Rudaw Media Network CEO Ako Mohammed spoke at the event on Saturday and said that Kurdish problems with the federal government centre on the historical discrimination they have faced in Kirkuk.
“Since 1961, Kirkuk has been at the core of the Kurdish issue in Iraq. If the Kirkuk problem remains unresolved, the broader Kurdish issue in Iraq will also remain unresolved. The Arabization of Kirkuk dates back to the monarchy in Iraq, but the Baath regime and Saddam Hussein institutionalized and expanded it,” said Mohammed.
He noted a core Shiite belief is supporting the oppressed and presented this as a powerful example for addressing the treatment of Kurds.
“Since 2003, Shiites have held significant power in Iraq, and their handling of Kirkuk has not served Kurdish-Shiite relations or Iraq's prospects for peace and stability,” he said.
The Baath regime had a policy of Arabization in the multi-ethnic province of Kirkuk, forcing Kurds and Turkmens off their lands and replacing them with Arab settlers brought in from elsewhere in the country.
Article 140 of the constitution adopted after the fall of the Baath regime outlines a process for resolving disputes over these territories. It begins with compensation for Arab settlers to return to their places of origin and restoring lands to the original landowners. The article has never been fully implemented, however, and land disputes still exist.
Mohammed called on solidarity for “oppressed communities” at all times.
Najaf Governor Yusif Ganawi also spoke at the forum and emphasized the importance of strengthening relations between Kurds and Shiites.
“The stability of relations between Erbil and Baghdad requires overcoming internal divisions and strengthening the capacity for dialogue and understanding,” he said.
The governor also stated that the Shiite religious authority based in Najaf is looking forward to Kurds “adhering to Iraqi unity.”
The Najaf-Erbil Forum was organized by Rudaw Research Centre.
