ordinary people to pay the price through none of their own fault and suffering irreversible catastrophic consequences.

In 1918, following end of World War I and the demise of the Ottoman Empire, the British colonial and other Allied Forces occupied Mesopotamia, resulting in the creation the State of Iraq.

This forced division of native lands was vehemently opposed by the people of the region, specifically the Kurds, who rose up against the undemocratic decision that was imposed on them.

The Treaty of Sevres, signed by the defeated Ottoman government in 1920, included a provision allowing for a referendum on Kurdish independence, subject to ratification by the League of Nations.

Additionally, the Treaty gave the Kurdish people in the province of Mosul the choice of joining a future Kurdish State. The British colonial power included that choice, introducing dissent over the planned border area of Kurdistan.

Since no agreement could be reached, leaving many with a feeling of dissatisfaction, the artificially created State of Iraq has never been able to establish a real, long lasting peace. This has only been increased due to the absence of democratic rule, the lack of proper institutions and infrastructure, and the on-going conflict between the Kurdish people and the different regimes in Baghdad.

In 1919, the Kurdish people rose up against Baghdad rule because people ‘s rights were denied under the leadership of Sheikh Mahmoud. This revolution was put down with the help of the British, and again in both 1922 and 1924.

The Kurdish people again rebelled in 1932, because people ’s voice for justice were ignored, this time under the leadership of Sheikh Ahmad Barzani. Once again the Iraqi government, with the help of the British, was able quell this revolt.

Mullah Mustafa Barzani led a new uprising in 1943, reclaiming a large portion of Kurdistan. The monarchy regime along with British colonial forces fought fiercely with Barzani.

In 1958, Abd-al- Karim Qassim and Abd-al Salam overthrew the monarchy system. After the victory General Mullah Mustafa Barzani was invited back to Iraq from the Soviet Union with the promise that the Arabs and the Kurds would now be equal partners in the democratic process in the new Iraqi State and now that the rights of other minority groups would be guaranteed. Unfortunately, this honeymoon period did not last very long. Qassim and Salam broke their promise, proving that they had no intention of resolving the overarching concerns of the Arabs and Kurds.

In 1961, the Kurdish people fought once again under the leadership of Gen. Barzani. Again, a large area of Kurdistan was liberated. This time the Communist Party of Iraq, along with other progressive parties, joined Barzani’s revolution against the Iraqi government.

Barzani declared that the Kurdish people would only be able to achieve autonomy in Kurdistan once the government of Iraq became democratic.

Sporadic fighting continued from 1961 – 1975. Throughout this period, different Iraqi regimes would propose steps toward peace with the Kurdish leadership. These offers would only be made in times when the regime was very weak and needed to save itself from a military coup d’état or in effort to strengthen its position for next possible upcoming war.

During the same time, the ruling regimes would employ many types of discrimination against minority groups. Jobs would be withheld or offered only to the ruling classes, arrests would be carried out without warning or cause and the Kurdish people would be forcibly relocated from oil rich areas such as Kirkuk and Khanaqin.

There was never a genuine intention to resolve this fundamental issue in any amicable way.

In 1968, the Ba’ath party succeeded in taking power through a coup and placed General Ahmed Hasan al-Bakr in office and the dreaded Saddam Hussein as a vice president. At the beginning of their rule, the Ba’athists talked about a instituting a balanced approach to resolve many of the problems that had continually plagued the region; the most contentious issues being those between the previous Iraqi governments and the Kurds.

At the same time they were making these pledges, the Ba’athist government was preparing to go to war with the Kurds, who remained under the leadership of General Barzani. The Ba‘athist government launched many military attacks into Kurdistan between Iraqi troops and “Peshmergas” forces.

In each battle that took place, the Iraqi troops were defeated at the hands of the “Peshmergas”, leading the Ba’athist leadership to realize that continuation of the war would only lead to eventual defeat of their regime altogether.

In 1970, the Ba’athists proposed peace talks be held between the government and the Kurds, declaring an autonomous zone. Radio and television broadcasts announced that the Arabs and Kurds would be equal partners in the peace negotiations. This led to the March 11 Autonomy Accord, including the Kurdish demand for autonomy that be implemented in 4 years’ time. Regrettably, yet again, nothing was implemented other then willy-nilly talk.

The Ba’athist government used the time to strengthen its armed forces and made several attempts to assassinate Barzani. The attempts employed the use of suicide bombers and even sending a basket of poisonous oranges and dates for Barzani and members of his family as a gift. During this time many KDP Cadres also mysteriously disappeared.

Arabization policies in the Kurdish lands were in full swing for the Accord implementation period. This was especially true in the oil rich areas of the region.

By 1975, tensions came to a head and war broke out once again. The war raged on for a year. Saddam began to realize that this was another unwinnable war, leading to the infamous Algiers Agreement.

The Agreement was made between the deposed late Shah of Iran and Iraq.

Saddam Hussein bent to the will of the Shah, yielding estuaries connecting the Persian Gulf and Shatt al Arab to the Iranian oil port of Abadan and the Iraqi port of Basra. In return, Iran cut off supply lines to the Kurds.

Instead of the Ba’athist government using the opportunity to make peace with all of the people of Iraq by establishing a representative government for Iraq, Bakir, Saddam and their cliques chose to cooperate with foreign governments in order to suppress their own people.

Once the Algiers Agreement took effect, the true terror began against any and all dissenting groups within Iraq, especially the Kurds and the Shi’ite. Over 4000 thousand Kurdish villages were destroyed.

People were forced to move to government controlled areas. In reality these “modern villages” were used to maintain total control over the lives and activities of those confined within them. The ruin and the terror continued on unabated and on a massive scale.

This forced many government oppositions groups and political party members escaped to Iran or Syria during the Iran-Iraq war, including the current Prime Minister Nuri al- Maliki and his Dawah party.

These groups stayed out of the country until 2003, when American forces liberated Iraq and deposed and toppled the dreadful Saddam.

With substantial American help, a new Iraqi government was established. Almost all Iraqi political parties participated in crafting changes and new processes that would help to move Iraq forward. This involved the drafting of a new constitution, which was put up for a referendum. The Iraqi people overwhelmingly voted in favor of the new constitution, over 80% voted for approval.

Since 2003, several elections have been held in Iraq. Different political parties have been in and out of power. During the two most recent elections, the Islamic Dawah Party, along with a coalition of smaller parties, has been able to form a unity government.

While this seems like steps are being made in the right direction, under the current Prime Minister, everyday life for ordinary people has gone from bad to worse. Security and economic situations have drastically devolved. The exception to this deterioration is only seen in the areas administered by the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), the economic status in the autonomous region has substantially improved.

It is difficult to comprehend not having electricity in the middle of Baghdad during summer time in 120 degree heat.
Mr. Prime Minister Nuri -al -Maliki, I was dismayed and disturbed when I heard that the Arabization policy continues under your leadership in the areas of Jalwla and Saadia in the district of Khanaqin. Mr. Prime Minister, remember at one time that you were the outsider. You and your party condemned the ruthless action of Saddam against both the Shi’ite and Kurdish people and the forceful relocations and Arabization policy in Kurdistan.

How can you propose that the constitution be changed when over 80% of the Iraqi people voted for it?
Arab political parties and politicians in Baghdad, if you want ever to create a long lasting peace for the whole of Iraq, you need to face reality.

The reality being that the Kurdish people have always lived on their ancestral land and they will always desire to be there. If political parties and politicians continue to tinker with and follow the same belligerent path that their predecessors in previous regimes embarked on, the lessons not learned, then another miserable and wasteful century will unfold for the Iraqi people.

Omar Sindi, a senior writer, analyst and columnist for iKurd.net, Washington, United States.

The opinions are those of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views of iKurd.net or its editors.