ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — “Yes to co-existence in Kirkuk, no to dividing its components,” read a protestor's poster in Palkana village west of Kirkuk city, a diverse area claimed by the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and federal government of Iraq.
Predominately-Kurdish protestors demonstrated in Palkana village near Sargaran town west of Kirkuk city on Friday to protest what they describe as another round of "Arabization."
"After October 16, in the year 2017, again the chauvinist Arabs with the backing of chauvinist individuals like the governor of Kirkuk returned to the villages to occupy the villages of this area and Arabizing it,” a Kurdish man read a statement aloud to a crowd and reporters.
They called on the Erbil, Baghdad, Iraqi President Barham Salih, who is a Kurd, and other Kurdistani politicians to resolve their issues based on Article 140 of the constitution that calls for the resolution of disputed areas by referendum.
During the presidency of deposed Baath regime leader Saddam Hussein, policies of Arabization were implemented in oil-rich Kirkuk. They resulted in Kurds being forced from their lands, and Arabs were resettled into their place.
The action of their lands being taken away “jeopardizes national peace," added the protestors' spokesperson, arguing that they won’t accept "injustice."
A second spokesperson added: People from Kirkuk haven’t asked for the “land and water” of anyone else and they only want to peacefully be on their lands.
Due to “constant Arabization and Baathification” their area hasn’t been fully rehabilitated, he further claimed.
Following the liberation in 2003, some Kurds returned to their lands believing they would play a greater role in governance of the "new Iraq." During the conflict with the Islamic State (ISIS), the KRG administered much of the oil-rich province.
Peshmerga and Asayesh (Security) provided relative stability and cut off a possible supply of massive revenue for the extremists.
The city has long been a stronghold of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) — the second largest party in the Kurdistan Region.
The spokesperson thanked veteran PUK commander Mahmoud Sangawi, who has promised the Kurdish farmers he would stand behind them and send armed forces in support.
Following the federal takeover of all disputed areas in October 2017, the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) vowed not to return to the "occupied" city. The KDP is the largest party in the Kurdistan Region.
Together, the KDP and PUK, comprise the Brotherhood Alliance on the Kirkuk Provincial Council where they control a majority of seats. However following the events of October 2017 which were widely seen as retaliaition for the Kurdistan Region holding an independence referendum that included some disputed areas, former Iraqi PM Haider al-Abadi sacked Kirkuk Governor Najmaldin Karim of the PUK and replaced him with acting Governor Rakan Saeed al-Jabouri, a Sunni Arab politician.
Mohammed al-Halbousi, the speaker of Iraqi parliament, welcomed regional counterparts on Thursday to Baghdad.
“Concerning Article 140, this is a disputed article. For example, let’s assume we talk about one of these cities, the city of Sinjar [or Shingal]. How can I think of including this city or the areas of Nineveh Plains, or areas in Diyala, Kirkuk and Saladin in the article while their residents haven’t returned so far?" Halbousi told reporters in a roundtable after the meetings.
Halbousi is a Sunni politician who was formerly the governor of Anbar province — one which suffered the most from the ISIS conflict and has tens of thousands of its people displaced in camps, according to the International Organization for Migration. More than 1.74 million Iraqis remain displaced.
"Based on Article 140 itself, the people of these areas determine their fate. Let me return the IDPs first to their areas and have stability for them to be able to move forward with this step, for them to determine their fate. Thus the parliament will undertake the legislative measures,” Halbousi added.
In last year's parliamentary election, the PUK peformed well in Kirkuk, winning 6 of 12 seats. Arab parties won 3, while Turkmen parties took 3. Another seat is reserved for Christians under the minority quota system.
Since the declared defeat of ISIS in December 2018, the Palakana village and surrounding areas have been a hotbed for the group’s lingering and still deadly remnants.
To the east and southeast in the KRG-administered Garmiyan, Asyesh have actively pursued ISIS remnants.
