Knowing Kurdistan: 3 Days

CAIRO – 22 September 2017: Turkey’s National Security Council, headed by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, is set to convene today (Friday) to discuss the country’s threatened “sanctions” against the Iraqi Kurdish region, if the independence referendum goes ahead as planned.

Erdogan has continually threatened Erbil with sanctions and possible military action if the independence referendum takes place.

The independence referendum is scheduled for Monday, September 25.

Erdogan has recently returned from his trip to the United States to attend the UN General Assembly, where he met with US President Donald Trump on Thursday.

Following the meeting between Erdogan and Trump, a statement by the White House warned Erbil of “serious consequences that would follow if it [the referendum] occurs.”

The Senior Referendum Council of the Kurdistan Region, chaired by Kurdistan Region President Masoud Barzani, convened on Thursday and agreed that the independence referendum should take place as scheduled since no viable alternative had been offered.

"Because so far an alternative to replace the referendum has not been proposed and as adequate time is not left, if a complete guarantee for the independence of Kurdistan is not provided, the referendum will take place on its specified time," read a statement issued after the meeting.


US President Donald Trump shakes hands with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the Oval Office Olivier Douliery (AFP)

A delegation from the Kurdistan Region is expected to visit Baghdad within the following days to hold a discussion over the existing disputes and the imminent independence referendum.

In another case of international pressure, the UN Security Council has jumped on the anti-Kurdish independence referendum bandwagon, arguing its "potentially destabilizing impact."

"Council members expressed full support for United Nations efforts to facilitate dialogue between Iraqi stakeholders," read a statement from the UN Security Council late Thursday night.

"Council members expressed their continuing respect for the sovereignty, territorial integrity, and unity of Iraq and urged all outstanding issues between the federal Government and the Kurdistan Regional Government to be resolved, in accordance with the provisions of the Iraqi Constitution, through structured dialogue and compromise supported by the international community.”

Although facing extensive international opposition to the planned independence referendum, many Kurds expect the international community to respect the democratic process.

Chancellor of the Kurdistan Region Security Council (KRSC) Masrour Barzani said that they expect the world to recognize what the Kurds have done for them, in reference to the war against Islamic State.

“I think that what we have done for the world is many times more than what the world has done for us. We expect this to be recognized,” Masrour Barzani said in a recent interview with BuzzFeed News.

“For a hundred years we’ve been subject to genocide and injustice. It’s enough,” Masrour Barzani continued. “What would make [the West] convinced that we deserve a better life? Sacrifice? We’ve made the sacrifice. Loyalty? We’re loyal. Friendship? We’re the most trusted friends the West has. And what do we need in return? All we need is equality. We want to be the same as you are.”

Falah Mustafa, Head of Kurdistan Region’s Department of Foreign Relations, reiterated this during an interview with France 24 on Thursday.


Falah Mustafa, the Kurdistan Regional Government's minister of foreign relations, says he wants to reassure the international community that the upcoming referendum on Kurdish independence will not distract from the battle against ISIL. AFP/John Thys

“After our tragic history in Iraq, time has come for us to decide to go for a referendum. We want to do that peacefully, we want to engage with Baghdad in negotiations so we end this relationship that did not work, in order to have two sovereign states next to each other living in peace,” Mustafa said.

“Whatever has been offered, has been to negotiate the same old formula; and we are not ready to go back to the old formula which did not work,” Mustafa argued in reference to the failure of the attempted negotiations thus far.

In other news:

Turkish jets have continued to bomb alleged Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) targets in Kurdistan.

According to local sources, Turkish military jets bombed several areas in Bokriskan and Zargali villages on the outskirt of Mount Qandil in the northern Kurdistan Region on Thursday.

Turkish airstrikes have taken the lives of seven people in the past few days, all of whom are said to be civilians.

“We don’t want any war. We are tired of dying. We are tired of running. We are tired of being destroyed. We are tired of living this life, and we want peace. But peace doesn’t mean surrender. Peace doesn’t mean subordination.”- Masrour Barzani said.