Baseless attacks on the Kurdistan Region ultimately weaken Federal Government: Al-Arab
While acknowledging the Kurdistan Region’s demands as legitimate, the newspaper directs blame towards Baghdad, citing Federal Court decisions as examples of injustices against Kurds.
ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) - The Al-Arab newspaper of the United Arab Emirates has published an article, written by Adham Ibrahim, on the Kurds in Iraq, discussing pending issues between the Kurdistan Region and the federal government over the past decades. It highlights cases where various Iraqi cabinets have decided against the people of Kurdistan.
While acknowledging the Kurdistan Region’s demands as legitimate, the newspaper directs blame towards Baghdad, citing Federal Court decisions as examples of injustices against Kurds. It notes the historical use of military methods as ineffective against the Kurdish will.
In 1970, the signing of the March 11 Accords recognized some Kurdish cultural and ethnic rights, but Baghdad later reneged on its promises. The Kurdistan Region gained semi-independence with the beginning of the Persian Gulf War in 1991.
“Following the fall of the Iraqi regime in 2003”, the article notes, “Shiites no longer considered Kurds as their former allies. Consequently, the Kurdish problem resurfaced, with Shiite decision-makers focusing on seizing power regardless of Kurds and Sunnis, using government resources.”
The article discusses key factors exacerbating differences between the Kurdistan region and the federal government, including the oil and gas law, implementation of Article 140, budget disparities between Peshmerga forces and Hashd al-Shaabi militias, and religious-based political imbalances.
Proposed solutions include active participation by all parties in Iraq's political process, emphasizing that foreign political agendas have not benefited Iraqis. Acknowledging Kurdish aspirations, the article warns against baseless attacks on the Kurdistan Region, which ultimately weaken the federal government.
Al-Arab asserts that political decisions in Iraq often prioritize satisfying neighboring countries and regional powers, suggesting a lack of independence in Iraqi decision-making.
The newspaper affirms that Kurds are an integral part of Iraq, recognized by the Iraqi constitution as a significant partner with all rights intact. It deems the Federal Court's decisions regarding Kurdish parliamentary elections and employee rights, as well as submitting the oil and gas law to the federal government without considering Kurdistan's legitimate status, as illegal.
