'Just World News' with Helena Cobban

Federalism and Iraq's Kurds

Daniel O'Huiginn of Cambridge, UK has posted an interesting piece of analysis about the whole issue of federalism in Iraq, and how it is viewed in particular by the Iraqi Kurds. His piece is on a notice-board run by the UK-based Campaign Against Sanctions in Iraq. (Now being re-named, I believe.)

One of the good things about Dan's piece is the footnotes, many of which contain substantial quotes on the subject as translated from the Arabic press. (He doesn't, alas, say by whom, which would have been helpful.)

He makes pretty clear that the main division is between those Iraqis--mainly non-Kurds--who'd like a federalism based on the country's existing governorates (provinces), and those who want a more clearly ethnic basis to the federalism.

Iraq has 18 governorates. (See map here.)There's a Kurdish majority in three of them. But many Kurds don't live in those three governorates. So I guess many Kurds fear that the effect of a governorate-based form of federalism would be to split and dilute Kurdish influence.

In his piece, Dan notes that one of the main documents the two main Kurdish leaders refer to in pleading their case is the series of resolutions adopted at December 2002 conference of Iraqi (then-)opposition figures, held in London.

Resolution 10 there stated, inter alia, that:

the conference expressed its respect for the people of Kurdistan and the free will of people of Kurdistan to choose proper and appropriate methods for their partnership with the people of one country. The conference debated the experiences of federal systems and concluded that it is an appropriate system of government for Iraq, which must be taken cognizance of as a basis for the resolution of the Kurdish problem within the framework of Iraqi constitutional institutions after the end of the dictatorial Saddam regime and anticipated changes in Iraq.

In this respect the conference reiterated the unity of Iraqi land and coexistence among its peoples on the basis of voluntary union. The conference also reaffirms the just and legitimate demands of the people of Kurdistan for uprooting all forms of oppression and repression on the basis of international law which affords them the right of self determination and affirms fraternity, unity and partnership in one country.

The general tenor of that resolution on federalism also seems to have been directly contradicted in the November 15, 2003 fatwa from Jerry Bremer and his Washington puppet-masters. Small wonder the Kurds don't seem too happy with things right now.