From the Heart of Kurdistan Region

From the Heart of Kurdistan Region
PRESS PHOTO
The only English paper in Iraq - No: 533 Mon. May 09, 2016
US Navy
Seal killed
in Iraq as
IS attacked
Peshmerga
lines
No. 533, Monday, May 09, 2016
The Kurdish Globe
2
Kurdistan deserves an amicable
divorce from Baghdad
Referendum and
Chasing Kurdish MPs,
and Victory of Peshmerga
By | Masrour Barzani *
By | Gazi Hassan
Let’s start from the end, because
it’s the end of Iraq. In the past,
Kurds used to be accused of evee
erything that was happening to
Iraq, even the flu. They would
say Kurds are separatists. In fact,
the Kurds who were demanding
autonomy in the past, are now
talking about an independent
state of Kurdistan. Kurds were
the only force struggling to
topple the Iraqi regime, while
today Kurds are the sole force
saying that the fall or survival of
Iraq is correlated with the Sunni
and Shia Arabs. It’s worth queste
tioning why ISIL terrorists only
attack Peshmerga in the areas
surrounding Mosul and Erbil
and Shingal. Why should the
Kurdistan Region be the only
target of terrorists? Some may
like it that Kurds remain under
the pressure of terrorists and the
Peshmerga remain effected by
crisis. Even some media outlets
in Sulaimani became propagande
da platforms for ISIL against the
Peshmerga.
The Peshmerga were victorioe
ous. ISIL, as usual, is the defeatee
ed force because of the Kurds.
Hypotheses and doubts are ince
creasing day after day on plans
and agendas ISIL have against
Kurdistan Region. The hidden
relations and goals are appearing
more clearly of who is so greatle
ly urging ISIL against Kurdistan
and why? Despite their overt
ties with the Kurdistan Region,
some countries may covertly
urge ISIL against the region, just
to devalue the victories of Peshme
merga and Kurdistan in the area.
The matter is not only about
ISIL, but ISIL’s leaders and suppe
porters are dangerous too. In
addition to defeating ISIL in a
100 km frontline, protesters occe
cupied the Iraqi parliament and
Green Zone last week. The most
important events of the prote
tests and attacks recorded chasie
ing and degrading the Kurdish
MPs in Baghdad. All the Kurdie
ish MPs returned to Kurdistan
Region. All five Kurdish blocs
held a meeting and decided not
to return to Baghdad, because
they think Haidar Al-Abbadi is
involved in provoking the peope
ple. Baghdad authorities want
to hit the hammer and the anve
vil at the same time. The event
further unified Kurds. The MPs
who’ve been casting doubts on
Kurdish leadership’s attitude
and the events made everything
clear that Baghdad cannot be
trusted. So those who used to
align to Baghdad’s policy are
now against Baghdad more than
anyone else.
The events have heated up the
need of a referendum. Those
who were thinking that referee
endum should be worked on
after finding suitable time and
achieving internal consensus
have come to the belief that refee
erendum is a must. And the time
is now for holding a referende
dum. The Kurdistan Democratic
Party held a meeting chaired by
Massoud Barzani, and decided
to form a committee with other
parties for negotiations and carre
rying out the referendum, and
putting effort into unifying the
public opinion and the political
parties.
The President of the Kurdistan
Region proved he’s farsighted
and real in his decisions. Baghde
dad has left no chance for the
Kurdistan Region to stay with
them. So referendum is the sole
lution. Even if some parties
were casting doubts on it in orde
der to delay it, the victories of
the Peshmerga and the chasing
of Kurdish MPs in Baghdad and
the attitudes of Bagdad’s rulers
left no doubt. In this, they will
also prove to help the success of
referendum. Yes to the pragmatie
ic policy of the Kurdistan Preside
dency, yes to self-determination
of Kurdistan. Yes to unifying all
Kurdistanis.
Weekly paper printed in Erbil
First published in 2005
www.kurdishGlobe.net
Address: Erbil, Massif road
Throughout the modern histe
tory of Iraq, we have lived
in denial. By we, I mean the
Kurdish people, who comprise
one-quarter of the country; the
Arabs and other nationalities
who make up the rest; and our
friends around the world, who
have been hoping that a functe
tional, pluralistic nation could
somehow, someday take hold.
As it was drawn from the ruins
of the Ottoman Empire, Iraq is
a conceptual failure, compelle
ling peoples with little in comme
mon to share an uncertain fute
ture. It is time to acknowledge
that the experiment has not
worked. Iraq is a failed state,
and our continued presence
within it condemns us all to
unending conflict and enmity.
Turmoil surrounds us. In the
summer of 2014, the face of
the nation was exposed when
the Islamic State terrorist group
seized a third of the country
and a significant part of the
border with Syria because the
most credible institution in the
land, the Iraqi army, failed to
defend it. Eleven years after
the tyranny of Saddam Husseie
in ended, Iraq was exposed for
what it is: a country that canne
not protect its people and can
barely define its interests.
Compulsory
coexistence
has not worked. And that is
why the Kurdistan region of
Iraq will hold a referendum
to establish a sovereign state,
which would formalize a dive
vorce from Baghdad and sece
cure the area we now control
as a homeland for the Kurdish
people.
This move will not only offer
hope to the Kurds; it will also
bring certainty to a divided rege
gion. Since the fall of Hussein,
we have proved ourselves to
be reliable allies to many of
our neighbors. We are a bedre
rock in the fight against the Isle
lamic State, hosting militaries
from at least a dozen nations
and making tremendous sacre
rifices to liberate Arab territore
ries from the juggernaut that
imperils us all.
We stand near the gates of
Mosul, willing to play a subse
stantial role in ousting the
Islamic State from Iraq’s
second-largest city. We have
opened our gates to hundreds
of thousands of refugees over
the past two years, as well as
during the darkest days of the
sectarian war that earlier ravae
aged the center and south. The
Kurdistan region is now home
to a large, thriving Christian
community whose members
fled Mosul and Baghdad for a
haven the central government
could not provide.
In short, we have pulled our
weight. We have tried to be
inclusive. We have been pate
tient. But economic agreeme
ments that had guaranteed us
revenue streams have been repe
peatedly dishonored and now
sit discarded. Under successe
sive agreements, we have had
duties as a component of the
Iraqi state, but they have never
translated into rights.
Whoever has held the seat
of power in Baghdad has rene
neged on promises and igne
nored obligations, many of
them constitutional. Even if a
leader emerged who was better
disposed toward us, his goodwe
will could never overcome a
system geared toward siphonie
ing away our rights. We are
subjects, not citizens. There is
simply no trust between us and
the central government. The
relationship is irreconcilable.
The solution begins in Baghde
dad. We have tried everything
possible with the central govee
ernment, and nothing has
worked. A separation is the
only option remaining. We
want to move ahead with a
vote on independence, but we
must first work with Baghde
dad to pave the way for an
amicable split that secures our
mutual interests. That process
has begun. We have broad suppe
port among the various Kurdie
EXECUTIVE EDITOR
Gazi Hassan +964 750 7747784
Senior U.K. Editor
Bashdar Pusho Ismaeel
[email protected]
[email protected]
ARTS EDITOR
Diyaco Qayoumy
+964 750 4036252
[email protected]
Reviser
J. Watt
ish factions. We will also hold
talks with Turkey and Iran to
explain that this move will not
destabilize their borders. We
strongly believe that this effort
will serve as a reset for the rege
gion, as much for our friends
as for us.
We have all done enough
pretending — to our peril. An
Iraq free from the shackles of
what Baghdad describes as
the “Kurdish issue” would be
liberating for both sides, disee
entangling interdependencies
that each of us resent and alle
lowing us to secure our econe
nomic footing.
Beyond that, though, an indepe
pendent Kurdistan, with access
to the weapons we need to defe
fend ourselves, would secure
the interests of our allies and
the people of the region. Our
relationship with Baghdad has
crippled us in this fight. We
have no access to battle-changie
ing weapons, which must be
funneled through the central
government.
Independence
would allow us to secure longterm loans and bonds in the
international market and expe
port oil and gas at competitive
prices to alleviate our financial
difficulties.
To remain invested in a state
that has clearly and repeatedly
failed is folly. It is past time
to recognize that. With little
else but the dedication of its
people, the Kurdistan region
has already built the foundate
tions of a successful, prosperoe
ous state. We have earned the
right to self-determination and
have shown that, even withoe
out statehood, we are a valued
component of the international
community, the most steadfe
fast of allies in a region short
on certainty. We stand ready
to join the community of nate
tions.
* Masrour Barzani is the
chancellor of the Kurdistan
Region Security Council.
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No. 533, Monday, May 09, 2016
The Kurdish Globe
3
Barzani Hails Recent Peshmerga
Victory over ISIS
Kurdistan Region Preside
dent Masoud Barzani
praised Kurdish Peshme
merga force for the victory
they scored against Islamic
State (ISIS) on Tuesday.
Barzani said in a stateme
ment that the Peshmerga
forces once again recorded
a glorious victory against
“ISIS terrorists.” during
the confrontation in northee
ern Mosul May 3.
“Peshmerga forces sacre
rificed their lives to defe
fend their homeland; they
strongly defeated every IS
offensive and inflicted the
enemy with huge damage
and high casualties,” reads
the statement.
The Kurdistan Region
President extended his
condolences to the famie
ily of Peshmerga martyrs
who lost their lives during
Tuesday battles.
Barzani also thanks the
international
coalition
forces for providing arial
support for the Kurdish
forces while warding off
jihadists.
Last week, IS insurgents
carried out multiple offense
sives against Peshmerga
lines in northern Mosul,
but they were immediately
repelled by the Peshmerge
ga. BasNews previously
quoted a Peshmerga who
revealed that at least 110
dead bodies of IS extremie
ists were left on the battlefe
field.
President Barzani
Receives Amnesty
International
Delegation‫‏‬
President Masoud Barze
zani received an Amnesty
International delegation
headed by the organizate
tion's Secretary General,
Mr. Salil Shetty. President
Barzani and Mr. Shetty
spoke of the current situae
ation in the Kurdistan
Region and how the war
against the terrorists of
the Islamic State has had
a great impact on the econe
nomic and other aspects of
life in the Region.
Mr. Shetty stated that
Amnesty
International
highly appreciates Kurdie
istan Region's provision of
a safe haven to well over
a million refugees from
Syria and IDP's from the
rest of Iraq. Mr. Shetty
also spoke of the fact that
Amnesty was among the
first human rights organize
zations to label the crimes
of the terrorists against
the civilians in Sinjar and
other parts of Kurdistan as
"crimes against humanity
and ethnic cleansing."
The delegation requested
that the Peshmerga forces
demonstrate regard to hume
man rights and that more
efforts should be made to
prevent these incidents
into turning into a pattern.
President Barzani made
reference to an August
2014 decree from the
President's office to the
Peshmerga forces regardie
ing respect for human
rights. He added that there
is very clear distinguishie
ing between the terrorists
of the Islamic State and
the residents of the newly
liberated areas. The unforte
tunate incidents that have
taken place are isolated
and are in no way part of
any pattern.
Kurdistan Region
Becomes Member
of World Universities
Union
Barzani received Professe
sor Zulkifli Abdul Razak
, president of World Unive
versities Union, which
is a global institution affe
filiated to UNESCO and
composed of 120 members
from various countries
around the world.
During the meeting, the
President of the Union of
universities expressed his
happiness over the visit he
paid to the Kurdistan and
his meeting with President
Barrani. He hailed the deve
velopment and stability in
the region and the role of
President Barzani in stabe
bilizing and providing elee
ements of security for the
people of Kurdistan dese
spite significant challenges
facing the region.
He also briefed on the
activities of the Union,
and stressed that the Unive
versities Union supports
the people of Kurdistan,
recognized the region a
member of the union.
On his part, President
Barzani welcomed the
President of the Union of
universities in the world,
and praised the role and
activities of the Union
and welcomed their decise
sion about the Kurdistan
Region membership in the
Union wished them succe
cess.
Sheikh Jafar Mustafa: Barzani Ordered
Peshmerga to Liberate Bahsir Village
A Kurdish Peshmerga
Commander said the libee
eration of Bashir Village
was a strategic event and
the librating operation
was ordered by President
of Kurdistan Region,
Masoud Barzani.
“The local people in this
area had called on Peshme
marga forces to drive out
the militants from the ville
lage for quite some time,”
said Jaafar Mustafa, comme
mander of the 70th Peshme
marga Brigade in the area.
“We operated at their reqe
quest.”
A top official at the minie
istry of peshmarga told
Rudaw Wednesday that
the Kurdish forces would
remain in the areas they
recapture from the ISIS
militants.
The Deputy Minister of
Peshmarga, Anwar Osme
man, said the withdrawal
of their troops from areas
close to the Kurdish borde
ders could lead to security
vacuum as the Iraqi army
is currently engaged in
other regions and unable
to patrol neighboring warze
zones.
“Peshmarga forces will
primarily operate in Kurdie
ish areas and when such
places are liberated, our
troops will remain there,”
Osman said.
Osman said the decise
sion will also include the
predominately Turkmen
village of Bashir which
was retaken from the
militants last week after
heavy fighting in which
three Peshmerga soldiers
were killed along with 17
wounded.
Military officials said the
village was in a strategic
location from where ISIS
often fired rockets at the
Peshmerga,
sometimes
armed with chemical gas.
The majority of the Turkme
men residents in the ville
lage of Bashir are Shiite
Turkmen Muslims. Kurdie
ish authorities fear that
Shiite militias would enter
the region and recruit the
young Turkmen and stir
sectarian tensions.
“We predict that the Shiie
ite militias will capitalize
on the vulnerable young
population of this area
and create the same situae
ation that we witnessed
in Khurmatu,” said Hasan
Baram a top Kurdish repre
resentative in the region,
referring to the last week’s
tensions between Kurdish
and Shiite forces in Khurme
matu, which left some
thirty people killed and
dozens more wounded.
The Nineveh Plains
west of Kirkuk and areas
south of the oil rich city
are home to Iraq’s mixt
population with different
ethnic and religious backge
grounds. In most of these
villages Kurds, Arabs,
Turkmen, Christians and
many other groups have
lived together for centure
ries.
After the collapse of the
Baathist rule in Iraq in
2003, these areas came
under a new constitutional
article which designated
them as disputed territore
ries whose future was to
be decided in a referende
dum.
But since no referendum
was ever held, different
groups may try to assert
authority through military
presence.
Kurdish military sources
say the majority of the
villages south of Kirkuk
and neighboring Nineveh
Plains are currently conte
trolled by ISIS militants
with the support of the loce
cal Sunni population.
“We fear that the Shiie
ite militias are doing the
same and take the charge
in the areas with predomine
nate Shiite residents,”
Baram said, fearing wider
sectarian standoff.
“We really hope that
Khurmatu was just an isole
lated case,” he added.
No. 533, Monday, May 09, 2016
The Kurdish Globe
4
KDP: Efforts for an Independence
Referendum Should Be Intensified
The Kurdistan Democratie
ic Party (KDP) Leadership
Council held a meeting on
Thursday and discussed a
range of issues, including
a referendum on Kurdish
independence as well as
internal reforms within
the party.
Ali Tatar, a member of
KDP's politburo told BasNe
News that KDP Council of
Leadership discussed the
situation in Iraq and the
wider region, particularly
the latest political tensions
in Baghdad.
The council also focused
on the reforms within KDP,
Tatar stated. “The reform
package introduced in the
previous regular congress
of the party has not yet
been put into practice. The
meeting therefore made a
decision to implement the
package in order to make
some changes in the adme
ministration of the party.”
In a statement released
by the KDP afterwards,
the party criticises the pole
litical crisis in the central
government, saying that
some fractions have been
interpreting the constitute
tion in accordance to their
sectarian interests, which
can pose serious threat to
the whole Iraqi political
process, and adversely affe
fect the anti-terrorism effe
forts.
Regarding the current
political and security situae
ation in Kurdistan Region,
KDP Leadership Counce
cil insists that the current
situation is favourable
for the people of Kurdie
istan to decide on their
future, “therefore, efforts
for holding a referendum
on Kurdish independence
should be intensified.”
US Navy Seal killed in Iraq as IS
attacked Peshmerga lines
A US Navy Seal who was
advising Kurdish Peshme
merga forces in northern
Iraq has been killed by Isle
lamic State (IS) militants,
US defence officials say.
The special warfare opee
erator was named as Charle
lie Keating, aged 31, from
the state of Arizona.
Peshmerga officials said
the militants breached
the frontline north of the
IS-held city of Mosul on
Tuesday morning.
The American was the
third to be killed in combe
bat since the US-led coalite
tion campaign against IS
began in 2014.
Although Iraqi pro-govee
ernment forces have gradue
ually pushed back IS since
then with the help of USled coalition air strikes
and military advisers, the
jihadist group still controls
large parts of the country's
north and west.
IS offensive
The Navy Seal's death
was announced by US
Defence Secretary Ashton
Carter, who said only that
a serviceman had died as
a result of enemy fire near
Irbil, the capital of Iraq's
Kurdistan Region.
"It is a combat death,
of course, and a very sad
loss," he told reporters in
Germany.
A US military official in
Iraq subsequently said he
was killed by "direct fire"
at a Peshmerga position
about 3km to 5km (2-3
miles) behind the frontline
after it was penetrated by
IS militants.
A Peshmerga spokesman,
Maj Gen Jaber Yawer, told
the Associated Press that
the American was shot
dead by an IS sniper near
the town of Tal Asqof,
about 28km (17 miles)
from Mosul.
IS militants overran the
town at dawn on Tuesday
in an assault that involved
a number of truck bombs,
but were driven out later
in the day by Peshmerga
fighters.
The attack on Tal Asqof
was part of a major offe
fensive launched by IS
militants in northern Iraq,
which the group said inve
volved "remotely-guided
car bombs".
An Iraqi military source
told the BBC that special
forces had foiled an attack
by five suicide bombers in
the village of Khirbirdan,
south of Mosul.
A Peshmerga source said
an attack on Wardak, east
of Mosul, was also repe
pelled.
Arizona Governor Doug
Ducey later identified the
Navy Seal as 31-year-old
Charlie Keating IV - the
grandson of a late financier
from the state involved in
savings and loan scandal
in the 1980s.
Gov Ducey ordered all
state flags to fly at halfmast on Wednesday in
honour of Keating.
Additional advisers
There are more than
5,500 US military personne
nel in Iraq. Some 3,870
are deployed to advise and
assist local forces fighting
IS militants.
The remainder includes
special operations personne
nel, logistics workers and
troops on temporary rotate
tions.
Last month, the US anne
nounced that it planned to
send 200 additional advisee
ers to Iraq by the end of
the year and deploy them
closer to the frontlines
so that they could assist
in the operation to retake
Mosul.
In March, US Marine
Staff Sgt Louis Cardin was
killed in a rocket attack by
IS while providing force
protection fire support at
a coalition firebase near
Makhmour,
south-west
of Mosul, that had only
become operational a few
days earlier.
US Army Master Sgt
Joshua Wheeler died in
October during a special
forces mission to rescue
hostages held at an IS
prison near Hawija, west
of Kirkuk.
No. 533, Monday, May 09, 2016
The Kurdish Globe
5
U.N. hopes KRG leaders will work to normalize Iraq’s political unrest
The United Nations hopes
the Kurdistan Regional
Government (KRG) will
continue efforts to norme
malize the situation in
Iraq, the Secretary-Generae
als special representative
says.
Jan Kubis paid a visit
to KRG Prime Ministe
ter Nechirvan Barzani in
Erbil to on Wednesday
(May 4) to discuss politice
cal developments in Iraq,
according to the regional
government’s website.
Kubis reportedly expe
pressed concern over pole
litical unrest in the Iraqi
capital, Baghdad, after
demonstrators broke into
the Iraqi Council of Repre
resentatives building on
April 30.
He added the U.N. conte
tinues to have talks with
Iraqi political parties in an
effort to resolve the politice
cal situation in the counte
try.
U.N. authorities also ence
couraged KRG leaders to
resume visits to Baghdad
for talks and negotiations.
Barzani stated in the
meeting that a political,
administrative and secure
rity vacuum is not in the
best interest of the counte
try, adding officials would
continue supporting the
government of Iraq in its
duties.
Hundreds of protestee
ers broke into Baghdad’s
Green Zone and forced
entry into the parliament
building on April 30, after
parliament failed to hold a
session to vote on nomine
nees for the new cabinet.
Protestors chanted and
took pictures of themse
selves inside the main
chamber where moments
earlier lawmakers had
met.
Sadr’s supporters have
been protesting for weeks
outside of the Green Zone
demanding reforms and
for MPs to vote in new
technocrat ministers.
PM Barzani: Private sector expansion is a priority
Kurdistan Regional Govee
ernment Prime Minister
Nechirvan Barzani says
expansion of private secte
tor in Kurdistan Region
is a priority of his govee
ernment.
Prime Minister Barzani
says as a part of KRG's
reform package, he has
signed nearly 30 orders,
including an order to
transfer the majority of
services currently prove
vided by the public secte
tor, to the private sector.
Mr. Barzani made the
remarks during a speech
at the signing ceremony
of a contract between
the International Finance
Corporation and Mass
Global, a leading firm of
Kurdistan Region's prive
vate sector.
According to the conte
tract, IFC, which is a
member of the World
Bank Group, will prove
vide funds to expand Sule
leimaniya power plant.
Prime Minister Barzani
stated that his governme
ment is collaborating
with the private sector
in order to find a permane
nent solution to power
shortages in Kurdistan
Region.
Deputy Prime Minister
Qubad Talabani, a numbe
ber of KRG ministers
and business leaders atte
tended the ceremony.
The Netherlands will continue its support
to the Kurdistan Region
Prime Minister Nechirve
van Barzani yesterday rece
ceived a delegation of The
Netherland's Parliament
Foreign Affairs Committe
tee headed by Committee
Chairperson Ms. Angeline
Eijsink, along with repre
resentatives of political
parties at the Dutch Parle
liament.
The delegation praised
the people, government,
and the Peshmerga forces
of the Kurdistan Region,
who, under very difficult
circumstances, have been
combating the Islamic
State terrorist organizate
tion, ISIS, and preserving
religious and ethnic diverse
sity, which, they described,
as a successful model for
the Middle East.
They also discussed the
current financial crisis and
the Kurdistan Regional
Government’s reform and
austerity measures.
Prime Minister Barzani
thanked the Dutch Governme
ment for their contribution
to military and humanitarie
ian efforts, and expressed
hope that the international
community will raise the
level of its aid to the Kurdie
istan Region.
He informed the delegate
tion about the measures
being taken by the KRG
to deal with the financial
crisis, stressing that the
cooperation of friendly
countries is very much
needed.
Regarding relations with
Baghdad, Prime Minister
Barzani said that although
Iraqi Kurdistan has played
an effective role since
2003, the complicated pole
litical situation in Iraq has,
unfortunately, exposed a
number of problems. Howee
ever, he said, in spite of
this the Kurdistan Region
will continue its efforts
to improve relations with
Baghdad and neighboring
countries, and enhance its
international relations.
Regarding the anticipatee
ed referendum for indepe
pendence, Prime Minister
Barzani said that the issue
of independence is a legitie
imate and natural right of
the people of Iraqi Kurdie
istan. He said, however,
it is an issue that should
be discussed and resolved
with Baghdad through diae
alogue and mutual underse
standing.
Nechirvan Barzani hails Iran’s positive
role in suppressing ISIS in Kurdistan
Prime Minister Nechirve
van Barzani yesterday rece
ceived a delegation of The
Netherland's Parliament
Foreign Affairs Committe
tee headed by Committee
Chairperson Ms. Angeline
Eijsink, along with repre
resentatives of political
parties at the Dutch Parliame
ment.
The delegation praised
the people, government,
and the Peshmerga forces
of the Kurdistan Region,
who, under very difficult
circumstances, have been
combating the Islamic
State terrorist organizate
tion, ISIS, and preserving
religious and ethnic diverse
sity, which, they described,
as a successful model for
the Middle East.
They also discussed the
current financial crisis and
the Kurdistan Regional
Government’s reform and
austerity measures.
Prime Minister Barzani
thanked the Dutch Governme
ment for their contribution
to military and humanitarie
ian efforts, and expressed
hope that the international
community will raise the
level of its aid to the Kurdie
istan Region.
He informed the delegate
tion about the measures
being taken by the KRG
to deal with the financial
crisis, stressing that the cooe
operation of friendly counte
tries is very much needed.
Regarding relations with
Baghdad, Prime Minister
Barzani said that although
Iraqi Kurdistan has played
an effective role since
2003, the complicated pole
litical situation in Iraq has,
unfortunately, exposed a
number of problems. Howee
ever, he said, in spite of
this the Kurdistan Region
will continue its efforts
to improve relations with
Baghdad and neighboring
countries, and enhance its
international relations.
Regarding the anticipe
pated referendum for indepe
pendence, Prime Minister
Barzani said that the issue
of independence is a legitime
mate and natural right of
the people of Iraqi Kurdiste
tan. He said, however, it is
an issue that should be disce
cussed and resolved with
Baghdad through dialogue
and mutual understanding.
No. 533, Monday, May 09, 2016
The Kurdish Globe
NEWS BAR
Abadi Replaces Military
Commander
Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi repe
placed the commander of a military divise
sion tasked with protecting the heavily
fortified Green Zone Thursday after hunde
dreds of angry anti-government protestee
ers broke into the parliament building last
week.
On Saturday hundreds of protesters,
mainly followers of Iraq's influential Shiie
ite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, knocked down
concrete blast walls and broke into the
parliament building, damaging furniture
and slapping some lawmakers who tried
to flee. Security forces stood idle with
some seen kissing and shaking hands
with the protesters.
Cabinet spokesman Saad al-Hadithi said
al-Abadi issued a decree to replace staff
Lt. Gen. Mohammed Ridha due to "the
breach and assaults against the governme
ment institution."
Ammar al-Hakim: Instability
in Iraq Opportunity for ISIS
Head of the Islamic Supreme Council of
Iraq deplored the instability in the Arab
country, saying it has provided the ISIS
extremist group with an opportunity to
carry out terrorist activities.
Ammar al-Hakim in a statement referred
to the recent move by some protesters to
break into Baghdad’s heavily fortified
"Green Zone” and rampage through the
parliament building and a subsequent suice
cide attack in a central city that killed at
least 33 people, saying that the current
political turmoil in Iraq has set the ground
for ISIS to target the security and carry
out terrorist attacks.
6
Masrour Barzani: KRG continues
collaboration with Amnesty International
Meeting with a top delegate
tion form International Amne
nesty organization, Chance
cellor of Kurdistan Region
Security Council (KRSC)
Masrour Barzani has reitee
erated that the Kurdistan
Region is ready to fully cooe
operate with international
organizations to overcome
any deficit in the region.
Barzani received the Secre
retary General of Amnesty
International Salil Shetty
and his accompanying delee
egation on May 4; they
discussed the atrocities conde
ducted by the Islamic State
(IS) as well as the situation
of the human rights in the
region.
Shetty commended the
Kurdistan Regional Govee
ernment (KRG) for its comme
mitment to human rights
and protection of civilians,
stressing out that Amnesty
International has a long histe
tory of cooperation and enge
gagement in Kurdistan Rege
gion.
Concerning the latest repe
port by Amnesty Internate
tional on Kurdistan Region,
Barzani reiterated that KRG
will certainly investigate the
claims and it will cooperate
with international organizate
tions to further improve the
conditions.
Kurdistan must create 70k jobs annually;
unemployment will double in 10 years
Children from Erbil Send a
Message to World
Culture and language can help in bridging
divisions on the lines of region, religion,
language, ethnicity etc. This is what the
International Festival of Language and
Culture (IFLC) has been doing this since
2003 by showcasing music and dance
from across different countries
The event this time is supposed to run
in Erbil and children from 20 countries
are sending a message to leaders of 200
countries.
The children state in their message that
Kurdistan is the place of coexistence and
peace. They think people need peace and
tolerance as much as they need food and
water.
Mahmoud Othman: Iraqi
Condition is Bad
The Kurdish Politician, Mahmoud Othme
man says that the political situation in Iraq
is getting bad and this may affect fighting
against ISIS.
“The political instability will create negae
ative impact on the morale of the fighters
fighting ISIS. The security instability will
make international bank not lend money to
Iraq.” Said Othman
Othman called on the political sides to
put aside their private interests and work
and public interests instead.
An estimated 620,000 peope
ple remain unemployed in
Iraq’s autonomous Kurdiste
tan Region and that numbe
ber will more than double
in a decade, a US professe
sor with expertise on Iraq
warned at a conference in
Erbil on Wednesday.
“My own research shows
that, between residents and
refugees settled here, there
are 620,000 unemployed,”
said Frank Gunter, professe
sor of economics at Lehigh
University in the United
States.
“I believe that, of all
the challenges facing the
Kurdistan Region, job creae
ation is the most serious,”
Gunter said during the First
Economic Forum of Erbil’s
Middle East Research Inse
stitute (MERI).
He said that with 70,000
people trying to join the
work force every year, the
current number of 620,000
unemployed will more than
double in a year. Starting
now, the Kurdish governme
ment must create 70,000
annually.
Most of those looking
to join the work force evee
ery year – but failing – are
men, said Gunter, who is
the author of “The political
economy of Iraq: Restorie
ing balance in a post-confe
flict society.”
“That is a destabilizing
influence. Young men want
jobs, they want to get marre
ried. If they can’t do that,
it leads to alienation and
other problems which lead
to destabilization. We have
seen this in the United
States and in other places,”
said the Gunter.
The American professor
said that Kurdistan’s popule
lation of some 5.5 million
– which has swollen to
some 7 million due to the
influx of war refugees from
Syria and the internally
displaced from other parts
of Iraq – is predominantly
under 14 years of age.
He warned that within a
decade the number of job
seekers will have increased
to 80,000 per year.
“That means that those
looking for jobs in 2030
– less than 15 years from
now – have been already
born,” he said.
The professor said that
the problem has been exae
acerbated by the 1.8 mille
lion war refugees that have
sought shelter in Kurdistan.
He added that the pressure
on the Kurdish government
to create jobs would ease
once the refugees leave.
“But experience from
around the world has
shown that refugees do
not leave quickly. It will
not take months for them
to leave; it will take years,
even a decade or more.”
No. 533, Monday, May 09, 2016
The Kurdish Globe
Sports News
Running Race for
Women in Erbil
A running race kicked off May 7 in Erbil
where 150 women from different counte
tries participated. The event was arranged
by Erbil Marathon, which is an internate
tional sport event in order to establish
love, peace and non-violence in Iraq.
Kurdish runner, Shawnim Qader, was
able to win the first place after she reached
the last destination from the starting point
within 12.47 minutes. The winners were
awarded by the organizers of the event.
Leicester Crowned Premier
League Champions
Leicester City celebrated their coronation
as Premier League champions and the first
title in their 132-year history with victory
over Everton on a day of elation at the
King Power Stadium.
This was the Foxes' official homecomie
ing after they won the Premier Leagueon
Monday when Tottenham failed to beat
Chelsea - and how they celebrated before,
during and after the greatest day in the
club's history.
Bayern Munich
Wins Bundesliga
Bayern Munich has been crowned
Bundesliga champion again after it beat
Ingolstadt 2-1 on Saturday.
Two goals from Robert Lewandowski
gave Bayern three points over the hosts,
ensuring die Roten earned a 25th league
crown - their fourth in a row - at Audi
Sportpark. Even if they had slipped, they
would have claimed the title as Borussia
Dortmund lost 1-0 at Eintracht Frankfurt.
The title triumph has been a long time
coming, with Pep Guardiola's men sitting
top of the German top-flight all season,
but the confirmation of their victory has
finally come with one game to spare.
Kompany to Miss Euro 2016
Belgium and Manchester City captain
Vincent Kompany will miss Euro 2016
with a groin injury, according to a stateme
ment on his Facebook page.
The defender, 30, was substituted after
10 minutes of City's Champions League
semi-final second-leg defeat by Real Made
drid on Wednesday.
Kompany has suffered five separate injure
ries this season, playing just 22 matches
out of a possible 57.
He said it was "very sad news" but promie
ised he would not "give up".
The statement added: "I trust my friends
and team-mates to do well and do us
proud at the next European Championse
ships in France.
"I am now officially their most fervent
supporter and I will be there to support
them."
7
Fifty Years of Struggle
Fadhil Mirani, Secretary of KDP Political Bureau
In the name of God the
most Merciful
“Our Lord, let not our
hearts deviate after You have
guided us and grant us from
Yourself mercy. Indeed, You
are the Best ower.”
I couldn’t find a greater
introduction than this verse
from the Holy Quran on the
fiftieth anniversary of my
membership in the Kurdistan
Democratic Party—yes it’s
been fifty years that struggle
has streamed through my
blood. Fifty years I’ve carre
ried the burden of the Kurdie
ish question on my shoulder.
Fifty years ago, I found myse
self in conflict, but as a duty
I had to continue taking this
path of struggle for my peope
ple’s cause.
Because I’m one of the
sons of this country, I’ve alwe
ways tried to be honest with
it and with my utmost feeling
of responsibility towards the
people of this land. I’ve prese
sented what I could do and
God has always supported
me— my utmost thanks to
Him. Fifty years have passed
while I’ve remained an eyewe
witness and participant in the
Kurdish struggle. I quenched
my thirst from the river of
Barzani’s struggle. We’ve
strived with total sincerity
and have many times suffe
fered falls, but we’ve always
been strong and would alwe
ways stand up again. We
have determination and alwe
ways will.
Fear and war will never
make us surrender—remainie
ing like a blazing fire. Today
fifty years have passed and I
renew my pledge that I will
continue on Barzani’s path
and will sacrifice everything
I can for Kurdistan Democe
cratic Party. Now I would
like to pay respect for the
martyrs who have sacrificed
for this path and for the colle
leagues who have struggled
both in secret and in private:
AbdulHameed Haji, Sulaime
man Umar Ibrahim, Nala Ali
Duski, Martyr Qasim Salih,
Martyr Tahir Mala Muhamme
mad, Martyr Mustafa Ahme
mad Ali, Muhammad Simo
Hasni, Sulaiman Haji Abdi,
Hameed Barjs, Muhammad
Hawal, Haji Khalaf and
Ganjo Khalaf). Together we
established Zummar KDP
Committee and have stayed
together throughout various
times of struggle. For those
still living, I affirm that peope
ple of this country are proud
of you. God help you all succe
ceed.
Covering ISIS Activities by Local
Media Angers People
The style of covering the
clashes between Kurdish
Peshmerga Forces and Isle
lamic State (ISIS) fighters
on May 3 by some local
media outlets in Slemani
angers people of Kurdistan
Region. The media outlets
claimed of ISIS success
over Peshmerga without
paying attention to media
principles and ethics.
People attributed this style
of coverage for conspiring
against a specific political
party in Kurdistan.
Azad Hama Amin, Kurdie
istan Region Journalists
Syndicate Secretary, said
"We have laws that idente
tify journalists' responsibe
bilities while covering any
activities and news events.
Article 35 obviously tells
journalists what their rese
sponsibilities are and how
to abide by ethics,"
He also said that journalie
ists should not publish or
cover anything that creates
threats on national security.
"What we see nowadays
in some media outlets is not
ethical and is against nate
tional security." He warned
US Consul: Free Press Necessary for
Government Accountability
In celebration of World
Press Freedom Day, Metro
Center for Journalists Rights
and Advocacy Rahman
Gharib held a meeting in
which several journalists and
US consul General in Kurdie
istan attended.
Rahman Gharib, Metro
Center Coordinator, said
"We are glad that we have
two articles related journalie
ists rights in Kurdistan Rege
gion. But we are sad at the
same time as the conditions
of journalists are not good.
There are many pages and
accounts on social networks
that are attacking journalists
unjustly,"
Gharib asked the related
agencies to promote the
works of journalism and
asked the journalists to adhe
here to journalism ethics and
principles to avoid any violate
tions that may take palce.
The US Consul General
Matthias Mitman addressed
journalists, KRG officials,
and other defenders of media
freedom at Metro Center’s
event, Defending Journalists
in the IKR.
In his remarks, Consul Mitme
man stressed that a free press
is necessary for government
accountability, open societie
ies, and economic developme
ment.
He also praised the work
of journalists working in diffe
ficult and dangerous envire
ronments, thanking them for
their courage to report the
truth at great personal risk.
Every year, 3 May is a date
which celebrates the fundame
mental principles of press
freedom; to evaluate press
freedom around the world,
to defend the media from atte
tacks on their independence
and to pay tribute to journalie
ists who have lost their lives
in the exercise of their profe
fession.
Over 100 national celebrate
tions take place each year to
commemorate this Day.
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The Kurdish Painter Jamal Mushir
Kurdish painter Sattar Ali was
born in Zewe village in the Amede
di district in 1957. The astonishie
ing nature, mountains, valleys,
and trees, have been a foremost
inspiration for his art. He graduae
ated from Mosul University,
studying Geology, in 1980, goie
ing on to open art exhibitions in
the following years. These exhe
hibitions began in Iraq—Mosul,
Duhok, and Baghdad—but he
has since participated in exhibite
tions in Germany.
As it’s starting point, Sattar’s art
draws from an academic and realie
istic basis—initially using graphie
ics as the initial tool for his work.
He has continued expanding art
forms and now employs water
and oil colors as well, which has
drawn significant attention. His
work varies in size but can often
be two or three meters in size.
Due to his background, natural
landscapes and images of tradite
tional Kurdish life continue to
feature heavily in his work—now
even portraying these features in
his adopted form of expressionie
ism. Looking to more than his
own art practice, Sattar Ali has
conducted significant research,
written articles, and presented
seminars on various art topics in
the region. In this, he has further
enriched the greater Kurdish art
scene by pouring himself into
those currently rising up as the
next generation of artists.
By Ashti Garmiyani
Professor Kamal Muzhir, the legend of Kurdish history
By | Shekh Tahir Shushi
The book, Professor Kame
mal Muzhir, Review of the
History, written by the acte
tive and skillful journalist,
Mr. Zaniar Sardar Qrgaee
includes an interview with
Professor Kamal to review
the history of the Kurds and
the Kurdish issue. Mr. Qrge
gaee is from Sulaimania but
in order to meet Professor
Kamal, has made several
visits to the city of Hawler.
During his meetings with
professor Kamal, Mr. Qrge
gaee asked him many queste
tions about the history of
Kurdistan, including queste
tions concerning the history
of Kurdish political and
armed movements. Durie
ing his meetings with Profe
fessor Kamal, Mr. Qrgaee
paid much attention to the
history of Kurdish revolute
tion under the leadership of
Mula Mustafa Barzani. He
also significantly deals with
the life of Mula Mustafa
and Barzanis. Furthermore,
he talks about prominent
people from Sulaimania
who were closely linked
with Barzani during his
revolution.
Professor Kamal, who
has personally met Barzani
many times, has genuinely
valued Barzani’s strife for
a long time in order to gain
the rights of Kurds in Iraq.
Professor Kamal’s first
meeting with Barzani was
in Baghdad in 1958 after
Barzani’s return from the
Soviet Union. He was very
enthusiastic about such a
meeting with Barzani. This
meeting for him was histe
torical and meaningful. He
documented the minutes of
that meeting in a document
that still hold Barzani’s signe
nature. In addition he has
taken some unique photos
during that meeting.
Mr. Qrgaee managed to
reach Professor Kamal,
in spite of his illness; he
warmly welcomed Mr. Qrge
gaee and met him to review
important events in the histe
tory of the Kurds. They toge
gether analyzed significant
points of Kurdish history.
They highly valued the role
and position of Barzani’s
friends and supporters on
different aspects including
political, social, cultural
ones. They honestly mente
tioned the honorable stance
of those people who suppe
ported Barzani and were
always around him. In this
book, Professor Kamal since
cerely shed light on the histe
tory and events of the Kurdie
ish struggle and the Kurdish
people’s plight in the past.
During their meetings,
many discussions took
place on various issues and
about prominent figures in
the history of the Kurds.
In two discussions, they
dealt with the personality of
President Masoud Barzani,
in which Professor Kamal
highly assesses the leadee
ership and personality of
President Masoud Barzani,
describing him as a most
honest and capable Kurdie
ish leader. Professor Kamal
also pays great attention to
Masoud Barzani’s position
toward Christians. He gives
regard to his initiative to
provide the Christians with
a safe haven in Kurdistan to
protect them from atrocities
in other parts of Iraq, as a
highly appreciated humane
act.
In another part of this inte
terview, Professor Kamal
expresses his view about the
current economic boom in
Kurdistan and its contribute
tion to the world economy,
stressing that this contribute
tion is significant in world
economy especially in rese
spect to energy resources.
Professor Kamal also deals
with the reform process in
Kurdistan in respect to diffe
ferent aspects such as hume
man resources, economic
sector, rewriting Kurdish
history to be more academice
cally and realistic.
In the end, Professor Kame
mal, through his writings,
books and academic works,
has served his people soce
cially, culturally, historice
cally and politically. In his
writings, he has paid a great
deal of attention to the
above mentioned realms.
Thus, he will stay a bright
star in the sky of Kurdish
culture and history. Conse
sequently, I should be glad
to express my sincere gratite
tude and appreciation to
Professor Kamal and Mr.
Zaniar Sardar Qrgaee for
what they have given to
the Kurdish people through
their writings.