CONDITIONS FOR PEACE IN SOUTHERN KURDISTAN Versiyona kurdî Þahîn Bekir Soreklî: shahinsorekli@hotmail.com The end of the Gulf War in 1991 and the events that followed resulted in another rare historical opportunity which unfortunately was not used properly by the Kurds. It is sad to note that the tragic history of the Kurds, a history full of oppression, internal fighting and suffering continued. Of course the geopolitical, international and regional factors have as always played a huge role in this but the Kurds themselves had their share in it too. In my article "The Kurdish National Struggle at the Gates of a New Millennium" I dealt with the subject more thoroughly. In this short article, however, I would condense the reasons (as far as Kurds themselves are concerned) which prevented the Kurds from using the opportunity which was at hand in 1991 in southern Kurdistan in a better way to the following: A) A)The bitter animosity between KDP and PUK B) B)The presence of armed PKK guerrillas in the south C) C)The absence of a dynamic and united intelligensia The fighting last week between PUK (Patriotic Union of Kurdistan) and PKK (Kurdistan Workers Party) forces in the south (Iraqi Kurdistan) once again shows how fragile peace in that part of Kurdistan is, how Kurdish leadership can sacrifice national interests for the interests of their parties and how organizations can let themselves be used by oppressive regimes in order to get at their opponents. In the last nine and a half years a lot has happened in southern Kurdistan and it would be unfair not to mention that both the KDP and the PUK have endeavoured to advance the regions under their control, that they have achieved some good results. However, it is no secret that these years were also full of unpleasant events which resulted mainly from the animousity between the two organizations. Had they been able to adhere to democratic principles, had there been a single Kurdish government capable of functioning successfuly and mastering crises both internally and externally the situation would have been completely different today; and there is no doubt that as a result the Kurds, at least in this part of Kurdistan, would have had more advanced international recognition. Despite all the negative aspects and the destructive events of the mentioned period a lot of good things are still taking place in the south and there still is some hope to turn the present situation into a step towards a better tomorrow for the inhabitants of this area and the Kurdish nation as a whole. As I see it the following conditions need to be put into practice without any delay in order for them to act as the initial step towards salvation if this historical opportunity is to be saved from totally being lost: 1) PKK to immediatly end its armed presence in southern Kurdistan. The PKK leadership and members who prefer to remain to have the same rights and obligations as presently in practice for KDP-I (The Democratic party of Iranian Kurdistan). 2) PUK and KDP to prepare for an election to take place after three months with both parties using their media to full extent in order to insure that the campaign for elections is peaceful, fair and democratic. This should be supervised by Kurdish independant personalities and informed intellectuals known for their capability, unbiassed opinion and objectivity. 3) The party or the coalition that obtains the majority to govern for three years while the party, or a coalition of parties, in oposition to have the same rights and previliges as in western democracies. New elections to take place every three years. 4) While the government appoints ministers and sets policies the departments dealing with finance, education and other public services to be in the hands of independant bureaucrats and officials. 5) The peshmerga forces of both parties to be put under an independent command until a new Kurdish force, totally independent of politics, is formed. 6) Since southern Kurdistan does not have a president or Governor General an independent commission to be formed in order to solve constitutional crisis and act as a legal jury whenever disagreements occur between the political parties. The issue is much more complex, of course, but the above points are prerequisites for a peaceful and civilized solution and can become the first step towards building a civilized democratic society. Since the Kurdish political parties and the Kurdish leadership are the products of their environment and since this environment is linked to the Middle East putting such points into practice will not be easy but the Kurdish parties have to determine whether they want to be a part of a backward, unjust and propagandist world or whether they want to catch up with the civilized world and lead the Kurdish society to a brighter tomorrow. The neighbouring countries will not make it easy for the Kurds to succeed but if the Kurds in the south are politically mature and capable of keeping their unity and determination they will succeed. Undoubtedly a great deal of sacrifice and forgiveness will be needed from all those involved. In order for the elections and what follows to succeed both major parties need to base their campaign on the present and what they have to offer to their people if they win the elections, instead of each side doing everything possible to prove that its path and deeds in the past were correct and those of the opposing side were false. The Kurds in other parts of Kurdistan, on the other hand, need to take into consideration today's realities of our world and the geopolitical conditions of the Middle East and Kurdistan. It would be both naïve and destructive to expect that southern Kurdistan should become an arena for the armed units of all Kurdish parties regardless of where they come from and how large or small they may be. They should help this part of Kurdistan to progress and prosper instead of giving the neighbouring countries a further excuse to aim at destroying it. Finally I would like to refer to the role of intellectuals, a subject discussed intensively amongst the Kurds lately. First of all it has to be clarified that an intellectual is someone with qualifications necessary for the title, not someone who is defined as an "intellectual" and imposed on people by a political organization, or an individual who may in the past have played a role in a particular party. Kurdish intellectuals, as I see it, will not be able to play a constructive role in Kurdish politics unless they are fully aware of all aspects relevant to the Kurdish issue past and present, and unless they comprehend the reality of the situation instead of being influenced by the propaganda of this or that organization or their emotional colourful wishful thinking. Furthermore, the intellectuals need to have the guts to tell the truth based on reality and objectivity, not on grudges and loyalties if they want to play a more powerful role in Kurdish politics. Many of us know that something is definitely wrong, that some terrible destructive mistakes are committed but not many of us have the decency and the courage to openly and effectively say the truth. Only a few individuals have dared to say at least a part of the truth but they have either failed because the way they said it was not appropriate or simply because they did not have adequate support from others. Many Kurdish intellectuals still act as their fathers did when they met to drink tea in the guest houses of their villages and towns, others go and search for old comrades while some have locked themselves behind closed doors because they were hurt or disappointed and as a result developed an attitude that "it is useless to do anything in today's environment." All this while the intellectuals who are in Kurdistan or live in the cities of the Middle East are deprived of the right, or have limited rights, to expressing their views openly. The harassment and assault some intellectuals were subjected to at the hands of the dictatorial regimes or elements belonging to certain Kurdish organizations of course played a big role in discouraging some intellectuals from entering the political arena as well. It is unfortunate that Kurdish intellectuals as a united force lack dynamics, are incapable of proper communication and have failed to form a front based on modern and advanced principles. This state of affairs continues while the actual big picture that represents the whole truth about the Kurdish situation, as it really is, remains hidden in the fog. Despite what has been mentioned above the situation today is much better than it used to be and a ray of light can be seen at the end of the tunnel. Let us hope a better tomorrow is ahead. (22/9/2000)