Kurds Remain Neutral in Shiite-Sunni Row Over Diyala Government

SULAIMANI, Kurdistan Region – The Kurds are remaining neutral in a quarrel between Shiite and Sunni parties in Iraq’s Diyala province, which has prevented the formation of the local government.

The Sunni and Shiite alliances have held 15 meetings so far to break a nearly two-month stalemate, but to no avail.

“The Kurds are to remain neutral in the quarrels,” said Jaffar Barzinji, director of the Kurdistan Democratic Party’s headquarters in Khanaqin, explaining that is what KDP chief and Kurdistan Regional President Massoud Barzani had recommended.

Sherko Mangur, director of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan’s (PUK) headquarters in Khanaqin, said the Kurds are particularly cautious about siding with any party. He added that the Kurds have been promised prominent posts by both parties in return for support, but that they have instead insisted on forming a multiparty government in which all parties participate.

Mangur said that the Kurds will be looking at each party’s views on Kurdish rights and implementation of Article 140 of the constitution, which spells out the steps for an eventual referendum to decide ownership of vast tracts of disputed territories that are claimed both by the autonomous Kurds and the Arab central government in Baghdad.

 “This time we will not focus on posts and positions, we will try to understand these lists’ views on the Kurdish rights and implementation of article 140,” he said.

In the 2005 elections, Kurds won six seats out of 26 provincial council seats; however, for the current year’s election the Kurds secured only three seats.

The low turnout of the Kurdish votes was unexpected and shocking to the Kurdish authorities. However, Kurdish officials still believe winning only three seats is justifiable.

Barzinji believes that, if the Kurds and Sunnis forge an alliance, they can “form the government. The Sunnis have told us that we will have the council chairmanship and the deputy governor’s post. But, we do not want the government to be formed in this way.”

He also said that the Kurds were looking at how each party stood on the issue of Kurdish rights.

“From the very beginning we went to both parties and asked them if they supported implementation of article 140, return the confiscated lands to the Kurds, and asked for their opinions on the injustice done to the Kurds” said Barzinji.

He added that, “The Sunnis try to avoid these questions. They are pushing to give the Kurds posts, if the Kurds do not bring up these questions.”

The Kurds in Diyala, particularly in towns like Jalula, Qaratapa, and Saadiya suffered greatly under the previous Diyala government. Thousands of Kurdish families left their hometowns in these areas, due to lack of security, terrorist threats, and unemployment.

The Kurds also were marginalized in the security apparatus, to the point where their political parties were barely able to protect their own offices.

Manguri said that, before the formation of the Provincial Council, the Kurdish representatives talked to their counterparts in the council and addressed the question of the presence of  Peshmarga forces in Diyala.

“Fortunately, until now they have not shown any objection to the presence of the Peshmarga forces. Besides securing the post of the chairman of the council, the deputy governor, and a consultant of the governor, we are trying to secure some administrative posts as well,” he explained.

With regards to the number of seats won by the Kurds, Manguri says he does not believe Kurds have lost in the elections.

“This time the formation of the elections and alliances was different. The smaller parties benefited from this difference. Now we are the third party in the province, before we used to be the fourth party,” he explained.