di Shorsh Surme –
The Arab population has never accepted the presence of Kurds in Kirkuk. Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani on Sunday urged the relevant authorities not to show “no hesitation” in holding accountable those who opened fire on Kurdish protesters in Kirkuk during the recent protests. Saturday’s clashes between Arab and Turkmen protesters on one side and Kurdish residents on the other left at least four Kurdish protesters dead and 15 others injured after Iraqi forces fired live ammunition to disperse them.
Al-Sudani ordered the formation of an investigative committee into the deaths and injuries during the protests, promising to bring the culprits “to justice”, and in a cabinet meeting the Iraqi premier urged all political parties in Kirkuk to keep the peace, exercise restraint and avoid altercations that would have a negative impact on the whole country.
The premier called on the competent authorities “not to hesitate to bring those responsible for the victims and injured to justice, in accordance with legal procedures, once the investigations have been completed and the details of the deplorable incidents have been discovered”, reads the note from the prime minister’s office.
Prime Minister of Kurdistan Autonomous Region Irq. Masrour Barzani ordered the Anfal Ministry of Martyrs and Affairs to register the four victims of Saturday’s escalation in Kirkuk as “martyrs”, according to a statement by KRG spokesman Peshawa Hawramani. Barzani also called on the competent authorities to facilitate the provision of all necessary medical care to the injured.
Al-Sudani also met with members of the Iraqi parliament in Kirkuk on Sunday, underlining the need to maintain security and stability in the province, as well as the role of the security forces, “composed of various branches and agencies”, in safeguarding the rights of citizens.
The facts.
The Iraqi Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) and their supporters staged a sit-in near the headquarters of the Iraqi Army’s Joint Operational Command (JOC) and blocked the main Kirkuk-Erbil highway for nearly a week, causing disruption to incoming and outgoing citizens and frustration among residents. Protesters have called for the order to vacate occupied buildings in Kirkuk to be lifted ahead of the return of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) to the offices it occupied before October 2017.
In addition to blocking the highway, protesters were swearing and disrespecting the Kurdistan Region flag and the Peshmerga statue further infuriating the Kurds, who also held demonstrations in response. The protests soon turned violent, resulting in hours of chaos and instability for the citizens of Kirkuk.
Iraq’s federal supreme court said on Sunday it had decided to suspend implementation of al-Sudani’s order until a decision is made on pending lawsuits in hopes of “maintaining security in Kirkuk province.”
The Kurdish prime minister described the Iraqi Supreme Court’s decision as a “farce” in a Twitter post, and with other officials questioned the court’s own constitutionality following a series of anti-Kurdistan rulings.
Kirkuk is a multi-ethnic city home to Kurds, Arabs, Turkmen and Assyrians. The city was under joint administration before 2014, when the Kurds took full control after Iraqi forces withdrew in the face of an Islamic State (ISIS) offensive.
The Kurds held Kirkuk until 16 October 2017, when Iraqi forces regained control and expelled the Kurdish security forces following the KRG independence referendum. While other Kurdish political parties remain active in Kirkuk, the KDP has refused to return, saying the city was “occupied” by Shia militias.
Elections for the renewal of provincial councils will be held in Iraq on December 18, the first since 2013. Although the elections will exclude the provinces of the Kurdistan region, they are seen by Kurdish parties as an opportunity to regain support in the political arena.
