Northern Iraq’s independence referendum

The independence referendum of Iraq’s Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) which has been scheduled for Sept. 25 is still on track despite strong opposition coming both from places where the referendum will be held, and from Iraqi government and other countries in the region. In the region where an intense demographic movement has been ongoing due to the war for the last 15 years, it is impossible for any referendum to produce healthy and fair results. Turkmen’s who live in the referendum area, who might be under control of this independent country according to the referendum results even if they all vote no, say that

the ethnic scales have been tipped to be able to get the desired result from this referendum

due to the demographic movements occurring in Kirkuk, Irbil and Sulaymaniyah. Under these circumstances, it is extremely hard to accept that borders will be re-drawn and people will be imprisoned in new borders by an actual state to be created with a referendum.

As a matter of fact,

human geography in Iraq has been separated since 2003 when the U.S. entered Iraq. As a result of the operation that the U.S. initiated to save the country from Saddam, today it has become impossible for people to co-exist.

The Baghdad government does not fulfill its responsibilities for the KRG and today there is no feasible formula or a viable program where the KRG and Baghdad government can co-exist on certain terms. It is possible to hold a referendum using this current situation as an excuse, however, it is the U.S. itself that has caused this situation in the first place.

The truth is that the U.S. intervention has a direct impact which destroys this common living ground.

It has the same impact wherever it goes, not only in Iraq. Its existence in the region causes chaos, a surge of terrorism, and the increase of instability instead of contributing to regional peace.

Today it is rapidly putting the same plan into effect in Syria despite the persistent opposition and objections of all the actors in the region.

For all the world to see, it is trying to cultivate an organization that goes hand-in-hand with terrorism and implement it in this geography.

It is preparing this power, which it is growing, to establish its own regional government with an actual state. Due to this, political tensions, ethnic purges, massacres and instability in the region will be ineffable. The U.S. is not willing to pay the humanitarian and social price of this instability.

Instead countries and people in the region pay the price. The U.S. hangs those who trust it out to dry.

The KRG and in fact all the countries in the region must know this:

While Western countries are continually looking for power through union and integration, and putting all their political investments in uniting more, they are trying to present further fragmentation of our world as a solution and a way to stability.

There is no argument and thesis to convince us. Rather, these circumstances are imposed by creating tangible situations.

At the end of the day, everybody is convinced that there is no choice but fragmentation for societies which

are made unable to coexist.

There is no reason for people who have been living in peace and stability for hundreds of years not to continue to live in peace and tranquility from now on, too. Foreign intervention understandably works for this.

However, don’t Iranian and Iraqi governments have a share in how things have come to this point?

Hasn’t Iran, which is trying to keep Assad strong

“as a defense axis against Zionism”

despite its crimes against humanity, opened the doors for all the foreign intervention for this purpose? In regards to this problem; the Syrians could have decided for themselves.

However, Assad which has been fighting to stand on its feet has looked not only to Iran but also to PYD, PKK, DAESH and Russia for help.

So far, they have all made it possible for Assad to stay on its feet with the U.S.’s superb dance, however; what will happen next?

From now on, which Syria will form what sort of a defense line for Iran? What sort of Syria will it have left?

Iran did the same thing in Iraq, too. Unfortunately, it could not use its influence on the Baghdad government to produce a political body understanding which could embrace ethnic and sectarian variability to ensure Iraq’s integrity. Instead, it has brought Iraq to the brink of separation through its sectarian policies. It has coveted small sectarian gains which were given to it by some and today’s situation has emerged. Unpersuaded elements do not want to stay together at all.

This situation never makes KRG’s desire for separation right but we must see that it is the policies which have laid the groundwork or pretext for this separation, which Iran carries out in coordination with the Baghdad government.

Today, we should think that it’s better late than never. It is necessary to deter KRG and the Sunni elements in Iraq from the idea of separation by providing them with a strong alternative which is based on equal civil rights where they can all co-exist in peace and justice. Everybody must know that separation is a disaster for all. This can be achieved first by handing over Mosul and other regions which were saved from DAESH to their own people and making them feel that liberation was reached without any sectarian discrimination by the Baghdad government.

Initially, the idea of separation must stopped being perceived as liberation. There is no mercy in separation but only disaster.

#North Iraq

#Barzani

#referendum