Committee: Political Chair: Benedetta Landi Issue: The question of recognition of the rights of Kurdish people

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1 Committee: Political Chair: Benedetta Landi Issue: The question of recognition of the rights of Kurdish people Introduction The Kurdish question is based on the ambition to self-determination of the Kurdish people; their persistent failure to obtain a state of their own; the problematic accommodations where they live; and the aspiration for the recognition of their rights. Kurdish groups, in order to obtain their goal, have served as proxy forces in conflicts, they have experienced cooptation by failing authoritarian regimes, they have followed popular mobilizations and they have considered the possibility of using the region s disorder to assure better treatment or to eventually become an independent state. This issue arose in the first few decades of the twentieth century as a consequence of the colonial division of the Middle East, but it is still now a serious question within the Middle East, affecting Turkey, Iraq, Iran and Syria. Countries and Organisations This regional map shows Kurdistan in red, an area that overlaps four countries. Turkey The Kurds inhabit a large portion of Turkey and the issue of Kurdish nationalism was mainly a reaction to Turkish nationalism in the newborn republic. The Kurd s main ambition is to obtain independence from Turkey. Furthermore the PKK guerillas clearly said that they would stop fighting if the Turkish government offered them amnesty and certain liberties. Iraq The cause of the Kurdish nationalist movement in Iraq was more of an ethnic issue, rather than a religious one. Iraqi Kurds are in persistent contest with the government for the oil-rich region of Kirkuk, yet, as stated from the new constitution, Iraqi Kurds will have granted autonomy. 1

2 Iran Iran is the place of origin of the Kurdish people; yet more than 2.5 million Sunni Kurds desire regional autonomy. This appeal caused Ayatollah Khomeini, spiritual leader of Shia Iran, to declare holy war against them. Last July though, an elite division in the Iranian army occurred due to the assassination of General Abbas Kasemi of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Iran replied with an armed invasion of 5,000 men into the northeastern Iraq s Kurdish region. The conflict went on until September 29th Syria Syrian Kurds have been considered by the Ba ath regime, for many years, as foreigners, hence, they weren t allowed to join in elections or to travel abroad as Syrian citizens. Syrian Kurds, unlike the Turkish and Iraqi ones, do not aim independence, but a wider range of civil rights. The Kurd s official agenda is to gain independence from Turkey and to obtain a possible unification with the other Kurdish-populated areas in Iran, Iraq and Syria. Syrian National Council (SNC) Some Kurds are involved in the Syrian National Council which has required a solution to the Kurdish groups though, have distanced themselves from the SNC because they mistrust the influence of Turkish and Islamist groups present in it. Civil Society Organizations (CSO) Kurdish Civil Society Organizations are involved in this issue and they have pronounced their concern amongst the tension in the country following the loss of civilian lives in terrorist attacks. Moreover this organization calls on the Peace and Democracy Party (BDP), the terrorist Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and the government to end violence present in the country. A number of other organizations now remain valid as a political reference point for the estimated million Kurds living in the Middle East: the trans-state armed challenge held by the PKK, the quasi-state in Iraq, the splintered Kurdish now growing in Syria. Overview of the Issue Settled in the Middle East from the ancient times, the Kurds are the largest ethnic group without a state of their own. The mountainous area populated by them was separated into political entities that later on became the four countries involved in this issue, Turkey, Iraq, Iran and Syria. Nowadays more than 35 million Kurds are split between these four countries, with small migration groups present in Armenia and Azerbaijan. The Kurdish people fight for self-determination, for the respect of their ethnic identity and for the recognition of their rights, within the nations in which they 2

3 live. For example in Turkey, it is illegal for them to communicate with their own language. Besides the country s constitution provides for just one ethnic designation, Turkish, rejecting the main concept of the Kurdish ethnicity. There are some uncertainties between the numerous Kurdish groups on how to achieve their goals in the best way. Kurdish history though, has been significantly marked by cultural discrimination by ruling regimes patterned by frequent rebellions that were then aggressively suppressed. Founded in 1978 by Abdullah Ocalan, the Kurdish Workers Party (PKK) is an armed movement with the goal of seeking autonomy for the Kurdish people. Yet, many Kurds criticized the PKK because indiscriminate attack towards Turkish civilians, bringing injuries and deaths, occurred. Following these terrible attacks, the USA and Turkey considered the PKK as a terrorist organization. The first problems related to the Kurdish Issue go back at least to the 1920 s, and arrive to our days. The following timeline will clearly explain the numerous events that occurred through the years Treaty of Sevres, provides a Kurdish state Shaykh Mahmud Barzinji rebels against British rule and announces a Kurdish kingdom in northern Iraq Kurdish people demand for autonomy but are ignored August - British RAF bombing forces Kurdish rebels over border into Iran where they join Iranian Kurds led by Qazi Mohamed, who founds an independent Kurdish state in Mahabad Mullah Mustafa Barzani is nominated president of the KDP A new Iraqi constitution recognises Kurdish "national rights" and Mullah Mustafa Barzani returns from exile KDP is dissolved by the Iraqi government after Kurdish rebellion in northern Iraq. Autonomy granted 1970 March - Iraqi government and the Kurdish parties agree a peace accord, which give autonomy to the Kurds March - Mullah Mustafa Barzani rejects an agreement with Iraq and calls 3

4 for a new rebellion June - The establishment of a Patriotic Union of Kurdistan is announced PUK agrees to a ceasefire with Iraq and begins negotiations on Kurdish autonomy Iraqi forces launch the "Anfal Campaign" against the Kurds. Tens of thousands of Kurdish civilians and fighters are killed, and hundreds of thousands forced into exile Thousands of Kurdish civilians die in a poison gas attack April - Jalal Talabani and Massoud Barzani open negotiations with Saddam Hussein on autonomy for Kurdistan May - Clashes between KDP and PUK forces spill over into outright civil war August - Masoud Barzani appeals to Saddam Hussein for help to defeat the PUK October - KDP and PUK parliamentarians agree to work together during a "transitional session" until new elections can be held February - Anti-Turkish demonstrators take to the streets of Kurdish towns April - Kurdish fighters and US forces take control of the northern cities of Kirkuk and Mosul May - The Kurdish regional government takes over responsibility for security in the three Kurdish provinces from the US forces July - Human Rights Watch gives details of torture and abuse in prisons run by the Kurds in the Kurdish area of northern Iraq August - At least 300 people are killed in a series of bomb attacks on members of the Kurdish Yazidi sect in northern Iraq April - Turkish warplanes bomb PKK Kurdish rebel positions in northern Iraq after Turkey accused the group of killing Turkish soldiers in two attacks July - Massoud Barzani is re-elected as president of Kurdish autonomous region. 4

5 2011 February - Public protests against corruption and power held by KDP and PUK start in Sulaymaniyah city August and October - Turkey launches air and ground assaults on PKK militants in Iraqi Kurdistan June - Turkish air force strikes at Kurdistan Workers' Party rebel bases in northern Iraq days after eight Turkish soldiers are killed in a PKK attack in southern Turkey April - At least 31 people are killed and more than 200 others wounded in explosions in cities across the country, including Kurdistan May - Flood of refugees from Syria prompts authorities to shut the border temporarily September - The Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) of regional President Massoud Barzani remains the largest bloc with 38 seats. Key Vocabulary Kurds - the largest ethnic group without a state of their own. They persistently try to fight to obtain autonomy and the recognition of their rights. Self-determination - the right of a nation or of people to determine its own form of government without influence from outside Amnesty - an official pardon for people who have been convicted of political offence Recognition - formal acknowledgment of a government or of the independence of a country PKK - the Kurdish Workers Party, armed movement with the goal of seeking autonomy for the Kurdish people Past Resolutions and treaties Resolution Prevention of discrimination and protection of minorities. Geneva, 1-26 August 1994 Letter from the Permanent Representative of Iraq to the General Secretary - Human rights situations and reports of special rapporteurs and representatives. 20 September

6 Resolution Prevention of discrimination and protection of minorities. Geneva, 5-30 August 1996 Resolution, General Assembly Human Rights and cultural diversity. 4th December 2000 General Assembly - Human rights situation and reports of special rapporteurs and representatives. 10 August 2001 Solutions Overall, all possible solutions should lead to the International community giving a peaceful accommodation of Kurds within the states where they are strongminded to obtain the recognition of their rights. In order to reduce the risks of violence linked to the Kurdish question it is needed a commitment to promote dialogue and confidence building. This solution would include, support for sustainable peace talks between Turkey and the PKK. Furthermore, this approach would consist also of confidence building between the KRG, Kurdistan Regional Government and Baghdad. Possible solutions involve also the International Actors to take part in the recognition and the promotion of Kurds human rights. This could possibly occur through a diplomatic engagement with the states and with the Kurdish authorities. Taking in consideration the historical route of the Kurdish elites, the International Actors should not only recognize their rights but also promote their past initiatives and give them more open political spaces. Promoting a culture of peace, or supporting women s organizations could all be part too of an international engagement in the Kurdish question. The member states of the Security Council tend to forget the question of Kurdistan for different reasons: The PR China has to deal with independence movements inside its own borders ( Uyghurs, Tibetans) and so they prefer not to create dangerous precedents. France wants to play an international role in the Middle East and in Africa. The French government shows some interest in defending the cause of minorities (reminding the massacre of Armenians by the Turkish government in the second decade of last century), but doesn t want to clash with the Turkish government on updated questions. In Iraq France is in good terms with the local autonomous government. Russia has the problem with secessionist movements in the Caucasus. So it prefers not to create an example in Kurdistan that could be followed by their opposition. 6

7 The USA and the UK need Turkey as NATO member state and in order to avoid difficulties with this country apply different patterns concerning minorities ( help the Tibetans and Uyghurs in China, but deny their support to the Kurds). Research Some useful websites for more research are: Bibliography on/e09dda c116e4aa7ff9a72c.pdf Turkish_conflict

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