ERBIL, Kurdistan Region—Ahead of expected protests from teachers and other civil servants planned for Tuesday, Kurdish political parties have all said that they are against the use of violence. The Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) has warned that if protesters attack their offices as occurred in previous protests, they will have a strong response. Teachers and civil servants have announced that they will hold a protest on Tuesday, the first day of school in the Kurdistan Region, to demand payment of salaries. Several different groups have been formed with the intent of leading the protests. Violence has erupted in previous protests in the Kurdistan Region, prompting calls from political figures for protesters to keep the peace on Tuesday. In February 2011, violence broke out in protests inspired by the Arab Spring and some young people were killed and injured. In October last year, protesters were on the streets demanding unpaid salaries. Again, some people turned to violence and attacked KDP offices in Sulaimani province, resulting in deaths and injuries. There is now a fear that such violence will be repeated in the protests scheduled for Tuesday. Awat Hassan, representing one of the organizers of the protest, told Rudaw, “We try to make sure the protest does not cross legal lines. For this we are coordinating with the security forces.” “We do not plan to attack any party’s building, because those buildings were built with the people’s money, and the people in those buildings are the women and men of this nation. Therefore we won’t attack any party building, nor will we allow anyone to attack them,” Hassan added. The Sulaimani security committee has given permission for the protest and selected locations where protesters can gather – in front of the Sulaimani governorate building and the education directorate. Ahmed Kani, head of the KDP national relations department, told Rudaw, “The civil protests and people’s demands are very normal, but on condition they do not lead to instability.” “If the direction of the protests changes, this is not acceptable,” said Kani, who is also a member of the KDP leadership committee. “Protests have limited time. They should not take 50 days. It only takes some hours to deliver a message. Because the Kurdistan situation is very sensitive, during the protests we need to very careful.” The KDP has warned all the political parties not to change the direction of the protests and not to attack the KDP offices in Sulaimani, Halabja, Garmian and Raparin administrations in the province. They have “warned the parties that they will respond to any attack on them in the same way,” said a KDP source who spoke to Rudaw on condition of anonymity. “We have received a letter from Masoud Barzani in which he has ordered the KDP leadership, branches and offices to not do anything unless they get attacked. And in the possibility of an attack, only defend. Do not have any other reaction, unless they come to your offices,” the source added. According to information obtained by Rudaw, the KDP has issued a warning to the high levels of other parties that, if the KDP comes under attack, then they cannot guarantee the safety and security of the offices of other parties in Erbil and Duhok. A spokesperson from the Gorran movement, Shoresh Haji, told Rudaw, “We have met with all Gorran representatives from Sulaimani province, Garmian, Halabja and Raparin, to say they should not allow any Gorran members to use violence.” Both Islamic parties, Kurdistan Islamic Union (KIU) and Islamic Group (Komal), have expressed their opinions that people have the right to protest and demand their rights, but they too stressed that they do not want to see the protesters turn to violence. Osman Karwani, head of the KIU’s office in Sulaimani, explained to Rudaw why so much focus is on the KDP, holding them responsible for the financial crisis. “Most of the financial power in the Kurdistan Region is in the hands of the KDP. Therefore most of the blame goes to the KDP.” “People have the right to protest and ask for their rights, but the KIU does not support violence,” he added. Yasin Hassan, a member of the Komal leadership, said “Protecting the Kurdistan Region’s achievements is important. Dialogue should replace violence.” Mentioning the fall in oil prices and the war with the Islamic State (ISIS), Hassan said the government has been unable to explain the financial crisis to the people. “Some people ask why the Iraqi government, that has the same crisis, can pay their salaries?” Hassan said. “But we have to know that the Iraqi government had $60 billion capital in place [before the crisis]. Now they have $30 billion left.” He added that Komal has also warned their members that, if they take part in any violence, they will be punished. “We have met with all our members in all Kurdistan, and warned them that no member should use violence. And if the direction of any protest is changed, our members should leave it. If they use violence, they will be severely punished.” Four of the political parties met in Sulaimani on Saturday and expressed their support for popular demands, days before expected protests in the city of Sulaimani. The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), Gorran, the Islamic Group (Komal) and Islamic Union (KIU) issued a statement following the meeting, expressing the people’s right to peaceful demonstrations. The KDP was not part of the meeting. Adham Barzani, head of the KDP’s leadership council in Sulaimani, in an interview with Rudaw, said “The four parties are supporting the protests. But they asked for protesters not to change the direction of the protest against any political party; we hope that all parties remain committed to their promise, because this crisis is not a one party crisis. The KDP did not create this crisis.” “If those parties send people to attack us; then we will not allow their offices to remain in areas under KDP control.” The Peshmerga ministry of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), in a message on Sunday from its commanders of the 70 and 80 units, praised the role of teachers in Kurdistan and said, “The Peshmerga by blood and weapon defend this land, freedom and security. Teachers with the weapons of pen, science and education, teach our children and guarantee the bright future of our society and people.” “We are ready to reduce the salaries of high-level Peshmerga officers and give it to the teachers in order to prevent stopping the education process, and to avoid putting the future of our children under risk, because their future is our region’s future. For the sake of the future of our region, we dedicate our souls.”
