Partiya Komuniste Kurdistan KKP partiya komuniste kurdistan
İgili Yazılar
Statement of the Central Committee of the Kurdistan Communist Party – Iraq
Stop the Regime’s Chauvinist Campaign of Forcible Eviction and Deportation in Iraqi Kurdistan
To: The UN Secretary General, Mr Kofi Annan ..
To: Human Rights Organisations and the People of the World ..
To Our Iraqi People and their Patriotic Forces ..
In spite of all the calamities and hardships brought upon on our Iraqi people by the dictatorial regime and its policies, and regardless of all the pressures and UN resolutions, the Iraqi regime is still continuing its repressive practices, and the chauvinistic policy of Arabisation and forcible deportation has continued unabated.
The native people in those parts of Kurdistan which are still under the control of the regime are being forcibly evicted from the area, especially in Kirkuk, Khanaqeen, Makhmoor, Sinjar and Tela’far. Since the beginning of September 1999, the regime has intensified its campaign of terror in these areas, in order to scare away the native population. The people are being forced to leave their homes, villages and land, and migrate to the southern and central parts of Iraq or to those parts of Kurdistan which are out of the regime’s control.
This campaign is part of a long-term scheme to empty the area of its native Kurdistani population, and bring in Arab clans and families to inhabit the area instead, registering the land and property in the name of new Arab inhabitants. In addition to all this, the regime’s oppressive apparatus is terrorising the native population by savagely attacking them and demolishing and burning their homes.
In this way they have forced hundreds of Kurdish families to flee their villages or migrate to Sulaimaniyya, Arbil and Duhok, where they now live in appalling conditions, with the hope that their appeal for support and solidarity will be heard by conscientious people all over the world. They hope they will not be left alone. They are expecting to receive the support which they need and deserve in their struggle to force the dictatorial regime to stop its vicious ethnic cleansing campaign and discontinue its repressive acts of terror, in order to enable them to return to their own land and homes.
It should also be emphasised that the repressive apparatus of the regimne is currently forcing the native population to fill in and sign the so-called “ethnic identity correction forms” and change their ethnic identity to Arab. Those who refuse will be evicted from the area and their land and property will be confiscated, in accordance with a decree recently issued by the authorities. This decree is being applied more harshly against government employees. Many families have been evicted and a number of villages have already been Arabised, especially in those areas of Kirkuk , Khanaqeen, Makhmoor and Mosul, which have been inhabited for many centuries by Turkomans, Chaldean – Assyrians, as well as Kurds.
This vicious campaign poses a grave danger to the future of the people of Kurdistan and seriously threatens the national unity of Iraq. Although the regime pretends to be worried about this unity, continuously expressing its concern in this regard at regional and international forums, in reality its chauvinist policy towards the people of Kurdistan is proving the opposite.
While condemning this chauvinist campaign, we appeal to all conscientious people who cherish freedom and human rights, to support our people and force the Iraqi regime to put an end to these atrocities.
Undoubtedly, the salvation of our people from this catastrophic situation depends mainly on their unity and unified political approach to expose and condemn this brutal campaign, and to appeal with one voice to other countries, political and human rights organisations, and world public opinion in general. We appeal to them to shoulder their humanitarian duty and support our people in their struggle to force the Iraqi regime to implement UN Security Council Resolution 688, which forbids the regime from carrying out repressive policies. In accordance with this resolution, the regime’s actions can be considered as ethnic cleansing, genocide and systematic repression, which have been condemned by the United Nations and by human rights organisations in many of their documents and resolutions.
Forward, in united ranks, to confront and defeat the schems of the chauvinist dictatorship and to continue the struggle steadfastly until the final downfall of this abominable regime.
The Central Committee
Kurdistan Communist Party – Iraq 7-11-1999
N.B.: Attached is a list containing the type and extent of forcible evictions and Arabisation, and the number of families involved.