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Kurdish politician Hatip Dicle has made a statement on the increasing tension between the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) in Iraqi Kurdistan. He also commented on the results of the United States election.
The KDP deployed its peshmerga forces in Zînî Wertê, which is located in the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), in March. In addition, the Sinjar agreement and the deployment of KDP forces in the Garê region increased the tension and potential for conflict. It was revealed that the decision to engage in an operation against the Garê region was taken in a meeting which included a National Intelligence Organisation (MİT) member, held in Mesoud Barzani’s house on 27 October. Adding fuel to the fire, Barzani implied a war against the PKK in his response to Murat Karayılan’s call.
According to the Mesopotamia Agency’s report, Hatip Dicle drew attention to a speech of the former Turkish Chief of Staff İlker Başbuğ. Başbuğ defined the most important dangers that Turkey faced and said the first danger was that of northern Iraq (Iraqi Kurdistan), with the second being the danger of occupation in Mousul and Kirkuk. The third one danger the PKK.
Referring to Başbuğ’s speech, Dicle said the Turkish state considered the KRG as a primary hazard. He said that Başbuğ was an important member of Ergenekon (a state faction in Turkey). Dicle also pointed out that Turkey put its plan for a war between the KDP and PKK into action. All achievements of the Kurdish people were gained thanks to thousands of martyrs in the face of significant danger, Dicle added.
KDP’s two strategic mistakes
Dicle stated that the KDP made two strategic mistakes. The first one is that the KDP deposited the income gained from the transportation and marketing of Iraqi Kurdistan’s oil through Turkey, to Turkey’s Halkbank. In that case, Turkey became the source of money, he added. “If we consider that KRG gains most of its income from that place, it is not hard to see that Turkey will use this as a weapon against Kurdish people”, said Dicle. “In addition, as Turkey has an economic crisis, it will not easily send the oil and dollars to Iraqi Kurdistan”.
“The second strategic mistake is the fact that the KDP gave Turkey 23 military posts and 16 secret MİT posts in Iraqi Kurdistan. That means a significant part of Iraqi Kurdistan is currently under Turkey’s occupation”, said Dicle, reiterating that Turkey will not leave a place once it has entered.
Considering that cold fact, Dicle said, it could not be questioned that Ankara would become the main source of the probable attacks of the KDP against guerillas in Zînî Werte, Gare and maybe in Sinjar.
Dicle underlined that Turkey’s aim was to destroy political statues and the political achievements of Kurdish people in order to disable them in Kurdistan.
Regarding a probable clash, Dicle said, “An armed clash between Kurdish parties will mean simply the destruction of our people’s future and achievements. All parts of Kurdistan will be affected negatively in that situation”.
Sinjar agreement
After urging from the United States, the KDP and Iraq government signed an agreement on Sinjar in October. Sinjar’s citizens reacted against the agreement. Hatip Dicle also commented on the effects and the meaning of the Sinjar agreement. “It makes sense for Iraq and KRG, as a part of Iraq, to participate in the negotiations. However, according to which international law should Turkey take place in these negotiations? It can be understood that the plan has taken place between the KDP and the Turkish state, which calls Sinjar ‘Second Qandil'”.
Dicle asked, “Why was the will of the Democratic Assembly, elected by the Sinjar people, rejected?” He added that the Sinjar agreement signalled the 73th decree of the Yazidis, or an attempt to complete the Yazidi massacre that the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) left unfinished.
US election
As a result of US presidential elections, Democrat Joe Biden has become the country’s 46th president. Dicle interpreted the results of the election and said that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan was a close ally of President Donald Trump.
“Trump took Erdoğan under his wing in many instances, such as the Halkbank case, the S-400 issue, and even the trouble occurring within the US Congress. He protected him. He blocked the Congress to impose sanctions. Erdoğan has lost an old friend and protector due to the election result. He protected Erdoğan. Trump supported Erdoğan’s invasion policy on Rojava. He implemented hostile policies against Kurdish people by means of bureaucrats such as Jeffrey. He always supported Erdoğan regarding Libya, Iraq and NATO’s internal problems”.
“It is undoubtedly true that Joe Biden will not support Erdoğan and his expansionist policies, as Trump does. Already, the fact that he defined Erdoğan as an autocrat in his previous speech before the election, indicated that a new period would begin for US-Turkey relations.”
Lastly, Dicle said that US relations with Iran, China and Russia would be softened via negotiations under Biden’s ruling.
