ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – Hamid Farazi says that the wish of his Kurdish United Front (KUF) is to “plant the seeds of reconciliation between the Iranian government and the Kurdish parties.”
But since its inception eight years ago, the party has been waiting for a working license from Iranian authorities. Its leaders admit that due to security and political reasons in Iran’s northwestern Kurdish regions, they were unable to strengthen and expand among the Kurdish populations.
Siawash Hayati, spokesman of the KUF, listed two reasons for the party’s lack of progress. “On the one hand, the Iranian authorities have not officially recognized us and on the other hand other parties see us as individuals; we are not treated as an organization.”
Another problem is internal disagreements within the organization, Hayati added.
The Front has not held any congress yet, but Haiati is hopeful that the election of a reformist president in Iran last month will mean greater freedom for his group to strengthen and expand.
The KUF was established in 2005 by Bahaaddin Adab, the representative of Sanandaj (Sina), Kamiaran, and Diwandara in the Iranian Parliament. Adab also established the Kurdish faction in parliament for the first time.
“The Front needs a new definition and a more open structure. Structural changes within the Front are necessary for preventing the Front’s disintegration,” said Farazi, one of the founding members.
He said the front faced many problems from the outset. “First; structural problems: the front should have included many different groups. Second; members of the front did not have any experience of collaboration and working together.”
Now, he said, the organization wanted to build bridges of communication.
“We are trying to establish bridges of communication and plant seeds of reconciliation between the Iranian government and the Kurdish parties. We encourage the Iranian government and the Kurdish parties to realize the international and regional developments to pursue democratic means in future cooperation,” Hayati said.
Commenting on these efforts, Hamanazif Qadiri, a politburo member of the Kurdistan Democratic Party of Iran (KDPI) said that, “The Iranian government does not recognize the rights of the Kurds. We appreciate any efforts by any group to increase understanding between the government and Kurdish parties, but such efforts need to be discussed with the Kurdish parties in advance.”
The Front is active in Urumiyeh, Ilam, Kermanshah, Hamadan, Tehran, and Sanandaj Sina.
