In Kurdistan, the Deafening Silence Over Talabani

 

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - No one is ready to talk about Jalal Talabani’s health anymore, even his private doctor, who used to update the public on the health of the man who is both Iraq’s president and the leader of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK).

With the PUK heading into the September 21 parliamentary elections in Iraq’s autonomous Kurdistan Region, Talabani’s party needs him more than ever before. The 79-year-old leader has been absent from the scene ever since he suffered a stroke in December and was flown to Germany for treatment.

In an interview with Rudaw Mala Bakhtiar, politburo member of the PUK, said that even a “three seconds” video of Talabani would change the whole electoral equation in favor of the PUK.

Political parties in the Kurdistan Region understand Talabani’s situation and do not put pressure on the PUK to reveal information on their leader’s health. But this is not the case in Baghdad.

From time to time, Iraqi political leaders call for concrete information on Talabani’s health and some request personal meetings with him, which have put the PUK’s leadership and Talabani’s family in a tough situation.

The latest such request comes from Usama Nujaifi, Iraq’s parliament speaker. Yesterday, Nujaifi rekindled the issue and accused Talabani’s family of not letting him see the president.

“Five months ago I asked Talabani’s family to see him, but I was not allowed to; today I repeat my request,” Nujaifi complained.

Nujaifi’s concern is not only Talabani’s health but also the presidency. “The position of Iraq’s president can no longer remain vacant,” he said.

Nujaifi insisted that a visit to confirm Talabani’s health is necessary. “If Talabani believes he can’t resume his position as the president of Iraq we need to elect a new president. Therefore, his family should allow us to see him,” Nujaifi added.

Sources tell Rudaw that on a visit to Iran last May Talabani’s wife, Hero Ahmed, sought Tehran’s help in delaying discussion over the position of the Iraqi presidency until the end of the current presidential term.

Hero reportedly told the Iranians that such a debate will weaken the PUK’s position in the Kurdistan Region and Iraq. Rudaw tried to verify the authenticity of this information but none of the PUK’s senior officials were willing to comment.

In fact, some members of the PUK politburo have requested meetings with Talabani. But according to them, his wife has so far refused.

The PUK needs Talabani now more than ever. The party’s leadership believes that the upcoming election is a “decisive” one.

Bakhtiar told Rudaw in an interview that, “Only a three seconds video tape of Talabani holding up two fingers as a sign of victory will dramatically alter the electoral equation in favor of the PUK.”

Regrettably for the PUK, it seems that Talabani’s health is not good enough even to flash a victory sign to revive the PUK.

Sources tell Rudaw that, “Talabani is going to go through a major surgery.” But there is no further information on this.

PUK senior leaders and politburo members all refer questions about Talabani’s health to his doctor, Najmaldin Karim.

But Karim, who is known as Talabani’s private doctor, accompanied the ailing leader only in the beginning of his illness.  Since then, he has been in Kirkuk, away from Talabani and performing his duties as governor.

Karim used to refute all rumors about Talabani’s health by saying that “his health is in good condition.” But he currently prefers to remain silent.

“I don’t want to talk about Talabani’s health because there have not been any new developments,” Karim told Rudaw.

After Ahmed accompanied her husband to Germany, she promised to visit him monthly to keep abreast of his health and keep the PUK politburo informed.  But sources tell Rudaw that the first lady has not been making those visits every month.

On August 25, a group of professors from Kurdistan universities demanded to see Talabani in Germany. But their request was declined.