INSTITUT KURD E DE PARIS

Information and liaison bulletin N°316

july 2011 The publication of this Bulletin enjoys a subsidy from the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs (DGCID) aqnd the Fonds d’action et de soutien pour l’intégration et la lutte contre les discriminations (The Fund for action and support of integration and the struggle against discrimination)

This bulletin is issued in French and English Price per issue : France: 6 — Abroad : 7,5 Annual subscribtion (12 issues) France : 60 — Elsewhere : 75 Monthly review Directeur de la publication : Mohamad HASSAN Numéro de la Commission Paritaire : 659 15 A.S. ISBN 0761 1285

INSTITUT KURDE, 106, rue La Fayette - 75010 PARIS Tel. : 01-48 24 64 64 - Fax : 01-48 24 64 66 www.fikp.org E-mail: bulletin@fikp.org Bulletin 316 July 2011

Contents

• IRAQI KURDISTAN: IRANIAN SHELLING AND INTENSE BORDER FIGHTING.

• TURKEY: TRIAL OF STRENGTH IN PARLIAMENT, INCREASING INTER-ETHNIC VIOLENCE.

• SYRIA: A LONG INTERVIEW WITH MACHAAL TAMMO ON THE SYRIAN SITUATION.

• AZERBAIJAN: A KURDISH GROUP DEMANDS POLITICAL AND CULTURAL RIGHTS.

• PARIS: THE EIGHTH BEDIR KHAN FESTIVAL.

IRAQI KURDISTAN: IRANIAN SHELLING AND INTENSE BORDER FIGHTING s Iranian shelling of However, the Iranian govern - Kurdistan members of Iraqi Kurdistan territo - ment replied that it reserved the Parliament visited the village of ry has recommenced, right to “ attack and destroy the ter - Choman, 10 Km from the Iranian A Kurdish and Iraqi offi - rorist bases in the border regions ” border that had particularly suf - cials protested and on the grounds that PJAK, the fered from the shelling. In a pub - demanded that Iran cease violat - Iranian branch of the PKK that lic report they noted that the ing their country’s sovereignty, was fighting against Teheran, Iranian forces had built roads taking advantage of the visit to had bases there. It even directly inside Iraqi territory in the areas Baghdad by Iranian Vice accused the Kurdish President of they had bombarded. President, Mohammed Reza intentionally supporting and Rahimi. protecting the PJAK bases on his On 18 July, a senior officer of the land. Iranians Revolutionary Guards, Iranian attacks on border vil - Delaver Ranibarzadeh, lages in Irbil and Sulemaniyah For his part, the President of announced that they “complete - Provinces have forced the inhab - Iraqi Kurdistan, Massud ly controlled” three PJAK camps itants of about twenty of them to Barzani, condemned these as well as the surrounding flee from their homes. attacks. A delegation of Iraqi region, near Serdash, while mili - • 2 • Information and liaison bulletin n° 316 • July 2011

tary operations were continuing. wounded while only admitting 4 as well as the deploying of “ sub - Ranibarzadeh also stated that wounded and 7 dead in their stantial forces including tanks and their objective was to eradicate ranks. artillery ”. Other villagers con - the PJAK bases totally. firmed what the Kurdish The Kurdish authorities Members of Parliament delega - Apart from civilian casualties, announced on 20 July that two tion had denounced: the build - the belligerents’ losses were villagers from the Choman ing of roads and military bases unclear and obviously tended to region had been arrested by the that suggested the beginning of vary according to the source. Iranian forces and that their a long-term occupation of these The Iraqi daily, Aswat al-Iraq herds had been seized by the border areas. published an estimate from an troops while 11 families had fled Iraqi military source indicating the fighting. Mamand Mami that about thirty Iranian soldiers Xali, who commands the Overall, some 200 families living may have been killed in the Kurdish Peshmergas in the area, in the border regions have been fighting. indicated that the Iranians had displaced for security reasons penetrated at least a kilometre and settled in temporary camps. For its part, Iran has only into Iraqi Kurdistan. Bernard Douglas, spokesman of acknowledged the loss of a sin - the Office of International gle Revolutionary Guard and In another village, near Qaladize Migrations (OIM) pointed out three wounded, while “ a great (Suleimaniyah Province), a man that these families needed, number ” of PJAK members had had been wounded and a school above all else, “shelter and been killed, including the com - damaged on the same day. The water”, and that the OIM had mander of the Merwan camp. village had been obliged to be provided them with tents and completely evacuated. Mamand beds while the Kurdish authori - For its part, PJAK declared to Mami Xali also reported that ties had supplied water purifica - AFP that the Iranians had suf - bombing could be heard at Haj tion kits. “ These families cannot fered heavy losses near Panjwin, Omran, in the Kodo Mountains, long survive without help. (…) in Suleimaniyah Province — some 250 Km North –East of Many have had to abandon their between 150 and 200 killed or Irbil, as well as in other districts, crops and their herds ”.

TURKEY: TRIAL OF STRENGTH IN PARLIAMENT, INCREASING INTER-ETHNIC VIOLENCE olitical tension in the On 15 July, 13 Turkish soldiers hatred and barbarism ”. However, Turkish Parliament, and 7 PKK fighters lost their Selettin Demirtas, while regret - following the boycott lives in fighting near Silvan, in ting the deaths attacked the P of the elected Kurdish Diyarbekir Province, making absence of any political settle - Members in protest at this the bloodiest clash between ment of the Kurdish question, the imprisoning of two of them the Army and Kurds in the last 3 while the 36 Kurdish M.P.s has resulted in a fresh outbreak years. This triggered a series of refused to take the oath of office of armed clashes and political “condolences ” from the US White so long as their comrades overstatements by the BDP. House. The Turkish Prime remained in jail. Minister cancelled all his On 8 July, a clash between the appointments to hold a crisis On 12 July, the CHP, which had Army and the PKK in the meeting with top ranking offi - also refused to take its seats in Plumur regions killed one cers of the Army, the Security Parliament for the same reasons Turkish soldier and wounded Forces and the Minister of the as the BDP, accepted that its three others. On 11 July two Interior, Besir Atalay. M.P.s take the oath and also, other Turkish soldiers were jointly with the AKP, issued a killed by Kurdish guerrillas as For his part, Cemil Çiçek, the call to the rest of the M.P.s who well as a civilian working for the Speaker of the Turkish parlia - were continuing the boycott (i.e. Health Ministry, not in the ment, violently attacked the the Kurds). However, on the course of a military but at a road - Kurdish 'M.P.s (who announced same day the BDP also held a block. Witnesses state that armed a boycott of the session) by ask - parliamentary session — in Kurdish activists had stopped ing them “ to chose their camp ” Diyarbekir, the capital of the vehicles, later found aban - between, in his words “ democra - Turkish Kurdistan, thus defying doned by those occupying them cy, peace and freedom ” and “ blood, Ankara. At that session it contin - n° 316 • July 2011 Information and liaison bulletin • 3•

ued to demand the release of the the Turkish national anthem. Kurds into the economic system, imprisoned M.P.s as well as This incident was taken up by all which means that they are more changes to the Constitution. In the Turkish press as well as for - than ever present which creates the absence of any reply from eign papers, which considered resentment amongst Turks who the government, the BDP this a worrying deterioration in already had a position in the system. declared that this Diyarbakir the relations between the coun - On the other hand, the Kurds are Parliament would continue to sit try’s two peoples — particularly increasingly educated and are until their demands had been in the case of a public that, till increasingly living in the towns of met. On 15 July, this “ Kurdistan then, was seen as open to other the West and South where they can Assembly ” proclaimed its “ demo - cultures. “ These people, at a jazz express their anger more forcibly ”. cratic autonomy for a peaceful reso - concert, can be considered a more lution of the Kurdish question ”. sophisticated Turkish public. They Thus, some young Turks carried knew that someone was going to out intimidatory raids on an Thereupon, the legal reaction sing a Kurdish song and they could Istanbul shantytown, which has was immediate — a charge sheet not tolerate it. This shows the depth been mainly inhabited by was drawn up and issued for the of the trauma, not only amongst the Kurdish refugees for the last two authors of this initiative while Turks but, I believe among the decades. Ertugrul Kurkçu, a the death in action of the 13 Kurds ” commented Soli Ozwl, Turkish BDP Member of Turkish soldiers was inflaming political editor of the daily paper Parliament also made similar public opinion and giving rise to Haberturk. In his view, this inci - forecasts from a Kurdish point of fears of clashes between Kurds dent is the sign of a growing view, speaking about the and Turks in those towns in polarisation as between Kurds younger generations born dur - which the two lived side by side. and Turks, adding that even at ing the war, whose families were the tougher period of the war in displaced, killed or traumatised Thus, in Istanbul, during an inter - the 90s, there had not been this in various ways by the conflict. national jazz festival, the Kurdish spread of inter-ethnic hostility in “Their hostility towards the present singer, Aynur Dogan, was unable the towns of Western Turkey. State setup is fiercer that that of the to perform before an over-exited However, now that thousands of previous generation. Their rage is audience who considered that her Kurds refugees were there, the not without reason. They live in a Kurdish songs were a “provoca - tensions had been exported from very savage atmosphere, not only tion” following the deaths of the Kurdish regions. Seli Ozel because of their physical living con - these soldiers. The singer was stressed the dangerous situation ditions but also mentally, without obliged to break off her song facing the AKP: “ On the one hand any respect for the government — while part of the audience sang the AKP is trying to integrate the or for society ”. SYRIA: A LONG INTERVIEW WITH MACHAAL TAMMO ON THE SYRIAN SITUATION

ast July the Kurdish of victims of these State aggres - and villages, it can raze the to leader Meshaal Tammo, sions is never made public. An the ground. But it will never pre - recently released from incalculable number of people vent the population deciding on L prison , gave an inter - have disappeared and I fear that a change of regime. view by phone to the many of them are dead. We Kurd Watch site, from which the know that the regime hits back Question: For a long time we following are extracts: with mass graves. Once it has never heard anything from this fallen we are sure to discover country’s opposition parties. Question: There have been new and horrible facts about the They have only begun to get demonstrations in Syria against way this police State has organised in the last couple of the regime since mid-March. worked. weeks. Why? Over 1,500 people have been Tammo: We must not forget that killed and about 10,0000 arrest - However, quite apart from what the Syrian regime has fought ed. What is the position in is happening, a major part of the these dissident parties for 45 Syria? population has made its own years. It has deprived the oppo - Temmo: The real number of decision. They want freedom, sition of any freedom of move - deaths and arrests could well be and they will succeed in having ment. Till now, the Syrian oppo - even higher. We are dealing it. The regime can kill and jail sition has always acted illegally, with a police State. The number thousands, it can plunder towns and for their activities its mem - • 4 • Information and liaison bulletin n° 316 • July 2011

bers have been persecuted and fine our external relations and Increasingly, people think that arrested. This opposition has no much more besides. The whole this government has lost all experience of legal activity. We opposition is working in this legitimacy. Hardly anyone now live in a country where only one direction. It is possible that cer - wants to negotiate with this party can speak and where tain groups have problems with regime. diversity of opinion is sup - other ones but one thing brings pressed. The opposition parties us together: the desire to be free. Question: Are there any plans have suffered many setbacks. The coalition I and others have for the post-Bashar period? Is Many of its members have been formed should be preparatory to the Syrian opposition working in prison for years or had to a conference of national salva - on concepts for a new leave the country. In these con - tion. This conference should be Constitution or new laws on ditions, dissident activity is diffi - an alternative to the regime. In parties or organisations? cult. That is why the opposition our coalition, the parties are Temmo: All the opposition par - is so weak. It is only now that its hardly represented: it is rather ties agree about this: there must members are learning how to the young people who are carry - be a new Constitution. This communicate with one another. ing out the Syrian revolution. Constitution must reflect the cul - It is only now that the people are That is why I believe that we can tural diversity of the Syria peo - beginning to learn and express bring together many opposition ple. Laws must be drawn up their opinions and to respect groups. Certainly, they will not regarding parties, voting, the those of others. That is why to all take part but the most impor - press, and so on. These are the took some time for the opposi - tant will, including several bases of any modern civilian tion got round to organising. Kurdish parties, groups stem - State. I think that those groups Meanwhile, a new generation of ming from the Damascus that want a modern, civilian and Syrian society has grown that Declaration and many others. democratic State will win the does not share the same fears as Together, we will push the revo - day. The first step in this direc - the old one. These young people lution forward. What unites us is tion is a new Constitution. will build a new Syria. that we do not want to negotiate with the regime and that we see Question: How does the Syrian Question: The opposition par - ourselves as an alternative to the opposition see the relations ties are not only weak but divid - existing government. We want between the State and Religion? ed. In the last few weeks there open discussions between our - Temmo: Whether you like it or have been various meetings in selves about the new Syria. A not the greater part of Syrian the country and abroad, at civilian and democratic Syria society is religious. Religious but Antalya or elsewhere, that sev - must be built in which the differ - not radical. Erdogan’s successes eral opposition parties have ent ethnic groups will secure have influenced the population boycotted. On 27 June a coali - their rights. Our meetings are more than all the rest. The peo - tion of 8 Arab parties was open to all who share our aims. ple and groups with whom we formed, but other groups, like They will not take place in want to organise the national those of the Damascus secret. Everyone must be able to salvation conference would like Declaration have distanced take their part in the discussions. to show that their religion is themselves from this alliance. open to differing ideas and Finally you yourself organised a Question: Apart from the young notions. We want a new and committee with other people to activists, the bulk of the opposi - progressive constitution. organise a national conference. tion parties have not, so far, Religion must play a secondary How can this disunited opposi - demanded that the regime resign. role in it. tion come together? How can you bring people round Temmo: All that is true. the same table if the end of the Question: Europe and the USA Nevertheless, all these meetings regime is not one of your objec - have been reluctant to talk and the formation of these tives? about sanctions against Syria. groups are necessary and suited Temmo: Every day more and Why? to the present situation. We more are calling for the regime’s Temmo: They fear that, after a must know who can act and resignation. The more the gov - change of regime, there will be who cannot, and we must also ernment kills and jails people, chaos. They fear a civil war and envisage what this new Syria the more the opposition parties other disturbances. The Syrian will be like once the regime has and the Syrian people outside all government has fuelled these been changed. We need a new political organisations call for fears and has even spread pro - Constitution. We need to rede - this government’s resignation. paganda that the Middle East n° 316 • July 2011 Information and liaison bulletin • 5•

would collapse in chaos if its borders with Syria. What does demonstrators? Some soldiers Bashar al-Assad’s government the opposition say? have already left the army and fell. As time passes, the West Temmo: Turkey has its own refuse to open fire on the popu - will conclude that a change of interests to consider and wants lation. If this continues, the regime will not only contribute to play an important role n the Army will disintegrate. At the to Syria’s stability but also to Middle East. It wants to become moment there are demonstra - that of the region. Those that a regional great power — that is tions in 14 provinces. The Army criticise the regime argue in the also why it is taking such a clear can kill 10 or 20 people a day same way. stand. The Turkish government and arrest 200, but it can’t does not want to repeat the mis - reduce the people to silence this Question: What must the takes of the past and has taken a way. Europeans and the Americans do stand beside the Syrian people. in the present situation? At the same time, we realise that Question: What role in the revo - Temmo: They can do a lot. They Turkey was more committed lution was played by the prison - can impose an economic embar - before the elections that after. ers'’ hunger strike, in which you go and exercise more political We hope that this commitment took part in March 2011 at pressure. They can support the is support of our population will ’Adra prison? opposition. We do not want any increase. We share a common Temmo: This hunger strike cer - foreign military intervention. We 800 Km border with Turkey and tainly served to trigger national will resolve our problems our - when you take that into account demonstrations. The political sit - selves. However, the Americans it is understandable that recent uation was such that it only and Europeans can, with a cor - events in Syria should also be needed a spark for the whole rect evaluation of the situation, y important for Turkey. Kurds live population to express its discon - speaking clearly and unequivo - on both sides of the Syrian- tent. We were aware of this and cally, contribute to a situation in Turkish border — Turkey does we wanted to take part. When which the regime where the not want additional problems. It we began the hunger strike we regime will no longer kill and can also play a role in this transi - only had one aim: incite the peo - jail people blindly. tion phase for the same reason. ple to rise against the regime. With regard to a security zone, Question: If a change of regime such a thing would be hard to Question: The opposition par - takes place, what will be its carry out without a UN resolu - ties do not seem inclined to play relations with Israel? How will tion. Such a security zone cannot any role in these demonstra - the Golan question be managed? be created unilaterally by the tions. It is rather the young peo - We often here the opposition say Turkish government. It must be ple who are getting mobilised that Syria has Israel’s interests supported by the international via Internet. What is holding the and has not once fired at Golan community. We hope, however, parties back? in 40 years. Does that mean that that things wont have to go that Temmo: We must not forget that the opposition will wage war on far and that the Syrian people many of these young activists Israel? will bring the regime down first. are also members of opposition Temmo: No. The present oppo - parties. It is true, however, that sition wants peace and the Golan Question: The Syrian security these parties are not playing a question must also be resolved forces have been killing demon - leading part. The parties must peacefully. There must be an strators for the last three months. get more forcibly mobilised in internationally observed peace It is even feared that there will favour of the revolution. We treaty. We no longer want to be a repetition of the 1982 events must work at that. The youth exploit this conflict for propa - at Hama. How long can this last? who are leading the revolution ganda aimed at diverting atten - Will things reach the point of have very effective networks tion to our real problems. We civil war? and are well organised. They are want to sincerely want to resolve Temmo: The 1982 events will very motivated and are working Syria’s internal problems. not be repeated. We are living in in a very professional manner. a different period. Today the They know what they want and Question: Turkey and, above all, people are on the barricades have decided that this regime Prime Minister Erdogan, is exert - throughout Syria and not just in must go — and that is what they ing heavy pressure on Syria at the one town. The central issue is are working for. moment. Some voices are arguing elsewhere: for how much longer that Turkey could set up a securi - will the Syrian troops take part Question: Till now, we supposed ty zone for Syrian refugees along in the murder of peaceful that that the Kurdish parties • 6 • Information and liaison bulletin n° 316 • July 2011

were the best organised opposi - lic. We are glad that our youth are we Kurds, the parties and the tion forces and that they would now playing an important part. other social groups, must play play an important part in the Question: Is the Kurdish opposi - an important role in this decisive regime’s downfall. In reality, tion as well as the Arab opposi - phase of the revolution. We can this is far from being the case. tion hiding behind the young only do this if we adopt a coher - You yourself have not called for people? You want to create this ent stand and encourage the rev - taking part in the demonstra - country’s future but are delaying olution more strongly. We are tions. Why? at a critical phase of the revolu - working to achieve this end. We Temmo: That, unfortunately, is tion, leaving all the responsibili - are active at the national Syrian true. The Kurdish opposition was ties to the youth. Isn’t that very level. We must affirm this as the best opposition group in Syria contradictory? Kurds and defenders of their and was very active in the context Temmo: In our case, the Future interests as a distinct people. of party politics. As from the start Movement, there is no contradic - Today the road t the future is of the revolution, the Kurdish tion here. We are taking parting open. parties could have played an the demonstrations. The three important role but the missed the above cited parties could, with - Question: Has the position of opportunity. On the one hand the out delay, issue a statement call - these Kurdish parties weakened regime behaved very skilfully ing on the people to demon - by their not actively taking part with the Kurds, and on the other strate. We are not doing so in the demonstrations and, con - several Kurdish party leaders because we want our youth to sequently, in the revolution? contributed to the weakness of become active and take indepen - Temmo: Obviously their posi - the Kurdish opposition. Several dent decisions. We are thus tion is weakened. If their stand is Kurdish parties still have not showing them respect. weak, it is because several taken up clear stand regarding Kurdish parties have not yet the regime. Some still feel that it Question: The Future’s Movement adopted a clear line regarding would be preferable to negotiate withdrew from the 12-party the regime. Not only are they with it. This, naturally, weakens group because it considered the not supporting the revolution the demonstrations in the others were too hesitant in sup - but they are acting against it. Kurdish regions and, consequent - porting the revolution. In what ly, the number of Kurds out on way is the Future’s Movement Question: How is it that demon - the streets. This does not mean now different from them? strators in Syria are being fired that the Kurds will not secure Temmo: we left the group at except in the Kurdish regions? their rights in a new Syria. The because of the position some of Temmo: The regime has already Kurdish youth has actively taken them took regarding the regime. some experience of dealing with part in and been very useful to They wanted to meet the gov - us. When they fired on demon - the Syrian revolution. We — the ernment and carry out negotia - strators in the Kurdish regions in Future’s Movement, the Kurdish tions. We refused to do this and 2004, hundreds of thousands of Party for Freedom in Syria simply said: “ You can’t talk to a Kurds came down into the (Azadi) and the Kurdish Unity regime that kills its own popula - streets in Damascus as well as Party in Syria (Yekiti) have taken tion ”. The idea of entering into Aleppo. Murdering the demon - part in the demonstrations from negotiations with the govern - strators unites the population. the start and will continue to do ment is still regularly out for - The government knows full well so in the future. Our young mem - ward by some Kurdish parties. that if a Kurd is killed in a bers are demonstrating just like We have different political ideas. demonstration in the Kurdish the young members of other par - We can only work with groups region, hundreds of thousands ties and the independent that refuse to meet the govern - of Kurds will take over the protesters. As was the case ment. All our actions must be streets. However weakened and throughout Syria, we deliberately directed toward the regime’s split these groups may be, in decided to let the youth take fall. We say so openly. We have such a situation the Kurds stick charge of organising the demon - the same position here as the together. That is why the gov - strations. The Future Movement, youth in the streets. The majority ernment does not intervene in Azadi and Yekiti organised of the Kurdish parties do not the demonstrations in the demonstrations in Syria at a time have this position. There are Kurdish regions. They want to when no one dared protest pub - political differences. At this time, avoid this at all costs. n° 316 • July 2011 Information and liaison bulletin • 7•

AZERBAIJAN: A KURDISH GROUP DEMANDS POLITICAL AND CULTURAL RIGHTS

n 2 July, a Press “their national identity ”. Tahir although the Azeri parliament Conference was held in Suleymanov also pointed out has always refused to officially Baku, the capital of that there was not a single Kurd describe the Kurdish organisa - O Azerbaijan, in the name amongst the 125 members of tion as “terrorist”. of the country’s Parliament in Baku. Kurdish community, to make pub - The number of Kurds living in lic opinion aware of the dangers of The Russian media, also present, Azerbaijan is estimated at about de-culturing and dispersion pointed out that, hitherto, 70,000, less than 1% of this weighing on their community. Kurdish demands had never republic’s populations. An been heard publicly, as this com - autonomous local entity, “Red Tahir Suleymanov, editor of the munity preferred, on the con - Kurdistan” had been formed Diplomat daily, read an appeal to trary, not to stress its origins between 1923 and 1930 under the Azeri President Ilham Aliyev “out of cautiousness ”. This cau - the Soviets. It included areas written in the name of the tiousness can be explained by now in Azerbaijan, between Kurds, before the journalist and the close political links between Nagorny-Karabakh and the members of the public present. Turkey and Azerbaijan, since the Azeri borders with Armenia and In this appeal he stressed the Kurds are seen as being close to Iran. However, at the end of the need that the Kurds, in common the Armenians while the conflict 30s, most of the Kurds of with the other ethnic groups liv - over Upper Karabagh has Transcaucasia were transported, ing in the country, have for heightened nationalist tensions on Stalin’s orders, to schools where teaching is in on both sides. Thus the Russian Kazakhastan, where a Kurdish Kurdish as well as TV pro - News Agency suggested that community still lives and is grammes or stage plays in their Tahir Suleymanov’s initiative much more culturally active and mother tongue so as to preserve must be supported by the PKK, visible.

PARIS: THE EIGHTH BEDIR KHAN FESTIVAL or the first time, the Sabir, Hemin Jameel, and ed by Hawraz Muhammad was eighth “Bedir Khan Mohammed Fatah. Finally there was then shown, showing the real Festival” was celebrated a Kurdish Book Fair in which all the lives of intellectuals in Kurdistan F on 9 and 10 July in Paris publishing houses in Kurdistan pre - since the uprising to the present. (Sevres). The Festival’s sented their publication. theme was “Culture defines the After a “Kurdish lunch”, the first Identity of nations”, and its aim The Festival was opened by a Round Table took place with was to set up cultural bridges musical event, the Hymn to Bedir Najat Abdullah and Luai Jaff as between France and the Kurds, Khan played by Jamal Abdul and moderators. This covered the role between Kurdistan and Paris. Anwer Qeredaghi. Then the inau - of the Bedir Khans in encourag - gural speeches followed one anoth - ing and promoting Kurdish jour - Kurdish and French intellectuals er, with Mrs Khaman Asaad, the nalism, in which the following and research workers, writers Kurdistan Regional Government’s Kurdish writers and journalists and publishers discussed, in a representative in France, Mr. took part: Malmisanij, Mahmoud series of Round Tables, the contri - Hamid Boubakir, the organiser of Lewendi, Dara Bilek, Ahmed Kardam bution of the Bedir Khans to the this Eighth Festival in Paris and the and Ahmed Demirhan. blossoming and defence of Mayor of Sevres. Mr. Hamid Kurdish culture was well as con - Hussein spoke on behalf of the The second Round Table, moder - temporary issues like the situa - Union of Kurdish Writers, Mr. ated by Barzan Faraj covered the tion of journalists in Kurdistan. Kendal Nezan; President of the theme “ Journalism and media in Kurdish Institute of Paris, as well Kurdistan Today ”. It brought Throughout the period the as a representative of the French together several intellectuals and debates, an exhibition of works Socialist Party also spoke. research workers, namely: Hamid by Kurdish artists took place, Badirkha, Abdullah Keskin , publish - including Calligraphy and paint - A documentary entitled “This is er of Avesta Publishing Ibrahim ings by Namiq Ali Qadir, Burhan Kurdistan”, produced and direct - Seydo Aydogan, Michael Thévenin, • 8 • Information and liaison bulletin n° 316 • July 2011

Karwan Anwar, Umed Ali, Behat Malmisanîj was on the subject of the vanguard of Kurdish devel - Hesib Qeredaghi, Bengin Haco and “Kurdistan — a window on the opment and of their political Hassan Yasin . world”, in which the participants demands, they were initiators of were Mr. Adnan Mufti, Speaker of the schools and other academic The second day kicked off with a the Irbil Kurdish Parliament, institutions. However, it was in documentary entitled “ Danielle Hosham Dawood, Director of the the field of journalism that the Mitterrand in Kurdistan ” by Irbil IFPO. family was most prominent, by Hawre Aziz and Star Muhamad founding the first Kurdish news - Amin. The came a Round Table The last Round Table discussed papers: Kurdistan (1898), Harwar on the subject of “The experi - the position of women in Kurdish and Ronahî in the 1930s as well as ences of Kurdish Writers” mod - society, which was chaired by Mrs. Roja Nû and Stêr. erated by Halkawt Hakem and Khaman Asaad, the Kurdistan Ibrahim Seydo Aydogan, Kurdish Regional Government’s represen - In addition the Bedirkhan language lecturers at INALCO. tative in France, Publishing House was founded in Those taking part were Mustapha Irbil, the capital of Iraqi Kurdistan Saleh Karim, Mihemed Mukri, Finally the evening ended with on 22 October 2000 by Hamid Sherzad Hesen, Ehmed Mihemed poetry and music, with Omar Abubakir Ahmed, a journalist and Ismail, Fawaz Hussain, Firat Dizeyi, Anwer Qeredaghi, Adnan it director of publication. Ceweri and Muhsin Kizilkaya. and Rojda of the Koma Zozan” Group and Diyari Qeredaghi as The previous “Bedir Khan The second Round Table of the performers, before the closing Festivals” took place in April morning session was devoted to speeches by Mrs. Khaman Asaad 2004 in Suleimaniyah, in 2005 in “French Orientalists in and Azad Hamad Sharif, the Duhok, in 2006 in Irbil. Then it Kurdistan” and included Olivier event’s co-ordinator. began to take place outside the Rouault, Nazand Begikhani, Jammy Kurdistan Region, beginning James, Ephrem Isa Yusif and Najat The Bedir Khan family is one of with Berlin in 2006, Cairo in Abdullah . the great Kurdish families that 2008, Athens in 2009 and have devoted their lives to the Washington in 2010. This year it The third Round Table, chaired by independence of Kurdistan. In was Paris’ turn. Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ôzeti

LEXPRESS S JUILLET 2011

Turquie: 2 soldats tués dans une embuscade imputée aux rebelles kurdes

DIYARBAKIR -AFP - Deux sol¬ dats turcs ont été tués mardi dans une ville du sud-est anatolien, peuplé en majorité de Kurdes, au cours d'une embuscade imputée par les autorités aux rebelles kurdes, ont affirmé des sources locales de sécurité. Les deux hommes, habillés en civil, se rendaient à leur travail lorsqu'ils ont été abattus sur l'avenue principale de Yùksekova, une petite ville de la pro¬ vince de Hakkari, proche de l'Iran et de l'Irak, selon ces sources.

Ils ont succombé à leurs blessures à l'hôpital, ont-elles ajouté, précisant que Des policiers examinent les lieux d'une embuscade qui a tué deux soldats turcs, les soupçons se portaient sur les rebel¬ le 5 juillet 2011 (AFP) Adem Alton les du Parti des travailleurs du Kurdistan (PKK). Une explosion est par ailleurs surve¬ lement en août 2010. Ils exigent un Les forces de sécurité ont lancé une nue mardi matin au passage d'un véhi¬ arrêt des opérations militaires et la opération de grande envergure avec un cule militaire à Ankara, sans faire de reconnaissance de leur chef empri¬ soutien aérien à la suite de cette atta¬ victimes, a affirmé Anatolie. sonné, Abdullah Ôcalan, comme inter¬ que, a rapporté l'agence de presse locuteur pour un règlement de la ques¬ Anatolie. Quatre véhicules ont été endomma¬ tion kurde. gés par l'explosion qui, selon le chef de Les accrochages entre les forces de la police d'Ankara, Zeki Catalkaya, cité Celui-ci a transmis le mois dernier sécurité se sont multipliés ces derniers par l'agence, pourrait être celle d'une des propositions pour mettre fin au jours, après les élections législatives du bombe à percussion, destinée d'avan¬ conflit comprenant une autonomie 12 juin. tage à faire du bruit qu'à causer des régionale pour le sud-est anatolien, une Les militants kurdes ont obtenu 36 dommages. éducation en kurde et une amnistie sièges au Parlement, mais leurs élus ont pour les rebelles, selon un de ses lieute¬ Il n'était pas immédiatement établi refusé de prêter serment et de siéger qu'il s'agissait d'un attentat du PKK, nants. après que l'élection de l'un d'entre eux a mais celui-ci a déjà pris pour cible dans Le conflit kurde en Turquie a fait été invalidée en raison d'une condam¬ le passé des véhicules transportant des quelque 45.000 morts depuis le début nation pour "propagande terroriste" et militaires dans les grandes villes de de l'insurrection du PKK, en 1984, selon que la justice a refusé d'en libérer cinq l'ouest de la Turquie. l'armée. autres, en détention provisoire. Les rebelles ont présenté récem¬ Un soldat a été tué samedi et un ment de strictes conditions pour renou¬ autre dimanche dans des attaques attri¬ veler un cessez-le-feu décrété unilatéra buées au PKK dans le Sud-Est.

Un haut responsable "devrait être prise par toutes les composantes politiques en Irak, publique¬ ment, et ne devrait pas être laissée à telle ou telle faction car il s'agit d'un kurde souhaite le main¬ problème sensible qui requiert du courage". tien des Américains en Irak "Il faut éviter que seuls un ou deux camps prennent la décision", a-t-il insisté.

"Les dirigeants kurdes envisagent la situation en Irak d'un point de vue pra¬ ERBIL (Irak), 5 juil 2011 (AFP) tique. Nous voulons une situation acceptable, de la stabilité et de la sécu¬ rité, et pas des querelles politiques", a-t-il conclu. UN HAUT RESPONSABLE KURDE s'est prononcé mardi en faveur L'Irak a connu un net regain de violences en juin, alors que Washington d'un maintien des forces américaines en Irak au-delà de la fin de l'an¬ compte toujours 45.000 militaires en Irak, essentiellement engagés dans la née, date prévue de leur départ, arguant que le pays restait en proie à formation et le conseil des forces irakiennes. l'instabilité et au terrorisme. Les responsables américains multiplient les démarches auprès de Bagdad "J'aimerais qu'il y ait un vote unanime sur le retrait ou le maintien des forces pour maintenir un contingent au-delà de la fin de l'année, en dépit de l'ac¬ américaines en Irak, a déclaré à l'AFP Kamal Kirkuki, président du cord signé en novembre 2008 entre Washington et Bagdad pour le retrait Parlement de la région autonome du Kurdistan et l'un des responsables du des derniers soldats américains, plus de huit ans après l'invasion conduite Parti démocratique du Kurdistan (PDK). par les Etats-unis. "A l'heure actuelle, la situation en Irak ne permet pas un retrait américain. Il Le Premier ministre irakien Nouri al-Maliki a prôné un dialogue national pour y toujours un manque de stabilité et les attaques terroristes se poursuivent", trancher cette question politiquement très sensible, alors que la faction a-t-il ajouté. chiite au gouvernement y est vivement opposée. Selon lui, la décision du maintien ou du départ des forces américaines Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ozeti

6 JUILLET 2011 leParisienf

Découverte de 900 corps dans un charnier du sud de l'Irak

DIWANIYA - (AFP) Les autorités ira¬ kiennes ont annoncé mercredi avoir Les victimes auraient été tuées dans les découvert 900 corps dans une fosse com¬ années 80 quand l'ancien dictateur mune près de Diwaniya, qui seraient menait une lutte implacable contre les ceux de Kurdes assassinés à l'époque de velléités d'autonomie des Kurdes. la dictature de Saddam Hussein. En avril dernier, les autorités avaient

Les corps ont été découverts dans la annoncé avoir trouvé une autre fosse région de Chanafiya, à 70 km de commune, qui renfermait 800 corps, Diwaniya, la capitale de la province du dont ceux de femmes et d'enfants, dans même nom, située à 160 km au sud de la province occidentale d'Anbar. Bagdad. Le nombre évalué des personnes tuées à

"Les 900 corps étaient enterrés dans une l'époque de Saddam Hussein varie de 300.000 à 1,3 million, selon les sources. tranchée", a affirmé Dakhil Sayhoud, le "Les premières indications laissent à responsable provincial du comité Justice penser qu'il s'agit de Kurdes. Les corps et Responsabilité, chargé de traquer les ont été transférés au laboratoire de Najaf anciens membres du parti Baas et de pour aider à leur identification" a-t-il faire "connaître les crimes du régime de ajouté. Saddam".

L EXPRESS 6 juillet 2011

tions dans un contexte de tensions, les 135

Turquie: Erdogan présente son députés du Parti républicain du peuple nouveau gouvernement (CHP, social-démocrate) et les 35 élus de la mouvance kurde ayant refuser de prêter

serment.

AdemAltan -ANKARA Le CHP proteste contre le refus de la

justice de libérer deux de ses élus, placés

LE PREMIER ministre turc Recep en détention provisoire dans le cadre

Tayyip Erdogan a rendu public mercredi d'une enquête sur un complot supposé

la composition de son nouveau gouverne¬ contre le gouvernement. ment après la victoire de son parti islamo- Les élus kurdes dénoncent le maintien conservateur lors des législatives du 12 en détention provisoire de cinq des leurs, juin. dans le cadre d'une enquête sur une bran¬

La nouvelle équipe gouvernementale che urbaine du Parti des travailleurs du

comprend, outre le chef de cabinet, 25 Kurdistan (PKK), considéré comme une

ministres, dont seulement six nouveaux organisation terroriste par Ankara, et l'in¬

venus, a indiqué lors d'une conférence de validation de l'élection d'un 36e élu,

presse M. Erdogan, qui entame son troi¬ condamné à 20 mois de prison pour "pro¬

sième mandat consécutif, après avoir Le Premier ministre turc Recep Tayyip pagande terroriste". obtenu l'approbation par le président Erdogan présente son nouveau gouver¬ M. Erdogan a critiqué mercredi l'atti¬ nement à Ankara le 6 juillet 2011 Abdullah GUI de a nouvelle équipe. tude de l'opposition, invoquant le règle¬

Le ministre des Affaires étrangères ment interne de l'Assemblée.

Ahmet Davutoglu conserve son porte¬ "Nous voulons que les députés d'op¬ feuille, de même qu'Egemen Bagis, dont position prêtent serment et assument leur qu'une femme, Fatma Sahin, ministre de le secrétariat aux Affaires européennes rôle", a-t-il déclaré. la Famille et des Affaires sociales. devient un ministère. "A quoi ça sert d'être un parlementaire M. Erdogan a indiqué qu'il présente¬ Ismet Yilmaz remplace à la Défense le si on ne participe pas au travail législatif rait le programme de son gouvernement vétéran de la politique Vecdi Gôniil tandis (...) S'ils ne parviennent pas à accomplir au Parlement vendredi, préalable à un qu'un autre nouveau venu, Idris Nairn leurs obligations législatives, il est natu¬ vote de confiance la semaine prochaine Sahin, s'installe à l'Intérieur, le ministre rellement de notre devoir de faire ce qu'il devrait facilement gagner, son Parti sortant Besir Atalay devenant l'un des qu'imposent les règles du Parlement", a-t- de la justice et du développement (AKP) quatre vice-Premier ministres. il ajouté. disposant de 327 des 550 sièges. Le nouveau cabinet ne comprend Le nouveau cabinet prend ses fonc Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ôzeti

îteralba^'Sribune JULY 1,2011

Obama declared America's combat mis¬ American convoys have also come sion over. While U.S. forces have largely under increasing threat from impro¬ settled in to an advisory role to the Iraqi U.S. suffers vised explosive devices. Militants have military, they are still in harm's way, stepped up their attacks, the military whether on their bases or moving said, so as to claim credit for pushing around. biggest Iraq out the U.S. forces, who are to withdraw According to the two countries' securi¬ by the end of the year. ty agreement, American forces are The casualties are particularly strik¬ severely restricted in their ability to act ing given the diminishing numbers of toll in 3 years unilaterally to face threats, afact that has U.S. forces and their reduced combat ratcheted up the anxiety and the anger role. Fewer than 50,000 remain, com¬ among troops who find themselves BAGHDAD pared with more than 160,000 at the under attack but unable to respond. height of the war. This is compounded by a reluctance BYTIMARANGO Fifteen American soldiers were killed to make targets of Shiite militias, many in June, 14 in hostile incidents. Accord¬ Three more American soldiers were linked to officials in or close to the ing to icasualties.org, an online data¬ killed this week, the U.S. military an¬ Shiite-dominated government. Iraqi se¬ base, this was the highest number of nounced Thursday, bringing the combàt- curity forces have been more aggres¬ combat fatalities since June 2008, when rélated deaths for American forces in sive in singling out Sunni insurgent 23 soldiers and marines were killed. Iraq to a monthly toll not seen since 2008. groups such as Al Qaeda in Iraq. The biggest attack came on June 6, The deaths occurred Wednesday in Meanwhile, the debate persists in when militants fired rockets at Camp southern Iraq. A military spokesman Baghdad over whether Iraq should ask Loyalty in Baghdad, killing six soldiers. said the soldiers had been killed by en¬ the United States to extend the troop Kataib Hezbollah, a militia that Ameri¬ emy attack. Recently, the increase in cas¬ deadline and allow some units to stay can officials believe is supported by ualties has been attributed to rocket or and continue training. Iran, claimed responsibility. mortar attacks on U.S. bases by Shiite Last August, President Barack militias.

3imlb5i£§iribune JULY 6, 2011

Activists say security forces have killed more than 1,400 people most of 11 killed in Syrian city, them unarmed protesters since mid- March. The regime disputes the toll, blaming "armed thugs" and foreign conspirators for the unrest. but tanks are halted Also on Tuesday, a Syrian activist said buses carrying, security forces were spotted heading to restive, mountain¬ up sand barriers and other obstacles to ous areas near the Turkish border. ^BEIRUT block the military, said Rami Abdul- Omar Idilbi, a spokesman for the Local Rahman, the London-based director of Coordination Committees, which track IRegime tries to recapture the Syrian Observatory for Human the protests in Syria, said witnesses told Rights. him the vehicles were rushing to the Hama after protests that "There is an open civil defiance in area where the military has been trying Hama," Abdul-Rahman said. "There is llrew 300,000 people to prevent the opposition from estab¬ a kind of determination not to submit to lishing a base. any tanks or military vehicles." About 10,000 Syrians have fled to Tur¬ JpROM NEWS REPORTS He said at least 11 people had been key amid the crackdown, and on Tues¬ confirmed dead, citing accounts from Syrian security forces and gunmen loy¬ day the head of the Syrian Red Cres¬ al to the regime shot and killed 11 people doctors and witnesses. cent, Abdurrahman Attar, urged all On Monday, Syrian forces sealed off ^Tuesday as residents erected road- those who had fled there to return ! blocks to prevent the advance of tanks Hama and blocked the roads leading in, home, Turkey's state-run Anatolia news ringing the city of Hama, which has be¬ an apparent attempt to retake the city agency said. ' come a flash point of the uprising one month after security forces with¬ against President Bashar al-Assad, ac¬ drew from it. About 300,000 people pro¬

tivists said. tested against the regime in Hama last

Hama residents burned tires and set week.

Turquie: un soldat tué lors decombats avec des rebelles kurdes

ANKARA, 2 juillet 2011 (AFP) bases arrière pour ses opérations dans le sud-est anatolien, peuplé en majorité de Kurdes. UN SOLDAT TURc a été tué dans la nuit de vendredi à samedi lors de Les rebelles ont présenté récemment de strictes conditions pour renouveler combats avec des rebelles kurdes du Parti des travailleurs du un cessez-le-feu décrété unilatéralement en août 2010. Ils exigent un arrêt Kurdistan (PKK), dans le sud-est de la Turquie, a rapporté samedi des opérations militaires et la reconnaissance de leur chef emprisonné, l'agence de presse Anatolie. Abdullah Ôcalan, comme interlocuteur pour un règlement de la question

L'accrochage est survenu dans une zone montagneuse proche de la fron¬ kurde. tière irakienne, dans la province de Hakkari, a indiqué Anatolie, précisant Celui-ci a transmis le mois dernier aux autorités des propositions pour met¬ que les opérations se poursuivaient dans la région. tre fin au conflit comprenant une autonomie régionale pour le sud-est ana¬ Le PKK, considéré comme une organisation terroriste par la Turquie et de tolien, une éducation en langue kurde et une amnistie pour les rebelles, nombreux pays, dispose de camps dans le nord de l'Irak qu'il utilise comme selon les déclarations d'un de ses lieutenants à la presse. Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ozeti

AsiaTimes JULY 1, 2011 www.atinics.com Damascus vibrations ripple in Baghdad

Hardline Iraqi Shi'ites are also recently been invited for a mee¬

alarmed, seeing the demonstra¬ ting with President Bashar al- By Sami Moubayed tions on the Syrian street as Assad.

part of a Western-engineered

DAMASCUS - For a variety of "conspiracy" aimed at puni¬ That meeting did not take place, overlapping reasons, the situa¬ shing Syria for its alliance with and these parties are concer¬ tion in Syria is very alarming to Iran and Hezbollah in Lebanon. ned that authorities did not

Iraqis from every end of the They are very worried that if the contact them early on in the cri¬ political spectrum. regime collapses in Syria, or is sis, although they were the reformed beyond recognition, ones to calm the Kurdish street

For starters, approximately 1 then this would spell out a slow back in 2004. All of them are million Iraqis currently live in breakdown in the Syrian- now eyeing a new political party

Syria, all of whom fled the may¬ Iranian-Hezbollah trio that has law that is in the works in Syria, hem in their country in 2003. dominated the Arab world for waiting to see if their parties,

They are worried that if security more than 10 years. which for years have been per¬ breaks down in Syria, or if the ming bill of indictment in the secuted by the government, will state can no longer accommo¬ That alliance was a source of murder of Lebanon's former get licensed in a multi-party date them, they would have to inspiration to radical Iraqi premier Rafik al-Hariri will likely Syria. unwillingly return home - where groups like the Mehdi Army, blame five senior members of a very uncertain future awaits whose leader Muqtada al-Sadr Hezbollah - a proxy blow to Iran If they don't - either for political them. often looked towards Hezbollah and its allies in the Iraqi arena, reasons or if they don't meet the

leader Hassan Nasrallah for and throughout the Arab world. legal requirements - this could A country that now has refu¬ leadership and guidance, also spell more trouble in the gees on the border with Turkey enjoying excellent relations with Iraqi Kurds are also watching Kurdish districts, which could will have a hard time absorbing the Syrians. They fear the rise the Syria scenario with plenty of immediately spill over into Iraq. refugees on its own territories - of radical Sunni groups within interest. Their top leadership, They need to be represented as and certainly not Iraqi refugees. Syria, like the outlawed Muslim including President Jalal well in an upcoming National

Brotherhood, would certainly Talabani and president of Iraqi Dialogue that is due to start in

Iraqi Christians living in Syria work to obstruct what its lea¬ Kurdistan Masoud al-Barazani, Damascus on July 10, chaired are particularly afraid of the ders have often described as a are both closely allied to Syrian by Vice President Farouk al-

"Shi'ite crescent" linking Iran, Kurds, having spent a long exile Shara. sectarian rhetoric emerging Syria, Lebanon and Iraq. in Syria during the era of from radical groups inside Saddam Hussein. They have already outlined a Syria. They fled their country As far as they are concerned, set of 10 demands which range precisely because they were the Brotherhood, through an Early on in the crisis, Syrian from full rights for Syrian Kurds, targeted by radical Islamic alliance with Turkey's Prime Kurds were appeased by the including that of language, groups and are worried that a Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, government through a series of schools and culture, onto a new constitution that recognizes the similar scenario could be repea¬ is now coordinating with the measures that included gran¬ ted in Syria. West over how to end to Iranian ting citizenship to around Kurdish ethnicity in Syria.

influence in the Arab world. The 300,000 Kurds (a key demand

Iraqi Ba'athists are also worried believe this is why Erdogan since 1962) and celebrating the A quick review of Arab history about the status of the Ba'ath began dialogue with Hamas in Kurdish Neirouz holiday - for shows that what happens in Egypt is often duplicated in Party in Syria. Demonstrators Palestine back in 2004 - to the first time in decades. have been on the streets throu¬ counterbalance the influence of Syria, and what happens in

ghout rural Syria and in many Hezbollah in the eyes of Muslim Despite that, however, Kurdish Syria is often copied in Iraq. towns within its interior, deman¬ Sunnis around the world. districts in eastern Syria went

ding an end to one-party rule out in anti-government demons¬ If Syrians are the Egyptian

and cancelation of Article 8 of If the Brotherhood is empowe¬ trations, demanding political copycat, then Iraqis are the

the Syrian constitution, which red by whatever scenario and economic change, claiming Syrian copycat. Egypt became

designates the Ba'ath as "lea¬ unfolds in Syria, then this would that their ultimate demand is a Fatimad (caliphate); Syria

der of state and society". have immediate vibrations in democracy rather than citizens¬ became a Fatimad. Egypt esta¬

Iraq among groups allied to hip. To date, although Kurdish blished a Revolutionary

These Iraqi Ba'athists are still Sunni Islamic groups, like the demonstrators have been Command Council in 1952; Iraqi Accordance Front and the Syria established a very much committed to Ba'ath snowballing on Fridays, no Revolutionary Command Party rule and they are horrified Iraqi Islamic Party, being the casualties have been recorded by the fact that perhaps soon, Iraqi branch of the Brotherhood. in the Kurdish community. Council in 1963. Egypt spoke of Ba'ath Party supremacy will Arab unity; Syria followed by merging with Cairo in 1958. end in a country that gave birth That fear is shared by the If that changes for any reason,

to their doctrine back in 1947. Mehdi Army, the Supreme Iraqi this could potentially lead to a Ba'athist Syria welcomed them Islamic Council (SMC), and bloody confrontation between And in Iraq's case, the pattern is

with open arms in 2003, but that even by Shi'ite heavyweights them and the government, as similar. Damascus established

wouldn't necessarily apply to a like former prime minister was the case in 2004. the Muslim Umayyad Dynasty Ibrahim al-Jaafari and his suc¬ in 661; Baghdad established country in which the Ba'ath no Additionally there are 12 longer has the upper hand. cessor, Prime Minister Nuri al- Kurdish political parties in Syria the Muslim Abbasid Dynasty in

Maliki. Additionally, an upco that although unlicensed, have 750. Syria created a Hashemite Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ôzeti

crown in 1920; Iraq did the Iraqis followed suit in 1968. probably soon find their way to same in 1921 - ironically with What happens in Damascus Iraq, and so will the democrati¬ Sami Moubayed is a university the same monarch. undoubtedly always has a zation and reform process, professor, historian, and editor-

strong vibration in Baghdad. which Iraqis are still yearning in-chief of Forward Magazine.

Syrians established a Ba'ath The street demonstrations that for since the downfall of

Party government in 1963; the began in Syria in March will Hussein, eight years ago.

ES Rudaw.N^l Jii^iPiL

Qaraylan: Turkish Officials Will Continue Meeting with Ocalan

RUDAW

The leader of an armed Kurdish

group closely tied to the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK)

claims the government is holding

peace talks with jailed PKK leader

Abdulla Oçalan but warns that

rebels are prepared to attack Murat "Turkish institutions". Qaraylan. Murat Qaraylan, the leader of the

Union of Communities in Kurdistan Mfe Photo Rudaw.

(KCK), said in an interview with

Rudavv that despite the Turkish serious about it. government's denials, officials have are not Turks," he said. "The [government] delegation sat Qaraylan said AKP now has a res¬ been meeting with Oçalan to discuss

a peace plan to resolve the Kurdish with Oçalan but they didn't promise ponsibility to bring about peace in anything," Qaraylan said. "They only issue. Oçalan is also the founder of Turkey.

the Union of Communities in (told Oçalan) 'give us another chance "The ball is in Erdogan's court," and extend the cease-fire.'" he said. Kurdistan. According to Qaraylan, the Since the fall of Saddam Qaraylan warned that if Turkey Turkish delegation will visit Oçalan ignores the cease-fire and the peace Hussein's regime in Iraq, there have process, his group will resume attacks in Imrali Island, where he is impriso¬ been rumors of talks between the ned, to hold more talks. The coming PKK and American officials. against Turkish troops. He claimed days are going to be "very important However, Qaraylan denied any offi¬ that his group is keeping its August for us and Turkey," he said. cial or high level with America. 2010 pledge to not attack Turkish Qaraylan blamed the Turkish "One has to tell the truth," he said. troops, even though clashes between government for talking about dialo¬ "American delegates may have come his guerrillas and Turkish troops

occurred earlier this year. He maintai¬ gue and peace while throwing thou¬ and met with our men as journalists

ned that Turkey provoked the figh¬ sands of Kurds in jails for supporting or intelligent officers in disguise. Kurdish parties. That is all. There hasn't been any ting. "If the Turkish state continues its "Over the past three years they high level or direct talks between us." have arrested 3,000 people and accu¬ military operations in the cities and Regarding the policies of the sed them of having ties with the the mountains, we will resume our Obama administration towards the war and we have prepared for it," Union of Communities in Kurdistan Kurds of Turkey, Qaraylan said,

Qaraylan said. "We won't attack the without any evidence," he said. "When Obama came to office many,

army if they don't attack us, but we "They just look to see who is an including the Kurds looked to him

will attack the police and other active member of pro-Kurdish [Peace with hope, but gradually all the hopes

Turkish institutions that have and Democracy Party] (BDP) and dashed. Even his policies towards the arrest him." attacked our people." Kurds of Iraq have run cold." Qaraylan said the revolutions in Erdogan' s Justice and Qaraylan said that America Development (AKP) party won the the Middle East will redraw the map should follow a clear policy towards

of the region, and will ultimately help majority of votes in Turkey's parlia¬ the Kurdish issue. "Because America

solve the question over Kurdish mentary elections on June 12. doesn't have a clear policy we will Qaraylan accused the AKP of keep cautious," he said. "America rights in Turkey. trying to force Turkish identity on all Qaraylan believes that Oçalan's deals with the Kurdish issue based on roadmap for a peaceful solution to the ethnic groups. its own political and economic inte¬ "Kurds, Arabs and Armenians live rests." Kurdish issue Turkey is feasible, but in Turkey and we are brothers, but we that the Turkish authorities are not Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ôzeti

Christian Science Monitor >*'^J Ju'j' 1? 2011

Arab Spring crackdown damages Kurdistan's image as regional model

The US has long championed semi-autonomous Kurdistan as a democratic model for the rest of Iraq and the Middle East. But Kurdish leaders have violently shut down dissenters.

By Scott Peterson Kurdish pro-democracy

protesters battled

Sulaymaniyah, Iraq Kurdish securityforces

in Sulaymaniyah, Iraq,

Tucked away in an often-over¬ in April during the 62-

looked arc of northern Iraq, day 'Kurdish Spring. '

Kurds launched their "Kurdish Some 5,000 to 6,000 peo - Spring" simply enough in mid- pie took to the streets to February, in solidarity with protest corruption and Tunisians and Egyptians who undemocratic rule. The had toppled dictatorial rulers. government's crnckdmvn But the result here was very left 10 dead. different, and hardly looked Zmnako Esmail Klwlis like an unfolding of freedom. Washington's close Kurdish allies cracked down hard. After

62 days of street protests, 10 rable," says Ms. Kadir, who sals. "But that image has been people were dead. The carefully says she witnessed casualties shattered - it doesn't exist any¬ crafted image of Kurdistan as a firsthand in the hospital. more." democratic island in an ocean "These authorities have lost There are indeed some pro¬ of regional dictatorship was in legitimacy.... For many people gressive laws on the books, and tatters. [Kurdish leaders] have betrayed in fact internal divisions in All that visibly remains of our national cause." both parties over the use of the uprising are a few faded force and content of reform. posters of its first victim - a 16- The lions of Kurdish politics But recent steps point to an year-old - and scorch marks Few here expect real reform authoritarian tendency espe¬ where security forces burned from a feudal and tribal system cially in KDP areas, where yet the tents of protesters. But it that has enabled two parties, more Barzani family have has deepened the political cri¬ mired in corruption allegations, recently been given top posts. sis in this semiautonomous to dominate Iraqi Kurdish life PUK influence has declined region of northern Iraq. for decades. since the breakaway Goran Beneath the veneer of resto¬ The Kurdish spring demons¬ [Change] movement took up red calm, activists say, is a sur¬ trations, which only attracted the opposition role. ging mistrust of Iraqi Kurdish 5,000 or 6,000 on the streets of "There are a few trappings of leadership. That could compli¬ Sulaymaniyah, were dismissed democracy, around the same cate the enclave's relations with by some Kurdish leaders as the faces. The faces that I know are the rest of Iraq, especially work of "saboteurs" and "anar¬ the same ones that my father regarding control of the dispu¬ chists" working for "outside knew, and that my kids will ted oil-rich city of Kirkuk. interests." probably know," says the ana¬ It could also undermine The gap between the demo¬ lyst. "One thing they [KDP and aspirations among disenfran¬ cratic rhetoric and the party- PUK] know very well is how to chised ethnic Kurds outside first reality has widened under survive, which can't be until Iraq - in Syria, Turkey, and the long-serving lions of the end of time. Protests have Iran - who have long viewed the Kurdish politics: the Kurdish been fruitful because they limited self-rule exercised by Democratic Party (KDP), whose made clear to leaders that a their Iraqi brethren as an leader Massoud Barzani is pre¬ good part of society does not example of what they could sident of the Kurdistan want them." achieve. Regional Government (KRG); "What humiliated us was and the Patriotic Union of Kurdish soul-searching the killing of Kurdish citizens Kurdistan (PUK), who leader The violence has certainly by the militia of Kurdish politi¬ Jalal Talabani is now president prompted some soul-searching, cal parties," says Nasik Kadir, a of Iraq. and promises of change. KRG health ministry worker and "The PUK and KDP until Prime Minister Barham Salih, a political sociologist who vows to recent years had a very roman¬ PUK leader with a progressive fight what she calls "abuse of tic relationship with the people; reputation, says failure to act power." they were the tools of the peo¬ on demands "will take the "We have suffered for years ple against Saddam Hussein Kurdistan experiment into a corruption and lack of rule of and people loved that," says dark tunnel." law, but when it comes to the one Kurdish analyst who could "We admit without any hesi¬ blood of our youth, it is unbea not be named for fear of repri- tation that there have been Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ôzeti

some shortcomings in the cor¬ democracy...we have still to the parts of society," says ruption files, bad manage¬ learn how to deal with that," Hardi. "It's true they have ment, and parties have been in says Ari Harsin, a KDP repre¬ changed after 1991 their slo¬ control [which] led to protests sentative. gans, they all talk about demo¬ and legitimate demands for Lessons have been learned, cracy, human rights. But the reform," Mr. Salih told the he says. But the elevated posi¬ mentality is still the same." Saudi-owned Asharq al-Awsat tion of Barzani is sacrosanct, Evidence of that is easy to this week. "The solution lies in and reflected by a 70 percent find. In April toward the end of root reform." victory in a 2009 vote. the protests, according to The need for such contrition "Some people in society numerous sources, buses car¬ after so many years of Kurdish have a very special role," says rying several hundred stu¬ self-rule is for some a betrayal Mr. Harsin. "I agree categori¬ dents and instructors riding to of decades of suffering and cally that is not democratic if a courthouse protest were sacrifice. Episodes include you see the same faces. But diverted by Kurdish security, Saddam Hussein's Anfal cam¬ some people are 'Leader,' they forced to a remote location, off¬ paign that culminated in 1988 can bring a peace and a sphere loaded and the would-be pro¬ with as many as 100,000 dead, of negotiation. I see Mr. testers were beaten. and his forces' crushing of a Massoud Barzani as one of Hardi' s brother Rebin - a 1991 Kurdish uprising that those people." prominent Kurdish writer - pushed 1 million Kurds into showed up separately to attend Turkey and Iran. Long-cherished freedom the same courthouse protest, On their lips as they mar¬ proves elusive was immediately arrested and ched across the mountains But the freedom envisioned severely beaten with electric back then, this reporter heard by Kurds and trumpeted by cables throughout the drive to Kurds praying for an end to the US is proving elusive. One a local prison. tyrannical rule and for free¬ of Hardi 's newspaper staffers Photographs show bruises dom. After that, the UN created left jail recently with broken on his head and arm, his thigh a safe haven in northern Iraq, wrists. Last year, freelance bloody and disfigured. Rebin marred by a KDP-PUK civil war journalist Sardasht Osman Hardi said it reminded him of that took thousands of received death threats imme¬ the beating he got from Kurdish lives in the 1990s. diately after writing a critical Saddam-era Baathists in Kurdistan has since witnes¬ article about Barzani. He was 1982. sed an economic boom. But kidnapped in the KDP stron¬ The message was clear: that wealth has only touched a ghold of Erbil and later killed. "They are willing to do any¬ few - stoking more anger - as "You have to remember the thing to stay in power," says past events are used to excuse ideological root of our parties is Rebin Hardi. "The first thing is the lack of political progress. totalitarian, because PUK and we should no lose hope. But if "We are still like a baby in KDP were Marxist/ Leninist things continue like this, we the way that we deal with [and] are trying to control all will end up like Libya."

July 1, 2011

Azerbaijan's Kurds Fear

Loss Of National Identity

Representatives of Azerbaijan's Kurdish minority convened a

press conference in Baku on June 29 to highlight perceived threats to their continued survival as a separate ethnic group.

Tahir Suleymanov, editor of the newspaper "Diplomat," read out an appeal on behalf of the Kurds to Azerbaijan's President llham Aliyev.

The appeal stressed that like any other ethnic group, the Kurds need schools with Kurdish as the language of instruction, theaters, and TV

programs in their native language, in order to preserve their national Kurdish immigrants in Baku (Photo RFE/RL) identity.

It also noted that Azerbaijani Kurds consider it prudent to conceal Karabakh and Azerbaijan's borders with Armenia in the west and Iran in their ethnic identity, as publicly identifying oneself as a Kurd "can elicit the south. Joseph Stalin subsequently had most of the Kurdish popula¬ a negative reaction." Russian media reports on the press conference do tion of the Transcaucasus deported to Kazakhstan. not specify why or whether those present elaborated on that claim. According to the Russian news agency Regnum, Suleymanov and Suleymanov also made the point that not a single one of the 125 the paper he edits both support the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) that members of the Azerbaijani parliament is Kurdish. for decades has battled successive Turkish governments. Despite close

Azerbaijan's Kurdish community is estimated at approximately ties between Ankara and Baku, and repeated calls to do so from some

70,000, or less than 1 percent of the total population of 9.9 million. A opposition political parties, the Azerbaijani parliament has for years

Kurdish autonomous formation ("Red Kurdistan") existed from 1923-30, desisted from formally designating the PKK a terrorist organization. encompassing the regions of Azerbaijan that lie between Nagorno- Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ôzeti dpa Deutsche Presse-Agentur ... July 3, 2011

Illegal border trade with Iraq revives

life of Iranian Kurds

By Farshid Motahari July 3, 2011

Baneh, Iran - Kamal, Atta and Mohammad are Kurds in The main beneficiaries are the consumers who would have their mid-30s who live in Iran's western city of Baneh near to pay between 25 to 50 per cent more for the mainly the border with Iraq. Chinese goods if bought in their own cities.

As children, the three cousins lived through the terror of the Police and border guards in Baneh are well aware of the ille¬ 1980-88 Iran-Iraq war and attacks by troops of Iraq's leader gal border trade and tax-free sales in the market but appa¬ Saddam Hussein on their hometown, which turned Baneh rently prefer to swim in denial. According to the smugglers, into a battleground and one of the most deprived regions in one reason is that some of them are on their payrolls. the country. 'Another reason is that police and border guards definitely They had no proper education and had to toil for low wages prefer to have Kurdish smugglers rather than Kurdish guer¬ as cleaning men or construction workers in the capital rillas,' Kamal said. Tehran, 650 kilometres away. Kamal has gone from being a cleaner to a successful busi¬ That bastard (Saddam) made us suffer for so many years nessman with a new house, wife and two children. For him, but God not only made him face humiliation but also made the trade is an internal Kurdish affair related to neither Iraq his death become a source of prosperity for us Kurds in nor Iran. Baneh,' Atta said. 'Kurds are one big family, regardless where they live, and Following the 2003 US military invasion of Iraq and collapse they help each other regardless of their nationality,' he said, of the Saddam regime, people in the Kurdish regions of nor¬ referring to the almost 40 million Kurds worldwide, including thern Iraq were no longer oppressed and isolated. They 7 million in Iran and nearly the same number in Iraq. soon found a way to turn their freedom into business oppor¬

tunity with fellow Kurds in Iran. The business boom from illegal border trade has also pro¬ duced investment in the city's infrastructure, and at least The Iraqi Kurds began ordering goods from China, two four-star hotels will be built in Baneh soon to receive the Indonesia and the United Arab Emirates, shipped them to increasing flow of customers that is now estimated at thou¬ the southern Iraqi port of Basra and then on to the northern sands per day. city of Sulaymaniyah and the hands of newly formed smug¬

gler groups. Kamal's cousins Atta and Mohammad, who coordinate trade routes from the border to the city, are now earning 1 0 Those goods were then taken to Iran's Kurdistan, and tur¬ times what they did before the smuggling boom began. ned the 70,000-population city of Baneh into a new shop¬

ping paradise. 'May God bless the Americans for having invaded Iraq and killed Saddam, because this changed our lives drastically Iranian authorities allow and even invite foreign reporters to for the positive,' Atta said. the province to see the economic boom in Baneh, but do not

allow them to see how the boom was actually made possi¬ According to Mohammad, the illegal trade is also a blessing for newlywed couples who can afford to buy in Baneh what ble. they need to start their married lives. Yet the smugglers are proud to explain the procedures and,

for a fee of 200 dollars, even show reporters how the goods 'My fiance and I intended to get married in six months

are transferred into Iran. because we had not enough money to buy the necessary goods but here in Baneh we did, saved up to 15 million rials 'The Iraqi smugglers carry on their shoulders, each up to (1,500 dollars), and we get married next month,' said 150 kilograms, goods such as large-size LCD televisions Mohsen, who drove more than five hours from his home¬ and kitchen and computer equipment to the mountains on town Tabriz to Baneh. the Iranian side and deliver them to us at nighttime when

border guards have no view,' one Iranian smuggler said. The Iranian economy has been stifled for several years by the international sanctions imposed on the country because 'We smuggle the goods from the border area to a safe of its uncompromising stance in the nuclear dispute. But the place, put them onto trucks brought by the city smugglers to sanctions play no role for the Kurds in Baneh. the shop owners in Baneh.' 'Sanctions, what sanctions? How can sanctions affect in The illegal border trade benefits both border and city smug¬ any way something which is and will remain totally illegal, glers as well as the merchants who sell them tax-free to and is just between Kurds and not any countries?' Kamal customers while not paying any taxes to the government, said. either. Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ôzeti 5SCL5H j^m Bail in AKP's court, BDP says of impasse

ANKARA - Hûrriyet Daily News

Turkey s president responded positively to Kurdish complaints about the country s parliamentary crisis during a Friday meeting, an independent deputy said, but sug¬ gested the government must assume responsibility for resolving the pro¬ blems that have led to legislative boycotts. The president gave us positive energy. He said he would work to solve the issue, and we believe he will take positive steps to achieve that, parliamentary oaths on Tuesday. said. pro-Kurdish independent deputy Speaking to journalists, Turk also Speaking to journalists Friday, Ahmet Turk told reporters following said they entered the general elections BDP group chairman Selahattin his meeting with President Abdullah believing that Parliament was the Demirtas said they were waiting for Gûl. place to find solutions to their pro¬ an appointment from either the There are ways to fix the problem. blems. government or the prime minister, but If we want to shape the future toge¬ added that they had not yet requested But we were faced with an atti¬ ther, the responsibility falls on the tude of threats and disregard for our a meeting with Prime Minister Recep government s shoulders. They have Tayip Erdoan. opinions. Faced with injustice, we the authority to make the necessary decided to stay out of Parliament. I If necessary, the problem could be legal changes. The government needs would like to repeat that we find it solved via a by-election in Diyarbakir to make an effort. It is not enough for meaningless to go to Parliament or Agri, he said. only us to have good intentions. We where we will be marginalized and need to mutually understand each We want Dicle s deputyship back, snubbed. If we can t contribute, then other, said Turk. he said, adding that they could ask for there is no point in us being in an appointment if the prime minister Deputies from the pro-Kurdish Parliament, he said. or the government put forward a Peace and Democracy Party, or BDP, Turk said he told Gûl that if the concrete proposal for a solution. as well as others supported by the problem remained unsolved, the party, decided to boycott Parliament Gûl also told Turk that the Kurdish upcoming period could create bigger after the Supreme Election Board, or issue was Turkey s number-one pro¬ problems. The president agreed with YSK, quashed the deputyship of their blem and that Parliament was the the comment, Turk added. colleague, Hatip Dicle, for a terror- place to solve such issues, according to related conviction. The prime minister is trying to sources. pull the issue to one side, giving the Gûl met Turk and pro-Kurdish Some 29 independent deputies impression that we are criticizing independent deputy Serafettin Elçi to backed by the BDP applied to court decisions. If the court decisions discuss the crisis that arose after the Parliament on Friday to form a legisla¬ are like this, then Parliament has the BDP and the Republican People s tive group under the BDP s banner. authority to change the articles, he Party, or CHP, refused to take their

Aswat al-lraq fl July 11, 2011 1 I I I I I I wrM

Kurdistan population reaches 4.9 million

ARBIL / Aswat al-lraq: The head of the Kurdistan Region Census Department announced today that the total inha¬ bitants of Kurdistan has reached 4.9 million, out of a total population of roughly 31 million in Iraq.

Serwan Muhyiddin told Aswat al-lraq that this figure was reached according to statistics and housing numbering made in 2009 in all over Iraq.

The results of the statistics was issued today that reached 31 ,664,000 inhabitants in all over Iraq, including 4.9 inha¬ ter health, scientific, social and educational levels in bitants in Kurdistan. order to minimize death averages and poverty problems, A special ceremony was made here today in cooperation in addition to increasing work opportunities. with UNFPA, senior advisor to the Kurdish ministry of plan¬ ning called the government to exert more efforts to bet Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ozeti

£tMmèt Vendredi 8 juillet 2011

La crise syrienne Peut-être le régime au crible de l'ICG Le régime syrien est a-t-il hésité à livrer un L'organisation non gouverne¬ assaut brutal contre mentale International Crisis confronté, à Hama, Hama, encore hantée Group (ICG) a publié mercredi 6juillet le premier de deux rap¬ par les raids militaires ; ports consacrés à la crise politi¬ -entre 10 000 que syrienne. L'ICG est l'une des très rares organisations interna¬ à un soulèvement et 20 000 morts - tionales à disposer d'un bureau . dei982 '-> permanent dans Un pays où la de grande ampleur presse internationale est interdi¬ Les funérailles des « martyrs » te d'accès depuis le début des s'y étaient déroulées sans présen¬ troubles, à la mi-mars. Après une manifestation de masse le 1er juillet, les ce policière et, selon des habi¬ Dans ce premier rapport, l'ICG tants, les policiers n'y étaient pas se penche sur les racines de la services de sécurité ont multiplié les arrestations . revenus. Le gouverneur de la ville contestation, notant que les sou¬ - limogé samedi par le président lèvements sont partis de Bachar Al-Assad - y a gagné la régions appauvries par la politi¬ Beyrouth réputation de s'être opposé aux que économique développée au Correspondante violences. Les autorités avaient cours de ces dernières années, même promis de rendre les terres alors que le régime syrien s'était Au caur de la Syrie, la ville confisquées après le soulèvement reposé initialement sur les clas¬ d'Hama a connu quelques des Frères musulmans de 1982. ses les plus défavorisées, jours d'exaltation dont le Peut-être le régime a-t-il hésité à toujours selon ICG, la mise en point d'orgue a été la manifesta¬ cause par ce même régime d'une Homs livrer un assaut brutal contre cet¬ tion géante du vendredi f'juillet. SYRIE te ville, encore hantée par les «conspiration étrangère islamis¬ Sur les vidéos postées clandestine¬ S Damas raids militaires - entre 10 000 et te», difficile à étayer par des ment sur Internet, la grande place 20 060 morts - qui avaient écrasé faits, a été contre-productive, iAl-Aassi avait pris, ce jour-là, des ce soulèvement. de même que la répression indis¬ allures de place Tahrir aux gran- Il est également possible que le ; criminée qui, au lieu d'éteindre : des heures de la révolte égyptien- les foyers de contestation, a régime ait voulu expérimenter à . ne> tant les manifestants y étaient abouti au résultat opposé, à Hama une approche moins j nombreux et tant les forces de savoir leur extension dans le répressive dans l'espoir de freiner | sécurité paraissaient absentes. pays. Selon des habitants, les chars Les tirs des forces de sécurité et ] la contestation, ou pour donner des gages de bonne conduite dans : ont fait leur apparition dimanche des chabiha - nom désignant des un contexte de fortes pressions . soir, se sont éloignés durant la groupes civils armés à la solde du internationales. nuit, avant de se poster à l'entrée régime -ont fait 16 morts à Hama ! Dans cette hypothèse, l'immen- ; de la ville lundi matin. Depuis entre lundi et mercredi, selon ce se rassemblement sur la place Aas- lors, 80 tanks sont positionnés même rapport. Le dernier bilan [ si constitue un échec cinglant. autour de la cité. «Nous avions dressé par le Comité de coordina- . L'intervention des forces de l'or¬ construit des barricades avec des tion locale en Syrie, qui regroupe dre qui a suivi en est un autre. pneus, des poubelles et tous les- des activistes a l'intérieur et à l'ex¬ «Nous voyons Hama encerclée objets que nous avions pu trou¬ térieur du pays', fait état de par lesforces de sécurité, a réagi la ver», explique un habitant joint 24 morts, dont Bilal Mohamed, un ; porte-parole du département , par téléphone. Ce n'est sans doute adolescent âgé de 15 ans. L'agence . d'Etat américain Victoria Nuland, pas cela qui les aurait arrêtés. dé presse officielle SANA, qui rap¬ Mais, finalement, seules les forces c'est donc que nous allons dans la porte que des « saboteurs ont cou¬ mauvaise direction. » de sécurité sont entrées dans les pé les routes et dressé des barrières En Syrie, des manifestations murs de la ville. dans de nombreux quartiers d'Ha¬ pour Hama ont été organisées à «Nous avions mis au point une ma», affirme que «les habitants Deir ez-Zor, Lattaquié, Homs, Idlib, : riposte quand lesforces de sécurité ont appelé lesforces du maintien Baniyas et dans la banlieue de- viendraient arrêter les gens, assu¬ de l'ordre pour qu'elles intervien¬ Damas. Seule Deraa, aux premiers re un autre habitant dans un rap- . nent et les protègent des groupes port de Human Rights Watch: jours de la révolte syrienne, avait terroristes armés qui semaient la publié mercredi. A leur approche, suscité un tel élan de solidarité. panique». Un policier est mort les habitants frappaient sur des Cécile Hennion dans des affrontements avec ces pots et des casseroles pour alerter «groupes armés». le quartier et laisser aux hommes Hama, réputée rebelle, a le temps defuir. [Mais] lesforces rejoint massivement la contesta- de sécuritéontcompris notre systè¬ tion le 3 juin. Au cours de cette seu¬ me. Elles ont lancé des grenades le journée, la répression avait fait lacrymogènes et assourdissantes entre 48 et .70 morts, selon les pour effrayer les. habitants et les organisations des droits de l'hom¬ dissuaderde sortir de chez eux.Les me. Mais Hama n'a pas été, à la dif- forces de sécurité ont alors arrêté, : férence d'autres villes contestatai¬ les gens au hasard, les embar¬ res, matée ou occupée 'par l'ar¬ quant dans de grandes voitures. » mée. ' 1 '

10 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ôzeti

£zMûUàZ Dimanche 10 - Lundi 11 juillet 2011 Les Syriens bravent la terreur d'Etat

B Le séjour à Hama des ambassadeurs américain et français a galvanisé la foule, mais provoque une bataille diplomatique

. - . Aï--*..

Images extraites de vidéos publiées sur Internet. A Hama, le convoi de l'ambassadeur américain a été salué par des roses.

Son séjour aurait offert une protection inédite contre la répression, or

de soutien au pouvoir recourent Beyrouth le », selon le Quai d'Orsay. régulièrement à ce symbole, et Correspondance Le diplomate français, comme Damas dénonce derrière la contes¬ M. Ford, s'est rendu dans des hôpi¬ e ,WeP tation un « complot étranger». Les images ont été diffusées en taux de la ville. Sa visite n'avait pas Si l'ambiance était effervescente boucle par plusieurs chaînes suscité de réactions officielles com¬ à Hama, la force a de nouveau été libanaises, vendredi 8 juillet parables, vendredi. Elle n'était pas *Homs SYRIE employée ailleurs dans le pays au soir. Elles montrent l'ambassa¬ mentionnée par l'agence de presse ''Damas contre ce nouveau vendredi de deur américain à Damas Robert officielle SANA, qui a fait état de manifestation, le 17e depuis le Ford en visite à Hama, tandis que protestations à travers le pays, le 158 wn début de la révolte, le 15 mars. Tard des manifestants, autour de son 8 juillet, pour dénoncer la présen¬ dans la soirée, les armes à feu ont véhicule, scandent: «le peuple ce de l'ambassadeur américain à ' .'.i-jK crépité dans la ville de Homs veut la chute du régime». Hama et les « ingérences étrangè¬ (50 km au sud de Hama) et ses alen¬ Le déplacement du premier res dans les affaires intérieures de tours, selon les Comités de coordi¬ ambassadeur- américain à Damas la Syrie». nation locale. Ce réseau de mili¬ " dépuis 20Q5, eh poste depuis jan¬ Hama, quatrième ville du pays, Qu'a vu l'ambassadeur Ford à tants, à la pointe de la contestation vier, a provoqué la colère des auto¬ située à 210 kilomètres au nord de Hama? « Des protestataires pacifi¬ contre - le régime de Bachar Damas, a connu une mobilisation rités syriennes. Pour le ministère ques. Aucune arme parmi eux. Des Al-Assad, a fait également état d'ac¬ sans précédent contre le régime le de l'intérieur, ce geste est « contrai¬ barricades tenues par des adoles¬ tes de répression à Damas et ses ban¬ re aux normes diplomatiques», f'juillet. Elle a ensuite été la cible cents », détaille M. Harder. Ces barri¬ lieues, ainsi que dans la province d'I- une « invitation à lapoursuite de la d'une répression meurtrière, les cades ont, été érigées après le dleb (nord-ouest). Les violences ont violence ». L'ambassadeur de Fran¬ 4 et 5 juillet. Les forces de sécurité 1" juillet, pour tenter de prévenir fait au moins 13 morts, selon des ce, Eric Chevallier, était également ont tenté de reprendre le contrôle l'arrivée de troupes, alors qu'un militants des droits de l'homme. présent à Hama, jeudi soir et ven¬ de certains quartiers, en ouvrant le mouvement de chars était signalé Les autorités ont déploré le décès dredi matin, comme son homolo¬ feu et en procédant à des arresta¬ aux abords de la ville. C'est contre de cinq « martyrs, dont des agents \ gue américain, pourtraduire «l'en¬ tions, indique Nadim Houry, res¬ ces comités populaires que les for¬ de sécurité, tués par des francs- gagement delà France aux côtés ponsable du bureau de l'organisa¬ ces de sécurité auraient tiré, selon tireurs «dans les mêmes régions. des victimes, de la population civi- tion Human Rights Watch à Bey¬ les recoupements effectués par Partout dans le pays, les slogans routh. Des barrages militaires Human Rights Watch, faisant au ont rendu hommage à Hama, déjà

continuaient d'encercler la ville, moins 16 morts. durement réprimée début juin, et

L'ambassadeur syrien vendredi, et l'armée était déployée L'armée n'était pas présente sur ville martyre en 1982. Hafez à Washington convoqué dans les villages voisins. la place Al-Aassi, lieu principal de Al-Assad avait maté une insurrec¬ En se rendant à Hama, Robert regroupement, vendredi, à Hama, tion armée des Frères musulmans,

Washington a convoqué l'ambas¬ Ford a témoigné du «soutien des vers lequel ont convergé des dizai¬ faisant entre 10 000 et 20000 Etats-Unis aux manifestations sadeur syrien aux Etats-Unis nes de milliers de Syriens - jusqu'à morts! Jusque dans les régions à pacifiques», a indiqué M. Harder, pour lui faire part de son «inquié¬ 150 000 selon un militant. Ce chif¬ majorité kurde du nord-est du attaché de presse auprès de l'am¬ tude» après avoir appris que des fre reflète une mobilisation massi¬ pays, très mobilisées, les manifes¬ bassade à Damas. Il a également personnes manifestant aux Etats- ve, dans une ville de quelque tants, pourlesquels laville est deve¬

Unis contre la répression en Syrie envoyé un message « Washington 800 000 habitants, même si elle nue, en 2011, un symbole de la résis¬

avaient été «filmées etphotogra¬ demande l'ouverture du pays à des est sans doute inférieure à celle de tance, ont scandé « Halte a u siège de

phiées» par des membres de l'am¬ observateurs internationaux », pré- . la semaine précédente. Dans les Hama», rapporte un opposant. cise le porte-parole américain. bassade syrienne à Washington, rues, les manifestants brit porté un «Non au dialogue ! », ont-ils encore a indiqué, vendredi 8juillet, le immense drapeau syrien, pied de lancé. « Protestataires pacifiques » Une table ronde, annoncée par le département d'Etat. nez au régime. Les rassemblements

11 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ozeti

président Bachar Al-Assad, devait reprendre son rôle régional et inter¬ s'ouvrir dimanche 11 juillet. De. national», voulait croire pour sa

nombreux opposants, y compris part Bouthaïna Chaabane, conseillè¬ re du président, lors d'un entretien de l'intérieur, ont rejeté l'initiative. «Le peuple syrien tout entier a dit accordé, vendredi, à la chaîne bri¬ oui pour le dialogue. (...) Les réfor¬ tannique BBC. B

mes se poursuivront et la Syrie va Laure Stephan

JtftaldfcMU»] lundi 11 met 2011 Ulran étend son emprise sur l'Irak

Le jeu d'influence de Téhéran s'exerce ouvertement dans les sphères religieuse, culturelle et politique.

L'influence iranienne dans un Irak de moins en moins multiconfessionnel PRÉSENCE IRANIENNE EN IRAK \

2 Ambassade © Consulat

investissements et échanges

1. Mise en place d'une zone de libreTéchange

2, 8 milliards dé dollars d'échanges commerciaux en 2010

3. Prajets'd'hopitaux dans les Villes de Karbala . et Nadjaf et construction d'un aéroport dans cette dernière -

4. 1,5 million de litres d'essence par jour fournis pour stimuler la production d'électricité irakienne

DES GROUPES RELIGIEUX ET ETHNIQUES en % de la population totale

Chiites (61,5%) Sunnites (33,5%) Autres (5%)

H. Arabes H Arabes Chrétiens

Kurdes fayli §Q Kurdes M Mandéens, i - Yézidis, M Turkmènes Yarsans...

pation des Arabes sunnites, ainsi que des Occidentaux. À l'emprise économique et politique amorcée par l'arrivée des chiites au pouvoir à Bagdad en 2006, s'ajoute dé-, sormais celle d'un islam « à l'iranienne » qui gagne du terrain. Cette situation pro¬ voque de vives tensions avec les milieux laïcs et les minorités religieuses irakien¬

communauté interna¬ nes, qui accusent le gouvernement FATMAKIZILBOGA tionale et un nombre d'ouvrir la voie à la charia, la loi islamique. BAGDAD croissant d'Irakiens. ' Terre sainte du chiisme par excellence, l'Irak suscite toutes les convoitises de la MOYEN-ORIENT À quelques mois de la fin « Vous ne pouvez pas imagi¬ République islamique iranienne. Les in¬ du retrait des troupes américaines d'Irak, ner les dégâts causés par Téhéran dans ce vestissements visant l'augmentation du le bilan de l'opération « Iraqi Freedom », pays», soupire ce diplomate occidental. tourisme religieux; se multiplient: lancée en 2003 par l'Administfation Bush, Véritable bête noire de l'ancien président irakien Saddam Hussein, exécuté par pen¬ est loin de correspondre aux aspirations de construction d'un aéroport à Nadjaf.pro- daison en 2006, le puissant voisin perse Washington. «À des années-lumière, jets d'hôpitaux à Karbala et Nadjaf, ac¬ jouit aujourd'hui en Irak d'une aura qui est même ! », s'exclame le représentant d'un' cords bilatéraux facilitant le voyage des en train de devenir la principale préoccu- pays allié des États-Unis en poste à Bag¬ pèlerins, support logistique et médical dad; Le phénomène qui complique singu¬ pendant les périodes de pèlerinage... lièrement l'équation des «Les chiites d'Irak ne disposaient pas États-Unis était sôus- Certains chiites d'Irak d'une véritable liberté de culte sous l'ancien jacènt depuis plusieurs « se sentiront plus proches régime. Aujourd'hui, l'arrivée massive des années ; il est aujour¬ pèlerins iraniens a eu pour effet de renfor¬ d'un Iranien chiite d'hui patent et s'ex¬ cer ce sentiment de liberté et d'apparte¬ pose à la vue de tous : que d'un Irakien sunnite » nance. Le communautarisme religieux pri¬ le rôle joué par l'Iran UN DÉPUTÉ SUNNITE me sur le sentiment nationaliste, analyse voisin inquiète la un député sunnite qui s'exprime sous

12 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ôzeti

couvert d'anonymat. Par conséquent ces tion, où l'accès aux services publics de lieux de l'enseignement. personnes se sentiront plus proches d'un base comme l'eau et l'électricité peine En décembre, la proposition de l'an¬

Iranien chiite que d'un Irakien sunnite », toujours a être rétabli, Téhéran anticipe cien ministre de l'éducation, Khudhair

résume-t-il. en promettant la rénovation de tous les al-Khuzay avait suscité l'indignation des Une influence qui ne semble épargner cinémas et théâtres de Bagdad. En .défenseurs de la laïcité. Celui-ci pré¬ aucun domaine, particulièrement celui contrepartie, un accord signé entre les voyait notamment la suppression de la

de la culture. « Les pays voisins de l'Irak autorités irakiennes et le ministère de la mixité et des cours de musique dans les sont naturellement pais présents à Bag¬ Culture et de l'Orientation islamique ira¬ universités, considérés comme contrai¬ dad, mais ensuite, à chacun sa stratégie. nien prévoit l'organisation annuelle d'un res aux valeurs de l'islam. Propositions La Turquie par exemple investit davanta¬ festival de films consacrés à l'imam Hus¬ immédiatement retirées face à la pres¬ ge dans le commerce et l'énergie, car sein, petit-fils du prophète Mahomet, sion d'une partie de la nie. Pour Adel al- l'Irak représente pour elle un marché ju¬ considéré comme l'une des principales Kayar, professeur en sciences politiques teux, alors que l'Iran préfère miser sur figures du chiisme. « le premier ministre Nouri al-MalM est l'éducation », explique Mudhafer Ubaid aujourd'hui obligé de négocier et défaire al-Rubai, chargé des relations interna¬ Concessions forcées des concessions avec des partis politiques tionales au rninistèré de la Culture à Bag¬ La coopération entre les deux gouverne¬ chutesproches de l'Iran. C'est un véritable numéro d'équUibriste ». m dad. Dans un Irak en pleine reconstruc ments chiites inquiète également les mi

.'.. Le point de vue des chroniqueurs de l'agence économique

Mardi 12 juillet 2011 «>: y Reuters Breakineviews

Tant que le pétrole restera cher, doublé durant la même période. Selon l'indice de perception de la Ahmadinejad a dû se plier à la corruption de Transparency Inter¬ le régime iranien n'évoluera guère réalité. Il a commencé à remettre à national, le pays s'est classé, en plat le coûteux système de subven¬ 2010, en 146e position, une détério¬

tions en Iran. L'augmentation des ration par rapport à la 105e posi¬ prix des produits alimentaires, dû . ' tion en 2006, date de ^arrivée au Malheureusement, les pers¬ pays a peu de chances de changer, carburant et des transports en - pouvoir du président. Mais ses dis¬ pectives économiques même si la lutte pour le pouvoir décembre engendrera plus de cours contre l'Occident et son sou¬ de l'Iran ne dépendent se solde par le rejet de ce prési¬ 60 milliards de dollars (42,3 mil¬ tien au programme nucléaire sont pas du sort de Mahmoud Ahmadi- dent qui divise l'opinion, lors des liards d'euros) d'économies, soit partagés par le Guide suprême du nej ad. La santé financière du pays élections à venir en 2012 et 2013. 15 % du produit intérieur brut pays, l'ayatollah Ali Khamenei, qui a été gravement fragilisée par les Ces trois dernières années, l'éco¬ (PIB), selon le FMI. Cette réforme conserve un soutien populaire. six années au pouvoir de ce prési¬ nomie iranienne a affiché un taux ambitieuse devrait permettre à L'économie n'a jamais été la dent populiste, connu pour ses de croissance inférieur de moitié l'Iran de respirer un peu mieux et priorité de la république islami¬ discours virulents et ses prises de au taux moyen des exportateurs pourrait être un modèle. Mais il que, qui veille essentiellement à ce position provocatrices sur le pro¬ de pétrole de la région, selon les est encore trop tôt pour le savoir et que les recettes du pétrole l'aident gramme nucléaire du pays. Pen¬ données du Fonds monétaire inter¬ l'initiative a attisé les risques d'in¬ à atteindre ses objectifs idéologi¬ dant ce temps, les avantages national (FMI). Les sanctions inter¬ flation-or celle-ci est déjà supé¬ ques. Tant que Khamenei se main¬ qu'auraient pu apporter les cours nationales pèsent lourd, même si rieure à 10 %, entraînant une dépré¬ tient à la tête du régime et que les élevés du pétrole ont été perdus. elles sont en partie atténuées par ciation de la monnaie. cours du pétrole restent élevés, il . Mais la politique économique du la cherté du pétrole. L'inflation en Malgré la forte personnalité d'A- ne faut guère s'attendre à des chan¬ Iran a aussi dépassé celle de ses voi¬ hmadinèjad, il y a peu de chances gements. UnaGalani L'économie n'a jamais sins riches en ressources. Les réser¬ que son éventuel départ mette fin ves étrangères restent abondantes à la politique économique asso¬ (Traduction d'Isabelle Rosselin) été la priorité de la et ont augmenté d'environ 40 % ciée à son nom. La corruption pour¬ République islamique ces cinq dernières années. Celles rait quelque peu diminuer dans dé l'Arabie Saoudite ont presque un climat de plus grande rigueur.

Soldats turcs tués: les rebelles kurdes paieront "un prix élevé" (Erdogan)

ISTANBUL, 15 juillet 2011 (AFP) ait subies depuis octobre 2008.

M. Erdogan s'en est pris au principal parti légal kurde de Turquie, le Parti L'ARMÉE TURQUE va faire payer "un prix élevé" aux rebelles sépara¬ pour la paix et la démocratie (BDP), proche du PKK, lui-même considéré tistes kurdes après la mort de treize soldats turcs dans une embus¬ comme une organisation terroriste par Ankara, les Etats-Unis et l'Union cade, a averti vendredi le Premier ministre Recep Tayyip Erdogan. européenne.

"Nos forces de sécurité sont puissantes (...) et je crois qu'elles leur feront "Je dis ouvertement à l'organisation terroriste et à ses extensions qu'ils ne payer un prix élevé", a déclaré M. Erdogan à la presse à Istanbul, parlant doivent s'attendre à aucune bonne volonté de notre part devant des actions des rebelles qui ont lancé jeudi une attaque contre des soldats turcs dans aussi malintentionnées", a déclaré le Premier ministre. la province de Diyarbakir, dans le sud-est à majorité kurde de la Turquie. "S'ils veulent la paix, il y a une chose à faire : l'organisation terroriste doit

Treize soldats ont été tués et sept blessés, a annoncé l'armée, qui a indi¬ déposer les armes", a poursuivi M. Erdogan. "S'ils refusent de déposer les qué que sept rebelles du Parti des travailleurs du Kurdistan (PKK) avaient armes, les opérations militaires ne cesseront pas et le processus (de récon¬ été tués. Les pertes enregistrées par l'armée sont les plus lourdes qu'elle ciliation) n'avancera pas", a-t-il prévenu.

13 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ôzeti

BDP vows to support Hatip Dicle until the end

ISTANBUL - Hurriyet Daily News

Turk, who was also

The Pro-Kurdish Peace and elected in last month's

Democracy Party, or BDP, has election, addressed the

reiterated vows to continue its par¬ crowd in Kurdish

liamentary boycott until one of their during the demonstra - colleagues is released from prison tion, which also attrac and allowed to join Parliament. ted 10 other deputies. Speaking about the pro-Kurdish candidate Hatip Dicle whose deputys¬

hip was stripped by the High Election

Board, Either [elected pro-Kurdish

candidate Hatip Dicle] will come to us,

or we will go to him; we promise we been struggling for freedom for many seen the cruelty of the Sept. 12 [1980

will be with Hatip Dicle all the way to years. This fight is a fight of our peo¬ coup], they have witnessed tortures

the end, said Ahmet Turk, the leader ple. This is a struggle of our people. So and unsolved murders. So your threats of the Democratic Society Congress, or no matter what you say, the Kurdish would only give us more strength,

DTK, an umbrella organization of people will continue with their strug¬ Turk said.

Kurdish groups, during a demonstra¬ gle in order to make their demands BDP will organize its first group tion Sunday in Diyarbakir. real, and you will see the power of meeting in Diyarbakir on Tuesday. these people. Turk, who was also elected in last Former BDP co-leader Selahattin

month s election, addressed the crowd Turk also said Prime Minister Demirtas is to address the BDP depu¬

in Kurdish during the demonstration, Recep Tayyip Erdogan had been threa¬ ties as the party s group leader.

which also attracted 10 other deputies. tening them.

The DTK spokesman said they had Mr. Erdogan, these people have

REUTERS

PKK leader, Turkey in peace council deal - report

ISTANBUL - July 8, 2011 - By Daren Butler I Reuters - rity demands for cultural and political change. Erdogan said in a speech presenting his new government's programme to par¬ liament on Friday that it would maintain the reform process. A JAILED Kurdish militant leader has agreed with Turkish "We have enacted historical reforms in a wide area, from lifting officials to set up a "peace council" aimed at ending a sepa¬ emergency rule, to the free use and learning of Kurdish," ratist conflict that has lasted 27 years, a news agency close to Erdogan said. the rebels reported on Friday. "We will continue these reforms with determination to streng¬ Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) leader Abdullah Ocalan said then our brotherhood," said Erdogan, who revealed earlier this through his lawyers that the "peace council" must be establi¬ year that the state was holding talks with Ocalan. shed within the next month, Firat news agency said. It was unclear what form the council might take.

The proposal came a month after Prime Minister Tayyip KURDISH DEPUTIES Erdogan's AK Party won a parliamentary election and two Erdogan's third term in office has been marred by a parliamen¬ months after Ocalan threatened "war" unless the government tary boycott by Kurdish deputies and the main opposition entered talks about the PKK insurgency. party, who have refused to take their oaths in a protests against "The Peace Council will not be an official state organ or just a bans on their elected candidates. civil body," Ocalan was quoted as telling his lawyers when he Thirty-six candidates backed by the Kurdish Peace and met them on his prison island south of Istanbul on Wednesday. Democracy Party (BDP) won seats in the election, but election "The Peace Council will work for a solution and to achieve authorities barred one of them from taking office due to a pre¬ peace." More than 40,000 people, most of them militants, have vious conviction for spreading separatist propaganda. been killed in the conflict since the PKK took up arms against It stands to lose five more seats after courts ruled against relea¬ the state in 1984. sing five candidates, detained on charges of having ties to the The intensity of the fighting has eased since Ocalan was captu¬ PKK, preventing them from taking their place in parliament. red in 1999 but there are still regular clashes in the mainly The PKK ended a 6-month cease-fire in February, moving to Kurdish southeast of Turkey. what it calls an "active defence" stance, whereby its fighters The government has enacted reforms to meet Kurdish mino defend themselves if under attack.

14 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ôzeti

Aswat al-lraq ^1 July 5 , 2011

"Kurds have right to self-determination and their independent state," Kurdistan Speaker says

BAGHDAD / Aswat al-lraq: North Iraq's Kjrdistan Parliament's Speaker, Kamal Karkuki, has said on Tuesday that "Iraqi Kurds reserve the right for self-determination and to have their own independent state."

"We have the right to practice our right for self-determi¬ nation on our land, and to have our independent state, similar to others, being a normal constitutional right; and as long as Iraq keeps its constitutional principles, we shall remain to be part of Iraq, which we have chosen to become part of its Federal State," Karkuki said in an inter¬ view with al-Sharq al-Awsat Newspaper.

He pointed out that "the implementation of Article 140 of the Iraqi Constitution had been delayed for a long time, despite fact that Prime Minister, Nouri al-Maliki, had com¬ mitted himself to implement it." the freedom of self-determination, whether to stay as an "Claims that the said Article has died, had been a great independent administrative area, or their mergence with and dreadful political mistake, because it is a constitutio¬ Iraq's Kurdistan Region, through a general referendum. nal article that won't die unless by the death of the constitution itself," Karkuki said. But certain obstacles had caused the postponement of implementing some of the basic contents of the said Article 140 of the Iraqi Constitution points out to the natu¬ Article, for reasons Kurdish politicians consider as "politi¬ ralization of conditions in the areas, described as "areas cal," whilst Baghdad says that the delay was not intentio¬ under-conflict," in a clear sign for the conflict about their nal, at a time when a special ministerial committee had belonging to Kurdistan Region, including Kirkuk Province implemented some of its contents, such as the compensa¬ and parts of Ninewa and Diala Provinces. tion of some of the harmed residents, while the most The Constitution had defined a time limit to implement important paragraph, related to self-determination in the said Article, through measures that ended on those areas was not implemented. December 31, 2007, leaving residents of those areas with

July 6 , 2011 Aswat al-lraq I

Kurdistan Parliament Speaker's statement for self-determination unrealistic, al-lraqiya says

BAGHDAD / Aswat al-lraq: The Spokeswoman for al- lraqiya Coalition, led by lyad Allalwi, has described recent statements by Iraqi Kurdistan's Parliament Speaker, Kamal Karkuki, about the right of Kurds for self- determination as having been "unrealistic and mere media statements."

"Karkuki's statements were mere media, and not realistic statements," Maysoun Damaloujy told Aswat al-lraq news Agency, adding that "Kurds are experiencing their right for self-determination in Iraq and they have chosen to be part of the State of Iraq since 2003," adding that "self- determination does not mean secession, according to UN resolutions."

As regards to Article 140 of the Iraqi Constitution, related to the areas in conflict between Arbil and Baghdad, Damaloujy said: "We are not against the restoration of pendent state, similar to others, being a normal democra¬ the right for its owners, whether they were Kurds, Arabs, tic right." Turkomen or Christians; and so long as the matter is rela¬ ted to restore the right for its owner, we are not against "So long as Iraq keeps its constitutional principles and all that." parties are keen to be committed towards those princi¬ ples, we shall keep our status, being part of Iraq, which Karkuki has told al-Sharq al-Awsat (Middle East) we had chosen to remain with the limits of its Federal Newspaper on Tuesday that "the Kurds have the right for State," Karkuki said. self-determination on their land, and to have their inde

15 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ôzeti

it3îÎ0JîÔC Mardi.12 juillet 2011

iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiimiiiimiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiimiiiiiiiiiiiim Quel Moyen-Orient émergerait après une éventuelle chute du régime syrien ? Les bouleversements futurs ménageront sans doute des surprises Quand le régime syrien tombera

La révolte syrienne a déjà plus de HoshamDawod

cent jours derrière elle, des cen¬ taines de morts, des milliers Anthropologue au CNRS d'arrestations, des dizaines de milliers de réfugiés à l'intérieur Responsable du programme Proche et Moyen-Orient à la comme à l'extérieur du pays. Maison des sciences de l'homme. Son terrain principal : Pourtant, le régime a tout essayé pour l'Irak et l'Arabie Saoudite. Il a publié, dirigé et contribué à venir à bout des protestations. Il a même plusieurs études touchant aux questions d'ethnicité, de tenté au début de suivre le modèle algé¬ tribalisme et de parenté politique, dont « Tribus et armée rien par la recherche d'un équilibre entre américaine en Irak» (Moscou, 2009). Il est responsable promesses de réformes et coercition, mais de l'antenne de l'Institut français du Proche-Orient en la réaction démesurée des forces de sécuri¬ Irak, (photo or) . , té contre les civils a poussé une bonne par¬

tie du pays dans les rangs des protestatai¬ et à terroriser les manifestants, à l'image droits civils, à la pluralité politique, à l'or¬ res irréductibles. Le régime a renoué avec de ce qui s'est passé en Iran après les élec¬ ganisation d'élections libres et la lutte ses propres pratiques en vigueur depuis tions de 2009. Le remède sécuritaire sem¬ contre là corruption.

quarante ans. ble ne pas porter ses fruits, bien au contrai¬ Un troisième scénario, dont on s'éloi¬ A considérer cette situation, plusieurs re. Un deuxième scénario, qui a fait surfa¬ gne aussi, serait qu'une dissension s'opère scénarios se présentent. Dans une premiè¬ ce sans s'imposer, était que le président au sein du régime, à l'instar de ce qui s'est re hypothèse, qui est déjà dépassée, le régi¬ Bachar Al-Assad entreprenne des réfor¬ passé en Egypte et en Tunisie lorsque l'ar¬ me syrien pensait parvenir à domestiquer mes touchant à la liberté de la presse, aux mée a pris l'initiative d'isoler les éléments

Vers un rééquilibrage géestfatégïqt»

Téhéra

Beyrouth i:

Bagdad

Jérusalem i - Amman

EGYPTE- ;OfrjANi.î '

Le Cairs

Koweït

O ! t. C" A .'"""s | ; n ^ T C

La crise syrienne Jeux ifaiilaïices régionaies telles qu'sftes sont perçues

16 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ôzeti

de la classe politique les plus corrompus. mation d'un croissant chiite joignant ont été envisagés, notamment dans les L'idéal selon de nombreuses chancelle¬ l'Iran, l'Irak, la Syrie et le Liban. Mais ce domaines pétrolier et gazier. Une chute ries serait - quatrième scénario - qu'une pourrait être aussi l'avènement d'un autre brutale du régime de Bachar Al-Assad

partie de l'élite alaouite et sunnite parvien¬ croissant recueillant une benediction rai- pourrait pousser la Syrie vers une guerre ne à un accord écartant la famille Assad du sonnée de la Turquie, celui des sunnites civile à l'irakienne où les Alaouites subi¬ pouvoir, qui conduirait à un partage un militants, allant de l'Egypte jusqu'en Syrie, raient le sort des sunnites en Irak après peu plus équitable entre les communau¬ en passant par les territoires occupés. 2003. Cela créerait un chaos propice aux tés. Le cinquième scénario qui est à L'Orient arabo-musulman se fait et se groupes radicaux qui pourraient y trouver l'euvre, et qui est aussi le plus périlleux, défait dans l'imaginaire de certains politi¬ consiste en l'intensification du cycle ques locauxen adoptanttoujours la forme L'Orient protestation/répression conduisant à une du croissant ! polarisation de la société sur une base eth¬ L'une des conséquences inattendues de arabo-musulman nique et confessionnelle ouvrant la porte la révolte syrienne en cours a été de pous¬ à une guerre civile et à une chute du régi¬ ser à leurparoxysme l'hésitationisraélien¬ se fait et se défait me. Cette dernière éventualité ne consti- ne et la gêne américaine. Tel-Aviv sait bien ' tue hélas pas une hypothèse d'école ni une que par-delà la phraséologie révolution¬ nouveauté après les cas libanais et irakien. dans l'imaginaire naire baasiste tout était au plus calme sur Le Proche-Orient est très secoué par la son front nord-est syrien. Les révoltes ara¬ crise syrienne, à commencer par le Liban de certains bes font aussi éclater au grand jour la où un gouvernement soutenu par le Hez¬ contradiction d'Israël : il apparaît que la bollah a été imposé à la veille de la mise en politiques locaux en chute des régimes autoritaires arabes ne ' cause par une enquête judiciaire interna¬ favorise pas la pérennité de sa suprématie tionale de plusieurs de ses dirigeants soup¬ adoptant toujours la dans la région. çonnés d'être impliqués dans l'assassinat Pour ce qui est de l'Irak, il peut paraître de l'ex-premier ministre Rafic Hariri. Par forme du croissant ! paradoxal que celui-ci puisse se sentir, ailleurs, les relations entre la Syrie et laTur¬ inquiet d'une chute éventuelle du régime quie se sont détériorées. refuge et bâtir des passerelles salafistes syrien. Bagdad et Damas n'ont jamais été Après avoir employé la Syrie comme . qui iraient de Tripoli à Beyrouth, à la Syrie en bons termes depuis près d'une cin¬ son principal portail vers le monde arabe, et jusqu'au triangle sunnite en Irak. Cet quantaine d'années, autant à l'époque des Ankara prend ses distances avec Damas, la hypothétique scénario inquiète déjà les frères ennemis du Baas à la tête des' deux sommant d'entreprendre des réformes, et Américains, bien qu'ils n'aient aucune pays qu'à l'arrivée au pouvoir à Bagdad de non des moindres puisqu'elle demande la sympathie envers Bachar Al-Assad. l'ancienne opposition irakienne, naguère dissolution de certains appareils de sécuri¬ Qu'en est-il du facteur iranien ? Même exilée en masse en Syrie, Nouri Al-Maliki té, la libération des prisonniers politiques si les chiites irakiens demeurent attachés y compris. et la fin du régime départi unique. Pour la à leur pays, cela n'empêche pas quelques- D'où vient cette inquiétude ? Est-elle Syrie, son grand voisin du Nord, qu'elle unes de ses fractions d'être réceptives au partagée partousles Irakiens ? Depuis que accuse de néo-ottomanisme et d'arrogan¬ discours iranien mêlant anti-sunnisme, l'Irak a connu une guerre civile entre 2006 . . ce, tente de tisser unfront régional des Frè¬ antinationàlisme arabe, anti-monar¬ et 2007, un exode massif a eu lieu vers les res musulmans allant de l'Egypte à la chies du Golfe et anti-occidentalisme. pays voisins, particulièrement la Syrie où Syrie, en passant par le Hamas palestinien. Ainsi, pour des raisons propres à la socio¬ l'on compte un peu plus d'un million de Quant aux pays du Golfe, qui se sont logie politique irakienne, la majorité des réfugiés irakiens de toutes confessions. toujours méfiés de la Syrie et de son accdin-- forces du pays craint l'effondrement du Une détérioration de la situation, à la tance avec l'Iran, ils considèrent que la régime syrien : les sunnites et les baasis¬ libyenne ou à la yéménite, en Syrie chasse¬ Syrie constitue un rempart contre la propa¬ tes perdraient un allié pragmatique ; et gation des révoltes arabes vers le Machrek. rait une grande partie de ces populations les chiites, dans une Syrie intégrée à une Le défi pour les pays du Golfe, et surtout réfugiées vers leur pays d'origine au alliance régionale sunnite, pourraient

pourl'Arabie Saoudite, est le suivant : est-il moment où ce dernier connaît une dégra¬ être confrontés à un régime qui leur possible que les révoltes arabes et leur por¬ dation inquiétante de sa situation sécuri¬ serait hostile. tée politico-morale s'arrêtent aux portes taire. Même si le régime syrien sous domi¬ Seuls peut-être les Kurdes d'Irak et plus du royaume des Saoud, là où des ques¬ nation alaouite a soutenu et continue de encore le parti de Massoud Barzani pour¬

tions de citoyenneté, de libertés politiques soutenirles insurgés arabes sunnites et les raient se sentir soulagés par le départ du et d'égalité entre les sexes et entre diverses anciens baasistes d'Irak, le gouvernement régime de Damas. Rappelons qu'environ communautés confessionnelles se posent irakien actuel, à majorité chiite, prévoit 1,5 à 2 millions de Kurdes vivent en Syrie

avec acuité. Le conflit à Bahrein, avec sa que l'alternative au pouvoir à Damas ne dans une situation politique et administra¬

propre spécificité, fait partie de cette lame pourrait qu'être pire : une sorte de radica¬ tive précaire. Récemment, l'Etat syrien,

de fond qui secoue la région. La situation lisme sunnite soutenu, selon Bagdad, par sous la pression de la rue, a accordé la natio¬ insurrectionnelle syrienne a aussi précipi¬ l'Arabie Saoudite et les pays du Golfe nalité à 300 000 Kurdes qui n'avaient té la politique dans les territoires palesti¬ contre les chiites de larégion. aucun document d'identité. niens au point que s'est créée une tentati- . Ce faisant les chiites irakiens, malgré En résumé, ce n'est pas la première fois ve de rapprochement entre le Hamas et le leurs différends avec Téhéran, ne souhai¬ dans l'histoire de la région qu'un peuple

Fatah sans le consentement de Damas. Pis, tent pas voir une mainmise sunnite sur la presse son gouvernement vers plus

le Hamas découvre dans l'Egypte post¬ Syrie et le Liban. La chute des Alaouites à d'ouverture. La possibilité existait pour Moubarak une amitié nouvelle. Damas signifierait entre autres pour Bag¬ le pouvoir syrien, comme poiir d'autres Quant à la Jordanie, elle se trouve dadl'affaiblissementinévitable du Hezbol¬ dans le monde arabe, d'opter pour un

tiraillée entre sa traditionnelle hostilité au lah libanais, et partant, le recul du chiisme assouplissement, et une transition gra¬

parti Baas et sa crainte d'une mainmise dans la région. Rappelons que les chiites duelle. Il y a quelques mois encore le pou¬ des Frères musulmans sur l'encombrant irakiens, dans leur diversité, entretien¬ voir syrien prétendait être le c de la voisin syrien. Le roi Abdallah de Jordanie nent debons rapports avec ce pays etbeau¬ nation arabe. Aujourd'hui, la rue rappelle

n'ignore pas que des continuités existent coup y investissent de manière officielle à son tour que la Syrie est au centre du entre certaines populations du sud de la ou officieuse. monde arabe, mais pour réclamer plus de Syrie et celles du nord de son pays (à Le gouvernement de Nouri Al-Maliki démocratie, de liberté et de dignité Deraa), sans oublier une affinité régionale essaie depuis 2009 de créer une relation humaine. entre les Frères musulmans. Il évoquait en apaisée qui soit avantageuse économique¬ 2003 la crainte d'Une hypothèse de la for ment pour les deux Etats. Divers projets

17 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ôzeti

foeSeatttegflmes] july 9, 2011

At home in Turkey: staying with villagers in Kurdistan

A one-night homestay in Yuvacali in Turkish Kurdistan is a first-hand look at

village life in an ancient land.

Carol Pucci

Before most people are awake, Pero Salva has baked a day's worth of bread over an open fire, milked the cows, fed the chickens and used a broom made from twigs to sweep the dirt walkway in front of the house she shares with her husband and three children.

As the roosters crow and a muezzin sings the Muslim call to prayer, we take our places for breakfast on the floor around a table fashioned from a sheet of vinyl spread over a woven rug. Men on one side. Women on the other. CAROL PUCCI I SPECIAL TO THE SEATTLE TIMES Kurds were originally Nomadic sheepherders. Most families in Yuvacali in sou¬ Everything before us tomatoes and theastern Turkey keep a flock of sheep and use the milk to make yogurt and cheese cucumbers, cheese, yogurt, honey and sheets of warm bread was made or grown by the family, our hosts for a one- Tours was born. night homestay in the village of Yuvacali euuflfciA StOR6ià in Turkish Kurdistan. * htttftbul Painted bright lavender, a favorite color in this part of Turkey, the Salva family's TUJtiCIV Situated in the middle of Mesopotamia On,,nb.A<< one-story, concrete house has a small kit¬ Ssoliurfit., the flat, fertile plains between the Tigris IRAN chen and two rooms one used by the

and Euphrates rivers that were a cradle of A family for living, watching TV, eating and ^ Mft,ft| «**Q * civilization the towns and villages of sleeping, and the other for guests. The toi¬ southeast Turkey trace their history let is an outhouse and running water around 10,000 B.C. when bands of hunter- comes from a tap connected to tank on the roof filled with water pumped from a gatherers settled into communities and HHvan , ~ *£«***>**' became the first farmers. well. ,.'' \ .«Yuvacali Originally nomadic sheep and goat her¬ A / Sitting in the garden, sipping tea, we joi¬ N / ders, the Kurdish have their own lan¬ ned six other guests traveling together on guage and cultural traditions, much of \ ^> an Intrepid tour, and talked with Pero, 45, which was suppressed after Turkey and her husband, Halil, 46. became a republic in 1923 and the govern¬ ment pushed to unite ethnic groups THK SEATTLE TIMKS Hosting and cooking for groups of stran¬ under a national identity gers is hard work, Pero said, but it means woman married to a Kurdish man. she no longer has to pick cotton and gets Migration to the cities was encouraged, to work indoors, a relief in summer when She and her husband, Omer, had moved leaving rural outposts such as Yuvacali, temperatures can top 100. from Istanbul to his home in Yuvacali first settled more than 6,000 years ago, when they began looking for a project alone and on their own, often without She greeted us wearing a wispy lavender that might help improve the lives of the basic services such as running water and head scarf, a long polka-dot skirt and blue 700 or so residents, mainly subsistence electricity. sweater set. Halil wore traditional farmers with an average income of $1 per Kurdish-style trousers, baggy in the day. It wasn't that long ago that "Children crotch and tight around the legs. would go to school not knowing Turkish, Nearly everyone intermarries. (Villagers and not knowing how to hold a pencil," Villagers aren't particularly religious, but share just three last names). Disputes are says Bridget Purcell, an American anthro¬ they are conservative. The women in our settled by tribal elders. The rate of birth pologist who volunteers as a translator group followed Nomad's instructions to defects is high. There's no sewage system. for homestay guests. wear long skirts, considered more modest No garbage collection. No high school. than pants for sitting on the floor or mil¬ No Internet. Only 50 percent of villagers Traipsing about on a farm, learning how king animals. read or write. to milk sheep and bake bread while wea¬ ring an ankle-length skirt, wasn't part of Like most of the married villagers, Pero Alison had launched a project for the local the itinerary when my husband, Tom, and and Halil are first cousins. They support women to sell their handicrafts to a bouti¬ I began planning a trip to Turkey. But then themselves and their children, Faruk, 18; que in Istanbul, when an acquaintance I found Nomad Tours Turkey on the Web Fatih, 17; and Aylin, 10, by growing bar¬ from Australia's Intrepid Tours asked while doing some research, and emailed ley, wheat, lentils, cotton and peppers and about the possibility of homestays in the the founder, Alison Tanik, a British raising sheep, chickens and cows. Before area. She suggested Yuvacali, and Nomad

18 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ôzeti

the homestays, their only outside So far, there are just two host families, income came from the sale of the cheese but the homestays have done much to and yogurt that Pero makes in a hut bring a bit of the outside world to where she also does the cooking over a Yuvacali. wood fire. Nomad Tours has used the income to For lunch we ate her homemade lentil buy supplies for the school (the govern¬ soup and roasted vegetables and talked ment supplies only a building and a tea¬ about the differences in our home lives. cher), and launch a dental-hygiene pro¬ The nearest big city is 35 miles away, ject, with toothbrushes and toothpaste and like most women, Pero rarely leaves donated by homestay guests. the village. Men do the shopping and most other jobs that require going to Neither Pero nor Halil read or write, but town. their children go to school and are lear¬ ning English. All the money they earn

Walking around the village, past flat- from the homestays goes to pay for their roofed houses made of mud bricks, we education. saw women seated on the ground sewing cotton mattresses by hand. The result: Faruk plans to enter college Others were herding sheep in from the next year, and Fatih, who walks three pastures. Only women are allowed to miles each way to high school, will forgo bake bread and milk the animals, so the his usual job at a beach resort this sum¬ men in our group could only watch as CAROL PUCC1 1 STHE SEATTLE TIMES mer to stay home and hone his English we helped Pero milk, and joined her at a Homestay guests eat dinner at a skills. low table to roll out big circles of dough. "table" fashioned from a piece of vinyl spread over a woven rug. He is preparing for what everyone Dinner was "Turkish pizza," sheets of hopes will be his new career: official vil¬ the thin, round bread topped with min¬ lage homestay host. ced meat and herbs. Afterward, the in one room, men in an another, while family converted the dining room into a the family slept in an annex they built Carol Pucci: bedroom by blanketing the floor with for themselves off the main house. [email protected] floral-covered cotton mattresses filed with sheep's wool. We snuggled under Funding a future the covers slumber-party style, women The Yuvacali homestay project is small.

guardian JULY 12,2011

detained by Iranian forces in July Iraqi Kurds accuse Iran of 2009 and charged with spying after Tehran said they illegally crossing the illegal border crossing border. One of the hikers has since been released on bail, and all main¬ Choman for the past two weeks. tain they thought they were on the Previous Iranian attacks have kil¬ Iraqi side of the border when they YA^A^RZANJiyjAP)^ led sheep and birds that belonged to were arrested. Kurdish farmers, the lawmakers said. Earlier this month, Barzani, the SULAIMANIYAH, Iraq - The central Iraqi government in Kurdish regional government presi¬ Lawmakers from Iraq's semi-autono¬ Baghdad and the Kurdish regional dent, called on Tehran to discuss the. mous Kurdish region on Tuesday accu¬ government should press Iran to dispute. sed Iran of building on Iraqi soil the "stop these abuses" and should also Also Tuesday, a suicide bomber latest in an escalating border spat complain to the United Nations, said killed five members of a government- The three-province Kurdish Carwan Salih, chairman of the backed Sunni militia that has helped region in northern Iraq borders Iran. Kurdish parliament's defense com¬ U.S. forces fight al-Qaida. On Monday, a senior Iranian military mittee. The bomber drove an explosives- official accused the president of the Iran's border with Iraq's northern packed car into a security checkpoint Kurdish region, Massoud Barzani, of Sulaimaniyah province, porous and just outside the capital Baghdad in providing bases to an Iranian largely unmarked, has been at the the western suburb of Abu Ghraib, Kurdish opposition group, PEJAK. center of repeated sovereignty spats, according to two police officers. Iran reserves the right to attack those even as the Shiite-led governments of The checkpoint was guarded by bases on Iraqi soil, the official was Iran and Iraq try to strengthen their militiamen belonging to Sahwa, or quoted as saying. political ties. Awakening Councils. The group once On Tuesday, 10 lawmakers from A year ago, Iran built a small fort fought Americans but later joined the Iraqi Kurdish parliament visited on Iraqi land near the border village U.S. and Iraqi soldiers in one of the the village of Choman, about 10 kilo¬ of Haj Omran in an apparent attempt turning points of the Iraq war. meters from the Iranian border. They to protect Iranian troops from Sunni insurgents have since fre¬ said they saw Iranian workers paving PEJAK rebels, said Salih, the Kurdish quently targeted the group. roads in an area that has been shelled lawmaker. repeatedly by Iranian artillery. They The mountainous region is near said the Iranians have been in where three American hikers were

19 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ôzeti

McClatchy U.S. opens new consulate in july 10, 2011 Iraqi Kurdistan

The United States on Sunday opened its first consulate in Iraq's semiautonomous

Kurdistan region, a symbol of the normalization of U.S.-Iraqi relations as U.S. military for¬

ces withdraw and recognition of the dynamic growth of the Kurdish economy.

the United States and Britain esta¬ Iran are being used in attacks blished no-fly zones over the ethnic against American forces in Iraq,

By Roy Gutman Kurdish region. This provided "a part of an escalating campaign of

McClatchy Newspapers sort of safe haven" for Kurds, he violence ahead of the planned U.S. said, "and we were able to benefit withdrawal by year-end.

IRBIL, Iraq The United from that opportunity to work on a "We're seeing more of those States on Sunday opened its first reconstruction of our country and weapons going in from Iran, and consulate in Iraq's semiautono¬ building institutions here in the they've really hurt us," said region." mous Kurdistan region, a symbol of Panetta, who arrived in Baghdad on the normalization of U.S.-Iraqi Then in 2003, the Kurdish an unannounced visit after a two- relations as U.S. military forces Peshmerga militia took part in the day stop in Afghanistan. withdraw and recognition of the U.S.-led assault to overthrow U.S. officials said 15 U.S. troops dynamic growth of the Kurdish eco¬ Saddam. "With your assistance, we were killed in June, the most in any

nomy. were able to topple the dictatorial month in two years. More than half At the second such event in less regime in Iraq ... to provide the gol¬ of the deaths were caused by than a week, after dedication of a den opportunity for the people of rockets known as Improvised similar mission in Basra, the sou¬ Iraq to build a democratic country," Rocket Assisted Mortars that U.S. Barzani said. thern oil hub, U.S. Ambassador officials say are provided to Shiite James Jeffrey said America's "fon¬ The United States maintained extremist groups by Iran.

dest wish" is that a "strong and an active and large regional recons¬ Adm. Mike Mullen, the chair¬ vibrant Kurdistan region" within a truction team in Kurdistan until man of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and democratic and federal Iraq "arise now, and its local staff and U.S. other U.S. officials also have said from the tragic history of this diplomats will transfer to the new publicly in recent days that Iran is region." consulate. But it's somewhat behind the surge in violence against behind other major regional and He was referring to years of sup¬ the 46,000 U.S. troops remaining foreign powers in setting up a pression of Kurdish culture, the in Iraq. U.S. officials are stepping gassing of thousands of Kurds and diplomatic presence, following up the pressure on Iraqi Prime the wholesale displacement of Britain, France, Germany, Iran, Minister Nouri al-Maliki to resolve Kurds from traditional lands by the Kuwait, Russia and Turkey, among whether he will ask for some Saddam Hussein regime, which the others. American troops to remain beyond U.S. overthrew in the 2003 inva¬ Kurdistan's economy, suppor¬ the deadline.

sion. ted by the sale of oil, is thriving and By playing up the Iranian threat, expanding rapidly, compared to the Earlier, Edwin Fuller, president U.S. officials may be hoping to spur and managing director of interna¬ overall Iraqi economy. The skyline such a request from Iraq. tional lodging for Marriott in Irbil, the capital of the Kurdistan International, signed a deal to region, demonstrates an enormous manage a 200-room hotel and a 75- building boom. room executive-apartment complex Jeffrey, at the signing of the being built by a Kurdish partner. hotel agreement earlier in the after¬ The complex, which is rising near noon, took note of Kurdistan's Irbil airport, also represented a rapid growth in comparison to the vote of confidence by a top U.S. rest of the country. "Our motto," he business that the Kurdistan region, said, "is today, Irbil, tomorrow, all with its oil wealth, openness to the of Iraq." world and overall security, is hea¬

ding for a major boom. Panetta: More arms Kurdistan President Massoud coming from Iran Barzani said Kurds "will never for¬ get" U.S. support going back to the BAGHDAD - U.S. Defense Kurdish uprising in 1991, at the Secretary Leon Panetta said time of the Persian Gulf War, when Sunday that weapons supplied by

20 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ôzeti

/~><1 DECCÀN « Chronicle ij"»y 1020U

Mass grave with 222 bodies found in Iraq

Iraq - Shanafiyah - (AFP) - Accountability Commission

The remains of 222 people, which investigates issues probably Kurds killed under relating to the former regime,

Iraq's former regime in 1987, said he was informed there were extracted from a mass were 17 trenches at the site. grave south of Baghdad, the "It is possible there are authorities said on Sunday. hundreds of bodies in there," ;^â» "We have found 222 he said. ~5jr* >#*%*, bodies and we have transfer¬ "The mass graves are cri¬ *-«*- red them to the morgue in the mes against humanity com¬ province of Najaf," said mitted in 1987," said Human Karim Ziad, the official in Rights Minister Mohammed charge of mass graves at the Shia al-Sudani. "This is one of Department of Human 84 sites listed at our ministry, Rights. and we have completed work Iraqi authorities announ¬ on 34 of them," he said. ced on Wednesday they had Some of the 222 human remains, believed to be those of Kurds Widad Hatem, director of discovered another mass found in a mass grave, are marked with red flags, some 70 kms the Committee for Human grave with 900 corpses in the from Diwaniyah, south of Baghdad, on July 10, 2011. Rights in Diwaniyah's provin¬ Shanafiyah region near the Photo courtesy: AFP cial council, said women and city of Diwaniyah. children were among the vic¬ Ziad said several factors tims. executed and the Sunni Arab lion, according to various suggested that the victims, dictator intensified a crack¬ sources. Maghoul Abdullah, an old most with bullet wounds, down on Shiites suspected of man of more than 90, said he Human rights groups were Kurds killed during the sympathising with Iraq's pre¬ remembered people being believe there are hundreds of regime of ousted dictator dominantly Shiite neighbour. rounded up in town. mass graves in Iraq of people Saddam Hussein. Kurds were persecuted killed during Saddam's rule. "The security forces of the "The mass graves are because they were the main old regime evacuated the area Shortly after the 2003 made up of six trenches, and opposition to Saddam. and forced us to leave the invasion, the US-led coalition we have done (work) on only place. After a few days, large The number of people said there were 263 mass three of them," he said, sug¬ trucks took away people at missing as a result of atroci¬ reported graves of people exe¬ gesting the number of victims night, and we even clearly ties committed by Saddam, cuted in Iraq under Saddam, could be much higher. heard their cries," he said. who came to power in 1979, is including 40 containing evi¬ Dakhil Saihoud, provin¬ estimated at anywhere bet¬ dence of systematic killings. During Iraq's 1980-1988 cial head of the Justice and ween 300,000 and 1.3 mil war with Iran, deserters were

Aswat al-lraq f^ July 10, 2011

Kurdistan President says formation of regions, constitutional, strengthens Iraq's unity

ARBIL / Aswat al-lraq: The President of North Iraq's Kurdistan Region, Massoud Barzani, has expressed "sur¬ prise for warnings by Iraq's Prime Minister, Nouri al- Maliki, towards efforts to form other Regions in Iraq, rather than Kurdistan Region, saying that "the formation

of Regions is a legal and constitutional issue, that streng¬ Noteworthy is that Iraq's Prime Minister, Nouri al-Maliki, thens the unity of the Iraqi people, in difference with had warned in his meeting two days ago with different what Maliki had stated." Iraqi political parties, against "efforts to form other Regions (rather than Kurdistan), saying that "a measure "What is leading Iraq towards abyss is its non-commit¬ of such type shall lead towards secession and civil war, ment to the Constitution and not the call for the forma¬ exposing Iraq's unity for danger." tion of Regions," Barzani said in a statement, published by the Kurdistan Region's Presidency on Sunday, copy of which was received by Aswat al-lraq news agency.

21 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ozeti

ÎT 13 juillet 2011

IRAK Sans fédéralisme, l'implosion menace

Naguère ennemis jurés du fédéralisme, beaucoup de sunnites réclament désormais une

région autonome, en s' appuyant sur les résultats du Kurdistan irakien.

I Mouchriq Abbas I AI Hayat *. kj^.* *ft ^^t-^Sê^^f m

LES RECENTES allusions du prési¬ m dent du Parlement irakien, Oussama Al-

Nojaifi, à une "sécession sunnite" ne

doivent pas être prises comme une sim¬

ple saute d'humeur de sa part. Certes, il

affirme simplement vouloir exprimer

l'état de frustration qui règne au sein de

sa communauté, mais, en réalité, cela

est révélateur de l'évolution de l'opin¬

ion. Il fut un temps où les sunnites reje¬

taient catégoriquement tout ce qui était

contraire à l'unité du pays, mais,

aujourd'hui, ils sont de plus en plus

attentifs sinon au séparatisme, du moins

à l'idée de créer une région autonome Nojaifi a lui-même été parmi les plus membre de la coalition Al-lraqiya fà au sein de l'Irak. Aussi, les adeptes farouches opposants au fédéralisme. Il dominante sunnite], parle de l'échec de sunnites du fédéralisme ne passent plus n'hésite plus aujourd'hui à dire que "la la participation aux instances du gou¬ pour des "traîtres" et des "agents de marginalisation des sunnites et le fait vernement central. l'étranger". Ils sont désormais consid¬ qu'ils soient traités comme des citoyens érés comme les "défenseurs des droits de seconde zone les poussent au En finir avec la mixité religieuse des sunnites". A l'instar de la plupart séparatisme". De même, le vice- des dirigeants sunnites, Oussama Al- Premier ministre Saleh Al-Mutlak, Jusqu'à présent, les gouvernements

successifs ont cédé à un penchant

centralisateur encore très présent au Principaux groupes ethniques et religieux en Irak sein de l'appareil de l'Etat irakien.

Pourtant, le fédéralisme avait été évo¬ TURQUIE __-. ..._ qué dès 2003, et cette option reste

ouverte selon la Constitution. La situa¬

tion la plus claire est celle des Kurdes,

les seuls à disposer depuis des années

de leur autonomie au Kurdistan. Le

succès de celle-ci est tel qu'elle fait

réfléchir bon nombre d'Arabes sun¬

nites. Quand les dirigeants kurdes

déclarent qu'ils se réservent le droit à

i3S^i l'autodétermination pour le cas où la

Constitution ne serait pas intégralement IRAN appliquée, beaucoup de sunnites com¬ prennent qu'ils risquent de provoquer

TL définitivement l'éclatement du pays

s'ils continuent de s'arc-bouter sur "-"X l'Etat central. j._,

Par ailleurs, les dirigeants sunnites se plaignent de l'insuffisance de moyens

consacrés à la reconstruction, du piètre

état des services publics et de la dégra¬

v dation continue de la situation sécuri¬ taire dans les provinces à majorité sun¬

nite. Certains estiment même qu'il faudrait en finir avec la mixité confes¬ MftBiS \ / K"y**rfv sionnelle là où elle existe encore, puis SÂOUOtTE v

22 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ozeti

prendre en charge la politique sécuri¬ Ces objections sont toutefois balayées taire afin de pouvoir briser l'organisa¬ Cette population des régions sunnites par les adeptes du fédéralisme. Il sem¬ tion Al-Qaida. A cela s'ajoute ce que le se répartit sur quatre provinces. La pre¬ blerait qu'un certain nombre d'hommes député Dhafer Al-Ani (lui aussi mem¬ mière, au nord, est Ninive, avec la ville d'affaires sunnites influents aient formé

bre de la coalition Al-lraqiya) décrit de Mossoul. Plus au sud se trouve un groupe de pression pour défendre

comme "un sentiment d'injustice et de Salaheddine, avec la ville de Tikrit. A l'idée qu'il faudrait se débarrasser

marginalisation". Selon lui, les institu¬ l'ouest, la province d'Al-Anbar, avec la d'une administration centrale trop

tions, les appareils sécuritaires et l'ar¬ ville de Ramadi, la plus grande du lourde afin de pouvoir attirer les

mée sont méthodiquement vidés de pays. Finalement, à l'est, la province investissements étrangers. Par ailleurs, leurs dirigeants sunnites. Parmi quar¬ de Diyali, avec la ville de Baakouba. A ils rappellent que de récents forages

ante dirigeants militaires au ministère ces provinces s'ajoutent des territoires indiquent que la région sunnite

de la Défense, seulement quatre dont le statut est moins certain. Un recèlerait d'énormes quantités de gaz

seraient sunnites et "sur cent quatre- bout de la province de Kirkouk [dis¬ naturel, ainsi que du soufre et des

vingts reçus à l'académie militaire, dix putée par Kurdes, Arabes et minéraux, ce qui permettrait d'en faire

tout au plus viennent des provinces Turkmènes] reste suspendu aux négoci¬ une région économiquement floris¬ sunnites". Il ajoute que la télévision ations sur les revenus [pétroliers], ainsi sante. A cela s'ajoutent les richesses

choisit toujours des sunnites lorsqu'il qu'une partie de la province de hydrauliques et agricoles, ainsi que la

s'agit de montrer des images de terror¬ Bagdad, le nord de la province de situation géographique de la région sur

istes. "Cela s'apparente à une stigmati¬ Babel et quelques portions des les voies d'approvisionnement vers la

sation du groupe tout entier, alors provinces de Wassit et de Kerbala. A Syrie, la Turquie, la Jordanie et

qu'on oublie de parler des miliciens cela s'ajoute le fait que les autres com¬ l'Arabie Saoudite. chiites qui font couler le sang irakien", munautés pourraient revendiquer des

affirme-t-il. Il rappelle également que territoires faisant actuellement partie du Et qu'en est-il de l'attitude des pays

"la loi sur la 'débaasification' avait été "territoire sunnite". Ainsi, les Kurdes voisins ? En Turquie, les officiels

adoptée afin d'éliminer les personnal¬ revendiquent le territoire qui s'étend de n'ont fait aucune déclaration à ce sujet.

ités sunnites de la haute administra¬ la plaine de Ninive au nord-est de Quant à l'Iran, il ne semble pas

tion". Mossoul. De même, la province de souhaiter la fédéralisation de l'Irak,

Kerbala [chiite] revendique un bout de puisque la région sunnite lui couperait

Ce changement de discours sunnite celle d'Al-Anbar. Troisièmement, la l'accès terrestre vers la Syrie. D'un

provoque de la stupéfaction chez les création d'une région autonome sunnite autre côté, il paraît évident que les pays

chiites. Car leurs propres demandes de risque de créer une situation délicate arabes [du Golfe] et les Etats-Unis fer¬

création d'une région autonome chiite pour ceux qui vivent dans des poches ont tout pour éviter que l'Iran établisse

dans le Sud irakien se sont toujours sunnites à l'intérieur des provinces chi¬ sa domination totale sur l'ensemble de

heurtées au refus d'instaurer un ites, telles que le département de Tel- l'Irak au moment même où il risque de

fédéralisme ayant une base confession¬ Afar à Mossoul, le département de Al- perdre son allié syrien. Quoi qu'il en

nelle. Beaucoup d'éléments plaident Dujail à Salaheddine et quelques autres soit, l'Irak étant situé à l'intersection

donc en faveur d'une fédéralisation de à Diyali, ainsi qu'à Bagdad... Bref, un des trois blocs antagonistes de la

l'Irak. Cela ne doit néanmoins pas faire partage confessionnel du territoire Turquie au nord, de l'Iran à l'est et des

oublier un certain nombre de faits irakien risquerait d'être non pas la pays arabes à l'ouest et au sud, il

géopolitiques et démographiques qui solution, mais le début des problèmes, risque à tout instant de retomber dans

s'y opposent. Il convient tout d'abord voire de déclencher une guerre civile l'instabilité et dans les tensions confes¬

de définir précisément le périmètre de dont les sunnites seraient les princi¬ sionnelles si les équilibres géos¬

la région sunnite. Elle s'étend sur près pales victimes. tratégiques entre les voisins venaient à

de 220 000 kilomètres carrés, c'est-à- être perturbés. A cela s'ajoute le facteur

dire un peu plus de la moitié de Washington pour le fédéralisme américain : les Etats-Unis semblent l'ensemble du territoire irakien [434 pencher en faveur du fédéralisme, esti¬

920 kilomètres carrés]. Le nombre Un autre fait qu'il faut avoir à l'esprit mant qu'à terme cela privera Téhéran

d'habitants s'y élève à environ 7 mil¬ est que le territoire sunnite est pratique¬ des moyens de régner en maître sur la

lions [sur un total d'environ 31 mil¬ ment dépourvu de richesses naturelles politique irakienne.

lions]. Ces chiffres sont une estimation puisque les réserves de pétrole se trou¬

à partir des statistiques du ministère de vent surtout dans le Sud [à dominante

la Santé. chiite, ainsi que dans le Nord kurde].

Turquie: deux soldats Deux voitures ont été retrouvées vides sur une route proche de la localité de Lice, près de Diyarbakir, la plus grande ville du sud-est, l'une apparte¬ et un fonctionnaire nant à deux soldats en permission et l'autre à un fonctionnaire des services de santé, selon ces sources. enlevés dans le sud-est Des témoins disent avoir vu des militants armés du PKK, le Parti des travail¬ leurs du Kurdistan, qui stoppaient ces véhicules circulant de nuit. Des DIYARBAKIR (Turquie), 10 juil 2011 (AFP) recherches, appuyées par hélicoptères, ont été lancées pour retrouver les disparus.

DEUX SOLDATS TURCS et un fonctionnaire ont été enlevés dans l'est Le PKK, qui est considéré comme une organisation terroriste par Ankara et de la Turquie, ont indiqué dimanche des sources militaires, qui impu¬ de nombreux pays, lutte pour la défense des droits des Kurdes de Turquie, tent ces enlèvements aux rebelles kurdes. qui représentent 12 à 15 millions des 73 millions d'habitants de Turquie.

23 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ôzeti

13 juillet 2011

israël-syrie : Le régime baasiste peut bien s'effondrer

Israël ne sem ble plus effrayé par 1 instabilité qui régnerait à ses frontières si Bachar El-Assad était

renversé. Même une prise du pouvoir par les Frères musulmans ne suscite pas de craintes.

Pour l'instant, le soulèvement ne con¬

I Ron Ben-Yishaî I Yediot Aharonot cerne que la majorité arabe sunnite des

régions périphériques, et c'est pourquoi

ces dernières constituent la cible priori¬ LE MINISTRe de la Défense, Ehoud taire de la répression déclenchée avec Barak, affirme que le régime de Bachar succès par le régime baasiste. Mais l'is¬ El-Assad a perdu toute légitimité et qu'il sue reste incertaine, et le vent pourrait tombera d'ici un an. Plusieurs respons¬ tourner au détriment du régime si ceux ables de l'armée et des renseignements qui sont le plus à même de le menacer israéliens sont également persuadés que entraient en scène : les nombreux le régime a définitivement perdu le con¬ mécontents au sein de la communauté trôle des régions périphériques. Mais, alaouite, en particulier ceux qui n'appar- tant à l'étranger qu'en Israël, d'autres liennent pas aux clans familiaux El- experts estiment au contraire que le Assad et Makhlouf [cousins des pre¬ régime syrien a de sérieuses chances de miers]. A court terme, le régime baasiste s'en sortir. Bachar et les siens sont déter¬ ayant encore la main, ses responsables minés ; l'armée et les appareils de sécu¬ © Dessin de Herrmann paru dans la Tribune de s'abstiendront sans doute de déclencher rité restent loyaux et sont en passe Genève, Suisse. les hostilités contre Israël car cela ne d'écraser méthodiquement et les uns ferait qu'affaiblir davantage le régime et après les autres les foyers de la contesta¬ Nord. renforcer les insurgés. Mais, si le régime tion ; l'opposition syrienne est fragile et se sent réellement acculé, peut-être sera- divisée ; la communauté internationale Dépendant de l'Iran t-il tenté par une confrontation avec et les Etats-Unis ne prendront jamais de Israël. Cependant, ce scénario extrême mesures effectives. Un troisième groupe ethno-confessionnel ne sera sans doute pas à l 'ordre du jour ne s'est pas encore joint au soulèvement avant plusieurs semaines ou plusieurs En Syrie, trois secteurs menacent poten¬ : les druzes. Dans le djebel Druze, aux mois. Le régime pourrait également tiellement le régime baasiste. Le premier confins du sud-est de la Syrie, ce ne sont encourager à nouveau de jeunes secteur est constitué de la bourgeoisie pourtant pas les guerriers et les armes Palestiniens à se ruer vers la frontière laïque des grandes villes (Damas et qui manquent. Mais, fidèles au principe israélienne pour s'y faire abattre par les Alep), dont les classes moyennes de la takiya, qui autorise les druzes à soldats israéliens et dévier ainsi quelque citadines, qu'elles soient sunnites, vivre sous quelque pouvoir que ce soit, peu la pression internationale. Rappelons alaouites ou chrétiennes, hésitent à sans s'y opposer et sans y adhérer, ces toutefois que l'envie des Palestiniens de rejoindre les manifestations. Elles ne derniers préfèrent attendre de voir de Syrie de participer à un tel scénario s'est craignent pas tant la répression que la quel côté penchera la balance avant de se trouvée freinée. Enfin, si le régime d' El- longue période d'instabilité, voire la prononcer. Assad parvient à se maintenir, peut-être guerre civile qui pourrait éclater après la s'estimera-t-il trop affaibli pour s'en¬ chute du régime. Le deuxième secteur de A ces trois groupes, il faut ajouter les gager dans une confrontation avec Israël. population qui hésite encore à participer réfugiés palestiniens, dont plusieurs cen¬ Cependant, vu son affaiblissement, le activement au soulèvement est la taines de milliers [470 000] résident devenir d'El-Assad dépendra davantage minorité kurde, forte de 1,7 million dans les quartiers périphériques des du bon vouloir de l'Iran, lequel pourrait d'âmes. Opprimés et paupérisés, les grandes villes du centre et du sud du exiger que le Hezbollah rompe avec la Kurdes ont certes de bonnes raisons de pays. Bénéficiant des largesses du retenue observée jusqu'ici. se soulever contre le régime baasiste, régime, certaines organisations palestini¬ tandis qu'ils regardent avec envie les ennes lui sont redevables, et ce sont elles Tout bénéfice pour Israël résultats engrangés par leurs frères qui ont organisé les marches de quelques d'Irak, voire de Turquie. Mais, si des centaines de réfugiés palestiniens sur le Un ultime scénario reste la chute d'El- manifestations ont éclaté dans certaines plateau du Golan [pour dénoncer l'occu¬ Assad et de son régime. Si les Frères localités comme Qamishli, à la frontière pation israélienne]. Néanmoins, majori¬ musulmans deviennent l'acteur domi¬ turque, les Kurdes ne se sont pas encore tairement sunnites, les Palestiniens de nant, ce ne sera pas de bon augure pour décidés à dégainer. La répression d'une Syrie éprouvent davantage de sympathie le long terme, vu l'arsenal chimique et main de fer des dernières émeutes [print¬ pour leurs coreligionnaires syriens à la bactériologique dont dispose la Syrie. emps 2005] a sans doute laissé des tête des manifestations et considèrent Cependant, après la chute du régime baa¬ traces, tandis que l'octroi de la citoyen¬ non seulement que ces marches contre siste, les Syriens auront longtemps fort à neté syrienne à 400 000 Kurdes qui en Israël sont vaines et risquées, mais égale¬ faire pour consolider le nouveau régime étaient privés depuis des décennies a ment qu'elles n'ont pour but que de politique, relever une économie en lam¬ permis de neutraliser le risque d'une sauver un régime syrien honni. beaux et ne pas s'aliéner un soutien occi¬ extension de la contestation dans le dental (et turc) dont ils auront désespéré-

24 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ôzeti

ment besoin. en général envers les ayatollahs et le faire happer dans la tourmente syrienne

Hezbollah libanais. De même, il n'est pas et réfléchir à tête reposée à la meilleure

A l'aune des relations entre l'Iran et le impossible que, pour sortir leur commu¬ réponse à apporter à la menace que font

Hezbollah, la chute du régime baasiste ne nauté de l'isolement, des alaouites haut toujours planer la Syrie et le Hezbollah.

pourra être que tout bénéfice pour Israël. gradés finissent par pousser El-Assad

Il n'est pas difficile d'imaginer la haine vers la sortie. Quoi qu'il en soit, Israël va

des sunnites et de l'opposition syrienne devoir s'armer de patience, éviter de se

Le président du Kurdistan d'Irak proteste contre des bombardements iraniens

ERBIL (Irak), 3 juil 2011 (AFP) des irakiennes qui abritent des indépendantistes du PJAK, un mouvement séparatiste kurde iranien qui opère à partir de bases établies dans les mon¬ tagnes du Kurdistan irakien. LE PRÉSIDENT DU Kurdistan irakien, Massoud Barzani, a protesté dimanche contre des bombardements menés selon lui par l'Iran sur Le dernier bombardement a visé jeudi Haj Omrane, un poste frontière à 70 km au nord-est d'Erbil, la capitale du Kurdistan d'Irak. cette région autonome frontalière du nord de l'Irak.

"Nous condamnons les tirs indiscriminés de l'artillerie iranienne contre des "Au lieu de susciter la peur, ils (les Iraniens) feraient mieux de tenter de citoyens dans la région frontalière du Kurdistan. Cette action est injustifiée régler le problème par le dialogue et de trouver des solutions valables", a et peut affecter les relations entre l'Iran et la région autonome du Kurdistan", ajouté M. Barzani. affirme-t-il dans un communiqué publié sur son site internet. Selon lui, "les récents tirs d'artillerie ont causé des dommages dans les vil¬

Les forces iraniennes bombardent régulièrement des zones frontalières kur lages et les fermes de la région et ont forcé les villageois à s'enfuir".

L'Iran menace d'attaquer les rebelles kurdes iraniens au Kurdistan d'Irak

TEHERAN, 11 juil 2011 (AFP) Selon ce responsable, ce territoire est "long de 150 km et profond de 20 km" le long de la frontière nord-ouest de l'Iran.

L'IRAN "se réserve le droit" d'attaquer les bases du mouvement sépa¬ Le 3 juillet, M. Barzani avait protesté contre des bombardements menés ratiste kurde iranien PJAK au Kurdistan irakien, a déclaré un haut res¬ selon lui par l'Iran sur cette région autonome frontalière du nord de l'Irak.

ponsable militaire cité lundi par l'agence officielle IRNA. "Nous condamnons les tirs indiscriminés de l'artillerie iranienne contre des

"Nous nous réservons le droit de détruire les bases terroristes dans les citoyens dans la région frontalière du Kurdistan. Cette action est injustifiée zones frontalières" entre l'Iran et le Kurdistan irakien, selon ce haut respon¬ et peut affecter les relations entre l'Iran et la région autonome du Kurdistan", sable militaire qu'IRNA n'a pas identifié. avait-il affirmé dans un communiqué.

"Nous n'autorisons pas les terroristes à s'installer en territoire irakien avec Les forces iraniennes bombardent régulièrement des zones frontalières kur¬ des irakiennes, d'où selon Téhéran opèrent des indépendantistes du PJAK. le soutien des Etats-Unis et du régime sioniste (ndlr: Israël) pour agresser

l'Iran. Nous agirons contre ces terroristes", a-t-il souligné. Le dernier bombardement a visé jeudi Haj Omrane, un poste frontière à 70

Il a accusé Massoud Barzani, le président du Kurdistan irakien, d'avoir "sans km au nord-est d'Erbil, la capitale du Kurdistan d'Irak.

informer le gouvernement de Bagdad mis à la disposition du PJAK un terri¬ Les régions de l'ouest de l'Iran, où vit une importante minorité kurde, sont le toire de trois cents mille hectares pour y créer des bases d'entrainement et théâtre d'affrontements périodiques entre les forces iraniennes et des mou¬ mener des actions terroristes contre l'Iran". vements rebelles armés kurdes.

Irak: Les Kurdes ont refusé de prendre Kirkouk par la force (responsable)

BAGDAD, 14 juil 2011 (AFP) peuple de manière démocratique et pacifique en s'appuyant sur la Constitution", a-t-il encore dit.

LES KURDES auraient pu s'emparer par la force de la riche province "Nous avons montré de la flexibilité envers les Turcomans et les Arabes et pétrolière de Kirkouk mais ne l'ont pas fait pour ne pas infliger à autrui maintenant c'est à eux de faire la même chose pour arriver à appliquer l'ar¬ ce qu'eux-même avaient subi dans le passé, a affirmé Masrour Barzani, ticle de la Constitution concernant Kirkouk", a-t-il souligné.

37 ans, directeur du service de sécurité du Kurdistan irakien. L'article 140 de la Constitution prévoit un recensement et un référendum

"Les Kurdes auraient pu occuper Kirkouk, mais ont refusé de le faire car il concernant Kirkouk et d'autres régions disputées entre Kurdes et Arabes ont été eux-mêmes victimes de tels actes et nous ne voulons pas donner pour connaître le souhait des citoyens et ceci avant le 31 décembre 2007. l'impression qu'il s'agit d'une vengeance pour les années de souffrances Ceci n'a jamais eu lieu en raison des tensions etniques.

endurées", a déclaré jeudi au Ashqarq al-Awsat, un quotidien arabophone Les peshmergas ou combattants kurdes ont profité de l'invasion américaine publié à Londres, le fils du chef du Kurdistan irakien Massoud Barzani. de 2003 pour progresser vers le Sud et l'Ouest, revendiquant le caractère

La dispute entre Bagdad et le Kurdistan trouve son origine dans l'arabisa¬ kurde de Kirkouk, et de zones dans les provinces de Salaheddine, Diyala tion au début des années 1990 de ces territoires par le président déchu (centre) et Ninive (nord).

Saddam Hussein, qui a forcé 120.000 Kurdes à fuir vers le nord, selon l'or¬ Depuis, les deux camps s'accusent de vouloir modifier l'équilibre démogra¬ ganisation des droits de l'Homme Human Rights Watch. phique pour contrôler les richesses de ces régions.

Selon Masrour Barzani, "la direction kurde veut recouvrer les droits de son

25 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ôzeti

KeraUuSftrUrane JULY11'2011

tigation found no meaningful operation- «entâflB&ilnuie JULY15'2011 Panetta calls ,al link between the two. After the inva¬ sion, Al Qaeda fighters did pour into Iraq to open attacks on the American EDITORIAL military.

for decision Mr. Panetta arrived in Iraq on Sunday from Afghanistan, and his visit was not announced in advance. His itinerary in¬ DRAWDOWN IN IRAQ on troops cluded a meeting Monday with Mr. Ma¬

liki. Defense officials said that Mr. Pan- Baghdad needs to decide quickly etta's top priority in the meeting from Iraqi aside from pressing for a decision about whether it wants a small American military force to remain. i "I'd like things to move a lot BAGHDAD

faster here, frankly." President Obama is mlfilling his promise to wind down the Pressure is put on Maliki Iraq war. When he took office, there were about 142,000 American troops was to urge him to American troops on the ground ; now there are 46,000. All are to tell U.S. if he wants go after Shiite militias that the United supposed to be gone by Dec. 31 under a 2008 agreement be¬

forces to stay into 2012 States says are using Iranian-supplied tween Washington and Baghdad. weapons to attack American forces in The war has already cost more than 4,450 American lives Iraq. BY ELISABETH BUMILLER and hundreds of billions of dollars over eight long years. We Mr. Panetta, who warned about the are eager to see all of our troops out of harm's way. But if Iraq Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta Iranian weapons on Sunday, intensified requests it, there are legitimate reasons to keep a small force pressured Prime Minister Nuri Kamal his words on Monday. Last month, 15 there if the mission is carefully drawn. Iraq still needs help al-Maliki of Iraq on Monday to tell the American troops died in Iraq, nine in at¬ United States whether he wanted some tacks by rockets supplied by Iran, U.S. building its military and calming tensions between Arabs and American troops to remain into 2012, al¬ officials said. The attacks made June the Kurds in the north. A small U.S. force there is talk of 8,000 to bloodiest month for American combat- though Mr. Panetta predicted that the : 15,000 troops would also send a big message to Iraq and all oi related fatalities since June 2008. U.S. military would have an "enduring ; its neighbors that Washington is not ceding the region to Iran. presence' ' for many years in the Middle ; "We cannot just simply stand back Tehran has been increasing its meddling in recent months. East. and allow this to continue to happen," Experts say most Iraqi factions want the Americans to re¬ "I'd like things to move a lot faster Mr. Panetta said. "I assure you that this main a while longer. No Iraqi politicians have been willing to here, frankly, in 'terms of the decision¬ is not something we're just going to making process," Mr. Panetta told a walk away from. We're going to take say that publicly. Their fractious political system indulges gathering of American troops as he ex¬ this on, straight on." foot-dragging well beyond the 11 th hour. pressed exasperation with the Iraqi Mr. Panetta said that American forces The Obama administration, which has demanded an an¬ were already responding to the threat government and pushed Mr. Maliki to swer for months, is understandably frustrated. "Do they make a key government appointment. "unilaterally," implying that they were want us to stay, don't they want us to stay?" Defense Secre¬ "Do they want us to stay, don't they taking offensive action on their own, tary Leon Panetta said in Baghdad on Monday, adding: want us to stay? Do they want to get a without Iraqi troops alongside. U.S. mil¬ "Dammit, make a decision." minister of defense, or don't they want itary officials would not specify what he The logistics of withdrawal are complicated. But the ad¬ to get a minister of defense?" He con¬ meant. cluded, "Damn it, make a decision ! " All 46,000 remaining American troops ministration is pleading too hard. This has to be an Iraqi de¬ Making his first visit to Iraq as de¬ in Iraq are scheduled to leave by the end cision, and Iraqis have to live with the consequences. If of this year under an agreement be¬ fense secretary, Mr. Panetta also said Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki or any other leaders tween the two countries, but both Iraqi flatly before he and a Pentagon really want an extension on the 2008 withdrawal agreement, spokesman qualified his remarks and U.S. military commanders believe : they need to speak up and they need to tell their supporters that U.S. forces were in Iraq because of that some American forces should stay why this is good for the country. Uniting in common cause is the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. That was beyond 2011. their best hope of neutralizing Moktada al1Sadr, whose pro- part of the narrative advanced by the Few Iraqi politicians are willing to ad¬

White House under President George mit publicly that they need American Iran faction has long insisted that all U.S. troops must leave. W, Bush, particularly by Vice President help, but Obama administration officials If a residual U.S. force stays, the mandate should be carefully Dick Cheney, but it is now discredited. say the United States will consider stay¬ drawn: gathering intelligence and, when needed, supporting ing only if the Iraqis ask. "The reason you guys are here is be¬ Iraqi forces in going after insurgents ; continuing military cause on 9/11 the United States got at¬ The subject is particularly sensitive training ; and conducting joint patrols with Arabs and Kurds tacked, and 3,000 not just Americans, because the anti-American cleric Mok- along the disputed internal border. Iraq's government must but 3,000 human beings got killed, inno¬ tada al-Sadr helped the current govern¬ commit to aggressively going after Shiite militias that have in¬ cent human beings, because of Al ment come to power. Mr. Sadr has said creasingly targeted U.S. troops. Any deployment should be re¬ Qaeda," Mr. Panetta told U.S. Army many times that the United States troops at Camp Victory, the sprawling should leave immediately. viewed periodically to see if it is needed and still makes sense. American military base in Baghdad. Mr. Panetta's remarks demanding President Obama has concluded the American combat role that Mr. Maliki make a decision were Later, Mr. Panetta told reporters that in Iraq and is beginning the drawdown in Afghanistan. He I the strongest on the subject to date from he was not speaking of the reasons for ! must be held accountable for his promises but also be pre¬ the 2003 American-led invasion, but , the Obama administration. U.S. officials pared to modify his policy when needed. If Iraq asks, we rather was referring to events after¬ say that if the Iraqis wait too long to think he should say yes. But only if Iraq asks. ward. "I wasn't saying, you know, the make a formal request, it will come too invasion, or going into the issues or the late, given the complexity of military justification of that," Mr. Panetta said. I withdrawals. "It was. more the fact that we really had ' Once the Americans withdraw com- to deal with Al Qaeda here.' ' ' pletely, they say, it would be expensive In the prelude to the 2003 war, Bush and difficult politically in both the administration officials repeatedly cited United States and Iraq to bring them ties between Al Qaeda and Saddam back. Hussein's Iraq, but a government inves

26 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ozeti

Hcralo__i£_nbun

aged by what he saw. U.S. raises alarm on flow "I think the bottom line is we are on the.right path here," he said. On Saturday on his way to Kabul, Mr. of arms from Iran to Iraq Panetta said the United States was "within reach of strategically defeating Al Qaeda" and that the U.S. focus had tration does" hot just as a threat to BAGHDAD narrowed to capturing or killing 10 to 20 American troops but also as a potential crucial leaders of the terrorist group in cancer in a future Iraq. BY ELISABETH BUMILLER Pakistan, Somalia and Yemen. "The key right now is to make sure, They were Mr. Panetta's first public that we do everything possible to ensure Leon E. Panetta, U.S. defense secretary, remarks in his new post and among the that the Iraqis within their own country said Sunday that weapons he said were most positive from a senior U.S. nation¬ are doing what they can to stop the flow supplied by Iran had become a "tre¬ al security official about the decade-old of those weapons and to stop the Shia mendous concern" for the United States war against Al Qaeda , founded by from using them," Mr. Panetta said. in recent weeks in Iraq, where more Osama bin Laden, that was responsible U.S. officials say that Iran supplies the American troops died in June than in for the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. militias with high-powered rockets and any month over the last three years. Mr. Panetta, who as director of the parts for bombs that can pierce armor. "We're seeing more of those weapons C.IA. ran the U.S. commando raid that In June, 15 American troops were killed going in from Iran, and they've really killed Bin Laden in Pakistan on May 2, in Iraq, 9 of them in high-powered rock¬ hurt us," Mr. Panetta said before arriv¬ said that vanquishing the terrorist net¬ et attacks, U.S. officials said. ing here on an unannounced trip, his first work was one of his most important to the Iraqi capital as defense secretary. Mr. Panetta is in Iraq as all 46,000 re¬ goals as defense secretary. maining American troops are with¬ Mr. Panetta is the third top American Gen. David H. Petraeus, the top U.S. drawing this year under an agreement official to raise an alarm about Iranian commander in Afghanistan who is between the two countries. Both Iraqi influence in Iraq in recent days. The leaving Kabul this month to take Mr. and U.S. military commanders believe American ambassador to Iraq, James F. Panetta's place as C.I.A. director in that some American forces should st^y Jeffrey, recently said that the United September said later Saturday in Ka¬ beyond the end of the year, but few Iraqi States had "forensic proof" that bul that "enormous damage" had been weapons and weapons parts from Iran politicians are willing to admit publicly done to Al Qaeda in the northwest fron¬ were being used by Shiite militias that they need U.S. help. Obama admin- tier of Pakistan but that elements of the istration officials say they will consider against American troops. His remarks organization would exist for some time. were echoed by Adm. Mike Mullen, the staying only if the Iraqis ask. "The brand will be out there," he said. Mr. Panetta arrived in Baghdad from chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. General Petraeus said that 50 to 100 Mr. Panetta's comments, made a day Helmand Province in Afghanistan, Qaeda insurgents remained in the re¬ before he is to meet with the Iraqi prime where he met with U.S. marines and mote Afghan provinces of Kunar and minister, Nuri Kamal al-Maliki, were Afghan Army soldiers at Camp Dwyer, a Nuristan, on the rugged border with Pa¬ aimed at urging the Iraqi military to sprawling military base and the site of a kistan. take more action against Shiite militias busy medevac hospital in the southern and to see Iran as the Obama adminis desert. Mr. Panetta said he was encour

DMy July 16, 2011 Turkey investigates Kurdish autonomy declaration

deputy chairwoman Aysel Tugluk said on Thursday, rea¬ reuters ding out the DTK declaration.

* Declaration coincided with killing of 13 soldiers Around the same time, the first reports emerged of the * Kurdish party offices hit by petrol bomb attack attack in the mountains to the east of Diyarbakir. Turkey's chief of staff said in a statement that grenades thrown by DIYARBAKIR: Turkish prosecutors have launched an Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) guerrillas ignited a fire in a investigation into a declaration of "democratic autonomy" heavily forested area and 13 soldiers died in the blaze. It said by an umbrella group for Kurdish non-governmental seven soldiers were wounded. groups, the prosecutor's office said on Friday.

The Firat news agency, which has close links to the PKK, The declaration could fuel tensions in Turkey after an disputed the official version with a report quoting a witness upsurge in Kurdish militant activity and a boycott of parlia¬ saying a Turkish warplane targeted the militants in an air ment by Kurdish deputies. strike which also killed the soldiers positioned nearby.

The Democratic Society Congress (DTK) announcement Subsequently, unknown assailants launched a petrol bomb coincided with a clash which killed 13 Turkish soldiers and attack on offices of the main Kurdish BDP party in the capi¬ seven Kurdish armed rebels in the mainly Kurdish southeas¬ tal Ankara overnight, broadcaster NTV reported. The tern province of Diyarbakir on Thursday. Diyarbakir prose¬ attack caused a small fire but there were no reports of any cutors were scrutinising the declaration at the DTK mee¬ casualties. ting, attended by 850 delegates in the city, and could open a

court case against leading members of the congress. 'As the The killing of the soldiers came as troops conducted opera¬ Kurdish people we declare democratic autonomy, remaining tions near Diyarbakir to rescue three people, two of them bound to the national unity of the peoples of Turkey," soldiers, kidnapped by the PKK last weekend.

27 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ozeti

m Rudaw.Net Kirkuk Officials Divided Over US

12 July 2011 Troop Extension

RUDAW

Kirkuk officials are divided over

whether US troops should remain

stationed in Iraq's disputed areas, a key

concern as US President Barack

Obama's administration presses

Baghdad to decide whether they want a

limited American military presence in

Iraq in 2012.

Rakan al-Jibburi, an Arab member

of Kirkuk's Provincial Council, is one

official opposed to keeping US troops

in his oil-rich province, which is clai¬

med by Arabs, Turkmen and Kurds. If

they stay, US troops are likely to be sta¬ US soldiers on patrol in Kirkuk, Iraq. Photo by Ayub Nuri. tioned in Kirkuk and other disputed

areas.

Some Iraqi and Kurdish officials "The presence of US troops has to plays a role in this." argue that the presence of US troops in do with the people of Iraq and the Kirkuk witnessed a number of vio¬ the disputed territories will guarantee Americans should not make such a lent attacks this year, including a dou¬ stability, but Jibburi told Rudaw that decision on their own," he said. ble car bombing in front of the city's the presence of US troops only worsens Kirkuk's Governor Najmaldin main police station that killed at least the situation. Karim, a Kurd, told Rudaw in a pre¬ 15 people and injured dozens more. "Their presence is a risk to those vious interview that some American Kamal believes American troops will areas because wherever Americans are, troops should stay in Kirkuk once the help the province's security. that area will never improve," he said. rest have pulled out of Iraq. "If the forces stay, security will "The security situation will deteriorate. Muhammad Kamal, a member of improve especially now there is a kind The Americans are not very well- Kirkuk's Security and Safety of security vacuum and the situation in liked." Commission, said his commission Kirkuk isn't very good," he said. According to Jibburi, Arabs in doesn't have any problems with the Ali Mahdi, a Turkmen member of Kirkuk, which has been called a "pow¬ Americans staying in Kirkuk beyond the Security and Safety Commission, der keg" because different groups clai¬ their 2011 deadline. opposes the extension of US troops in ming the land, oppose extending the "We don't oppose American troops the disputed areas but said the decision US troop deployment. in the disputed territories especially if lies with Baghdad. He said the decision over whether their deployment is to prevent clashes "These areas have various religious US troops should stay needs to be between the area's different ethnic and ethnic groups," Mahdi said. "In made by Iraqis, not Americans. groups. In fact we support their pre¬ that case, neither the US troops nor the The Obama administration has sence because their forces are neutral." locals will have any easy time. The indicated it would be willing to delay He accused Iraqi troops of miscon¬ security will not improve either. It will the withdrawal of some US troops, who duct and creating trouble for the pro¬ only get worse. are scheduled to pull out in December vince. "We prefer Iraqi troops because 2011, upon the Iraqi government's "The Iraqi forces often stir ethnic they are official government troops," request. Iraqi officials, however, have sentiments and work against the he added. "And we want to see an end yet to decide whether they want an Kurds," Kamal said. "There are indica¬ to all other armed groups that threaten extension. tions that the Iraqi government's policy Kirkuk's security."

Bloomberg Kurdish crude will boost Iraq reserves July 17, 2011 Oil from region will result in 21 % boost

BAGHDAD: Iraq may raise its proven oil reserves by 21 per cent (bpd) by 2017, he said. Iraq, home to the world's fifth-biggest oil

after adding those from the semi- autonomous Kurdish region, reserves, is struggling to boost energy exports, the main source of

Hussain Al Shahristani, deputy prime minister for energy affairs, revenue, to help rebuild an economy shattered by years of conflict,

said yesterday. economic sanctions and sabotage. The country has signed 15 gas and oil licences since the 2003 US-led invasion of Iraq that ousted

Iraq's oil reserves may increase to 1 73 billion barrels by adding 30 the regime of President Saddam Hussain.

billion barrels of Kurdish oil, Al Shahristani said in a speech to

ambassadors at the Foreign Ministry in Baghdad. The country's Iraq will sign contracts before the end of the year to add 7,500

crude production capacity will rise to 12 million barrels per day megawatts of electricity production cap-acity, he said.

28 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ôzeti

\>t$m jjorkfftmeg JULY H 2011

Kurdish Rebels Kill 13 Turkish Soldiers

By SEBNEM ARSU rights within Turkey.

The Justice and Development

ISTANBUL Kurdish Party has expanded political and rebels fighting for autonomy cultural rights for more than 12 mil¬ in southeastern Turkey lion ethnic Kurds in Turkey during ambushed a group of soldiers its nearly 10 years as the governing near Diyarbakir on Thursday, party. But the party has dismissed killing 13 and wounding 7, the demands that Kurdish ethnic iden¬ Turkish military said on its tity be recognized in a new constitu¬ Web site. tion that Parliament is expected to draft in its next term. The attack, one of the deadliest tion. Local courts blocked 6 of the on Turkish forces in recent years, Many people say the current 36 from taking their seats because was denounced by political leaders Constitution, written under the they are in jail on terrorism char¬ across the country. Prime Minister auspices of the military after a coup ges. The remaining successful Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Turkey in 1980, is a source of ethnic fric¬ Kurdish candidates then refused to had the strength and determination tion and discontent. But in the take the oath of office. to defeat terrorists and would do so efforts to resolve the conflict, both Hours before the attack on "without ever compromising on the government and the opposition Thursday, some of the Kurdish can¬ democracy, law and brotherhood." have excluded the leading pro- didates met with officials of the Kurdish political party, Peace and In the ambush, which was governing party, the Justice and Democracy, because of accusations mounted in a predominantly Development Party, in Ankara, the that it acts as the political wing of Kurdish rural area, the rebels used capital. the P.K.K. small arms and hand grenades, But the talks ended without an which started a fire, the military Kurdish leaders expressed sad¬ agreement after the Kurds insisted said. Seven insurgents were also ness over the violence on Thursday, that one successful candidate, killed in the fighting, the Turkish without denouncing the P.K.K., Hatip Dicle, be allowed to take his military said. which Western nations classify as a seat in Parliament; Mr. Dicle has terrorist organization. A major rebel group, the been convicted on charges related Kurdistan Workers' Party, had war¬ "Youngsters pay the price of to terrorism. ned that it would start a new wave politics falling short of resolutions, At the same time, more than of attacks if the government failed of uncourageous politics," said 800 Kurdish delegates met in to produce by Friday a tangible plan Selahattin Demirtas, deputy chair¬ Diyarbakir and issued a declaration for resolving the Kurdish conflict. man of Peace and Development, of "democratic autonomy" for the according to the semiofficial The group, known as the P.K.K., predominantly Kurdish region. Anatolian news agency. which are the initials of its Kurdish They said they chose the term to name, intensified its attacks in the make it clear that they were not region in June, killing several sol¬ trying to challenge Turkey's territo¬ diers, when 36 Kurdish candidates rial or national integrity, but rather won seats in a parliamentary elec asserting their freedom and ethnic

jflpAssocatedPr^ Panetta meets with Kurdish president in Iraq

IRBIL, Iraq (AP) - July 12 2011 - AP foreign

WRAPPING up his first visit to Iraq as U.S. defense secretary, Leon Panetta is meeting with the president of the Kurdish regional government, Massoud Barzani.

Panetta is expected to stress the urgency of the Iraqi government fil¬ ling two key positions those responsible for the army and the police. Lacking leaders in those positions has kept Iraq from deci¬ ding whether it wants U.S. troops to stay beyond their scheduled final departure in December.

The Kurds are one of three main groups sharing government power August and be completed by December 3 1 . in Baghdad, along with the Sunnis and the majority Shiites. Panetta was returning to Washington after his Barzani meeting. A final drawdown of the 46,000 U.S. troops in Iraq is to begin in

29 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ôzeti

Hurriyet -*"Êm July 15,2011 DailyNews_.7 T

Pro-Kurdish DTK declares 'democratic autonomy' in Turkey's southeast

ISTANBUL - Daily News with wires

Aysel Tuluk, co- The Democratic Society Congress, chair of the of the or DTK, declared democratic auto¬ Democratic

nomy during an extraordinary Community

congress with 850 delegates in Congress, or DTK, and an indepen¬ Diyarbakir on Thursday and invited dent deputy from Kurds to introduce themselves as Van, reads the democratically autonomous Kurdistan declaration of citizens. democratic auto¬ Kurdish people do not want to have nomy. AA photo national existence as a non-status population, the final declaration of the

congress said.

Deputies of pro-Kurdish Peace and

Democracy Party, or BDP, mayors and Kurdish people, there were still efforts be a non-status population anymore.

some members of nongovernmental to keep divisions. The refusal to release There is no other population in the

organizations participated in the Hatip Dicle and other deputies shows world like Kurds, which include 40

congress organized by the DTK in a that clearly. Cultural genocide against million people and do not have rights.

BDP building in Diyarbakir. The DTK the Kurdish language as a mother ton¬ We, as Kurdish people, are declaring

is an umbrella organization for pro- gue is continuing. The rights, language our democratic sovereignty, holding to

Kurdish groups. and life of Kurdish people are being Turkey s national unity on the basis of ignored, said the final declaration. an understanding of a common mother¬ The final declaration was read by land, territorial unity and the perspec¬ an independent deputy from Van, Aysel Dicle, a pro-Kurdish independent tive of a democratic nation, Tuluk said. Tuluk after the six-hour meeting. candidate, was elected to Parliament in last month s general elections, but his We invite everyone who lives in our We can see the genocide conducted deputyship was soon quashed by lands to introduce themselves as a by nation-states. Although there are Turkey s top election board for a pre¬ democratically autonomous Kurdistan some changes on the surface, deep vious terror-related conviction. citizen, she said. down, the denial goes on. Even when

national existence was granted to The Kurdish people do not want to

4P

Report: Iranians seize Kurdish bases in Iraq ?C^irftr ^nSfi^A;

TEHRAN, Iran - July 18, 2011 - The Associated Press ÏRÂN

Iranian Revolutionary Guard forces have taken control of

three bases of an Iranian Kurdish opposition group in neigh¬ boring Iraq, the state news agency reported Monday. Iran threatened last week to attack PEJAK bases in Iraqi Kurdistan IRNA quoted Colonel Delavar Ranjbarzadeh, a local commander after accusing the president of the regional government, Massoud of the powerful Revolutionary Guard, as saying "a large number" Barzani, of providing bases to the group without informing the of members of the Iranian Kurdish opposition group PEJAK have central government in Baghdad. been killed in fierce clashes over the past two days. The clashes PEJAK, which stands in Kurdish for the "Party of Free Life of are still ongoing. Kurdistan," has been involved in sporadic armed clashes with "Three bases in Iraqi territory were providing assistance to the ter¬ Iranian forces in recent years. The rebels say they are fighting for rorists. ... All the bases have fallen into the hands of the (Iranian) greater rights for their minority community. forces," IRNA quoted Ranjbarzadeh as saying. He said PEJAK

rebels have sustained a "heavy and historic defeat." Iran has accused the U.S., Britain and Israel of seeking to incite tension on Iran's borders to undermine the government in Tehran, PEJAK rebels say Iranian forces entered Iraq's semi-autonomous charges those countries have denied. Kurdish region to fight them. They claim that rebels have killed 53

Iranian soldiers and wounded 43 while only two PEJAK members Iran has sporadically bombed PEJAK bases deep inside Iraqi

were killed and seven wounded in clashes. Kurdistan.

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'jefoûi^tonjîust July is, 2011

Turkey responds to Kurdish autonomy vote with a military offensive against Kurdish rebels

By Associated Press denounced Thursday's rebel attack on Turkish soldiers.

ANKARA, Turkey Turkish "I strongly condemn the terrorist soldiers, air force bombers and attack in Diyarbakir province," helicopter gunships conducted a Rasmussen said in a statement on major offensive in southeastern Friday. "Such heinous attacks have Turkey on Friday after Kurdish legislators declared autonomy in the no justification. I express my heart¬ felt condolences to the families of region and more than a dozen sol¬ diers were killed there by Kurdish those who were killed. NATO allies stand in full solidarity against the rebels. scourge of terrorism."

After Friday prayers in this mostly Dutch legislator Ria Oomen-Ruijten, Muslim nation, Prime Minister a member of the European Recep Tayyip Erdogan said violence Parliament, also condemned the by the Kurdish rebels in the five pro-Kurdish legislators who are attack and urged Kurdish lawma¬ Diyarbakir area will achieve charged with ties to Kurdish rebels kers to distance themselves from the nothing. are released from jail and another rebels who are regarded as a terro¬ Kurdish politician, Hatip Dicle rist group by the West. "What they did is never going to whose election to Parliament was

drag us to the table," Erdogan said canceled due to a conviction for ties "I urge the newly elected (Kurdish) of the Kurdish guerrillas. "If they to the rebels is allowed to work in members of Parliament to distance want to make peace, there is only Parliament. themselves from this unacceptable one thing to do: the terrorist organi¬ violent attack and call upon them to zation must lay down arms," he said The military's offensive involves make a fresh start in the peace settle¬ in nationally televised comments in hundreds of elite soldiers sent to ment," she said. "The only way for¬ Istanbul. remote areas of southeastern Turkey ward is through political dialogue where Kurdish rebels are believed to and concrete initiatives for reconci¬ In a rare show of unity, Erdogan's be hiding. The area is near northern liation." ruling party and the opposition Iraq, where Kurdish rebels have

issued a joint parliamentary declara¬ long been based. Turkey's military In Turkey on Friday, top generals tion denouncing the violence and declined to comment when asked if and senior Cabinet members stood vowing solidarity against "terrorism the offensive has caused casualties. by coffins of the dead soldiers dra¬ and separatist attempts." ped in the red and white Turkish Kurdish politicians have long pus¬ flag at a solemn funeral service at a On Thursday, Kurdish guerrillas hed for greater cultural and political military base in Diyarbakir and attacked Turkish forces in rights for Kurds, who make up prayed for them. Diyarbakir, leaving 13 soldiers and around 20 percent of Turkey's 74 seven rebels dead. It was the dead¬ million people. Since Kurdish rebels Thursday's military casualties were liest violence involving the Kurdish took up arms in 1984 to seek auto¬ the highest since the rebels of the guerrillas in three years. That clash nomy in their southeastern region, Kurdistan Workers' Party killed 17 and the autonomy declaration by the conflict has killed nearly 40,000 soldiers in an October 2008 attack on the regional Kurdish legislators also people. a military unit on the Iraqi border. sparked anti-Kurdish protests

across Turkey, including a firebomb After an umbrella group that inclu¬ The rebels also killed a dozen sol¬ attack on a closed office of the des Turkey's Kurdish party proclai¬ diers in an ambush along the Iraqi Kurdish political party on Thursday med Kurdish autonomy in border in October 2007, an attack night in Ankara, the capital. Diyarbakir on Thursday, the prose¬ that triggered a weeklong air-and- cutor's office the region's largest city ground Turkish offensive in early The rebel attack, and the autonomy said it was examining the declara¬ 2008 against Kurdish rebel bases in vote, occurred hours after lawma¬ tion, which the government sees as a northern Iraq. kers from the country's Kurdish threat to national unity. Prosecutors party and the government failed to are expected to press criminal char¬ reach an agreement to end a boycott ges against dozens of Kurdish law¬

of Turkey's Parliament in Ankara by makers, politicians and activists Kurdish legislators. after the probe.

Kurdish lawmakers have said they Meanwhile, NATO Secretary- will not take their oath of office until General Anders Fogh Rasmussen

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Leon Panetta achève sa visite en Irak par un saut au Kurdistan

ERBIL (Irak) - 12 juillet 2011 (AFP)

LE SECRÉTAIRE américain à la Défense Leon Panetta a achevé mardi sa visite de trois jours en Irak en rencontrant le président de la région autonome du Kurdistan Massoud Barzani, favorable au maintien de troupes américaines après 2011, a constaté un journaliste de l'AFP.

Par ailleurs, le mouvement du chef radical chiite Moqtada Sadr a vivement réagi aux déclarations du responsable américain affirmant que ses soldats mènent seules des opérations contre les insurgés chiites soutenus par l'Iran, qui ont tué 17 soldats en cinq semaines.

M. Panetta est arrivé mardi matin à Erbil, la capitale du Kurdistan, après avoir discuté la veille avec les dirigeants irakiens du maintien d'une pré¬ sence militaire américaine après la fin de l'année et surtout les avertir que ses soldats allaient réagir à la multiplication des attaques des insurgés chii¬ Le secrétaire d'Etat à la Défense, Leon Panetta, en visite en Irak, le tes proches de l'Iran. 11 juillet 2011 à Bagdad

Nous sommes étonnés par l'absence de réactions des dirigeants politiques

et militaires irakiens après les propos du secrétaire américain à la Defense fourniture d'armes. qui se moque ouvertement de la souveraineté irakienne et fait fi de l'accord Le Premier ministre Nouri al-Maliki a souligné la capacité croissante des for¬ de sécurité signé entre en novembre 2008 entre Bagdad et Washington, a ces de sécurité irakiennes à atteindre n'importe quelle cible représentant un affirmé mardi à Najaf, le porte-parole du mouvement sadriste, Salah al- danger pour la sécurité et la stabilité du pays. Obeidi.

Mais il a laissé peu de chance sur la possibilité d'un accord pour l'extension Pour notre part, nous considérons les occupants comme nos ennemis et il de la présence militaire américaine au-delà de la fin de l'année comme le en sera ainsi jusqu'à leur départ de notre pays, a-t-il dit. veulent les Américains. Lundi, lors d'une rencontre avec 150 soldats réunis dans le Camp Victory La décision finale sur le maintien d'une présence de certaines forces améri¬ près de l'aéroport de Bagdad, M. Panetta avait affirmé: Nous devons agir caines après 2011 dépend d'un consensus national et d'un accord des enti¬ unilatéralement contre les menaces (des groupes chiites) et nous le faisons. tés politiques et du Parlement. Pour sa part, le général Uyod Austin, commandant des forces américaines Les partis politiques doivent donner dans deux semaines leur réponse finale en Irak, a estimé que, selon l'accord de sécurité c'est à l'Irak qu'incombe la sur un éventuel maintien d'un contingent militaire américain en Irak après responsabilité d'assurer la sécurité de nos forces. 2011. Mais, avait-il confié aux journalistes, s'il n'y a pas moyen d'agir avec les for¬ Les Kurdes veulent que les soldats américains restent alors que le chef radi¬ ces de sécurité irakiennes, nous patrouillerons autour de nos bases et je cal chiite Moqtada Sadr y est totalement opposé. Les autres formations ne ferai ce qui doit être fait pour protéger mes soldats, sans plus de détails. se sont pas prononcées clairement. Par ailleurs, un communiqué du cabinet du chef du gouvernement publié Les responsables américains multiplient depuis plusieurs mois les démar¬ lundi soir avait indiqué que les deux parties ont discuté des moyens d'aider ches auprès de Bagdad pour maintenir un contingent. les forces de sécurité irakiennes dans les domaines de la formation et de la

Irak : deux rebelles Sepah (gardiens de la révolution)", a-t-elle ajouté. "La Sepah a pris le contrôle de la région frontalière de Sardasht et les for¬ kurdes et un gardien ces du PJAK ont abandonné leurs munitions et se sont enfuis", a poursuivi de la révolution iranien tués la source, précisant qu'un gardien de la révolution avait été tué dans les affrontements.

Selon M. Kamankar, "l'armée iranienne continue ses bombardements et a ERBIL (Irak), 17 juil 2011 (AFP) donné trois jours aux villageois de la région de Penjween (50 km à l'est de Souleimaniyeh), où ont lieu les combats, pour quitter leurs maisons". AU MOINS DEUX insurgés kurdes d'Iran basés en Irak et un gardien de Pour sa part, le secrétaire général du ministère irakien des Pechmergas la révolution iranien ont été tués dans de violents accrochages à la (combattants kurdes), Jabbar Yawar, a confirmé qu'il y avait des bombarde¬ frontière entre les deux pays, ont affirmé dimanche les protagonistes. ments, mais a qualifié de "rumeurs" les informations sur un ultimatum donné "Depuis minuit (samedi 21H00 GMT), une bataille est en cours entre le par l'armée iranienne aux villageois. PJAK et l'armée iranienne. Nous avons deux tués et quatre blessés dans Les forces iraniennes bombardent régulièrement des zones frontalières kur¬ nos rangs et il y a des dizaines de morts et de blessés chez nos adversai¬ des irakiennes qui abritent des indépendantistes du PJAK, un mouvement res", a déclaré à l'AFP à Erbil, la capitale de la région autonome du séparatiste kurde iranien opérant à partir de bases établies dans les monta¬ Kurdistan irakien, Shirzad Kamankar. gnes du Kurdistan irakien. Côté iranien, l'agence officielle Irna citant une "source informée" dans le vil¬ Le 11 juillet, l'Iran avait affirmé qu'il se réservait "le droit" d'attaquer les lage frontalier de Sardasht a indiqué que cinq membres du PJAK avaient bases du mouvement séparatiste kurde iranien PJAK au Kurdistan irakien. été tués samedi dans des heurts avec les gardiens de la révolution, la garde prétorienne du régime en Iran. "Nous n'autorisons pas les terroristes à s'installer en territoire irakien avec le soutien des Etats-Unis et du régime sioniste (Israël, ndlr) pour agresser "Cinq membres du groupe terroriste PJAK ont été tués samedi soir dans des l'Iran. Nous agirons contre ces terroristes", avait expliqué un haut responsa¬ heurts avec les gardiens de la révolution iraniens. Leurs corps sont transfé¬ ble militaire à l'agence Ima. rés à Sardasht", a précisé la source.

"Un autre membre du PJAK a été blessé et il est actuellement détenu par la

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Tribune 15 juillet 2011 de Geneve

Turquie: 13 soldats et 7 rebelles kurdes tués dans des combats

DIYARBAKIR (Turquie) (AFP ) Les députés kurdes élus sur Treize soldats turcs et sept rebelles un total de 550 aux législatives du 12 kurdes ont été tués jeudi lors des juin ont refusé de prêter serment au affrontements les plus meurtriers pour parlement pour protester contre le l'armée depuis trois ans dans le sud- maintien en détention provisoire de est de la Turquie peuplé en majorité cinq des leurs, accusés de liens avec de Kurdes, faisant craindre un raidis¬ la branche urbaine du PKK, et l'inva¬ sement d'Ankara sur la question lidation d'un 36e élu en raison d'une kurde. condamnation à la prison pour "pro¬ Les combats sont survenus au pagande terroriste". cours d'une opération de l'armée Le président du principal parti dans une zone montagneuse connue pro-kurde de Turquie, le Parti pour la pour être un bastion des rebelles du paix et la démocratie (BDP), Parti des travailleurs du Kurdistan Selahattin Demirtas, a présenté jeudi (PKK) près de la ville de Silvan, dans ses condoléances pour la mort des triers pour l'armée turque depuis la la province de Diyarbakir, les soldats soldats, avant de dénoncer un man¬ mort en octobre 2008 de 1 7 soldats étant tombés dans un guet-apens, ont que de volonté politique pour résou¬ dans l'attaque d'un poste militaire par indiqué des sources locales de sécu¬ dre la question kurde. les rebelles près de la frontière ira¬ rité. Les Etats-Unis, qui considèrent le kienne. Au cours des heurts, 13 soldats PKK comme une organisation terro¬ En octobre 2007, la mort de 12 ont été tués et sept autres blessés, riste ont condamné l'attaque, surve¬ soldats dans une embuscade avait dont deux grièvement, a affirmé le nue alors que la secrétaire d'Etat conduit la Turquie à mener des raids gouverneur de Diyarbakir, Mustafa Hillary Clinton était en route pour aériens contre les bases arrière du Toprak. Istanbul, afin de participer à la réu¬ PKK dans les montagnes du nord de Sept rebelles ont été tués dans les nion du groupe de contact sur la l'Irak, puis une opération terrestre de combats qui continuaient de faire Libye et de s'entretenir avec les diri¬ huit jours en territoire irakien, en rage jeudi soir, l'armée disposant du geants turcs. février 2008. soutien d'hélicoptères, ont ajouté les Mme Clinton, arrivée dans la nuit Le président du parlement Cemil sources de sécurité, précisant que les de jeudi à vendredi, s'est dite "profon¬ Cicek a réagi avec virulence aux der¬ affrontements avaient provoqué un dément attristée". niers combats en appelant les prota¬ incendie de forêt. "Nous nous tenons auprès de la gonistes de la question kurde à choi¬ Le Premier ministre Recep Tayyip Turquie dans sa lutte contre le PKK sir leur camp. Erdogan a convoqué une réunion (et) soutenons le combat de la Turquie "D'un côté la démocratie, la paix extraordinaire à Ankara après l'atta¬ contre le terrorisme", a déclaré la chef et la liberté, mais de l'autre le sang, la que. de la diplomatie américaine dans un haine et la barbarie... Désormais, A l'issue de la rencontre, M. communiqué. chacun doit dire quelle est sa ligne. Erdogan a exprimé dans un commu¬ Les accrochages entre les forces Ou on est du côté de la démocratie niqué la détermination d'Ankara. "Les de sécurité se sont multipliés depuis ou bien on est avec ceux qui crachent objectifs des forces qui sont derrière les élections de juin, dans un conflit leur haine et font couler le sang", a-t- cet événement sont clairs. (Mais) la qui a fait quelque 45.000 morts il dit, cité par l'agence Anatolie. Turquie a la force et la détermination depuis le début de l'insurrection du Ses propos interviennent dans un pour surmonter la question du terro¬ PKK, en 1984. contexte de tensions politiques avec risme", a-t-il dit. les Kurdes. Ces combats sont les plus meur

Turquie: Des milliers de personnes conspuent le PKK à Istanbul et Ankara

ISTANBUL, 17 juillet 2011 (AFP) Kurdistan, ont scandé les manifestants réunis à l'appel d'un message sur Facebook.

DES MILLIERS de personnes ont manifesté dimanche à Istanbul et A Ankara, environ 4.000 manifestants, brandissant eux aussi le drapeau Ankara pour dénoncer les rebelles séparatistes kurdes qui ont tué turc, ont marché dans le centre-ville. La manifestation s'est terminée dans treize soldats turcs dans une embuscade la semaine dernière, ont le mausolée d'Ataturk, le père fondateur de la Turquie moderne, ont rap¬ rapporté les médias. porté les chaînes de télévision.

A Istanbul ils étaient plus de 5.000 a défiler avec des drapeaux turcs sur Treize soldats ont été tués et sept blessés jeudi dans une attaque du PKK l'avenue Istiklal, la grande rue piétonne de la rive européenne de la métro¬ dans le sud-est anatolien. Les pertes enregistrées par l'armée sont les pole, a constaté un photographe de l'AFP. plus lourdes qu'elle ait subies depuis octobre 2008.

"Non au terrorisme" et "A Bas le PKK", le Parti des travailleurs du Les affrontements ont suscité une vive émotion en Turquie.

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16 juillet 2011 OBïïËvateur Syrie: réunion d'opposants à Istanbul, Clinton en demi-teinte face à Damas

Une "Conférence de Salut national"

ISTANBUL (AFP) Après des discussions parfois hou¬ réunissant plus de 300 opposants leuses, marquées par des objections syriens s'est ouverte samedi à Istanbul Plus de 300 opposants syriens se virulentes de représentants kurdes pour examiner les moyens de renverser le régime de Bachar al-Assad, tandis sont réunis samedi à Istanbul réclamant une prise en compte de avec l'ambition de rassembler l'op¬ leur identité ethnique, les partici¬ qu'une réunion jumelle prévue à position, cependant le chef de la pants à la conférence se sont mis Damas a été annulée en raison des vio - diplomatie américaine Hillary d'accord sur une déclaration finale, lences de la veille, (c) Afp Clinton, également en Turquie, s'est qu'ils devaient encore entériner par montrée nettement en retrait dans sa un vote. condamnation du régime de Bachar

al-Assad. Ce texte comprend "des appels géné¬ Mais ses propos se sont situés en net raux à l'unité nationale, à l'unité des retrait par rapport à ses déclarations Les opposants syriens, réunis dans opposants", selon M. Hafez, méde¬ du début de la semaine. une salle de conférence de la ban¬ cin installé à Paris. Une première lieue d'Istanbul pour une mouture du texte insistait sur la La tentative des Syriens de consti¬ "Conférence de Salut national", ont nécessité d'un "gouvernement tuer une opposition est "encoura¬ commencé leurs travaux par démocratique et pluraliste où tous geante", a-t-elle dit, évoquant son l'hymne national syrien et une les Syriens peuvent participer espoir d'une "coopération pacifique minute de prière à la mémoire des comme des citoyens égaux". avec le gouvernement en vue d'un victimes de la répression. avenir meilleur".

Les participants devaient aussi élire Plus d'un million de personnes ont 25 représentants permanents, dont Elle a jugé, de manière plus géné¬ manifesté vendredi contre le régime la définition du rôle a donné lieu à rale, que la situation syrienne ne en Syrie, provoquant une répression des controverses, certains opposants pouvait pas être influencée de l'exté¬ qui a coûté la vie à 28 manifestants, estimant que la conférence, dominée rieur. selon des militants. par des courants islamistes, n'était pas assez représentative pour parler "Aucun d'entre nous n'a vraiment "Le régime a perdu sa légitimité. Il au nom de l'ensemble de la révolu¬ d'influence, en dehors du fait de dire ne peut pas rester au pouvoir après tion syrienne. ce que nous croyons, et d'encourager le sang versé, il doit répondre aux les changements que nous espé¬

revendications des opposants et "Nous allons élire une liste de 25 rons", a-t-elle déclaré à la chaîne de quitter le pouvoir d'une manière personnes qui représenteront cette télévision CNN-Tùrk. pacifique", a déclaré Mechaal al- conférence d'Istanbul, auxquelles Tamo, un militant kurde intervenant s'ajouteront 50 autres représentants "Ce qui se passe en Syrie est très par téléphone depuis Damas. pour l'intérieur, pour la Syrie, soit au incertain et troublant, parce que total 75 personnes qui normalement nombre d'entre nous avaient espéré Les opposants ont aussi déploré l'at¬ nommeront un bureau exécutif qui que le président Assad ferait les taque vendredi soir des locaux d'une va représenter la révolution réformes nécessaires", a-t-elle ajouté. réunion jumelle, qui devait avoir syrienne", a indiqué M. Hafez. lieu simultanément à Damas et a été Or Mme Clinton avait franchi un pas

annulée. Une réunion sans précédent d'oppo¬ lundi en estimant, pour la première sants s'était déroulée le 27 juin à fois, que M. Assad avait "perdu sa "Hier soir le lieu de la conférence a Damas, et deux réunions de l'oppo¬ légitimité". été attaqué, il y a eu neuf martyrs et sition syrienne ont déjà eu lieu en cent blessés à Damas, donc la confé¬ Turquie, en avril et en juin. "Le président Assad n'est pas indis¬ rence n'a pas eu lieu. Les victimes pensable et nous n'avons absolu¬

étaient autour du lieu de la confé¬ "Les efforts de l'opposition pour se ment pas intérêt à ce qu'il reste au rence pour la protéger quand les regrouper, pour s'organiser et défi¬ pouvoir", avait-elle lancé, avertis¬ policiers en civil ont attaqué", a nir un programme constituent une sant le dirigeant syrien qu'il ferait affirmé à l'AFP Wael el-Hafez, chef part importante de la réforme politi¬ "une erreur" en pensant que du bureau politique du Mouvement que", a pour sa part déclaré Hillary Washington redoute sa chute. populaire pour le changement en Clinton, en visite à Istanbul. Syrie.

34 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ôzeti

18 JUILLET 2011 L'opposition syrienne prend forme en Turquie

Les divisions entre Arabes et Kurdes, laïcs et religieux, n'ont pas épargné la réunion de samedi. PHOTO BULENT kiuç. AFP

Peu à peu, dans la dou¬ l'homme», mais aussi pour ment à reconnaître la double

leur et les controverses, montrer qu'il existe une al¬ identité «arabe ET kurde» de

l'opposition syrienne ternative crédible au régime la future nouvelle Syrie.

s'organise. Ce week-end se de Bachar al-Assad, qui use, Tanks. Les militants de la

tenait à Istanbul, en Turquie, depuis le début de la crise, laïcité et une partie des chré¬

la sixième réunion d'oppo¬ du registre «moi ou le tiens ont également déserté

sants syriens à l'extérieur du chaos». Comme le résume la réunion, estimant.que les

pays. Avec, cette fois-ci, Aythaîm al-Maleh, cette ins¬ Frères musulmans y avaient :i.-»-*j6-",. l'objectif clairement affiché tance executive a pour ambi¬ trop de poids. La confrérie a

d'en sortir avec une struc¬ tion de devenir un gouverne¬ longtemps été l'ennemi le

ture représentative, qui neuf personnes. Or, les délé¬ ment de l'ombre, à l'instar plus redoutable, et le plus

puisse servir tout à la fois de gués à l'intérieur du pays du Conseil national de tranr persécuté par le régime représentant et de porte-voix devaient désigner 50 repré¬ sition libyen, aujourd'hui re¬ bàassiste, que ce soit sous

aux contestataires, qui mani¬ sentants au conseil, afin de connu par 26 pays. Hafez al-Assad, au pouvoir

festent de plus en plus nom¬ compter au total 75 membres. Mais la répression actuelle de 1970 à 2000, ou sous son

breux depuis quatre mois, La répression, qui contraint n'est pas la seule cause des fils, Bachar. Plus organisés,

malgré une féroce répression des opposants de l'intérieur difficultés de l'opposition plus nombreux que les

qui a provoqué la mort d'au à la clandestinité, ne facilite syrienne à se structurer. Des autres, les Frères musulmans

moins 2000 personnes et pas les contacts et les échan¬ années de clandestinité et bénéficient surtout du sou¬

conduit à des dizaines de ges avec les «exilés» . d'exil ont atomisé la scène tien à peine voilé de la Tur¬

milliers d'arrestations. Ce Conseil de salut national, politique, qui reste traversée quie du Premier ministre Re¬ Clandestinité. L'objectif de censé élire un exécutif res¬ par de profonds clivages. A la cep Tayyip Erdogan, dont le

cette conférence de salut na¬ treint de onze membres, est division entre exilés et oppo¬ parti islamiste modéré AKP

tional, qui réunissait quelque présidé par l'avocat Aytham sants de l'intérieur, s'ajou- est cité en modèle dans tout

300 opposants syriens, est al-Maleh, person¬ le monde arabe sunnite. partiellement rempli: une nalité très respec¬ Cette instance executive a Pendant ce temps, la répres¬ «déclaration nationale de tée et responsable sion se poursuit. Des tanks pour ambMan de devenir ïm principes, vision pour l'ave¬ de l'Association sont entrés hier à Homs, où gouvernement de l'ombre, à nir de la Syrie» a été adoptée des droits de les affrontements ont fait au

hier, et un Conseil de salut l'homme en Syrie. l'instar du Conseil national moins 30 morts. Une opéra¬

national de 25 membres mis Il va entamer im¬ en. tion militaire d'envergure sur pied. En partie parce que médiatement une semblait imminente à Abou

le régime syrien a empêché tournée des capitales euro¬ tent celles entre Arabes et Kamal, près de la frontière

violemment, vendredi, la te¬ péennes, afin de porter les Kurdes, ou encore entre laïcs irakienne, après le ralliement

nue d'une réunion parallèle revendications des manifes¬ et religieux. La réunion d'Is¬ de soldats aux manifestants.

dans un faubourg de Damas. tants, présenter le projet de tanbul, par moments très Enfin, le célèbre écrivain et

Le rassemblement a été atta- l'opposition pour une «Syrie agitée, n'a pas échappé à ces opposant Ali Abdallah a été

, que à balles réelles par les démocratique, moderne, qui clivages. Ainsi, les délégués arrêté hier à Qatana, à 25 km

milices et services de rensei¬ respecte la liberté et la dignité kurdes ont quitté la réunion au sud de la capitale.

gnement du pouvoir, tuant des personnes et les droits de faute d'obtenir un engage CHRISTOPHE AYAD

35 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ôzeti

^^îsTS^Br -IL JULY 16-17, 2011

Iraq-U.S. talks on troops bog down

BAGHDAD I

i Maliki and Panetta seek to extend U.S. stay but fail to reach a formula

BY TIM ARANGO

The government of Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki is privately telling U.S. officials that it wants their army to stay here after this year. The Americans are privately telling Iraqi counterparts that they want to stay. -.'.£"»s' "

NEWS ANALYSIS

But under what conditions, and at what price to the Americans who stay behind? U.S. combat deaths are on the rise

here, an ominous harbinger of what lies SPENCER PLATT/GETTY 1MAGES-AFP

ahead if an agreement is reached to American soldiers speaking with a local Iraqi while on patrol in Babil Province. Wash¬ keep troops here after the withdrawal ington and Baghdad must reach an accord to allow the troops to stay after 2011. deadline set for the end of the year. For the same Iraqi government that wants General Buchanan said die Iraqi forces ment helped Mr. Maliki secure a second the Americans to stay is also tacitly con¬ began the operations, which took place in term as prime minister. doning attacks by Shiite militias on U.S. Maysan Province and Basra, with a list of troops, by failing to respond as aggres¬ " Yet the men were acquitted after a "high value targets." But he says they ar¬ two-hour trial in which the court barred sively to their attacks as it does to those rested few of the men they were looking U.S. military officials from testifying. of Sunni insurgent groups. for. The arrests that were made, he said, The case became public only because a The Maliki government's unwilling¬ were, "low-hanging fruit" ness or inability to rein in the Shiite mi¬ frustrated U.S. commander issued his When asked if the Iraqi government own news release, outside the usual litias adds a new element to a discussion was doing enough to restrain the groups communications of the U.S. military that until now had been centered on the command in Baghdad. capabilities of the Iraqi security forces killing Americans, he said, "I think that and domestic political considerations in they can certainly do more.' ' "We are deeply disappointed in the Washington and Baghdad, not the The unequal response by the Iraqi se¬ court's decision," Col. Reginald Allen, commander of the Third Armored Cav¬ safety of U.S. soldiers. curity forces to the threats from Sunni alry Regiment, said in the statement. Lately, U.S. officials have been vocal and Shiite insurgent groups is a legacy "To free three suspects without a fair in accusing Iran of arming militias that of the sectarianism that was violently trial, after they were found at the crime are attacking U.S. forces, but less vocal unleashed by the U.S. invasion eight scene with a clear intent to commit in accusing the Iraqi government of years ago. That upended the Sunnis' harm, undermines the rule of law and complicity. long reign and installed a government

"Iran is very directly supporting ex¬ dominated by Shiites nursing grudges sends a terrible message that can only

tremist Shia groups which are killing against their former oppressors mat serve to embolden the enemies of a free our troops," Adm. Mike Mullen, the persist to this day. and secure Iraq." chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff told Meanwhile, another layer of frustra¬ Coionel Allen's comments amounted to reporters recently in Washington. He tion for the Americans, in addition to unusual candor from a U.S.- official about said any discussion with the Iraqi gov¬ Iraq's reluctance to confront the Shiite frustrations in operating in Iraq today, ernment to keep a force here next year militias, is the judicial system, which is and tiiey raised the ire of public relations "has to be done in conjunction with con¬ also often infected with sectarianism. officials at the U.S. Embassy here. The of¬ trol of Iran in that regard.' ' A recent case in Hula, a town in Babil ficials are emphasizing the narrative that On Monday, during his first visit to Iraq Province, south of Baghdad, illustrates Iraq and the United States are entering a as secretary of defense, Leon E. Panetta new phase in their, relationship, a more also raised the alarm, and suggested that The question is how to make normalized one between two sovereign the Iraqi government could do more. countries, even as the recent attacks un¬ Iraq work more like South Recentiy, the Iraqi Army conducted derscore the violent reality. Korea and less like Somalia or an operation in southern Iraq, the coun¬ Assuming that the two uneasy part¬ try's Shiite heartland, against the mili¬ some other failed state. ners can find a way to reach their mutu¬ tias. But the campaign fizzled with no ally agreed goal of keeping a U.S. mili¬

major arrests and no significant impact tary presence beyond the end of this on the militant networks. the problem. A U.S. Army unit said it year, the question is how to make Iraq In a recent interview, Maj. Gen. Jef¬ had caught three men laying a roadside work more like South Korea and less frey S. Buchanan, the top U.S. military bomb and turned them over to the local like Somalia or some other failed state. spokesman in Iraq, admitted as much. judiciary. According to a local official, The Americans can keep pushing "I think the overall effect has been just the men were members of the Promised Iraq's leaders to clamp down more one of disruption," he said. "They have Day Brigade, a militiaoïnder the control severely on the militias, but that may be

temporarily disrupted some of the net¬ of Moktada al-Sadr, the anti-American too much to ask of a weak and divided

works ; they have not defeated any.' ' Shiite cleric whose followers in Parlia government:

36 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ôzeti

Under the security agreement, U.S. AU things being equal, the Iraqis To make this palatable in Iraq and the troops can act only in self-defense. would prefer an agreement between the United States, the public relations effort Mr. Panetta said the Americans two governments for a continued troop is to draft language that is politically ac¬ would take matters into their own hands presence without the political complica¬ ceptable yet obscures the reality that if the Iraqis did not step up, and the tions that would come from submitting U.S. soldiers will continue to face an en¬ blowback was immediate. A spokesman it to Parliament. The Americans have emy, will need to defend themselves and for Mr. Maliki said any such operations insisted any deal be approved in Parlia¬ will almost certainly continue to die. would be "a violation of the security ment because their, lawyers have de¬ agreement signed between Iraq and the cided it is the only way to secure legal United States." immunities for any soldiers that stay.

GULF ©TIMES 20 JULY 2011

Kurdish nationalism rises with Arab unrest Sudan split

By Namo Abdulla / Reuters and Turkey, Kurds are an ethnic group From the streets of Syria's Qamishli, whose culture and language separate where Kurdish protesters call for free¬ them from Arabs, Turks and Persians, dom, to the Citadel in Arbil, where a ARBIL, Iraq - On the day the with whom they share land. Kurdish flag waves over Iraq's biggest newest African nation, South Sudan, boomtown, many Kurds see a promi¬ was born, Iraqi Kurdish leader Largely Muslim, they have been sub¬ sing future for pan-Kurdish nationa¬ Barham Salih used his iPad to tweet ject to repression by other Muslims lism. his feelings to the world: "Watching who see them as separatists. "There is no such a thing as half-revo¬ history in (the) making as South Sudan After the first Gulf War in 1991 lution," said Khalid Ali, a Syrian goes independent." Western powers provided a safe haven Kurdish activist in Arbil. "Moral of story, right to self-determi¬ for Iraq's Kurds, allowing them to use nation cannot be denied by genocide," their natural resources to start building "Syrians have decided it. The toppling a modern state. of Bashar al-Assad is just matter of With the emergence of a new nation time," he said, referring to the Syrian in Africa and uprisings against auto¬ Notions of Kurdish nationalism were leader who has cracked down on pro- cracies across the Arab world, Kurds reinforced by the 2003 invasion that democracy protests. Syria blames in Iraq's semi-autonomous north are toppled dictator Saddam Hussein as armed groups linked to Islamists for speaking in louder voices about the much of Iraq tumbled into sectarian stirring violence. possibility of increasing autonomy if, warfare that threatened its survival as as some Kurds fear, Iraq's central a single state. Exiled Syrian activists living in Iraqi Kurdistan are using social media tools government becomes more autJiorita- IN ASCENDANCE? rian such as Facebook, and collect donated "For the first time in their modern his¬ money to support protesters at home. In parts of Turkey, Syria and Iran, tory, the Kurds in Iraq and Turkey, at "If this regime falls, it would be better Kurds are also seeing new possibilities least, are cautiously ascending," said for the Kurds. They will be free to of freedom beyond governments who author Michael Gunter, who has writ¬ work in their own regions," said have historically repressed their ten on the evolution of Kurds in the Mahmoud Ya'aqub, 34, who adminis¬ Kurdish minorities. two countries. ters Facebook groups in Arbil. "There is a lot of inspiration from sou¬ He said Turkey's desire to join the David Romano, a Middle East politics thern Sudan," said Salih, prime minis¬ European Union has forced Turkey to professor at Missouri State University, ter of Iraqi Kurdistan, where Kurdish improve Kurdish lives in the southeast. says the success of the Syrian revolu¬ flags and colours ~ red, white and Kurdish music is heard in Turkish tion would have profound impact on green are far more common than cities such as Diyarbakir, and a other countries, including Iran. the red, white and black of Iraq. Kurdish-language TV channel broad¬

"But more important is the deep casts round-the-clock. "Iran will be more isolated if Syria falls," said Romano, the author of The concern that most of us feel about the After 27 years of conflict between Kurdish Nationalist Movement. direction of the politics of Baghdad as Turkey and Kurdish rebels, both it goes towards centralisation and Kurds and Turks appear to prefer From a hideout high in the Qandil authoritarianism . " more peaceful solutions to end the Mountains, Amir Karimi, a senior

Iraq's central government and the hostility. anti-Iran rebel leader, espouses a more radical vision. Kurdish region three of Iraq's 18 Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip provinces have unresolved issues Erdogan has acknowledged the exis¬ "If Syria falls, Iran would be the next over borders and oil rights. Iraqi tence of a Kurdish problem, long target," he said. "Turkey would be left Kurdistan has 45 billion barrels of denied as a "security issue", and pro¬ with two choices: Either to wipe out crude reserves. mised to solve it. In June elections, the Kurds completely ... or surrender

Wim a population of about 30 mil¬ Kurds won 36 parliament seats, almost to reality." lion, largely living in Iraq, Iran, Syria double their previous total.

37 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ozeti

TODAYS ZAMAN 17 July 2011 The Kurdish question and the AKP

beneficiary of the whole process. Under these circumstances,

Columnists Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's democratic instincts rea¬

OMER TASPINAR ched their natural pragmatic limits. His political discourse took an

[email protected] unmistakably nationalist and intolerant turn in the face of growing

Kurdish demands. Since early 2010 and throughout the election

he Kurdistan Worker's Party (PKK) attack which killed 13 sol¬ campaign the prime minister tried to woo nationalist voters in an

diers last week once again demonstrates that the Kurdish ques¬ attempt to keep the MHP's share of the vote under 10 percent in

tion is the most daunting challenge facing Turkey. the June 12 election. This strategy has clearly not worked since

the MHP received 13 percent of the vote and the AKP lost ground

One can only hope that the Justice and Development Party (AKP) in the Kurdish Southeast. Now that the elections are over, the

will not fall into the trap of those who oppose a political solution. most important question is whether the AKP will be able to

change course and once again try to address Kurdish demands

The political aspirations of Turkey's 15 to 20 million-strong with the new constitution.

Kurdish minority have reached unprecedented levels in the last

few years. To be sure, the PKK insurgency is not as strong as it Two crucial steps in the drafting of the new constitution will go a

was in the 1990s. But Kurdish nationalism, as a political force, is long way in diffusing tension: (1) removing ethnic attributes from

alive and well across Turkey. Kurdish ethnic, cultural and political Turkish citizenship, and (2) making Turkish the official and not

demands are fueled by a young and increasingly resentful gene¬ the only recognized language of Turkey. These constitutional

ration of Kurds who are frustrated and vocal not only in Eastern changes can pave the way to other crucial legal reforms such as

Anatolia but also in Turkey's large western cities including the right to bilingual education.

Istanbul, Mersin, Izmir and Adana. The formative experience of

the young Kurdish generation has been the PKK insurgency that A more self-confident AKP could also broaden and deepen its for¬

began in the 1 980s. Although most Turks and a large part of the mer democratic opening by offering permission to Kurdish towns

international community consider the PKK a terrorist organiza¬ and villages to revert to their original names and allowing more

tion, most Turkish Kurds romanticize the PKK and its jailed lea¬ room for local government and administrative decentralization.

der, Abdullah ocalan, who exerts considerable political influence The party should know that only a more multicultural and less

behind bars. To them, the PKK and ocalan are national symbols centralized Turkey will satisfy Kurdish demands.

of the Kurdish rejection of forced assimilation who have paid a

heavy price for the wider recognition of the Kurdish reality. In taking these crucial steps, two additional factors should help

the AKP government to find the necessary courage and vision.

Today, Kurdish political aspirations are thwarted by legal obsta¬ First, the majority of Turkish Kurds no longer support either the

cles which are largely the remnants of Turkey's 1982 formation of a separate state or the use of force by the PKK.

Constitution, written under military rule. The current situation of Second, the idea of increased powers for local government, a

increased Kurdish expectations and limited political space for eth¬ main demand of many ethnic Kurds, is now supported by Kemal

nic recognition does not bode well for Turkey. Raised expecta¬ Kiliçdaroglu's Republican People's Party (CHP). Under such cir¬

tions facing strict political restrictions often create a combustible cumstances the AKP should face no major problems in forging a

mix. In 2009, in an attempt to address the root causes of the pro¬ parliamentary coalition with either the CHP or the Peace and

blem, the AKP launched a democratic opening process which Democracy Party (BDP) to support a new democratization initia¬

involved a partial amnesty for PKK fighters. This was a step in the tive backed by a brand new constitution.

right direction. Yet, soon after the Habur border incident, where

former PKK fighters were given a hero's welcome by the Kurdish After the events of last week, the challenge for the AKP is to not

population, the opening turned into an impasse. The AKP faced fall into the trap of opposing a political solution to the Kurdish pro¬

the worst case scenario: an angry Turkish majority greatly alar¬ blem. There are radicals on both sides who have vested interests

med by Kurdish audacity. in the continuation of the conflict. Turkey is once again going

through a critical test. Cooler heads should prevail.

The Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) seemed to be the main

AP

theast, announced Friday that it is examining the declaration,

Turkey probes Kurdish which the government sees as a threat to national unity.

autonomy declaration An umbrella group that includes Turkey's Kurdish party proclai¬ med Kurdish autonomy in Diyarbakir on Thursday, hours after a

clash left 13 soldiers and seven Kurdish guerillas dead in the ANKARA, Turkey - July 15 2011 - The Associated Press region.

Prosecutors have launched an investigation into the proclamation The deaths of the soldiers and the declaration of autonomy have dramatically fueled tensions in the country, sparking anti-Kurdish of a Kurdish autonomy in the country's largely Kurdish southeast. rebel protests across the country and a firebomb attack on an The prosecutor's office in Diyarbakir, the largest city in the sou office of the Kurdish party in Ankara overnight.

38 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ôzeti

Hurriyet -ffa» juiy 17,2011

Turkish nationalist concert-goers protest Aynur songs in Kurdish

ISTANBUL- Daily News with wires members of the outlawed Kurdistan

Workers Party, or PKK, in the southeas¬

tern province of Diyarbakir. Up to seven Renowned singer Aynur Doan was for¬ members of the illegal group were also ced to leave the stage Friday night at an Istanbul Jazz Festival concert after reported killed in the exchange. Friday s concert, Mujeres de Agua attracting boos from members of the (Women of Water), was organized by audience who were angered at her songs Spanish guitarist Javier Limon and featu¬ in Kurdish. red flamenco renditions by Aynur, Spain Shouting slogans such as The mar¬ s Buika, Israel s Rita and Greece s tyrs' blood is not yet dried and Sing Turkish, members of the crowd began Glykeria. The demonstrators also began sin¬ throwing objects at Aynur as the ging Turkey s national anthem while Tunceli-bom artist is known artistically Aynur was protested by members of the Buika was on stage after Aynur. forcing her to leave the stage during her audience for singing in Kurdish during Apart from the nationalist protesters, third song in her mother tongue. an Istanbul Jazz Festival performance. many in the crowd also saluted Aynur at The protest came one day after 13 Reuters photo the end of the concert, shouting their sup¬ soldiers were killed in unclear circums¬ tances during a clash with suspected port.

^fa#ottafa«» J»iy 17, 2011

Kurds battle Iranians at border

Turkey clashes with same rebels

By Eli Lake / The Washington Times Earlier this month, Secretary of Defense mous enclave. Both Tehran and Ankara Leon E. Panetta confirmed that Iran's have charged official connivance by

government had stepped up its weapons Iraqi Kurds and have called northern Fighting erupted Sunday between shipments to Shiite extremist groups, Iraq an operating base for the rebels. Iranian Kurdish insurgents and reprising a strategy Iran tried in 2007 the Islamic republic's military forces The Kurdistan regional government has and 2008 to drive the U.S. military out near Iran's border with Kurdish Iraq. cooperated with the Turkey against the of Iraq. At least two Iranian Kurdish rebels PKK and does not accord that guerrilla and one member of the Iranian Last week, Iran warned that it reserved group any official status or aid.

the right to attack the bases of the PJAK Revolutionary Guard Corps were killed "Turkey and Iran now have a common in neighboring Iraq's autonomous during clashes along the border with enemy in Iraq and there are even rumors Kurdish region. Iraq, according to reports from Iraqi that the Turks breached the Iraqi border

Kurdistan, citing officials on both sides. According to Mr. Kamankar, Iranian as well, though they are unconfirmed," a

forces warned villagers living in areas security consultant with extensive The rebels are affiliated with the Party along Iraq's side of the border to eva¬ contacts in the Persian Gulf said. for a Free Life in Kurdistan, or PJAK, cuate their homes within three days. But an outlaw group that has waged attacks The clash is indicative of complicated, Kurdish government officials dismissed on Turkey and Iran from the mountai¬ multiplayer jockeying for influence in that report, according to Agence France- nous regions in Iraq. PJAK has ties with the new Iraq. Presse. the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), "This comes conveniently at a time which carried out an attack on Turkish Mr. Kamankar told Agence France- when all Iran wants to do is provoke the soldiers Thursday that killed 13 and Presse that two rebels were killed and U.S. to stay in Iraq, so they have the wounded seven others. four were wounded, and that Iranian for¬ pretext of launching an all out insur¬ ces had suffered several casualties in the "Since midnight, heavy battles have gency through the Madhi Army and fighting near the Banjaween area of been ongoing between PJAK and the others to create a Shiite state in Iraq," Iraqi Kurdistan's Sulaimaniyah pro¬ Iranian army, resulting in injuries among the security consultant concluded. vince. Iran's official IRNA news agency elements of our group," rebel spokes¬ said five PJAK members and a man Sherzad Kamankar told Agence Revolutionary Guard Corps member France-Presse on Sunday. were killed. The border clash could portend renewed Iran and Turkey have restive Kurdish tensions between Iraq and Iran as the minorities, as did Iraq when Saddam U.S. government prepares to fully end Hussein was dictator. The U.S. invasion the military mission in Iraq by the end set up an Iraqi government where Kurds of the calendar year. have much more power and an autono

39 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ôzeti

18 July 2011

Democratic autonomy sparks debate among Kurdish intellectuals

TODAY'S ZAMAN.ISTANBUL

The Democratic Society Congress (DTK) last week decla¬

red the democratic autonomy of the

Kurdish-dominated provinces of the

East and Southeast in what was a

highly provocative statement, particu¬

larly because it came on the same "-V day the outlawed Kurdistan Workers'

Party's (PKK) killed 13 soldiers in an

ambush in Diyarbakir province's ?* V#jJK Silvan district. :\ The declaration understandably

angered nationalists and the average

Turk, but some Kurdish intellectuals Ahmet Turk (L, front row) and Selahattin Demirtas (2nd left, front row) during have also said they were not pleased the meeting in which Democratic Society Congress members declared the demo¬ with it. cratic autonomy of a number of provinces in the East and Southeast The DTK was founded last year

after the Constitutional Court decided

to shut down the Democratic Society and its local governments. It can be and reflected in the constitution after Party (DTP) because of its separatist declared bilaterally. arrival at a joint decision, he said in tendencies. Meanwhile, the DTK and BDP are an interview with Milliyet on Monday. Altan Tan, who was elected to planning to send a delegation to You can't declare autonomy in a Parliament as an independent Europe to examine the existing forms press conference. There are no deputy supported by the pro-Kurdish of autonomy in European countries. examples of this in the world, nor is it Peace and Democracy Party (BDP), Eight commissions under the DTK serious. A unilateral autonomy said he was against the unilateral have been established to examine sounds like a unilateral marriage, declaration of autonomy at this time the issue. The DTK is planning to Elçi noted. and in this manner. Tan, who signed organize seminars both in the region Tarik Ziya Ekinci, a Kurdish politi¬ the declaration with some reserva¬ and in the other parts of Turkey to cian and writer, has said, There is tions, said: The government and the explain what democratic autonomy absolutely no sense to this declara¬ prime minister refuse to recognize entails. Their main argument in these tion of democratic autonomy. In an the Kurdish people, that is true. They seminars will be that autonomy does interview with the Radikal daily, believe that education in one's not mean disintegration or separation Ekinci said: It has no essence at all. mother tongue will cause the country but empowering local governments When you use an expression, you to disintegrate, and that is why our to increase the welfare of the local have essence and shape. In terms of colleagues wanted to declare auto¬ population. shape and form, they have chosen nomy, but we didn't go to Parliament Another BDP-endorsed deputy beautiful words and referred to inter¬ to talk about these things. There is a and the founder of the Participatory national agreements [in the declara¬ new constitution being drafted, and Democracy Party (KADEP), tion], but what is really in it? There is we haven't put forward our proposals Serafettin Elçi, seconded Tan, saying no practical content in any of the for that. I find that declaring auto¬ that the timing and manner of the DTK's words. nomy without doing any of this is rus¬ declaration was wrong. There is He said the important thing was to hing things. another problem, though. Autonomy, produce a formula to work within the The BDP has been boycotting by definition, is a special contract a legal system and be agreed upon Parliament in protest of court rulings country makes with a region within its with the government. Now they will that barred some of its elected candi¬ own boundaries. It is a bilateral establish their own parliament, and it dates who are currently in jail from agreement reached with the govern¬ will be a parliament recognized by no taking seats. ment in terms of authority and gover¬ one. They currently have the DTK Former BDP Siirt deputy Osman nance. It has to be bilateral. I am in right now, which is similar to a parlia¬ Ozçelik said the declaration actually no way against granting autonomy to ment of their own. Some people in is a request for autonomy, not a the Southeast. This can be discus¬ the DTK will move to the new parlia¬ declaration of autonomy. He said, sed and realized through a general ment, and they will continue making There can be no autonomy without public reform or specific implementa¬ decisions together. The party [BDP] constitutional change, adding: tion, but this involves serious legal will then implement these policies. Autonomy can only be realized if it is and political processes. There are There is really nothing that concerns accepted within the constitutional many examples, from Kosovo to the government, the state, society system through a consensus that will Ossetia and Tibet. Such a thing and Turkey. eventually work to strengthen the should be discussed in Parliament He recalled that Turkey's Kurds local autonomous units of a region

40 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ôzeti

once opened a Kurdish parliament What is there to take to court? Some and get involved in drafting the new abroad. What happened to that one? people there are saying that they will constitution. You can no longer admi¬

It shut down and disappeared, Ekinci live autonomously and make sure that nister everything in Turkey from the said, noting that the declaration of citizens can participate in local deci¬ center. Some powers should be given autonomy was an empty discourse. sions. It is a right to enable citizens to to local governments and councils. Anything that cannot be placed within participate in the political process. You could have, say, five or six provin¬ the constitution and whose methods The declaration of autonomy is ces and have a state. You could have are not laid out clearly is doomed to nothing more. If they had declared a huge province like Ostanbul become remain a personal effort, he said. their independence, then that would a single state and the provinces in

Ekinci also said it didn't make be something else and it would be Trakya [Thrace] become a single much sense to declare autonomy in very important, but this is not the state. You could then have 1 5-20 sta¬ order to garner public support. It is case. tes, he said. also meaningless for prosecutors to He said the only way to democra¬ file charges against this declaration. tic autonomy is to go to Parliament

Rudaw.Net 1 19July20n

happen any time soon.

French Cultural Director For Banzet, the cultural differences

between Kurdistan and France were edu¬ Leaving Kurdistan cational. "The culture and lifestyle of

Kurdistan is very different from culture By HAWAR ABDULRAZZAQ and life in my country," she said. "I lear¬

ned a lot of things from Kurdish culture Amélie Banzet is wrapping up her and when you learn about another culture three-year stint as Director of French it helps you to understand more about Cultural Center in Erbil, where she has your own." been praised for building cultural bridges One aspect of the Kurdish culture that between Kurdistan and France and stood out for Banzet during her time in addressing women's rights. Kurdistan is the way people stand by The French Cultural Center is run out each other. of the French consulate in Erbil. Its cul¬ "The aspect of helping among the tural activities have made the consulate Kurds is one thing that I will never for¬ the most active among the 30 foreign 1 get," she said. consulates in the Kurdish capital. Dr. Banzet admires the strong family ties Muhsin Ahmed Omar, the head of the in Kurdistan and believes it is one major French Department at Salahaddin difference between Kurdish and French University in Erbil, attributed this suc¬ societies. cess to Banzet. "When you go to the parks on "Since her arrival in Kurdistan she Thursday evenings [the start of the week¬ has been working very hard and in one Amélie Banzet. Photo Rudaw. end in Kurdistan] all members of the month she was able to understand some family are there, sitting together from of the social and cultural problems of grandfathers to the smallest kids," she Kurdistan," he said. Sahar is a Kurdish woman who works said. "But we in Europe are losing this... Banzet said during her tenure as with Banzet at the French Consulate. She I love this Kurdish tradition that you director of the center, she has noticed said that Banzet has been particularly know all your neighbors and relatives." major cultural developments in helpful to Kurdish women and students In her work, Banzet also relied on the Kurdistan, particularly with regard to whenever they have come by. support of Frederic Tissot, the French "Sometimes she's even better than women. consul general in Erbil. Tissot was a doc¬ "Kurdistan has witnessed a lot of pro¬ our Kurdish collogues," Sahar said. tor in Kurdistan's villages in the 1980s gress," she said. "Cultural and educatio¬ "She's a very brave and simple woman. and enjoys strong relations with the nal levels have risen and women have got She heavily emphasizes women's rights Kurdish people and leaders. a lot of opportunities." and she helps Kurdish students who Banzet is unsure what the future Banzet also said she hopes domestic come to the consulate." holds back in France, but she is certain violence will one day be eradicated, wel¬ Sahar added that out of respect for the her ties to Kurdistan are unbreakable. coming the law by Kurdistan's parlia¬ Kurdish culture, Banzet always wears "Maybe I will stay with the govern¬ ment last month that criminalizes domes¬ traditional Kurdish dresses to ceremo¬ ment job or work in a private company," nies. tic violence. she said. "But I will be back to "That was a big step and I was surpri¬ Banzet said during her time in Kurdistan." sed that it passed," Banzet said. "A lot of Kurdistan she has met many "strong"

people think it's a good law, but passing women who play leading roles in the

that law is not easy and maybe in this cul¬ Kurdish society. She also believes that

ture not many people are ready for that Kurdish women can become prime ministers, but she doesn't think it will kind of law."

41 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ôzeti

XéMonât 18juillet 2011 Les forces iraniennes prennent le contrôle de trois camps de rebelles kurdes en Irak

opérations lancées samedi en

LEMONDE.FR avec AFP territoire irakien par les Gardiens de la révolution se poursuivaient "avec force et T es forces iraniennes ont J_rpris le contrôle de trois détermination", et que "toute la région" était sous le camps du mouvement rebelle kurde iranien PJAK situés en contrôle des forces armées iraniennes. territoire irakien, a annoncé lundi 18 juillet le comman¬ Le PJAK, qui opère à par¬ tir de bases établies dans les dant des Gardiens de la révo¬ lution de la région de montagnes du Kurdistan ira¬ Sardasht, dans le nord-ouest kien, est souvent impliqué Des rebelles kurdes dans une zone frontalière entre l'Irak et de l'Iran, cité par l'agence dans des affrontements l'Iran, en 2006.AFP/DAVID FURST armés avec les forces ira¬ officielle IRNA. niennes. Ces dernières bom¬ "De l'aide était fournie bardent régulièrement des aux terroristes [du PJAK, Ranjbarzadeh, en précisant res et terroristes du PJAK, de Parti pour une vie libre du zones frontalières kurdes ira¬ que les opérations lancées nombreux éléments [de ce Kurdistan] depuis trois kiennes, qui abritent ces samedi en territoire irakien groupe] ont été tués", a-t-il indépendantistes. Le 11 juil¬ camps en territoire irakien, par les Gardiens de la révolu¬ ajouté, en faisant état d'un let, l'Iran avait affirmé qu'il et tous ces camps sont tom¬ tion se poursuivaient. mort et de trois blessés du bés aux mains des forces ira¬ se réservait "le droit" d'atta¬ côté iranien. Le responsable "Dans les affrontements quer les bases du PJAK au niennes, qui contrôlent tota¬ entre les forces des Gardiens des Pasdaran (la garde préto¬ Kurdistan irakien. lement la région", a déclaré de la révolution et les élé¬ rienne du régime islamique le colonel Delavar ments contre-révolutionnai iranien) a précisé que les

Irak: Echanges d'accusations entre les Kurdes irakiens et l'Iran

ERBIL (Irak), 19 juiletl 2011 (AFP) Et il a démenti tout bombardement de villageois kurdes, en expliquant que la zone visée était "inhabitée".

LES AUTORITÉS du Kurdistan irakien ont appelé mardi Téhéran à Lundi, le colonel iranien Delavar Ranjbarzadeh avait annoncé la prise de respecter la frontière, tandis qu'un responsable iranien a demandé contrôle par les forces iraniennes de trois camps du Pjak (Parti pour une au gouvernement de Bagdad et aux dirigeants du Kurdistan d'Irak vie libre du Kurdistan) situés en territoire irakien, qui fournissaient "de d'empêcher les rebelles kurdes du Pjak d'agir contre son pays l'aide" aux Kurdes en Iran.

depuis l'Irak. Selon le colonel Ranjbarzadeh, "de nombreux" rebelles kurdes ont été

"Nous demandons à l'Iran de respecter la souveraineté de la région du tués dans l'attaque de Gardiens de la révolution iraniens, qui ont pour Kurdistan, qui fait partie de l'Irak", a affirmé à l'AFP le porte-parole du leur part compté un mort et trois blessés.

gouvernement régional kurde, Qawa Mahmoud. Dimanche, un responsable du PJAK avait parlé "de dizaines de morts et

"Il y a eu une infiltration le long de la frontière irakienne. Le meilleur blessés" parmi les forces iraniennes et de "deux tués et quatre blessés" moyen de régler des problèmes frontaliers passe par la négociation et dans ses propres rangs.

par des moyens pacifiques, et pas en bombardant des civils", a-t-il dit. Le Pjak est régulièrement impliqué dans des affrontements armés avec

Le général iranien Mohammad Pakpour, commandant de l'armée de les forces iraniennes, qui bombardent en représailles les zones fronta¬ terre des Gardiens de la révolution, a pour sa part déclaré mardi sur la lières montagneuses du Kurdistan irakien, d'où opèrent les combattants chaîne de télévision en arabe Al-Alam "attendre du gouvernement ira¬ indépendantistes.

kien et des autorités du Kurdistan d'Irak qu'ils tiennent leurs engage¬ Le 11 juillet, un responsable militaire iranien avait affirmé que l'Iran se ments et empêchent les rebelles du Pjak d'agir contre l'Iran depuis le réservait "le droit" d'attaquer les bases du Pjak, accusant Massoud territoire irakien". Barzani, le président du Kurdistan irakien, d'avoir mis un territoire de

"Au cours des dernières 72 heures, les rebelles ont subi de lourdes per¬ 150 km sur 20 km "à la disposition du Pjak" le long de la frontière ira¬ tes dans la région d'AI-Watan", a-t-il assuré, précisant que "les camps nienne, "pour créer des bases d'entraînement et mener des actions ter¬ du Pjak dans la région de Jassoukan avaient été anéantis et que les roristes contre l'Iran". journalistes pouvaient s'y rendre pour le constater".

42 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ôzeti

Turquie Européenne.eu 18 juillet 2011

Turquie : la provocation des "profonds"?

Cengiz Çandar / Radikal Traduction pour TE : Marillac

Alors que les élections du 12 juin dernier avaient conduit au parlement le plus représentatif de toute l'histoire de la Turquie et, ainsi, relancé la double perspective d'une solution à la question kurde et d'une nouvelle constitution, la Turquie, toujours aux prises avec un boycott des nouveaux députés kurdes [BDP], renoue avec cette spirale de la violence bien trop connue : le 14 juillet dernier, 13 jeunes soldats et 7 membres du PKK ont péri à la suite d'un accro -

chage et d'un incendie de forêt. En 2007, à la suite ce dernier événement. des précédentes élections législatives, la perspec - tive d'une nouvelle constitution "civile" s'était déjà Cette main, ou bien ces éléments, ces foyers de vio - écrasée sur un regain de violence dans le sud-est du lence, il n'est guère besoin d'aller les chercher très pays, suivi d'opérations aériennes lancées sur les loin. Nous savons, dans ce pays, qu'ils se tiennent dans bases du PKK situées au nord de l'Irak. les profondeurs de l'appareil d'Etat et qu'ils ont des prolongements jusqu'au c'ur du PKK. Le gouvernement Cengiz Çandar, journaliste et spécialiste reconnu des se doit d'être encore plus courageux pour démasquer rapports de force régionaux, est I' auteur d' un ce piège et éclairer l'opinion publique. Le drame de récent rapport sur les conditions d'un désarmement Silvan se doit d'être éclairé de tous les points de vue du PKK. Il revient là sur une évolution de la situation possibles. Pourquoi un tel acharnement dans ce genre qui ne le surprend guère. d'opérations sanglantes juste au moment où l'on attend de sérieux développements en direction d'une nouvelle constitution, d'une démocratisation et d'une Le retour de militants du PKK par le poste frontière de solution à la question kurde ? Le BDP [Parti pour la paix Habur [à l'automne 2009, l'AKP avait voulu lancer son et la démocratie, pro kurde] doit aussi jouer pleinement "ouverture" sur la question kurde en autorisant le retour son rôle pour déjouer ce piège ; il doit se tenir à dis - de militants kurdes ; face au tollé suscité et entretenu tance des positions qui servent les partisans du chaos, par l'opposition, il avait interrompu son ouverture au doit mettre fin à son boycott, et faire des efforts dans le lendemain de cet événement] avait fait dérailler l'ou - sens du changement et de la démocratie... » verture démocratique du gouvernement sur la question Du Premier ministre au BDP... kurde en 2009 ; aujourd'hui, le drame de Silvan (13 sol - dats turcs et sept Kurdes du PKK ont péri au cours d'un Bien, mais comment le Premier ministre apprécie-t-il la accrochage dans le sud-est du pays), semble avoir situation et le drame ? De la façon suivante : anéanti les chances de l'ouverture post-électorale que l'on attendait. Kemal Burkay [Homme politique kurde en « Nos treize martyrs nous déchirent le c c'est cer¬ exil depuis le coup d'Etat de 1980, fondateur du Parti tain ; l'organisation terroriste et ses prolongements doi - socialiste du Kurdistan de Turquie] dont on attend pro¬ vent se mettre cela en tête. ..Que face à ce genre de chainement le retour en Turquie après 31 ans d'exil a comportements et de mauvaises intentions, ils n'ont pas fait une déclaration écrite sur cette tragédie. Je le cite : à attendre de nous quelque bonne intention que ce soit. Eux, comme leurs prolongements politiques. Nous, nous « Dans un proche ou lointain avenir, nous réussirons avons su faire preuve de la meilleure des intentions à certainement à fonder un pays libre et démocratique et l'égard de leurs prolongements politiques. Avec la à y vivre les uns à côté des autres comme des gens civi - meilleure intention qui puisse être, nous leur avons lises, à égalité. Mais ces vies aujourd'hui tombées à donné toutes les possibilités de poursuivre leur lutte sur terre ne nous reviendront pas. Ces vies ont été fauchées le terrain démocratique. Mais les propositions qu'ils en leur printemps. Rien ne pourra apaiser la douleur de n'ont cessé d'avancer, relèvent d'approches totale ceux qui les aimaient, de leurs pères et de leurs mères. ment inconséquentes, d'approches qu'on n'a jamais Une série d'actions violentes depuis les récentes élec - vues de par le monde. Jamais l'AKP ni un gouvernement tions et, en particulier, ce dernier drame, sont des piè¬ AKP ne prendra place autour d'une table sur la base de ges destinés à entraver toute initiative en direction ces propositions non sincères. » d'une solution à la question kurde et de la rédaction d' une nouvelle et démocratique constitution. De qui parle Erdogan quand il parle des "prolongements D'ailleurs, les milieux en quête de tels prétextes se politiques" de l'organisation terroriste (PKK) ? Du BDP ! sont aussitôt mis à faire pression sur le gouvernement et Le Premier ministre déclare qu'il a fait preuve des meil - à mettre en accusation, et les initiatives démocratiques leures intentions à leur égard, et qu'il leur a donné et le processus d'ouverture. Il est du devoir de chaque toutes les garanties de pouvoir poursuivre leur lutte sur personne qui a le sens des responsabilités, à commen - le terrain démocratique. Très bien, mais près de 3 000 cer par le gouvernement, de déjouer ce piège. Le membres du BDP sont en prison dans le cadre de l'af - Premier ministre a parlé de « la main » se tenant derrière faire du KCK [Union des Sociétés du Kurdistan, considé -

43 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ôzeti

rée comme l'émanation civile du PKK, Parti des tra - vailleurs du Kurdistan, en guerre contre Ankara depuis De mon propre point de vue, il n'y a rien de surprenant 1984 ; en décembre 2009, dans la cadre d'une d'en arriver là aujourd'hui, avec ce genre d'événe enquête sur cette organisation, 35 responsables politi¬ ments. Car, pendant neuf mois, j'ai parlé des jours ques kurdes, dont 8 maires, ont été arrêtés. Parmi durant avec des dizaines et des dizaines de personnes, eux, des personnalités élues le 12 juin dernier]. Il des responsables d'Etat aux leaders PKK de la monta - n'est personne non plus qui ignore ce qui leur est gne de Kandil (Irak), en passant par d'anciens diri - arrivé après des élections auxquelles ils ont participé géants ayant rompu avec le PKK, et des personnalités dans des conditions très difficiles. Tout le monde a pu de l'opposition kurde au PKK, avec des membres du voir de quelle façon cavalière l'AKP avait poussé son BDP ; j'ai lu des milliers de pages et rédigé un rapport candidat à reprendre le siège du député kurde inva - de cent pages intitulé : « Sortir du maquis - Comment lidé, Hatip Dicle, par son candidat non élu... le PKK déposera-t-il les armes ? - Débarrasser la ques - tion kurde de la violence » [Rapport rendu il y a trois Bref, sincèrement, on n'est pas très convaincu de ce semaines dans le cadre du Think tank TESEV] que l'AKP ait pu faire preuve des « meilleures inten - tions du monde envers les prolongements politiques... Un point souvent atteint ». Il est évident que ces paroles du Premier ministre seront perçues comme la déclaration de rupture du Grâce à ce travail, je me suis rendu compte que nous dialogue entre l'AKP et le BDP, comme une déclaration nous étions très souvent retrouvés dans une situation de guerre, non seulement au PKK, mais aussi au BDP. de ce genre. J'en ai appris bien plus que ce que j'ai pu apprendre en quarante années, quant aux réflexes Un coup du DTK porté au BDP mentaux des principaux acteurs de ce problème, à l'arrière-plan de la question, à la psychologie des Malgré cela, par le biais du DTK [Congrès pour une Kurdes parties prenantes au problème, à la structure société démocratique, plate-forme politique kurde du PKK, etc. élargie, comprenant le BDP], et parallèlement au drame de Silvan, le BDP s'est lui-même placé sous la coupe Le rapport a suscité l'intérêt de l'opinion publique et d'une « autonomie démocratique » proclamée à l'on continue d'en discuter. En dehors des officiers en Diyarbakir lors d'une réunion à laquelle prirent part retraite qui étaient partisans, dans les années 1990, 850 personnes et dont la forme évoquait une sorte de d'une politique d'assimilation des Kurdes et des fête de fin d'année. Pour le dire autrement : avant ultras-nationalistes anti kurdes, il y a eu assez peu de même les salves du Premier ministre, par cette procla¬ critiques. La seule exception fut celle de Mustafa mation « d'autonomie démocratique », le DTK avait Karasu, proclamé « idéologue du PKK » et considéré porté un sérieux coup au rôle parlementaire de l'une par certains comme l'un des représentants de la « de ses composantes, le BDP. ligne dure » de l'organisation, qui m'a accusé d'avoir écrit ce rapport dans la « perspective de l'AKP » et de La déclaration « d'autonomie démocratique » du DTK « renvoyer la politesse à l'AKP ». Au même moment est un inextricable salmigondis, une formule mi-chè¬ où Ôcalan me salue en citant mon nom depuis son île- vre, mi-chou. Alors que le boycott parlementaire du prison d'Imrali, et, une semaine plus tard, fait positi - BDP se poursuit, « l'autonomie démocratique » ne vement référence à mon rapport. Libre à chacun d'in peut avoir qu'une seule conséquence politique : « terpréter tout cela. l'exacerbation de la violence, la continuation du bain de sang, et de nouvelles pertes en vies humaines... » Je sais que lorsque s'esquisse une possibilité de rap - Ou, pour le dire autrement, la mise hors course du BDP prochement entre les parties en direction d'une solu - et le monopole de l'initiative laissé au PKK. tion, au sein du PKK, comme au sein de l'appareil d'Etat, il en est qui sont prêts à en torpiller toute pos - Une telle situation rejoint les paroles suivantes du sibilité et qui désirent maintenir « l'option de la Premier ministre : « S'ils veulent la paix, ceux-là, il guerre » tout en haut de l'agenda. n'y a qu'une chose qu'ils puissent faire, et c'est la suivante : l'organisation terroriste déposera les armes En dehors de certains appuis extérieurs et régionaux une bonne fois pour toutes. Tant qu'ils n'auront pas du PKK, comme le dit Kemal Burkay, que la « Turquie déposé les armes, les opérations ne s'arrêteront pas profonde » ait pris place au c du PKK n'est un secret et le processus n'ira pas plus loin... Dans ce pays, il pour personne. Ni même que de tels « acteurs » dispo - n'est plus de problème kurde, dans ce pays, il y a un sent à tout moment des pièges sur le chemin de la problème PKK, et nos concitoyens d'origine kurde ont Turquie. Faire toute la lumière sur la façon dont ont des problèmes... Mon frère turc a lui aussi des problè - péri brûlés 13 + 7 jeunes est tout particulièrement mes. Comme les Lazes, les Bosniaques, les Albanais, les important pour comprendre la façon dont ce piège est Géorgiens et les Roms... » posé.

Retour aux années 1990 ? C'est le lot de la politique ; il ne peut être aucune force capable d' empêcher ceux qui, malgré toute la Il n'y a dans ce discours que très peu de différences conscience qu'ils en ont, veulent sauter à pieds joints avec le discours qui était celui des années 1990 [Les dans ces « pièges ». À ceux qui se demandent ce qu'il années noires de la guerre contre le PKK]. La différence convient de faire dans de telle situations désespérées, fondamentale est « psychologique ». En 2011, il existe je recommande vivement la lecture attentive de mon une Turquie dont la confiance en soi est très forte, dont rapport. À eux, ainsi qu'à notre gouvernement. l'économie est bonne, et dont le profil international est correct. Et peut-être que le Premier ministre pense Source : Radikal, le 16/07/2011 qu'il pourra régler le « problème du PKK » en se disant que, « ma foi, si ce doit être la guerre, alors ce - Traduction pour TE : Marillac sera la guerre. » De toutes façons, étant donné qu'il n'est plus de problème kurde...

44 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ozeti

LesEchos

20 juillet 2011 Le nationalisme kurde se nourrit du «printemps arabe» et du Soudan

Reuters l'heure actuelle, poursuit le responsa¬ nalisme kurde n'a cessé de se renfor¬

ble kurde, c'est la direction que sont cer.

LE JOUR où l'Afrique a accueilli en train de prendre les autorités de officiellement son 54e Etat, le chef Bagdad, vers une plus grande centra¬ «Pour la première fois dans leur his¬

du gouvernement kurde irakien a lisation et vers un plus grand autori¬ toire moderne, les Kurdes d'Irak et de

twitté ces mots pour exprimer son tarisme». Turquie, au moins eux, avancent,

sentiment au monde entier: «Je même si c'est avec prudence», estime regarde l'histoire en marche avec l'in¬ Le gouvernement central de Bagdad Michael Gunter, un spécialiste de la

dépendance du Soudan du Sud». et la région semi-autonome du question qui a suivi l'évolution de Kurdistan, l'une des 18 provinces ira¬ cette minorité au sein des deux pays.

«Et, morale de l'histoire, le droit à kiennes, ont des conflits ouverts Pour lui, le souhait de la Turquie

l'autodétermination ne peut pas être depuis des années, notamment sur la d'entrer au sein de l'Union euro¬

nié, même par un génocide». Avec question des frontières et sur celles péenne joue en faveur des Kurdes,

l'émergence d'un nouveau pays sur la des importantes réserves de pétrole qui ont vu leur situation évoluer

carte du continent africain et les sou¬ que renferme cette région. positivement dans ce pays. Symbole

lèvements du «printemps arabe», de de ces avancées, on entend selon lui

plus en plus de Kurdes installés dans Au-delà de ces considérations loca¬ aujourd'hui de plus en plus de musi¬ le nord de l'Irak osent dire plus haut, les, le peuple kurde regroupe près de que kurde dans les villes turques plus fort, qu'ils aspirent à une auto¬ 30 millions de personnes, dont la cul¬ comme Diyarbakir et une chaîne de

nomie élargie. ture et la langue se distinguent de cel¬ télévision en langue kurde émet dés¬ les des Arabes, des Turcs ou des ormais en continu.

La minorité kurde est répartie sur Perses.

plusieurs pays: en Turquie, en Irak, A Erbil, la capitale du Kurdistan ira¬ Situation en Syrie en Syrie ainsi qu'en Iran. Et mis à part kien, on s'enthousiasme du contexte quelques intermèdes dans l'Histoire, actuel au Moyen-Orient, notamment

ce peuple a souvent été réprimé par A majorité musulmane, cette mino¬ dans les pays où se trouvent des rité a souvent été réprimée et stigma¬ ces gouvernements. Kurdes, à commencer par la Syrie. tisée par les autorités des pays sur «Les demi-révolutions, ça n'existe

Critique des autorités irakiennes lesquels elle est implantée, qui ont pas», confie Khalid Ali, un militant toujours vu en elle un mouvement de kurde originaire de Syrie. «Les

«Ce qui s'est passé au Soudan du Sud séparatistes permanent. Syriens l'ont décidé: la chute de nous inspire», déclare Barham Saleh, Bachar al Assad est juste une ques¬

le Premier ministre du Kurdistan ira¬ Depuis la Guerre du Golfe de 1991, tion de temps», ajoute-t-il, évoquant

kien, où le rouge, le blanc et le vert - les Kurdes irakiens vivent dans une la situation du président syrien, qui

les couleurs du drapeau kurde - rem¬ région plus sécurisée et peuvent dis¬ fait face à un important mouvement

placent souvent, voire systématique¬ poser de leurs ressouces naturelles. Et de protestations depuis la mi-mars. ment celles du drapeau irakien. depuis l'intervention anglo-améri¬ caine de 2003 et la chute du régime de

«Mais ce qui nous préoccupe le plus à Saddam Hussein, la notion de natio

Deux rebelles kurdes Deux soldats ont été légèrement blessés dans les affrontements, a ajouté l'agence. tués lors de combats Les accrochages entre les forces de sécurité et les rebelles se sont multi¬ dans le sud-est de la Turquie pliés depuis les élections législatives du 12 juin.

Vendredi dernier, 13 soldats et sept rebelles avaient péri lors de combats dans le sud-est de la Turquie, peuplé en majorité de Kurdes. ANKARA, 22 juillet 2011 (AFP)

Cet incident, le plus meurtrier pour l'armée turque depuis octobre 2008, a suscité une vive émotion en Turquie et le Premier ministre Recep Tayyip DEUX REBELLES kurdes ont été tués lors de combats dans le sud-est Erdogan a prévenu que l'armée turque allait faire payer "un prix élevé" aux de la Turquie alors qu'ils tentaient de poser une mine sur une route, a rebelles. rapporté vendredi l'agence de presse Anatolie. Lors des législatives, le courant pro-kurde a remporté 35 sièges sur 550 à Les deux hommes ont été abattus lors d'un accrochage entre une unité de l'Assemblée -un chiffre sans précédent- mais ces élus ont refusé de prê¬ l'armée et un groupe de rebelles du Parti des travailleurs du Kurdistan (PKK) ter serment pour protester contre le maintien en détention provisoire de cinq qui posaient une mine sur une route souvent empruntée par les militaires, des leurs, accusés de liens avec l'aile urbaine du PKK, et l'invalidation de près du village de Gelisen, dans la province de Hakkari, selon Anatolie. l'élection d'un 36e militant kurde, condamné pour "propagande terroriste".

45 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ozeti

leralbn_Stebttne. Tuesday, july 19, 2011

government acting on history's right " charge to the Assad regime for the next side than one comfortable with indig¬ nine months.) Syria tests nation minus consequences. As for the Americans, moral impec¬ As it turns out, the West is doing cability, with the Security Council ac¬ very little to transform the outrage of tion floundering, relates in the short U.S. resolve Syrian citizens into effective penalties term to whether the United States con¬ against the regime of Bashar al-Assad siders the Russians and the Chinese and its suppliers, or into active outside too big to assail concerning Syria. to do right support for a best-case scenario end- As it was described to me, the Amer¬ ; ing Damascus's symbiotic relationship icans' dilemma is "whether we take no with Iran, stopping Syria's promotion for an answer" meaning abandoning of terrorism and isolating Hezbollah in a Security Council vote "or do we Lebanon. force the moral point" and make Mos¬ The language of moral commitment cow and Beijing openly responsible for remains: President Barack Obama has the veto of the West's proposed Syria said the United States is "using all the condemnation? diplomatic, economic and strategic The American hesitation seems to tools at our disposal" to support demo¬ come with the rationale that as the re¬ John cratic transition and "block the path of volt deepens, the Russians might want . Vinocur murder." But evidence of that action to hedge their Syrian bets. But how do or anything resembling results isn't you not exert pressure on Moscow now shining through. when tanks and helicopters . Pieter D. One of the problems seems to be how Wezeman of the Stockholm Interna¬ POLIT1CUS specific the administration wants to get tional Peace Research Institute esti¬ in pushing or shaming or pointing to mates Russia to be the essential source . the Big Players lurking on its version of of the Syrian military's heavy equip¬ PARIS In dealing with the Middle the wrong side of the historical street. ment mass near a Syrian town East's political eruptions, the United From the start, Russia and China have where soldiers have defected? -States, credibly or not, has made stand¬ threatened to veto any Security Council ing on the right side of history its oper¬ Two despairing answers: action condemning Syria. Russia is the One, according to a European diplo¬ ative watchword. central player because it is Syria's mat, is that the European Union, with¬ The White House first used the prime purveyor of arms, because it re¬ out specific U.N. cover, could never phrase in explaining how it chose gards the Assad regime as its single true achieve the consensus necessary to after serious in-house arguments about partner in the Middle East and because call out Moscow or penalize it for pro¬ the relative strategic insignificance to viding the hardware involved in Syria's America of the stakes involved to. it plans, according to officials in Mos¬ ongoing massacres. The other.is that provide air support to the Libyan rebel¬ cow, to modernize its logistical base at for the Obama administration, the task lion against Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi. the Syrian port of Tartus to accommo¬ of confronting Syria's supply chain Since the halting Libyan interven¬ date "heavy warships after 2012." with sanctions would savage the basic tion, at low cost and low risk to the An initial draft of the resolution, pre¬ Russia-is-manageable premise of the United States, the Obama administra¬ pared by France and Britain, had lan¬ president's so-called reset with Mos¬ tion has found comfort in indicating guage, I was told, that called for the ex¬ cow. - that it will respond to the Arab world's ercise of "vigilance" involving arms Still, under these circumstances, revolts against its dictators on the transfers to Syria a word vague there's the possibility of far greater basis of moral imperatives. enough for the Russians to have agreed embarrassment for the United States Last month it carried this notion to to it last year in the latest round of U.N. and its friends: no good outcome the upheaval in Syria, where, more . sanctions against Iran. emerging from Syria, the place where than in Libya, the opportunities for But this time Moscow said no. Ac¬ an Arab dictator's departure is most positive change affecting the entire re¬ cording to the account I heard, although likely to signify a win for international gion are vast. - the draft's language was softened ac¬ peace and stability. Backing a French-British resolution cordingly, the Russians made clear that By way of precedent, Mr. Obama did condemning the Syrian regime for its the resolution seen by its sponsors as not take the risk of rushing in with U.S. ^__ brutal repression of opening a legal gate for Western action backing (moral or material) for the "We will be opposition demon against Syria by individual countries or anti-regime demonstrators being shot strators, the U.S. am¬ groups of them has no future. on the down in Iran's streets in June 2009 bassador to the Up until now, the Obama administra¬ ' right side of after the mullahs blatantly nullified an United Nations, tion has not issued a peep. election victory by the opposition. history if and Susan E. Rice, Rather, it was the French, through This time, with millions of Syrians when this reached for the mor¬ Defense Minister Gérard Longuet, who risking their lives for months, the al prop: "We will be comes to a seemingly picked up on the right-side- American president has the theoretical on the right side of vote." of-history notion, and called the Rus¬ vocabulary in hand but nothing else history if and when sian and Chinese veto threat "inde¬ of substance, so far, to indicate where this comes to a vote. cent," which in my dictionary means his administration's concrete support ; If others are unable to, or are unwilling 'morally offensive. Mr. Longuet recom¬ for the right side of this history begins. to,.then that will be their responsibility mended that the international commu¬ to bear." nity "dry out Syria financially" because Now, with deaths in Syria reported to a military intervention was not feasible. have risen to 1,400 over four months of (Problem: Iran appears to be work¬ clashes, there has been no U.N. con- ing fast at assisting Syria's cash and , demnation, and no U.S. calling-out by energy needs. Les Échos, the French fi¬ name those countries blocking the nancial newspaper, reported Friday measure and supplying Syria with its that Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran's su¬ arms and financial wherewithal. preme leader, had approved $5.8 billion With Syria's dictatorship killing daily in assistance to Syria, as well as with impunity, Ms. Rice's line, five 290,000 barrels of oil daily, without weeks later, has less the look of a U.S.

46 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ôzeti

EheMamiHetafo® JULY19'2011 Kirkuk is a fland mine? where all sides want U.S. to stay

An Iraqi Army sol - By ROY GUTMAN dier patrols the nor - McClatchy Newspapers them part of Kirkuk

If civil war were to resume in Iraq, a Province alongside dread event that could mean the U.S. soldiers earlier breakup of the world's next great oil power, Kirkuk is the likely epicenter. this month. Kurds

consider Kirkuk It doesn't take much to set ethnic ten¬ their Jerusalem, but sions boiling in this oil-rich province of 850,000, also named Kirkuk, which Arabs and Turkmen Kurds consider their Jerusalem but claim it, too. which Arabs and Turkmen also claim. An altercation on a street in the city of Kirkuk, a riot in a nearby Arab town and a car bombing shook the peace in the request, but time is short and the deci¬ added, "their withdrawal may tip the first half of this year, pitting Kurds sion is caught up in a logjam of compe¬ scales in favor of any side. Who knows against Arabs in a manner that Sunni ting Iraqi interests, including the which?" Arab extremists are only too eager to appointment of ministers to run the exploit. country's Defense and Interior minis¬ As with most of the American troops still

tries. in Iraq, the mission of Pappal's 4,000- "Kirkuk is different from anywhere else strong "Devil Brigade" is training Iraqi in Iraq," said Col. Michael Pappal, the Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki appears police and soldiers to combat violent U.S. military commander at to favor a continued U.S. presence, but extremists. But in Kirkuk, its primary Contingency Operating Site Warrior, the other members of his coalition are oppo¬ role is crisis management. American base at Kirkuk airport, soon to sed, including the anti-American cleric be turned over to Iraqi forces. "Does it Muqtada al-Sadr, whose disarmed Kirkuk is plagued with complicated eth¬ have the most violence? No. The most Mahdi Army militia until recently nic rivalries, a legacy of Saddam lethal violence? No. Is this where the appeared prepared to attack American Hussein's effort to dilute the region's civil war is going to start? There's a troops if they remained. U.S. military native Kurdish population by moving potential for that." planners warn that the pace of withdra¬ tens of thousands of Arabs here from the wal for the last 46,000 Americans is south. A former aide to Saddam, Izzat al- Or, as Tahseen al-Shaikhli, an Iraqi picking up, and they've said they need to Douri, is directing insurgent forces from government spokesman, put it: "Kirkuk know by July 30 what the Iraqis want. Syria, Pappal said. These include is like a land mine on a lake of oil." Naqshabanda, the military arm of the "Nobody will touch the Kirkuk problem new Baath Party, which targets mainly Nowhere, Iraqi and U.S. officials say, is for the time being, nor reach within 100 foreign forces, and Ansar al-Sunna, the argument for keeping American feet of it," Shaikhli said. "The American which targets both civilians and foreign troops in Iraq past Dec. 31 stronger than troops are the balance of everything military. Both work with the group al- in Kirkuk. there." Qaida in Iraq and its close cousin, the Islamic State of Iraq, which attack civi¬ "We are the glue that brings people toge¬ That view is widely shared in Kirkuk. lians. Their active numbers are relatively ther, that facilitates cooperation," said small - "hundreds, if that" - but their Pappal, a Creekside, Pa., native who "The Iraqi security forces do not have support base may be in the thousands, commands the U.S. 1st Advise and Assist the ability to secure Iraq's borders, its Pappal said. Task Force of the 1st Infantry Division, airspace or its sole seaport in Basra," about 4,000 troops. "We're also the said Najmeldeen Kereem, the Kurdish A mix of forces are arrayed against nuclear control rod that keeps things governor of the province. The U.S. is them: police, about 12,000 for the pro¬ from going to critical mass. It's the two needed, he added, "not just for their vince, who are a mix of Kurds, things together." Remove the control military role and advice, but for media¬ Turkomen and Arabs; the Kurdish

rod, and "you have a reaction that poten¬ tion during crises." Regional Guards Brigade, thought to be tially could get out of control." 3,000 to 4,000 troops; and the 12th Even Sunni Arabs who want the U.S. to Iraqi Army Division, which is three- Iraq's political leaders are struggling leave acknowledge the role of its troops quarters Arab and totals 15,000. To with whether to ask the United States to in keeping competing sides apart. complicate things further, an unofficial keep some troops in the country after "Occupation forces are never good for Kurdish force known as the Asayish has this year, when an agreement the two any country. Their presence is not right 300 uniformed police, a much larger countries signed in 2008 dictates that and I believe that they should go," said number of undercover agents and two they be gone. The Obama administra¬ Husein Ali Salih, a member of the lines of organization, one for each of the tion has said it would consider such a Kirkuk provincial council. But, he main Kurdish political parties.

47 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ôzeti

the Asayish commander. Pappal spent March 31 that the Kurds had fully depar¬ Some times the forces face off against two hours talking to Halo to persuade ted, he said. one another, which is where Pappal him to do nothing for a day. He called

comes in. political leaders. Then he alerted the On April 25, in the city of Kirkuk, another governor, who called in all parties to air crisis loomed when Iraqi army troops Pappal, who holds up to 10 meetings a their anger. riding in a pickup got into a "road rage" week with different armed groups, as fight with a man on the street and shot well as the region's Kurdish governor, "It was a week's worth of bringing every¬ him. Asayish troops, whose headquarters has had to step in regularly to keep the body back together," Pappal recalled. were nearby, responded. Gunfire broke various sides apart, most recently when a out and three members of the Asayish car bomb killed 28 people two months Other incidents in the province this year were killed. ago in the parking lot of the main provin¬ also required the U.S. to step in to keep cial police station. The casualties inclu¬ peace between competing Kurdish and Pappal, who by coincidence was having ded members of the Asayish, which aspi¬ Arab groups. lunch with two generals at the headquar¬ res to be the Kurdish FBI but isn't reco¬ ters, warned them that they had to stop

gnized by the central government. When Sunni Arab demonstrators burned the confrontation from escalating "or I the government offices in the predomi¬ have to go out to stop it." The generals

The commander of the Asayish, which nantly Arab town of Hawija on Feb. 25, came up with a solution. "They had to," had been targeted by previous bombings, the Kurdish Regional Guards Brigade Pappal recalled. was livid, Pappal recalled. "They were moved south, claiming it was trying to emotional and upset. They blamed it on protect the city of Kirkuk from Arab Pappal is confident that even the worst- the IP," he said, meaning the local Iraqi mobs. But the area it moved into was case confrontation won't lead to civil war police. They took the attitude " We are already under the control of the 12th - as long as Americans remain in Kirkuk. no longer going to cooperate,' " he said Iraqi Army Division, and a confrontation loomed. "Not while we're here," he said. "It won't "I'm not sure exactly what he was going happen while we're here." to do, but he was going to do something," "It raised up all the political tensions of Pappal said of Gen. Halo Najat Rashid, the area," Pappal said. It wasn't until

rfi Un rassemblement a Paris 7J»»ict2011 divise l'opposition syrienne

il est très important aujourd'hui de

pouvoir parler de la Syrie. Seulement, Par RFI la prise de position de personnalités qui ont soutenu les crimes qui ont été com¬

UN RASSEMBLEMENT visant à dénon¬ mis à Gaza et les crimes qui ont été

cer la répression en Syrie a eu lieu lundi commis en Irak est un désavantage 4 juillet, au cinéma Saint-Germain-des- pour nous et nuit à notre cause. » Prés, à Paris, à l'initiative d'associations Unir tous les opposants à Bachar syriennes et organisé par le philosophe el-Assad Bernard-Henri Lévy. Certains oppo¬ En revanche, pour le Kurde de Syrie sants syriens n'étaient pas d'accord Radwan Badini, membre du comité avec cette action qu'ils ont dénoncée Bernard-Henri Lévy (droite), ici lors d'une exécutif de la Conférence d'Antalya, qui comme une récupération politique et manifestation de soutien à Sakineh, à Paris, le 12 septembre 2010. AFP vit en Irak depuis 34 ans, il était très médiatique. important d'informer l'opinion publique Des femmes et des hommes politiques sur la répression dans son pays : « dans la foule des badauds l'interpelle : de droite et de gauche, comme Fadela Nous ne pouvons pas dire un seul mot « Vous n'avez pas honte ?! » Bernard- Amara, Laurent Fabius, Bernard librement face au régime qui est au Henri Lévy est rapidement conduit à Kouchner, le maire de Paris Bertrand pouvoir depuis plus de quarante ans. l'intérieur du cinéma Saint-Germain- Delanoë ou encore Rama Yade, ainsi Eux ici, ils se permettent de parler des-Prés, où a lieu la rencontre. que certains opposants syriens en exil librement, de crier, d'injurier, de dire ont répondu à l'invitation de Bernard- Plusieurs groupes d'opposants dénon¬ tout ce qu'ils veulent, tandis que nous, Henri Lévy, lundi 4 juillet, à Paris. Le cent de sa part une récupération politi¬ nous ne pouvons pas. » philosophe et sa revue La Règle du jeu que de la situation en Syrie. Certains A la sortie, un homme qui n'a pas pu co-organisaient, avec SOS-Syrie et craignent que le pouvoir syrien exploite entrer dans le cinéma fait un signe. Lui France-Syrie démocratie, une rencon¬ cette récupération, ils ont appelé au est plutôt partisan du régime, il appelle tre pour dénoncer la répression en boycott de cette réunion. Certaines à la poursuite des réformes, dans le Syrie. personnes qui étaient attendues ne calme. Il voulait s'exprimer dans la sont pas venues, comme Amar Qurabi, « Vous n'avez pas honte ?! » salle, il regrette cette démocratie à président de l'Organisation nationale Place Saint-Germain-des-Prés, à 20 deux vitesses. Quant à Lama Atassi, des droits de l'homme, actuellement en heures, des cars de CRS et un service présidente de France-Syrie démocratie, exil en Egypte. d'ordre sont déployés autour du co-organisatrice du rassemblement D'autres se sont fait refouler à l'entrée cinéma. Visiblement, on craint des avec Bernard-Henri Lévy, elle appelle du cinéma. C'est le cas d'Alolaiwy débordements. Le philosophe Bernard- tous les opposants à s'unir contre Mohamed, qui s'exprime au nom de la Henri Lévy est déjà sous les feux des Bachar el-Assad. L'opposition est donc Déclaration de Damas, du Comité du 15 caméras de télévision. divisée sur la forme que ces réunions mars et des indépendants : « Bien sûr, doivent prendre. Soudain, un homme qui s'était fondu

48 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Statnpa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ozeti

July 23, 2011

JERUSALEM POST EDITORIAL at between 30 million and 35 million. They form an obvious separate nationality, non-Arab, with its own culture and readily distinguishable language (a subcate¬ gory of the Iranian branch of the Indo-Iranian group of The Kurdish case Indo-European languages.) They were around far before any Arabs had learned of the Palestinian moni¬

The unilateral declaration of Kurdish ker, and the Kurds struggled for independence long into the 19th century, before the advent of Arab nationalism. autonomy in Turkey was greeted with They established the short-lived Republic of Ararat in deadly silence. The world couldn't care 1927 but it was soon vanquished. Both Turkey and Iran cruelly suppressed numerous Kurdish uprisings. Kurds less. are still fighting for their freedom.

The contrast between how the world treats the ew of us may realize it, but 850 delegates from Palestinians and the Kurds couldn't be more marked. North Kurdistan recently declared democratic Palestinians are spoiled with international succor and autonomy in Amed (Diarbakir), proclaimed as are pampered financially. They were offered an inde¬ the capital of North Kurdistan. They invited all pendent state back in 1947 but rejected it, preferring to Kurds to regard themselves as Kurdistani citizens. The destroy the twin Jewish state instead. area the autonomy claims constitutes a substantial por¬ tion of southeastern Turkey. Practically the entire world has come round to backing Palestinian statehood again and awaits with fevered Ankara waxed furious. The world couldn't possibly be anticipation the unilateral quest for recognition of more oblivious. Palestinian independence at the UN General Assembly in September. The Kurds are indigenous folk arbitrarily overlooked by the powers that artificially carved up the Mideast after The unilateral declaration of Kurdish autonomy in the dissolution of the Ottoman Empire post-World War Turkey, however, was greeted with deadly silence. The I. Not only were Kurds denied recognition and inde¬ world couldn't care less. It doesn't glorify the Kurdish pendence, but they were divided among Turkey (an nationalist drive, doesn't offer it diplomatic assistance, estimated 20 percent of Turkey's overall population), doesn't shower it with indulgent cheer-leading in the Iran (7% of Iran's population), Iraq (20% of Iraq's popu¬ media and doesn't fund Kurdish separatists, and has lation) and Syria (9% of Syria's population) - the latter denounced what's perceived as Kurdish terrorism but two being synthetic political concoctions created by has abided anti-Kurdish ruthlessness in four countries Britain and France, respectively. for many decades.

The lack of elementary Iraqi and Syrian cohesion is In short, a nation that meets many more prerequisites reflected in internal strife to this day. for self-determination than do Palestinians - and other Mideastern constructs of yesteryear's Western imperia¬ According to prevalent mythology, the international lism - keeps getting a very raw deal. The Kurds fail to community deems self-determination the natural and elicit even a modicum of the sympathy so liberally inalienable right of each nationality. That, at least, is the accorded the Palestinians. pretext for the worldwide clamor for a Palestinian state.

Nonetheless, potential new opportunities now beckon Swept aside are reservations about the rather recent ori¬ to the Kurds. They enjoy semi-autonomy under the gin of claims to a separate Palestinian national identity, Americans in Iraq (though there's uncertainty about the along with the fact that Palestinians are indistinguisha¬ post- American future), Syria is rocked by instability, ble from their neighbors in language, religion, culture and partial alleviation of Damascus's oppression and every conceivable marker of ethic uniqueness. emboldens Iranian and Turkish Kurds as well.

National designation, we are told, is subjective. If any Perhaps this is the time for bolder Israeli foreign policy, collective regards itself as worthy of self-determination, especially in view of Ankara's ongoing antagonism then self-determination is its due. Yet this principle is toward Israel (our wishful thinking for Reccep Tayyip hardly applied with universal even-handedness. Erdogan's rethink not withstanding). We have little to Evidence of bias abounds even without bringing in per¬ lose - certainly not Turkey's friendship. vasive animus to the very notion that the long-suffering Jewish people merits sovereignty just like far younger There's no reason not to express un-stinted Israeli sup¬ and less distinctive ethnicities. port for Kurdish self-determination - as we did for South Sudan's. This isn't merely the right thing to do as The Kurdish case clearly underscores such double stan¬ quid pro quo for Turkey's own conduct, but because the dards. Kurds deserve it.

Far more numerous than Palestinians, they're estimated

49 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ozeti

dpa Deutsche Presse-Agentur

incident took place. Kurdish rebels kill Iranian forces and the separatist group PJAK have been involved in Iranian commander, five renewed clashes in the last ten days and the Iranian forces have also crossed over into Iraq in pursuit of the rebels.

guards According to local reports, there have been casualties so far on both sides.

Tehran - July 22, 2011 Iranian Kurds, estimated to number around 7 million, mainly live in the provinces of West Azerbaijan, Kermanshah and Kurdistan

MEMBERS of the Kurdish rebel group Free Life Party of which border Turkey and northern Iraq.

Kurdistan (PJAK) killed a commander and five senior forces of A minority of Kurds in Iran have been at odds with the government

the Iranian Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) in north-western Iran, in Tehran for decades, seeking autonomy in Kurdish-populated pro¬

the IRGC said Friday in a statement. vinces and aiming for an alliance with Kurds in Turkey, Iraq and

An IRGC vehicle with the six IRGC forces, including General Abbas Syria.

Asemi who was a high-ranking IRGC commander, was hit by a Kurds are Sunni Muslims, while the majority of the Iranian popula¬ landmine planted by the PJAK near Sardasht, a city near the Iraqi tion are Shiites. Sunnis make up about 10 per cent of Iran's popu¬

border. lation.

The statement, carried by Fars news agency, did not say when the

dpa Deutsche Presse-Agentur

a former chief of general staff for a crime. Turkish court green- The move shows the balance of power in Turkey is shifting away lights investigation of from the military - which has toppled four governments since 1960 - towards civilian authority.

former top general In early 2006, a Van prosecutor, Ferhat Sarikaya, summoned Buyukanit for questioning about the grenade that was thrown into the bookshop. Three low-ranking members of the Gendarmerie had Ankara -July 21, 2011 been arrested, but Sarikaya suspected that senior military officers

were involved. IN AN unprecedented move, a Turkish court Thursday ordered that a retired chief of general staff should be investigated for a Sarikaya lost his job and was later disbarred for having 'exceeded fatal bomb attack on a Kurdish bookshop. his authority' Last April he was re-admitted to the bar.

A court in the eastern province of Van ordered prosecutors to inves¬ The involvement of the Gendarmerie, the paramilitary police in tigate General Yasar Buyukanit for a November 2005 bombing that Turkey's countryside, in the bombing led to riots in which several killed one person in the town of Semdinli, the news agency Anadolu people were killed.

reported. Buyukanit himself caused controversy when he praised one of the

Buyukanit was then commander of the Turkish Army. He was pro¬ three suspects as a 'very valuable soldier.'

moted to chief of general staff in August 2006 and served two years All three accused were convicted and sentenced, but an Appeal as the number-one commander in the Turkish military. Court annulled the verdict and ordered a retrial, which has not taken

It is the first time that prosecutors have been allowed to investigate place yet.

starTribune Iranian shelling of Iraq's Kurdistan region

July 25, 2011 kills 2 Iraqis as hundreds forced to flee homes

by: YAHYA BARZANJI ,(AP) The Iranian attack appeared to target gings, the majority of these people are bases of the Iranian Kurdish opposition now living under makeshift shelters,

group PEJAK, which stands for the tents or sharing crowded houses with SULAIMANIYAH, Iraq - Iranian Party of Free Life of Kurdistan. The relatives or friends," the ICRC said in a forces shelled suspected rebel outposts group has been involved in sporadic cla¬ statement Monday. in Iraq's semiautonomous Kurdish shes with Iranian forces in recent years region, killing two Iraqi civilians, offi¬ Tehran maintains that is has the right and says it is fighting for greater rights cials said Monday, in the latest in a to attack PEJAK's bases in Iraq and has in Iran. string of cross-border attacks that have accused residents of Iraq's Kurdish forced hundreds of residents to flee. The border-area violence has forced region of providing a safe haven for more than 800 Iraqi Kurdish residents to rebels. The artillery fire hit the small Iraqi flee their homes, according to the town of Sidkan, about 12 miles (20 kilo¬ The border area has been a flash¬ International Committee of the Red meters) from the Iraq-Iran frontier, said point of conflict over the last several Cross. Sidkan mayor Ahmed Qadir. He added years, even as the Shiite-led govern¬

that three residents were wounded in the ICRC said it has so far given huma¬ ments of both countries move to streng¬ four hours of shelling. Kurdish border nitarian aid to 175 Iraqi Kurdish fami¬ then their political ties.

guard Capt. Ahmed Saleh confirmed the lies.

casualties. "Having left behind all their belon

50 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ôzeti

RlldaW»Net I 26 July 2011

Kurdistan Deploys Troops Along Border As PJAK-Iran Fighting Intensifies

sovereignty and integrity."

Iran claims to have seized PJAK

RUDAW SPECIAL camps and claimed dozens of PJAK

casualties in recent weeks, but PJAK

maintained that they have killed around Kurdistan has deployed 12,000 for¬ 200 Iranian soldiers and lost 7 of their ces to an area along the Iran-Iraq guerilla fighters. border as ongoing fighting between In an interview with Rudaw last Kurdish rebels and the Iranian military week, Sherzad Kamangar, a PJAK spo¬ has killed civilians and raised concerns kesperson said that members of the that Iranian troops are crossing into extremist group Ansar al-Islam, which Iraqi territory. is connected to Al-Qaeda and was Salah Dilmani, a high-ranking based in Iraqi Kurdistan, have joined "Since Obama came to power, the Peshmarga officer, told Rudaw that the the Iranians in crossing the border. US policies towards Iran have chan¬ Kurdistan Region has sent around Most Ansar al-Islam fighters were kil¬ ged," Anderson told Rudaw. "His 12,000 Peshmargas or Kurdish military led or fled to Iran during US-Kurdish administration has branded PJAK as a forces, to the Pishdar border district military assaults on Ansar al-Islam's terrorist organization; therefore, it is where Iranian forces have reportedly strongholds in 2003, but the group is unlikely that Obama would say any¬ launched ground attacks on the rebel still considered a threat to Iraqi thing about the fight between PJAK fighters of the Party of Free Life of Kurdistan's security. and Iran." Kurdistan (PJAK) over the past two Dilamni, the high-ranking Some observers believe that Iran is

Peshmarga officer, confirmed that shelling the Iraqi Kurdistan border to

Ansar al-Islam fighters were involved put pressure on the Kurdish authorities

in the clashes. not to support extending the US troop

"The Ansar fighters guide the presence in Iraq.

Iranians because they know the area's US Secretary of Defense Leon

geography well," Dilmani said. "At the Panetta said during a visit to Baghdad

moment two units of Ansar fighters are earlier this month that Iran was sup¬ with the Iranian soldiers. They are all plying weapons used in attacks against

Kurds from Qaladze, Sangasar, Taq US forces in Iraq ahead of the planned

Taq, Kifri and Kalar." US troop withdrawal at the end of Kamangar told Rudaw that PJAK Kurdish villagers displaced by Iranian 2011. bombing. Photo Rudaw. fighters killed a high-ranking Iranian Khalid Asadi, an Iraqi MP from the

army commander named Abbas Asimi State of Law Coalition told Rudaw that

near the city of Sardasht on July 21 and Iran's shelling along the border is unac¬

also claimed that his group killed two ceptable and any disputes should be weeks. other Iranian officers along with solved through dialogue with Iraq. "We will confront any forces that around 200 soldiers. Asadi also said that Iran has legitimate may attempt to cross the borders of Iran's Fars News Agency only reasons for using force in those areas. Kurdistan," Dilmani said. confirmed the killing of Abbas Asimi "Iran says the PJAK fighters are Ahmed Qadir, the mayor of the and five of his soldiers. launching attacks against it, which is nearby Sidakan district told Rudaw that William Anderson, professor of true," Asadi said. "So, Iraq must expel on Saturday two shepherds, Herish political science at Wright State those groups that attack its neighbors Karim, 20, and Shekho Hassan University in Dayton Ohio believes from its territories." Mustafa, 44, were killed during the that the Obama administration has In a press conference on Monday latest Iranian bombardment. Qadir said taken a very soft approach toward Iran Chris Bovvers, British consul-general in the men had brought their livestock to a compared to the Bush administration. Erbil, said that he is opposed to any pasture along the border. country crossing the borders of another According to Qadir, three other sovereign nation and bombarding it. people were injured. "We have also relayed this view to For the first time since Iranian shel¬ the Iranian government," he said. "It is ling of the border areas began a few . #^. *§> ^* obvious that we are especially concer¬ weeks ago, the US Embassy in ned about those villagers who have fled Baghdad reacted to the incidents. their areas under bombardment." US Embassy spokesman David J.

Ranz told Rudaw, "We have seen a

number of contradictory reports and we

continue to watch the situation. Iraq is

a sovereign country and we expect its

neighbors including Iran to respect its

51 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ôzeti

Rudaw.Net 25 July 2011

Kurdish Foreign Relations Chief: US Withdrawal Will Boost Iranian Influence

By STEPHEN DANILOVICH port it, and history suggests that it is an

excellent model for Iraq to follow.

The following is an interview by Rudaw: What are the prospects of Rudaw's Stephen Danilovich with Iran-Iraq relations after the withdra¬ Falah Mustafa Bakir, head of the wal? Kurdistan Region 's Department of

Foreign Relations, about the planned Falah Mustafa: Iraq is an important withdrawal of US troops from Iraq in *% country in this part of the world. Our December 2011 . vision for Iraq is to have normal and Head ofKurdistan Region's cordial relations with all its neighbors, a Rudaw: How are American troops Department of Foreign Relations relationship based on non-interference, helping with the stability of the cur¬ Falah Mustafa. Photo krg.org mutual respect and understanding. In rent situation? case of differences and disputes with

American withdrawal. our neighbors we strongly believe that Falah Mustafa: Currently, the dialogue is the best solution, and the American troops are providing training Rudaw: Are there any risks to the use of violence will only escalate our and capacity-building to the various new Iraqi federal system that was disagreements. Iraqi security forces, and my personal sponsored by the United States, a sys¬ opinion is that the Iraqi security forces tem that gives significant autonomy The relationship between Iran and Iraq need more time to gain the experience to Iraqi Kurdistan? is a long-standing one and will be deter¬ and expertise required to defend Iraq mined by the federal government. and its people. In addition to training Falah Mustafa: According to its Obviously Iranian influence in Iraq is the security forces, the American troops constitution Iraq is a federal, democra¬ likely to increase upon the withdrawal are helping to provide security in the tic and pluralistic state, and while the of US forces, but the policies that will disputed regions through the combined United States has expressed its support characterize this relationship are a mat¬ security mechanisms, and their pre¬ for this system, it was not sponsored by ter to be handled by the federal govern¬ sence in these areas has been key to the US. Rather, this system is some¬ ment and the federal Ministry of keeping the peace between the various thing that the various Iraqi political Foreign Affairs. religious and ethnic groups living in groups agreed upon even before the fall these areas. of the regime. Their agreement, mani¬ Rudaw: How likely is it that the US fested in the Iraqi constitution, was will actually hold to its deadline for Rudaw: What are the dangers that given to the people of Iraq for approval, withdrawal? would justify an extension for their which a significant majority of the peo¬ withdrawal, if any? ple [approved] in the 2005 referendum. Falah Mustafa: It is important to

remember that the US forces were part Falah Mustafa: In order to answer this The only risk that I see to this system is of the process of liberating Iraq from question it is important to leave politics the concern that some political groups tyranny and dictatorship, and they have aside and ask oneself whether the Iraqi may attempt to subvert the constitution sacrificed much over the years and security forces are ready and capable of and try to recentralize power in invested a great deal in Iraq. However, maintaining security within Iraq while Baghdad. The truth of the matter is that the US has made it clear that they will defending its international borders, its this system is the best formula to serve not extend the withdrawal unless airspace and its navigable waterways. Iraq's communities, and recent com¬ requested to do so by the federal Iraqi This is the question that has to be ans¬ ments by Iraqi politicians suggesting government in Baghdad. The important wered collectively in Baghdad by the the creation of additional federal thing for us is that the US seems com¬ various political blocs, and the safety regions helps put to [rest] the myth that mitted to a long-term relationship with and security of the people of Iraq only the Kurds support living in a fede¬ Iraq. should be paramount in answering this ral Iraq. I personally see no risks stem¬ question. There are also a number of ming from Iraq using a federal system, We hear conflicting statements from the unresolved issues in Iraq that should be as it is successfully used in many coun¬ different political factions regarding the taken into consideration such as the sta¬ tries around the world. necessity for an extension, but we hope tus of the disputed territories, imple¬ that a collective agreement can be made menting a national census, as well as The United Nations is providing techni¬ which will be in the best interests of the the passage of both the revenue-sharing cal assistance and expertise to facilitate security of the Iraqi people and the sta¬ and hydrocarbons laws. If these issues the understanding of federalism and bility of the county. unresolved they will lead to pro¬ decentralization across all of Iraq blems in Iraq, creating unnecessary through their various institutions and Rudaw: If the extension is made, can Kurdish-Arabic tensions. Another representational offices. While we sup¬ the region really depend on US forces concern is the possible escalation of port the concept fully, the notion that to help against the violence? Even violence between both hard-line Iraqi federalism is only a Kurdish idea is now, the Iranian-Kurdistan border is Arab Sunnis and Shiites in the event of wrong. Other groups within Iraq sup reported to be shelled by Iranian

52 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ôzeti

artillery, displacing hundreds of vil¬ ded, and would presumably continue to federal government, and we have seen lagers, and the US has been silent provide, mediation in the disputed terri¬ steps in the last few days where the about it. tories and in other significant areas of various political blocs have come toge¬

instability. However, these are Iraqi ther to condemn Iran's actions as well.

Falah Mustafa: As I said before, the problems and need Iraqi solutions. We believe that dialogue is the best way

United States has already invested a to resolve these types of disputes, and great deal in promoting the security and The shelling by Iran is unacceptable, we hope the Iranian government will stability of Iraq, so I think that it is safe and it has been condemned by the respect the sovereignty of Iraq's bor¬ to assume that they will assist to diffuse Kurdistan Region's President, Massoud ders. excessive violence in the event that Barzani. However, the defense of Iraq's there is an extension. The US has provi borders is the responsibility of the Iraqi

Ruda\V.Net 25 July 2011

Kurdish MPs Discussed New MPs from Prime Minister Receb Tayyib Erdogan's AKP party. Kisank said the

AKP didn't express any opinion about Constitution With Clinton Clinton's meeting with the Kurdish MPs, but media outlets close to AKP did not

report positively on the meeting.

Some observers in Turkey believe

that the Turkish government is trying to

use the July 14 killing of 13 Turkish sol¬

diers to curb the BDP's powers. The

government has accused the PKK of the

attack, though the group has not taken

responsibility for it. **& -a ** « \ Kisnak maintained that it is not pos¬ 1ft> "-1 ;>r- : , ** sible to sideline the BDP. vV-èL ,c X "BDP is relying on democracy; it has .**. , *": V. ,*.-- -&# obtained people's voice and leads demo¬

*$ * cratic solutions and will never give up

that aim," she said. "Even before that

incident we had and still have the same p4* #-.^ view that the military operations should 'C^ X stop because the possibility of war is

always close."

Earlier this month, the Kurdish By HEMIN KHOSHNAW / Rudaw guarantee the rights of all other ethnic Democratic Society Congress declared and religious minorities," Kisnak said. political autonomy for the Kurdish areas Gultan Kisank, a Kurdish member of According to Kisnak, the Kurdish of Turkey, a decision opposed by the the Turkish Parliament and co-leader MPs had also made Clinton aware of Turkish government and some Kurdish of the Peace and Democracy Party Turkey's anti-terror law and its impact MPs. (BDP), met with US Secretary of State on the Kurds. Kisnak said the Democratic Society Hillary Clinton in Istanbul during her "We said that the anti-terror law has Congress is an ideologically diverse visit to Turkey last week. become a law for threatening and group that includes Islamists, liberals In an exclusive interview with oppressing the Kurds," Kisnak said. and democrats, and accused the govern¬ Rudaw, Kisnak said she and prominent "That's why without changing this law ment of attempting to divide the Kurds. Kurdish politician and MP Selahattin and passing an amnesty law it's very "If the state wants to solve the Demirtas met with Clinton on July 16 at hard to build trust." Kurdish problem peacefully, it has to Clinton's request after the Secretary of Kisank said the Kurdistan Workers' give up the policy of dividing the State met with MPs from the ruling Party (PKK), a Kurdish armed group that Kurds," she said. "This policy is not Justice and Development Party (AKP) the US government lists as a terrorist right and won't serve the situation." and People's Republican Party (CHP). organization, was not discussed in the Kisnak added, "It's normal if some of Kisnak said the BDP deputies told meeting with Clinton. our colleagues inside the KCD have dif¬ Clinton that Turkey needs a new consti¬ "I should say openly that in that mee¬ ferent views on autonomy, but that tution in order to solve the Kurdish issue. ting we didn't talk about the PKK in any doesn't mean we are not united on the "We also told her that the Kurds and shape or form. Both sides focused more basic rights of Kurds." all the other political blocs will partici¬ on the importance of the Kurdish role in pate in re-writing the constitution. We re-writing Turkey's constitution."

said openly that Kurdish rights should be Clinton's meeting with the Kurdish

in the new constitution and that it should MPs came after detailed discussions with

53 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ôzeti

Iran: 6 Pasdaran tués dans des accrochages avec des rebelles kurdes

TEHERAN, 22 juillet 2011 (AFP) des forces iraniennes et de "deux tués et quatre blessés" dans ses propres

rangs.

UN COMMANDANT des Gardiens de la révolution, l'armée d'élite du Mardi, les autorités du Kurdistan irakien avaient appelé Téhéran à respec¬ régime islamique, et cinq autres militaires ont été tués lors d'affronte¬ ter la frontière, faisant état d'une "infiltration le long de la frontière ira¬ ments avec des rebelles du Pjak (Parti pour une vie libre du Kurdistan) kienne".

à la frontière avec le Kurdistan d'Irak, a rapporté vendredi l'agence La veille, le colonel iranien Delavar Ranjbarzadeh avait annoncé la prise du Fars. contrôle de trois camps du Pjak en territoire irakien, qui fournissaient "de

"Le général Assemi du corps des Gardiens de la révolution de Qom (cen¬ l'aide" aux Kurdes en Iran.

tre) et cinq de ses compagnons ont été tués dans des accrochages avec les Le 11 juillet, un responsable militaire iranien avait affirmé que son pays se rebelles terroristes du Pjak dans la région de Sardasht" à la frontière, selon réservait "le droit" d'attaquer les bases du Pjak, accusant Massoud Barzani, l'agence, qui ne donne pas d'autres détails. le président du Kurdistan irakien, d'avoir mis un territoire de 150 km sur 20

Les Gardiens de la révolution ont lancé samedi une vaste offensive contre km "à la disposition du Pjak" le long de la frontière iranienne, "pour créer des bases du Pjak de part et d'autre de la frontière avec le Kurdistan d'Irak. des bases d'entraînement et mener des actions terroristes contre l'Iran".

Les responsables militaires iraniens ont affirmé que de "nombreux" rebelles Le Pjak est régulièrement impliqué dans des affrontements armés avec les du Pjak ont été tués, sans indiquer de chiffre précis. forces iraniennes, qui bombardent en représailles les zones frontalières montagneuses du Kurdistan irakien, d'où opèrent les combattants indépen¬ De son côté, le Pjak avait parlé de "dizaines de morts et blessés" au sein dantistes.

25 juillet 2011

Irak: des centaines de Kurdes déplacés après les bombardements iraniens

Des centaines de familles Mardi, les autorités du

ont été contraintes de Kurdistan irakien avaient

quitter leurs villages, après appelé Téhéran à respecter la

des affrontements entre sépa¬ frontière faisant état d'une

ratistes kurdes iraniens et l'ar¬ «infiltration le long de la fron¬

mée de la République islami¬ tière irakienne».

que d'Iran. Deux villageois La veille, le colonel iranien

ont été tués. Delavar Ranjbarzadeh avait

Des centaines d'habitants de annoncé la prise de contrôle de

la région frontalière du nord de trois camps du Pjak en territoire

l'Irak ont quitté leurs villages à irakien, qui fournissaient «de

la suite d'affrontements entre l'aide» aux Kurdes en Iran. les séparatistes kurdes iraniens personnes vivent dans des abris frontements à la frontière avec Le 11 juillet, un responsable et les Gardiens de la révolution, improvisés, des tentes, ou par¬ le Kurdistan d'Irak. militaire iranien avait affirmé tagent des maisons surpeuplées a affirmé lundi la Croix rouge. Déplacement de «centaines que son pays se réservait «le avec des amis et des parents. de familles» Par ailleurs, deux villageois droit» d'attaquer les bases du Certaines familles ont pu louer ont été tués et deux autres ont Pour sa part, l'Organisation Pjak, accusant Massoud une habitation très rudimen- été blessés lundi à 04H30 internationale pour les migra¬ Barzani, le président du taire», ajoute le CICR. (01H30 GMT) par un bombar¬ tions (OIM) a annoncé diman¬ Kurdistan irakien, d'avoir mis Les Gardiens de la révolu¬ dement iranien contre un vil¬ che avoir aussi participé à l'aide un territoire de 150 km sur 20 tion, l'armée idéologique de la lage de la région de Sidakan, à pour ces déplacés en distribuant km «à la disposition du Pjak» le République islamique d'Iran, 100 km au nord-est d'Erbil, des lits, des kits pour purifier long de la frontière iranienne, ont lancé depuis une semaine selon Maksoud Islam'û, le chef l'eau et d'autres équipements «pour créer des bases d'entraî¬ une vaste offensive contre des de l'hôpital Souran à Erbil. sommaires. nement et mener des actions bases du Pjak (Parti pour une «Le Comité international de «Les combats actuels ont terroristes contre l'Iran». vie libre au Kurdistan), de part la Croix rouge (CICR) a apporté conduit au déplacement de cen¬ Le Pjak est régulièrement et d'autre de la frontière avec le une assistance humanitaire à taines de familles qui ont dû impliqué dans des affronte¬ Kurdistan irakien. 800 personnes déplacées dans le abandonner leurs maisons pour ments armés avec les forces ira¬ Les responsables militaires nord de l'Irak par les récents s'installer dans un camp à plu¬ niennes, qui bombardent en iraniens ont affirmé vendredi bombardements sur les monta¬ sieurs kilomètres après les bom¬ représailles les zones frontaliè¬ que de «nombreux» rebelles du gnes de Qandil», le long de la bardements de leurs villages. res montagneuses du Kurdistan Pjak ont été tués, sans indiquer frontière, a affirmé dans un Un villageois a été blessé et plu¬ irakien, d'où opèrent les com¬ de chiffre précis, et ont reconnu communiqué l'organisation sieurs maisons ainsi qu'une battants indépendantistes. la mort d'un commandant des humanitaire. école ont été endommagées», (Source AFP) Gardiens de la révolution et de «Ayant abandonné tous déplore-t-elle dans un commu¬ cinq autres militaires lors d'af leurs biens, la majorité de ces niqué.

54 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ôzeti

Dimanche 24 - Lundi 25 juillet 2011

En Syrie, la ville de Homs, encerclée par les chars, continue de défier le régime

La grande ville industrielle, au nord de Damas, est le théâtre d'une vaste opération militaire

Beyrouth

Correspondante

Les manifestants ont été enco¬ re très nombreux, vendredi Rastan 22 juillet, à descendre dans . Taibisseh les rues de Syrie pour y défier le

régime du président Bachar UÉÎéUM Al-Assad. Cette nouvelle journée

de mobilisation avait été consa¬

crée par les cyber-activistes ' syriens aux habitants de la ville de

; Homs. Cette grande cité industriel¬

le, située à 160 km au nord de la

capitale, est, depuis le début de la

semaine, le théâtre d'une opéra¬ tion militaire d'envergure qui a

fait plus de 50 morts civils, selon te de la contestation. L'armée les organisations des droits de aurait par endroits tiré à l'artillerie l'homme. lourde. Des vidéos datées de jeu1 Homs a rejoint le camp des di 21 montrent d'importantes des¬

contestataires aux premiers jours tructions, y compris sur le minaret de la révolte débutée à la mi-mars, d'une mosquée, des voitures écra¬

suivie par les villes du voisinage, sées ou calcinées, des chars qui pas¬

notammentTalbisseh et Rastan, où sent en trombe avec, en arrière- des manifestants s'étaient filmés, plan, le claquement de tirs nourris. le 15 avril, en train de déboulonner Selon les activistes, des défec¬ une immense statue d'Hafez tions auraient eu lieu dans les

Al-Assad, père du président actuel. rangs de l'armée basée à Rastan, Ce geste serait à l'origine, selon des près de Homs. Ils ontfourni une lis¬ habitants, de la terrible répression te de plusieurs officiers, l'un d'en¬

qui s'est abattue sur eux. Plus de tre eux appartenant aux Forces vingt civils sont tombés sous les spéciales, qui auraient rejoint la tirs des forces de sécurité dans les « division des officiers libres de Ras¬

quarante-huit heures qui ont suivi. tan ». Ces informations sont pour

l'instant invérifiables. Ce n'est pas Des vidéos montrent la première fois que des mutine¬ ries sont signalées mais elles res¬

des blindés qui Près de Damas, à Maadamiya, où les manifestations contre le tent, en tout état de cause, limi¬ passent en trombe régime avaient déjà repris mardi 19 juillet, shaam news network/ap tées. Une source non identifiée, citée f avec, en arrière-plan, effrayant du quotidien de la ville, été tués après avoir été enlevés par par l'agence de presse officielle I le claquement de tirs magasins fermés et murs criblés des inconnus; depuis la rumeur SANA, a démenti l'existence de ces déballes.- --- -s'est- répandue que ces crimes scissions. «Il s'agit d'une tentative nourris Dimanche 17 juillet, des habi¬ étaient d'origine sectaire (...). Le jeu deporteratteinte à la réputation de

tants ont rapporté des heurts, dans pervers du régime visant à provo¬ l'armée de Syrie et à sa mission

L'armée syrienne a aussitôt la ville, entre la majoritésunnite et quer des violences sectaires et de consistant à défendre là patrie, la

encerclé la ville. Une situation à la minorité alaouite à laquelle diviser les citoyens d'une même vil¬ stabilitéet la sécurité des citoyens»,

laquelle les cyber-activistes de appartient le clan Assad et dont le ne marchera pas». Des oppo¬ dit cette source. SANA indique par

Homs ont essayé de faire face avec sont issus une majorité des hauts sants dénoncent les pratiques des ailleurs qu'un «bus transportant humour, en créant la page Face¬ officiers de l'armée. Ce jour-là, les autorités syriennes qui distribue¬ des éléments désforces armées» a

book « Laverie internationale des corps mutilés de trois Alaouites - raient des armes à une partie de la été la ciblé, à Rastan, vendredi 22, chars à Homs », parce que, précise des loyalistes au régime, selon des population pour provoquer des d'une «attaque à l'arme lourde

l'intitulé de la page, « les chars sont manifestants - ont été retrouvés tensions intèrcommunautaires. menée par un groupe terroriste», nombreux en Syrie et à Homs en aux abords de la ville. La nouvelle Après ces; clashs, les chars ont au cours de laquelle deux officiers

particuliers. Avec l'aide de Dieu, aurait déclenché la colèrevengeres¬ pénétré dans la cité. La répression ont été tués. nous avons ouvert le premier cen¬ se d'autres Alaouites qui auraient y a fait dix morts, lundi 18 juillet, et Dans la soirée, les organisations tre au monde spécialisédans l'entre¬ alors brûlé des magasins apparte¬ seize autres, lors des funérailles de des droits de l'homme ont dressé

tien des blindés ». Cette lourde pré¬ nant à des Sunnites et tué trois per¬ ces derniers, lorsque des soldats un bilan de huit civils tués vendre¬ sence militaire n'a pas empêché de sonnes, dont une mère de famille. «ont tiré sur la foule qui se di, dont cinq à Homs où des mani¬

nouvelles manifestations, ni la dif- Dans un communiqué, le Comi¬ recueillait», selon les Comités de festations avaient été organisées,

fusionsurYouTubede vidéos ama¬ té révolutionnaire de Homs a indi¬ coordination locale de Syrie, qui malgré le siège de l'armée.

teurs qui ont donné un aperçu qué que «plusieurs habitants ont regroupent des activistes à la poin- Cécile Hennion

55 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ôzeti

Syrie du 21 au 27 juillet 2011

"Le régime sera étranglé par l'économie"

L'opposition syrienne s'est réunie en conférence le 16 juillet wîwmmmtmum. à Istanbul pour présenter une alternative en cas de chute Constitution pour lui. Je lui ai envoyé huit du régime. Haitham El-Maleh, lettres. Dans la première, je lui ai dit que grand défenseur des droits j'étais un homme âgé qui n'avait plus d'am¬ de l'homme, y participait. bitions alors que lui était un hommejeune auquel on prêtait une volonté réformatrice. Je ne lui ai pas parlé de politique, mais de Né en 1931 en Syrie, Asharq Al-Awsat (extraits) Londres droits de l'homme et d'aspects juridiques. Haitham Al-Maleh est un juriste

La vision d'avenir que je lui ai soumise et défenseur des droits de l'homme Comment avez-vous réussi à quitter aurait pu changer la situation déplorable connu dans tout le monde arabe. la Syrie pour venir à Istanbul ? du pays en lui évitant les dommages. J'ai Haitham El-Maleh J'en suis moi-même demandé à Bachar comment qualifier le premier surpris. Je n'étais pas seulement et privées ont eu lieu, ce qui nous a une loi telle que le décret n° 14 de 1969, en résidence surveillée : le régime avait permis de mettre par écrit un projet dont l'article 16 stipule qu'un membre des décidé de m'éliminer physiquement et d'avenir que nous avons résumé en une forces de l'ordre qui commet un crime dans avait donné l'ordre à ceux qui encerclaient page. Le but est de former un gouverne¬ l'exercice de ses fonctions ne peut être ma maison de tirer sur moi. Si cela avait ment provisoire, avec un programme et poursuivi sans l'accord du président. C'est abouti, il aurait expliqué qu'un inconnu une vision claire afin d'analyser les évé¬ une loi dont le texte n'a pas été publié, mais s'était introduit chez moi pour m'assassi- nements du point de vue de l'opposition. qui est appliquée et qui dépénalise le ner. Ce régime ment comme il respire. Il y aura des ministres de l'Economie, des crime ! Il en va de même pour les lois por¬ Notre Etat est hors la loi. Depuis ses Finances, de la Défense et des Affaires tant sur la "sauvegarde de la révolution" et débuts, il se retranche derrière l'état d'ur¬ étrangères. Ils travailleront loin de toute sur la "sauvegarde duparti Baas". Toutes ces gence pour suspendre la Constitution, démagogie. Ainsi, on sera opérationnel lois sont iniques. Vingt mille maisons ont répandre la corruption, tuer, pourchasser quand le régime tombera [cette propo¬ été confisquées sous prétexte que leurs et humilier. Entre 1980 et 1990, on a sition n'a pas été retenue par l'opposi¬ propriétaires étaient membres des Frères dénombré 50 000 prisonniers politiques tion réunie à Istanbul]. musulmans. A cela s'ajoutent les disparus et d'opinion en Syrie, ainsi que 60 000 tués. Il semble que vous soyez mécontent et les 250 000 Syriens vivant en exil. Mais Les coupables sont toujours là, au sein de de la Turquie parce qu'elle se désin¬ tous mes appels sont tombés dans l'oreille l'Etat. Dans les deux prisons de Palmyre et téresse de ce qui se passe en Syrie. d'un sourd. Ce n'est pas un dialogue, mais de Mazzeh [banlieue de Damas], plus de Tout à fait. Je pense que ce désintérêt cor¬ un monologue. Il n'y a aucun espoir que 15 000 prisonniers ont été tués. La straté¬ respond à une phase transitoire en Tur¬ ce régime prenne des décisions positives. gie de l'ancien président Hafez El-Assad quie, mais également en Occident. Il y a

[père de l'actuel président] consistait à eu une sorte de ralentissement parce Le dialogue est donc impossible laisser tout le monde autour de lui agir à sa qu'on a beaucoup parlé d'un possible dia¬ avec ce régime? guise tant qu'on ne mettait pas son pouvoir logue [entre le régime syrien et l'opposi¬ Le régime est incapable de changer quoi en danger. Avec le temps, les hommes de tion]. Or, après notre conférence, c'en que ce soit. Avec Bachar El-Assad à sa tête, son entourage ont eu les dents de plus en sera fini. On passera à une nouvelle étape il n'a aucune vision d'avenir et aucune plus longues, jusqu'à ce que lui-même, à la lorsque la Turquie et l'Union européenne volonté de changer. Donc, il n'y a pas fin de son règne, ne soit plus en mesure de hausseront le ton vis-à-vis de Damas. d'espoir. Après des centaines de martyrs, les contrôler. C'est eux qui sont devenus 1 500 disparus et 15 000 déplacés, de quel les vrais gardiens du pouvoir. La corruption Y a-t-il une rébellion armée ?

s'est répandue jusqu'au sommet de l'Etat. dialogue parle-t-on ? Trois mille chars sont Les histoires sur les bandes armées que Plus de 85 % des revenus de la Syrie sont déployés à travers le pays. Ils ont été ache¬ raconte le régime ressemblent à ce que

entre les mains de ces gens-là, le peuple se tés avec l'argent du peuple sous prétexte disaient les régimes de Ben Ali en Tuni¬

partageant les 15 % restants. C'est ainsi de combattre Israël. Or le régime les uti¬ sie et de Moubarak en Egypte. En réa¬ que 60 % de la population syrienne vit lise contre son propre peuple. De quoi lité, les seules bandes armées sont celles

au-dessous du seuil de pauvreté et que 30 % voulez-vous qu'on discute ? Nos conditions des chabiha, les miliciens du régime. Un de la population active est au chômage. pour l'ouverture du dialogue sont la libé¬ peu partout, le régime donne des bâtons,

ration des prisonniers politiques, la fin du des couteaux et d'autres armes à des

Pourquoi ne répondez-vous pas harcèlement de la part des forces de l'ordre éboueurs, à des ouvriers d'usine et à de

aux appels au dialogue lancés par et le retrait de l'armée des villes. petits fonctionnaires et leur dit de s'en le pouvoir? prendre aux manifestants. Je connais des

Personne n'a cherché autant que moi le Quel est le but de cette conférence ? familles dont le père a reçu 1 000 livres

dialogue, et ce depuis que Bachar El-Assad La Syrie est en révolution. Dans cette syriennes [15 euros] et chacun des fils

est arrivé au pouvoir. Je me suis adressé à situation, rien n'est comme d'habitude. 500 afin qu'ils attaquent les manifes¬

lui en le considérant comme le président On est en ebullition et l'opposition est tants et participent aux rassemblements

de la République, sans tenir compte de la multiple. Tout le monde doit se réunir de soutien au régime. manière dont il a accédé à son poste [sans pour que chacun puisse présenter son

élection], ni du fait qu'on avait changé la point de vue. Des rencontres publiques D'un autre côté, vous dites que

56 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ôzeti

l'Iran et lé Hezbollah participent

à la répression ? Sur quoi repose votre confiance deux mois, il ne pourra plus payer les Le secrétaire général du Hezbollah fonctionnaires, il n'y a plus un seul tou¬ dans la chute prochaine du régime ? libanais, Hassan Nasrallah, a lui-même riste en Syrie, les hôtels sont vides, le Le régime s'est condamné à l'échec à déclaré qu'il soutenait le régime syrien. commerce à l'arrêt, les revenus fiscaux partir du moment où il a tiré la première Quant à l'Iran, je crois qu'il envoie des se tarissent. Le régime sera étranglé par balle contre le peuple. Autre chose impor¬ gardiens de la révolution [milices du l'économie. tante : la situation économique. Dans régime]. Nous le savons à travers les Propos recueillis par Thaer Abbas

récits des gens de Deraa [première ville

syrienne, dans le sud du pays, à s'être révoltée]. Ils disent avoir vu des hommes XeUfonde

armés dans les rues de leur ville qui par¬ Mardi 19 juillet 2011

laient en arabe littéral, et non en dialec¬ Syrie tal syrien. Nous avons également des

informations sur des camps. Les indices Plus de 30 morts lors de heurts entre d'une participation iranienne à la répres¬ partisans du régime et opposants sion sont sûrs à 90 %. L'Iran n'y gagnera

rien, mais sera perdant. Hassan Nasral¬ HAMAS. Des affrontements entre partisans du régime de Bachar lah a déjà perdu la popularité qu'il a pu Al-Assad et opposants ont fait, dans la nuit de samedi 16 juillet au avoir dans le passé. Ils sont en train de dimanche 17, au moins 30 morts à Homs, dans le centre du pays. Les accrochages ont débuté dans le quartier Hadara, puis se sont étendus à se griller. plusieurs autres parties de la ville, sans que les forces de l'ordre ne s'in¬ terposent, selon le chef de l'Observatoire syrien des droits de l'homme, Rami Abdel Rahmane. Les heurts sont intervenus après l'assassinat à Homs de trois partisans du régime enlevés la semaine dernière par des inconnus et dont les corps démembrés ont été rendus, samedi, à leurs proches. Depuis le début de la révolte, le régime attribue les violences à des groupes armés cherchant à semer le chaos. - (AFP,)B

Observateur 24 juillet 2011

Trois soldats turcs tués par des séparatistes kurdes

DIYARBAKIR, Turquie (Reuters) sez-le-feu qu'il respectait depuis six mois et a annoncé être passé en mode de Des rebelles kurdes ont tué trois sol¬ "défense active" qui autorise ses combat¬ dats turcs dans une embuscade tendue tants à se battre s'ils sont menacés. tard samedi soir dans la province de Des spécialistes de la question kurde Mardin (sud-est), a-t-on confirmé lient cette évolution aux soulèvements du dimanche de sources proches des servi¬ "printemps arabe" ainsi qu'à la création ces de sécurité. du Soudan du Sud, qui offre un modèle Cette attaque des séparatistes est un aux Kurdes, répartis sur plusieurs pays signe supplémentaire du regain de ten¬ (Turquie, Irak, Syrie et Iran). le terrain politique, par le boycott du par¬ sions observé entre les forces armées tur¬ En Turquie, le conflit armé a fait lement décidé par des élus d'un parti pro¬ ques et les rebelles kurdes dans le sud-est 40.000 morts depuis 1984. kurde. du pays. Début mai, de sa cellule où il purge Les 36 députés du Parti de la paix et Les trois soldats regagnaient leur une peine de réclusion criminelle à per¬ de la démocratie (BDP) ont décidé de ne caserne après s'être rendus dans le vil¬ pétuité, Abdullah Oçalan, le leader du pas prendre part aux travaux de la nou¬ lage d'Ikipinar lorsqu'ils ont été pris sous PKK, avait menacé les autorités turques velle assemblée, élue le mois dernier, le feu de combattants du Parti des tra¬ d'une "guerre totale" si des pourparlers pour protester contre l'interdiction faite vailleurs du Kurdistan (PKK). n'étaient pas engagés. par la justice à cinq des leurs, actuelle¬ Il y a dix jours, des affrontements Le 8 juillet dernier, il a fait savoir par ment incarcérés, de siéger. dans la province de Diyarbakir ont fait son avocat qu'il avait accepté avec des Les discussions menées avec le parti treize morts et sept blessés dans les rangs représentants du pouvoir la création d'un majoritaire, l'AKP, n'ont pas abouti. de l'armée turque. Sept séparatistes du "conseil de paix" pour tenter de trouver PKK avaient également péri dans cet une solution au conflit. accrochage. Mais la situation est compliquée, sur Le PKK a mis fin en février à un ces

57 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ôzeti

< ^INTERNATIONAL.^ t teralfe^tite tribune. JULY26'2011 In Syria, new unity starts to fray

Minorities fear militant currents within HOMS, SYRIA 'the Sunni Muslim majority. Sunnis seethe at the injustice of living for de¬ Divisions based on class,, cades under a state endowed with a re^ markable capacity for violence and led region and religion could by the Alawite minority, a heterodox turn revolt into civil war Muslim sect. Even some activists celeb¬ rating the unity that the revolt has brought warn that repression is breed¬

; BY ANTHONY SHADID ing strife. "If the government keeps "The government is going to push us On the birth of his daughter this month, playing the sectarian in the direction of violence," said a a young activist in this central city be¬ former Republican Guard officer who card, they're going to get stowed on her a name that had little res¬ has joined the ranks of protesters in what they want." onance until not so long ago. Dara'a, he Homs, Syria's third-largest city, after called her, the namesake of the southern Damascus and Aleppo, with a Sunni ma¬ Syrian town where the anti-government jority and Alawite minority. "A lot of uprising began. These days, chants ring ,out in guys think it's almost over, but I don't. Syria is awash in such stories of soli¬ protests that suggest a growing sense of The situation, very regrettably, is going darity these days, bridging traditional nationalism, often reinforced by virtual to become a crisis," by which he meant divides that have colored politics for communities that disseminate informa¬ bloodshed. tion. generations. But even as the stories As was the case in Iraq, à sectarian emerge, they are colliding with the At Khalid bin Walid Mosque, a center lens is often unfairly imposed on Syria's same older forces geography, class of dissent in Homs, protesters chant, diversity, with its sizable communities and, in particular, religious sect that "With our souls and blood, we sacrifice can also tear Syria apart. Those divi¬ of Christians, Alawites .and ethnic for you, Dara'a." Solidarity with Homs, sions are deepening, though Syrians of¬ Kurds. Other divisions are no less pro¬ the scene of a persistent crackdown, is

fer differing explanations. Protesters nounced between cities like Damas¬ heard in Hama, where activists say they blame cynical manipulation by a gov¬ cus and Aleppo; among classes; be¬ have sometimes traveled back and forth ernment bent on divide and rule, and . tween the countryside and urban areas; in an effort to build what one activist the government points to Islamist and within extended clans, especially in called ' ' a culture of protest.' ' zealots seeking to impose a tyranny of- eastern Syria. "This is the beauty of the revolution,"

the majority. Residents of Hama, a traditional rival said Ahmed, a 28-year-old smuggler and : Whether new loyalties born of revolu¬ of Homs in central Syria, said they had protester, sitting with others in a safe tion or old rivalries entrenched in smal¬ long felt discriminated against, espe¬ house near Homs. ler identities prevail may decide the fate cially in the military, which carried out a Pointing to his friends, Ahmed said: of Syria's four-month revolt. brutal crackdown there in 1982. "He didn't know him, he didn't know Colliding along the front lines of the uprising, and especially here in Homs, these forces suggest a grim reality of the revolt against President Bashar al-

Assad: The longer his government re¬ mains in power, the less chance Syria .-.-it*5*' *??****"" has to avoid civil strife, sectarian

cleansing and the kind of communal vi¬ '.J' olence that killed at least two dozen ft people in Homs last week. Unlike in ,Egypt, and despite the protesters' hope III and optimism, time is not necessarily on their side, a point that some of them ad¬

mit. ^-^> 4>*--?^.V*\ ^ 4? It* m ' 'If the government keeps playing the sectarian card, they're going to get sy it- what they want; ' said Iyad, 27, the activ¬ in X\»; ist who named his daughter after the St* v^%îï>"î"'-:'"":ï^ #t* cradle of the uprising. "If this regime lasts, there's absolutely going to be a M civil war, absolutely.' ' =,-4'

want. In Homs last week, pious activists CFfc^SS^S-CS^,^ - i^^S^fi^gu^i^^^ debated the differences between an fc A leader of the anti-government uprising in Homs, where pious activists recentiy debated lamic state and a civil one, both of which the differences between an Islamic state and a civil one, both relying on religious law. they said should rely on religious law.

58 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ôzeti

him, and he didn't know him before the el in 2006, which forced hundreds of peat 1982. They didn't learn their les-

protests. thousands to flee their homes, he son." "This is the result of the regime's op¬ sheltered 40 Shiite families for as long "When they said this, no one could pression. Now we're ready to defend as a month. "Food, drink, and I accepted control themselves," another activist each other." nothing in return," he said. "Now recalled. Activists often repeat that the Syrian they're with the regime, but it wasn't Within minutes, residents said, en¬ uprising is "a revolution of orphans," the regime who opened the doors of. raged crowds who had kept their dis¬ and young activists take pride in the their homes to them." tance set upon the demonstrators' vehi¬ fact that they are organizing them¬ In almost every conversation, Syri¬ cles, burning cars and a bus that had selves by neighborhood for the fight ans stress that their country lacks the helped bring them,to the city. against Mr. Assad's leadership. But the sectarian divisions of neighboring Iraq But even protesters themselves ac¬ term also points to divisions that are and Lebanon, which both fought brutal knowledge the way sectarian tensions emerging, where sectarian tension in¬ civil wars. In Hama last week, residents have deepened, especially along fault tersects with other resentments. . were still celebrating a visit in June by lines of Sunni and Alawite communities, Many in Homs and Hama feel anger six Alawites from nearby villages, who as in Homs, especially in its coun¬ at what they see as acquiescence by the joined their huge demonstrations in tryside. Some Facebook pages, ostensi¬ United iStates, the European Union and . Assi Square. The Alawites offered lines bly affiliated with the uprising, give Turkey to Mr. Assad's stay in power. ' of a song, known to everyone. voice to vulgar bigotry against Ala¬ They often express resentment at "I take your hand in mine," they de¬ wites, who are far from monolithic in clared to the jubilant crowd. "I kiss the their Support for the government and, Aleppo; which has remained relatively ground under thé soles of your shoes, historically as peasants, were the most quiet. and I say I will sacrifice myself for exploited and downtrodden of Syria's "There's anger at Aleppo, there you." people. really is," said a young activist in Hama To many residents in Homs and Protesters speak of the importance of who gavé his name as Mustafa. Hama, the government is behind every reaching out to Christians and Alawites, A friend, Bassem, nodded, as they sat incitement, its hand visible in any pro¬ while in the same conversation warning in a clubhouse-turned-hideout. "Aleppo vocation, however convoluted the con¬ that Alawites in the countryside will benefits from the regime and business spiracy. Residents insisted that after an face retribution from Sunnis -insistent with the leadership," he said. especially bloody Friday in June, securi¬ on exacting revenge for the security ' Perhaps most pronounced is the anger ty forces dropped off bags of Kalash- forces' crimes; complaints are rife in at Hezbollah, the Shiité Muslim move- . nikovs and ammunition in the streets of Homs that government agents search ment in Lebanon that has bluntly sup¬ Hadir, a neighborhood in Hama home to ' only Sunni homes. ported Mr. Assad's government. Hezbol¬ most of the victims, trying to goad resi¬ In the bloodletting in Homs this past lah was widely popular in Syria, where dents into an armed fight they would week, which bore an indelible sectarian sentiments against Israel and long¬ lose. stamp, another incident went largely standing U.S. dominance of thé region unnoticed. An Alawite was killed Sun¬ run deep. But Hezbollah's backing of Mr. "No one came close to them," said a young activist who gave his name as day in Aqrabiyah, a town near the Leb¬ Assadhas unleashed a sense of betrayal Abdel-Razzaq. "They knew to leave anese border. In the ensuing hours, se¬ at a movement that celebrates the idea them alone. They knew this was the re¬ curity forces poured into the région, and of resistance. At times, it has also given gime's game." Sunnis from nearby Burhaniyya stayed rise to chauvinism among Syrian Sunnis A few weeks later, the government indoors. Though joined by a road, no one against Hezbollah's Shiite constituency. helped organize a pro-Assad demon¬ dared to drive through the other village. . "We've started to hate them more stration in a city where nearly every Everyone seemed to expect more than we hate Israel," said Maher, a?» killing. young father and protester in Hama, sit- *, family claims someone killed, wounded, "One death is enough to create ting with a friend who gave his name as *' arrested" or disappeared in the crack¬ down of 1982, ordered by Mr. Assad's fa¬ hatred," said Iyad, the young father of Abu Mohammed. ther, Hafez. Several residents insisted ~ Dara'a. Abu Mohammed said that during the : that the loyalists chanted: "0 Hafez, re- war fought between Hezbollah and Isra-

_.- INTERNATIONAL T. .. ., $eratôiÉ^iê®rtbutt<> JULY28- 2011 urb, killing at least eight people who ment crackdown on dissent. Activists 1 were trying to halt the soldiers' advance say more than 1,600 people have been Syrian forces by throwing stones and burning tires, killed, most of them unarmed protest¬ activists said. ers. , Amtnar Qurabi, who heads the Na¬ Although Mr. Assad's regime blames tional Organization for Human Rights in terrorists and foreign extremists for the open fire on Syria, put the death toll higher, at 11. Al unrest, the president has acknowledged Jazeera, citing a local resident, said the the need for change. Late on Tuesday, dead included four children. his cabinet endorsed draft legislation tire-burning The Syrian Observatory for Human that would enable newly formed politic¬ Rights, based in London, said residents al parties to run for Parliament and local of the suburb, Kanaker, had been trying councils, a human rights group said. protesters to set up blockades to stop several tanks The ruling Baath Party has held a and a bulldozer that were heading into monopoly over political life in Syria for the area. decades. On Monday, the government BEIRUT Citing its wide network of witnesses endorsed a draft law that it says will al¬ on the ground in Syria, the group said low the formation of political parties At least 8 reported killed the raid had wounded several people, alongside the Baath Party, something who were being treated in mosques that that had been a key demand of the as troops with tanks residents had, turned into makeshift protest movement. enter Damascus suburb hospitals. It said the raid occurred after Still, the promises are not likely to ap¬ electricity and telephones were cut off pease protesters. Mr. Assad, who inher¬ in the area. ited power in 2000 after the death of his FROM.NEWS REPORTS The uprising against President father, Hafez al-Assad, has made a

Syrian troops opened fire Wednesday Bashar al-Assad has lasted for nearly series of overtures, but the protests on scores of people in a Damascus sub- five months despite a brutal govern- have grown larger. (ap,bloomberg>

59 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ôzeti

TheNational JULY 27, 2011

Hundreds flee from fighting between Iranian soldiers and Kurdish rebels inside Iraq

James Calderwood TheNationaï/UÀ'Ë

Fighting between the Iranian military

and Kurdish guerrillas in northern Iraq

has caused hundreds of villagers to flee from their homes amid signs that

the conflict along the Iraqi-Iranian bor¬

der is escalating.

The International Committee of the

Red Cross "has provided humanitarian

assistance to over 800 internally dis¬

placed people in northern Iraq, all of whom have been driven from their

homes by the recent shelling in the

mountains of Qandil", a statement from

the organisation said this week.

The Kurdish villagers have been

caught up in an Iranian military offen¬ Photo: AP

sive that began on July 16 against Recruits of PJAK, the Party for a Free Life in Kurdistan, a splinter group of Pjak, the Party for a Free Life in the PKK, the Kurdistan Workers Party, take defensive positions near the

Kurdistan. The organisation demands PJAK training camp in the Kandil mountain range, northern Iraq (File)

autonomy for Iranian Kurds and uses

the Isolated mountain range as a base Iraq. 4.3 million in Iraq. Both communities to strike at military targets in Iran. have pushed for greater autonomy,

In the days leading up to the assault, against the wishes of their national

Mohammed Tofiq, a spokesman for the state-run Iranian media reported that governments.

Kurdish opposition party Goran, the 5,000 Iranian troops had been moved

Change Movement, said their was "no to the border region. Iran has "lashed out at Kurdish areas in

justification for Iran to bomb the border Iraq" because of the "reoccurrence of

areas" because civilians live among The Iranian military said it has killed the Kurdish problem in Iran", Mr

the guerrillas. He criticised the "dozens of Pjak terrorists" while Pjak Cordesman said, adding that the

Kurdistan Regional Government for claimed 255 members of Iranian cross-border incursions are "sending a

saying little about Iran's violation of Revolutionary Guards Corps and eight message" to Kurds in Iraq not to sup¬

Iraqi sovereignty, adding: "Even from guerrillas had died during the fighting. port those across the border. Baghdad, we haven't heard anything".

Orouj Mojahedi, the governor of the Iran's main physical actions are in the

An officer of the Kurdish Peshmerga western Iranian city of Piranshahr, war¬ south of the country, where it is suppor¬

forces said 12,000 troops have been ned on Friday that the operation would ting Shiite and even Sunni militias with

deployed to the region, the Erbil-based continue until Pjak was "fully uprooted" weapons and finance, he said.

Rudraw newspaper reported yester¬ from the region.

day. The officer said: "We will confront John Drake, a risk consultant with the

any forces that may attempt to cross Soran Khedri, a London-based spo¬ UK-based AKE Group, said border

the borders of Kurdistan." kesman for Pjak, said the Iranian incursions by the Turkish and Iranian

troops used tanks, armoured vehicles, militaries have been a fairly common

Iraq's Council of Representatives has helicopters and artillery, and crossed occurrence in recent years. "It usually

responded to the crisis by sending a one kilometre into Iraqi territory on the occurs during the summer months

parliamentary delegation on a fact-fin¬ first day of the assault. He said the because it's too difficult to conduct

ding mission to Kurdistan. The spokes¬ Iranian's claim to have taken control of combat operations during the winter in

man for the committee, Hasan Al three camps is propaganda, because the mountains," he said.

Sinead, said on Sunday that Iranian "the guerrillas don't have camps."

forces had not crossed the border into "Fighting tends to cease for the Holy

Iraq, but their artillery had shelled bor¬ Anthony Cordesman, a senior analyst Month [of Ramadan], and there have

der villages "without justification". for the Centre for Strategic and been previous amnesties offered

International Studies in Washington, around that time so it could be that

The committee's conclusion conflicts said it has been long predicted that Iranian forces are looking to get as with a statement made by an Iranian Iran would expand its activities in Iraq much of the fighting over with now," Mr

military commander last week when he by the end of this year. Drake said. claimed Iranian forces had taken "full

control" of three Pjak camps inside About 6.8 million Kurds live in Iran and

60 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ôzeti

ISIPUSALEMPOST JULY 27, 2011 Turkey edges toward conflict with Kurds

As reforms stall, spate of killings, unrest in Istanbul signal growing violence; analysts warn fighting

could escalate.

attributed to the outlawed

By DAVID ROSENBERG Kurdish Workers Party (PKK) ' THE MËDÏÀLÎNË to 21 since election day. Thirteen of them were killed in

a July 14 ambush. In response, Three Turkish soldiers were Erdogan vowed that Kurdish killed in the southeastern rebels would pay a "heavy province of Mardin over the price." But, in fact, the killings weekend in an ambush laid by Kurdish nationalists. In had the immediate effect of sparking inter-communal ten¬ Istanbul police detained some

70 people following days of sions. inter-communal violence, In Istanbul's Zeytinburnu dis¬ amid growing signs that the trict nightly clashes erupted uneasy peace between the two spurred by social media and sides is unraveling. what police say were rumors of elections, Turkey's High

killings and arson designed to The stagnation relates to the Elections Board barred some More worryingly, analysts war¬ encourage tensions. At an political and cultural opening Kurdish candidates from run¬ ned, the disturbances in Istanbul jazz concert shortly that Erdogan promised in 2009, ning, prompting widespread Istanbul could signal a new after the killings, Aynur Dogan which included easing restric¬ violence and a quick retreat chapter in the Turkish govern¬ tions on the use of Kurdish lan¬ from the ruling. ment's decades-long fight with was booed by audience mem¬ bers for singing in the Kurdish guage and more access to Kurdish nationalists as the language. government assistance. But Nevertheless, Erdogan's AKP conflict moves to the cities. after some initial progress, the captured 30 seats in Kurdish They also point to opinion polls "That night we again saw the drive bogged because Erdogan, areas while the BDP won 36 in that show a growing polariza¬ real reason behind the insolva- like many Turks, see Kurdish the June elections. Pope, of the tion between Turks and Kurds. bility of Kurdish problem," aspirations as a challenge to International Crisis Group said

wrote Cem Erciyes, a journalist Turkish unity. the two sides should have seen "We had two years when we for the newspaper Radikal. the split vote as a sign of their had extremely positive develop¬ "Although the AKP has adop¬ respective strengths and moved ment, up to the elections," Fadi Hakura, a Turkey specia¬ ted more relaxed attitude to negotiate. Hugh Pope, project director for list at the British research insti¬ towards Kurds compared to Turkey and Cyprus at the tution Chatham House, said the previous governments it's still a Instead, six of the BDP lawma¬ International Crisis Group. fighting, once principally confi¬ nationalist party that doesn't kers remain in jail and the rest "The elections supplied an ama¬ ned to the Kurdish southeast, agree with many of the have refused to take the oath of zingly positive-looking parlia¬ may spread to the cities with demands put forth by the office until they are released. ment in that there were 36 peo¬ what he called a "mass popular Kurdish nationalists," said Two week ago, an umbrella ple from the Kurdish nationalist mobilization." Hakura, referring to Erdogan's organization of the Kurdish party elected. Now we're seeing Justice and Development Party figures and groups, the a setback." Kurds make up about 20% of AKP. Democratic Society Congress,

Turkey's population, but they or DTK, announced a declara¬ Prime Minister Recep Tayyip are concentrated in the sou¬ The PKK ended its six-month- tion of democratic autonomy Erdogan, fresh from a third- theast, adjacent to Kurdish old unilateral ceasefire with the for Kurds, provoking a sharp term election victory last areas in Syria, Iraq and Iran. government in February and criticism from many Turks. month, has sought to press for¬ But, they have flooded into the adopted what it calls an "active ward with democratic reforms cities as the army's crackdown defense," whereby its fighters "There is a problem in the to the constitution and ensure on Kurds' traditional stron¬ defend themselves if threate¬ media coverage. There is very the economy stays on its gholds made many homeless ned. Meanwhile, Kurds pres¬ little understanding in mains¬ growth trajectory. But some and economic growth has crea¬ sing for change using ordinary tream Turkish public opinion analysts worry that the recent ted urban job opportunities. political channels ran up about what the Kurds want," he violence risks spinning into the against strong opposition. said. "You have an ingrained carnage of the 1984-2007 period "If the stagnation and confron¬ habit of violence. The democra¬ when fighting between Turkish tations escalate between the Hundreds of people belonging tic opening we had over last forces and the PKK claimed Turks and Kurdish nationalists, to the Kurdish Peace and two years went some way to some 40,000 lives. this is likely to put further Democracy Party (BDP), inclu¬ counter that, and now we're

strain in inter-communal ties. ding lawmakers, are being pro¬ seeing a reversion." Already there are hints that the secuted under what Human The three Turkish soldiers kil¬ strings have begun to fray," Rights Watch calls draconian Analysts disagree about how led over the weekend brought Hakura told The Media Line. anti-terror laws. Shortly before big a role the upheavals of the the total number of casualties

61 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ôzeti

Arab Spring are playing either Hakura and Pope are doubtful, ground for PKK operations partner for Ankara in the fore¬

as an inspiration for popular saying the Kurds are mainly inside Turkey even after the seeable future," he wrote in a

unrest or because turmoil has influenced by domestic issues. Arab Spring turmoil subsides. commentary on Monday. "Iran

created a security vacuum in But, Mehmet Kalyoncus, an is [also] highly likely to expe¬

neighboring countries, making independent political analyst "Syria will also be paralyzed by rience popular unrest in the

it easier for PKK fighters to writing in Today's Zaman, a an internal conflict and instabi¬ coming years."

move across the border into newspaper close to the AKP, lity in a way that would pre¬

Turkey. warned that Syria, Iraq and vent Damascus from functio¬

Iran could all serve as staging ning as an effective regional

THE WALL STREET JOORNAL July 20, 2011

Kurds Divided on Autonomy Declaration

By Ayla Albayrak

ISTANBUL - Most of Turkey's Protesters large Kurdish minority are united shout slogans on the need for more regional self- against the governance in the predominantly outlawed Kurdish South East. Kurdistan Workers Party during a But when it comes to last week's demonstration "declaration of autonomy" by the in Istanbul on Kurdish Democratic Society Congress, Saturday. an umbrella organization which gathers some 850 Kurdish politicians and other notables, they are divided.

About five parliamentary deputies the same day as an attack by militants is still just an idea," he said. from the main Kurdish political party from the outlawed Kurdish Worker's the BDP, or Peace and Democracy Party, or PKK, which left 13 Turkish And that's just on the side of Kurdish Party oppose the declaration, accor¬ soldiers dead. To many Turks, the society that votes for the BDP, a party ding to party officials. Two of them BDP's declaration looked like a provo¬ based around Kurdish identity. Mr.

Altan Tan and Serafettin Elci - have cation. Erdogan's ruling Justice and gone public with their concerns. Development Party, or AKP, also has

"To make this declaration on the day strong support among Kurds in the The autonomy declaration appears to of these clashes caused the message to South East. Needless to say, like Mr. have been accelerated out of frustra¬ be blurred, misunderstood. The Erdogan, the AKP is against the auto¬ tion as the BDP sought to negotiate a timing could have been chosen diffe¬ nomy declaration. way to end its boycott of Turkey's new rently," said Ertugrul Kurkcu, a BDP parliament. The boycott started after deputy who opposes the declaration, Kurdish sociologist and AKP member the country's election committee in a telephone interview. Since 1984, Mazhar Bagli agrees on the need for excluded one of the BDP's winning some 40,000 people are believed to more self-governance in Kurdish pro¬ candidates from taking his seat after have died in clashes between Turkish vinces - but "this call should have the June 12 election on grounds of a security forces and the PKK. been made in the Parliament and it prior conviction on terrorism-related should be clarified," he said. charges. At the same time, courts refu¬ The other problem is that there isn't Discussing Kurdish autonomy in the sed bail to another five BDP candida¬ yet a consensus among Kurds about Turkish legislature will have to wait tes who were in jail awaiting trial. what autonomy means, according to though. The BDP's boycott isn't likely Mr. Kurkcu. While the principle is to get solved until at least early To put it mildly, the Kurdish declara¬ right, he said, but it's "still raw." October when parliament comes back tion was not well received among from its annual summer break. Turks in general and in particular by "There should be more discussion Prime Minister Recep Tayyip among all classes and layers of Erdogan. Declaring autonomy on a Kurdish society about how it would be unilateral basis was never going to be applied in different areas of life, be it popular in Ankara, but it also came on in education or even tourism. Now it

62 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ozeti

Hurriyet 1Ç1% July 24, 2011 DailyNews. Turkey heads to more ethnic polarization

Isil Egrikavuk

ISTANBUL - Hurriyet Daily News

$fe The death of 13 soldiers in Diyarbakir

s Silvan district has sparked angry S**r demonstrations and protests against peo¬ . j ple of Kurdish origin. As politicians \5*¥- ramp up their harsh rhetoric, fears are building that Turkey is heading toward further ethnic polarization

A group of young Turkish nationa¬ *$ m lists march in Zeytinburnu district of

Istanbul in protest of a recent pro-

Kurdistan Workers Party demons¬ tration in the distrcit.

Tension following the deaths of 13 A group of young Turkish nationalists march in Zeytinburnu district of soldiers in Southeast Anatolia has Istanbul in protest of a recent pro-Kurdistan Workers Party demonstration spread across much of Turkey, with in the distrcit. pro-Kurdish political party head¬ quarters assailed with stones and a Kurdish performer protested for sin¬ Tayyip Erdoan said: There is no ted charges. ging in her mother tongue. Kurdish issue in this country. There is a PKK problem in this country. The Politics is moving from being an ins¬

As the clashes continue, leading aca¬ terror organization and its [sympa¬ titution toward [being] a neo-pagan demics and other experts have critici¬ thizers] should not expect goodwill ritual, Sùleyman Ogùn, a political zed politicians and the media for cas¬ from us. scientist and professor at Istanbul s ting blame rather than making an Maltepe University, told the Daily effort to solve the issue. The PKK is listed as a terrorist orga¬ News. Political leadership means nization by Turkey, the United States managing the catharsis of this ritual,

I cannot believe that instead of really and the European Union. Members of which the language is violence. addressing the issue, the politicians of the group killed three more However, the leaders are just busy are speaking like taxi drivers in ans¬ Turkish soldiers on Saturday night in reacting to each other s comments. wering each other, Bekir Agirdir, the the southeastern province of Mardin. general manager of the research firm Polarization debate

KONDA, told the Hurriyet Daily According to Agirdir, the Kurdish News this week. KONDA recently issue is moving from the mountains While the tension rises in the country, published a survey showing that - referring to PKK members fighting questions have been raised in the polarization between Turkish and in many rural and mountainous media about how the situation will

Kurdish people in Turkey is quite areas of Turkey - to the Turkish develop. According to writer and high. Parliament. He added, however, that economist Mustafa Sônmez, the cur¬ the Peace and Democracy Party, or rent discourse will only serve to take

The tension has ramped up follo¬ BDP, the country s main pro-Kurdish Turkey back to the 1990s, when vio¬ wing a July 14 terrorist attack by political party, has not been success¬ lence among Kurdish and Turkish members of the outlawed Kurdistan ful in managing this process. groups was quite common. Workers Party, or PKK, that killed 13

troops in Diyarbakir s Silvan district. The BDP acted childishly in going Many of the PKK supporters in for a boycott [of Parliament]. They Istanbul are young people who

A subsequent clash between PKK couldn t really use this opportunity migrated to western cities and the

supporters and opponents in and the [ruling party] leaders made a state s bureaucratic language will Istanbul s Zeytinburnu district lasted show out of what happened, Agirdir only cause Kurdish people to with¬ several days, only ending with police said. draw among themselves. By uttering

intervention, while some construc¬ these words they are repeating the tion workers of Kurdish origin in the The BDP achieved success in the June 1990s discourse, Sônmez told the Black Sea province of Trabzon and 12 general elections by backing inde¬ Daily News, while also criticizing the the eastern province of Erzurum pendent candidates for Parliament, BDP for not having a constructive have claimed they were driven out of but members of their bloc have refu¬ political agenda. town after being attacked on the job. sed to take the oath of office in pro¬ test of the continued imprisonment The democratic autonomy announ¬

Following the announcement of the of their elected colleagues who are cement is not clear, and this shows

terrorist attack, Prime Minister Recep being held behind bars on terror-rela confusion among the BDP [ranks].

63 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ôzeti

Such confusion brings along specula¬ with the BDP s backing in last month s that Turkey is walking on thin ice.

tion, Sônmez said. elections. The pro- and anti-Kurdish issue is not On the same day as the PKK ambush in When asked whether the clashes might the only one; there are polarizations Silvan, an umbrella organization of the lead to bigger incidents, Sônmez among several other groups, such as pro-Kurdish figures and groups, the expressed optimism that they would Sunni and Alevi groups, though they Democratic Society Congress, or DTK, not. My observation is that there is a are not seen so clearly now, Agirdir

announced a declaration of democratic strong common sense among society, said. Yet when all of them come toge¬ autonomy. The unilateral announce¬ so I don t expect anything big, he said. ther, the violence might become quite ment has been much criticized by severe. That s why politicians need to

many including some deputies elected KONDA s Agirdir believes, however, act immediately.

MPUSALEMPOST JULY 29, 2011

Syrian Kurds hope to ride wave of regional change

Arab World: The minority group wants a demo¬ cratic alternative to the current regime, agreed ' . ï at V.: Va "V upon by all Syrians, both Arabs and Kurds. 1-

"\ of the Assad regime.

By JONATHAN SPYER * ' Last week saw the regime's

first major attempt to crack encouraged by the toppling nation in all areas of life. down on Kurdish support The uprising against the of Saddam's regime in Iraq, for the uprising. Syrian rule of Bashar Assad in rose up against the Assad Numbering between 10 per¬ police and militiamen loyal Syria is continuing to grow. regime. The revolt was cent and 15% of the popula¬ to the authorities used Hundreds of thousands of swiftly and brutally crushed, tion, they are the largest non- Syrians are now taking part batons and tear gas against and 36 Kurds were killed. Arab minority in the country. in the protests. As the month demonstrations in Qamishli, Within this community, there of Ramadan approaches, the a Kurdish-majority city in Hoped-for support from the are some half a million the Northeast. In the Kurdish forecast is intensified strife. country's Arab opposition Syrian-born Kurds who lack neighborhood of Ruknuddin did not emerge. As such, the citizenship, deprived of even

Still, serious fissures have yet in Damascus, meanwhile, Kurds were reluctant to join the most minimal entitle¬ to appear in the regime, and two protesters - Zardasht the current revolt until it ments from the state under the Assads show every inten¬ Wanli and Khezwan Safwan became unmistakably clear whose rule they were born. tion of fighting on. This - were killed and dozens that the rebels were in ear¬ They have limited access to more injured. opens up the prospect of a nest. education and health provi¬

long period of violence sion, and no ability to Demonstrations by Syrian ahead. There is no remaining doubt acquire a passport. Kurds in Qamishli, Hassake, in this regard Still, the

One of the signs of the Amouda and the surroun¬ regime has done its best to This population is further ding villages have been stea¬ unflagging strength of the induce the Kurds to stay on subdivided into two groups: dily increasing in size over uprising is the broadening the sidelines in recent "maktoum" (people of no the last month. The Kurds involvement of different sec¬ months by offering a series country), who lack all citi¬ were slow, however, to join tions of the population. An of cosmetic "concessions." zenship rights, and "ajanib" example of this is the the uprising against the (foreigners), who have ID Kurdish minority, which in Assad regime. This was not The nature of these gestures cards and some limited out of any sentiments of the last weeks has begun to highlights the depths of sys¬ rights. loyalty to the dictatorship, play a greater part in the pro¬ tematic brutality that charac¬ but because of wariness and tests. The role of the Kurds is terize the Assad regime, The Ba'ath regime systemati¬ skepticism regarding the complicated, however, by because of the details they cally depopulated Kurdish Arab opposition. indications that elements of reveal regarding life under areas, attempting to create an the Syrian opposition are Assad. Arab population belt along This skepticism was the pro¬ determined to preserve the the border with Turkey. The duct of experience. In March overtly Arab self-definition Since the Arab nationalist use of the Kurdish language 2004, a small prelude to the of the country, even follo¬ Ba'ath party came to power and Kurdish names for chil¬ current uprising in Syria wing the hoped-for downfall in Syria in 1963, Kurds have dren were banned, as was took place. Kurdish citizens, suffered systematic discrimi the celebration of Kurdish

64 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ôzeti

festivals. ties were invited to meet conference was held under native fail to emerge, Yazidi with Assad (they declined). the title of the "Syrian Arab added, Syrian Kurds will In an act of characteristic Republic." The Kurds want look to the recent declaration cynicism, as the uprising This attempt to placate the to see the name of the coun¬ of "democratic autonomy" in against his rule began to Kurdish population now try changed to the "Syrian the Kurdish region of Turkey spread, Assad on April 7 seems to have been abando¬ Republic" to reflect their as a model for their own announced the provision of ned. own status as a national situation. full citizenship rights to minority. those Syrian Kurds known as Increased Kurdish participa¬ Far from the media attention ajanib. tion as the revolt gathered This symbolic issue reflected afforded the Arab Spring, the steam may have led the deeper concerns regarding past months have been Activists say that this pro¬ Assad regime to conclude Turkish backing for the eventful and dramatic ones mise has yet to be fulfilled. that any further gestures emergent opposition leader¬ for the region's Kurds, too. were irrelevant. The default ship, and the prominent role The declaration of democra¬

In any case, it leaves around option of unambiguous of the Muslim Brotherhood tic autonomy in Turkey, and

200,000 remaining Kurds repression has returned. within it. Iranian attacks on Kurdish lacking any status. But it was guerrillas in northern Iraq the first evidence of the For Syria's Kurds, unfortu¬ Shirzad al-Yazidi, a Syrian have combined with the dra¬ regime's determination to nately, there have recently Kurdish opposition activist, matic events in Syria to pro¬ keep its most oppressed been discouraging signs of told Asharq Alawsat news¬ duce a sense of ferment, flux minority out of the circle of Arab nationalist sentiment paper that "the alternative to and imminent change. The dissent. among the opposition as the ruling mob in Damascus Kurds of Syria remain divi¬ well. Kurdish organizations must be a democratic one ded into 16 different political Further gestures followed. withdrew from participation that is agreed upon by all factions. They are neverthe¬ For the first time this year, in a "National Salvation" Syrians, both the Arabs and less genuinely determined

Kurds were permitted to conference of Syrian opposi¬ the Kurds, and not a tyranni¬ this time to ride the wave of celebrate their Nowruz new tionists held in Istanbul ear¬ cal alternative that is tailored change, rather than be crus¬ year's festival. Then repre¬ lier this month. They did so to well-known regional stan¬ hed once more beneath it. sentatives of 12 Kurdish par to protest the fact that the dards." Should such an alter

£ 26 July 2011 INDEPENDENT NEWS

casualties at a mere 7 killed with 4 Iran against the Kurds wounded over the three days of fighting. SupportKurds.org also announced, "Today, the Iranian Column: Patrick Mac Manus regain their country. In 1988, Iraqi Army continued bombarding the forces launched one of the worst areas of Suni, AM Rese, Dole Koke, www.scoop.co.nz chemical weapons attacks in history Sehit Ayhan, Sehit Harun and high against their own Kurdish citizens. mountains in the surrounding areas EARLIER this week, the Iranian News 5,000 were killed while 10,000 were of Zele. Eye-witnesses say the Agency announced that units of the injured and thousands more would Iranian army is preparing to continue Iranian Revolutionary Guard had die later from their wounds. their attacks." crossed the border into Iraq. Their mission - to attack, disable and des¬ As recently as 2009, Iranian troops The Iranian News Agency is telling a troy military bases belonging to clashed with Kurdish freedom figh¬ PEJAK, a Kurdish militant group. somewhat different story. "Three ters along the same Iraqi border. In bases in Iraqi territory were provi¬ Accusing PEJAK of being a terrorist that engagement, Kurdish fighters ding assistance to the terrorists. All organization, Tehran has taken it had gained the upper hand until the bases have fallen into the hands upon themselves to do what the US helicopter gun ships reinforced of our forces" AP reports backed Iraqi regime refuses to do - Iranian infantry. Clashes between the Revolutionary Guard Colonel Delavar crack down on armed militants on Kurds and Iran's Revolutionary the Iraqi side of the Iranian border. Ranjbarzadeh as saying. He went on Guard are common and can last for to say that the Kurds had suffered, "a days. Such is the case this week. heavy and historic defeat." The Kurds have been fighting for their independence and sovereignty The pro-Kurdish group While the results of the past three since their nation of Kurdistan was SupportKurds.org has been reporting days of fighting are in dispute, one officially taken away by the League the action in detail since the second of Nations back in 1925. Coerced thing that is agreed upon by both day. The group announced they were sides is that the fighting will conti¬ into fighting on the side of the receiving first hand accounts of the nue. Iranian spokesmen report the neighboring Ottoman Turks during fighting from multiple eye witnesses. World War 1, the Kurds found them¬ presence of 5,000 troops on and News has been slow to trickle out of along the Iraqi border, many of selves on the losing side of peace the desolate region of northeast Iraq. which are involved in the fighting. It negotiations. Their country was split is not known how long Tehran four ways between Turkey, Iran, Iraq According to a report published in intends to occupy the Kurdish terri¬ and Syria. Whiteout Press, Kurdish rebels claim tory inside Iraq. Kurdish rebels will they've killed 120 Iranian soldiers For decades, Kurdish fighters have continue to try and repulse the inva¬ including 2 high-ranking officers. ders while Baghdad appears to be fought pitched battles against all PEJAK spokesmen put their own staying out of the conflict. four governments in an attempt to

65 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ôzeti

Iran : 35 rebelles kurdes tués par les Gardiens de la révolution islamique

27 juillet 201 1 / xinhua dans la ville de Sardasht, située dans le nord-ouest de l'Iran et une attaque contre les positions du PJAK dans les zones fronta¬ lières avec la région semi-autonome irakienne du Kurdistan est QUELQUE 35 membres du Parti pour une vie libre au Kurdistan (PJAK), mouvement rebelle kurde iranien, ont été en cours.

tués par le corps des Gardiens de la révolution islamique Le PJAK est un groupe nationaliste activiste kurde, qui a été (IRGC) dans un affrontement entre les deux parties dans le accusé par l'Iran de mener de nombreux attentats contre les for¬ nord-ouest de l'Iran, a rapporté mardi la chaîne de télévision ces iraniennes dans l'ouest du pays. locale Press TV. De plus, l'Iran croit que le PJAK aurait des liens étroits avec le Dans cet affrontement qui a eu lieu lundi, plusieurs autres mem¬ Parti des travailleurs du Kurdistan (PKK) de la Turquie, et que les bres du PJAK ont été arrêtés par l'IRGC, selon la même source. deux groupes partageraient leurs bases dans la région monta¬ gneuse dans le nord de l'Irak. Des "terroristes" du PJAK ont transporté leurs membres blessés vers l'Irak, d'où ces derniers ont été transférés vers la ville d'Erbil L'Iran a récemment déployé 5 000 militaires dans le nord-ouest à bord d'ambulances appartenant au Parti démocratique du du pays, le long de sa frontière avec la région semi-autonome Kurdistan (KDP) de l'Irak, a indiqué Press TV. irakienne du Kurdistan.

L'IRGC a déjà pris le contrôle des bases de ce groupe "terroriste"

Turquie: un soldat tué par une mine

ANKARA, 28 juillet 2011 (AFP) Kahramanmaras, selon l'agence. Les sources citées par Anatolie ne don¬ nent pas d'indications sur les auteurs possibles de l'attentat.

Les rebelles kurdes du Parti des travailleurs du Kurdistan (PKK) ont cepen¬ Un soldat turc a été tué aujourd'hui et quatre autres ont été blessés par dant souvent recours à des mines dans leurs opérations contre les forces l'explosion d'une mine au passage de leur véhicule dans le sud de la de sécurité turques. Depuis le lancement de l'insurrection du PKK en 1984, Turquie, a rapporté l'agence de presse Anatolie. les violences ont fait quelque 45.000 morts. Le PKK est considéré par de L'explosion est survenue près d'une décharge publique sur la route reliant nombreux pays comme une organisation terroriste. les communes d'Elbistan et de Nurhak, dans la province de

REUTERS «| | Iran: Explosion sur un gazoduc alimentant la Turquie

29 juillet 2011 - Reuters sée et des réparations sont en cours sur le gazoduc», écrit l'agence. On ignore pour l'instant la cause de l'incident. L'Iran est le

UNE EXPLOSION s'est produite ce vendredi matin sur un gazo¬ deuxième fournisseur de gaz naturel de la Turquie après la duc acheminant du gaz naturel iranien vers la Turquie, entraî¬ Russie. nant l'interruption des livraisons, rapporte l'agence de presse iranienne Mehr. Les cas de sabotages ne sont pas rares sur les conduites d'hydro¬ carbures entre l'Iran, l'Irak d'une part et la Turquie, du fait de l'ac¬

«Le flux de gaz a été interrompu momentanément (...). Une explo¬ tivité de groupes séparatistes kurdes. sion s'est produite en territoire iranien (...). Mais elle a été maîtri

Iran : des rebelles kurdes tuent un membre de la milice Bassidji (médias)

TEHERAN, 29 juil 2011 (AFP) Le 16 juillet, l'armée iranienne a déclenché une vaste offensive sur les bases du PJAK, au cours de laquelle elle a perdu au moins huit hommes.

Des rebelles kurdes ont tué un membre de la milice iranienne Bassidji, Les Gardiens de la révolution, l'armée d'élite du régime iranien, ont affirmé après avoir attaqué un de leurs camps au Kurdistan iranien, situé dans le de leur côté avoir tué plus de 50 rebelles kurdes depuis le début de leur village de Selin, a rapporté vendredi l'agence Mehr, en citant un gouverneur offensive.

local. Le PJAK est régulièrement impliqué dans des affrontements armés avec les

Selon Mehr, l'attaque contre la milice islamiste a été menée mercredi soir forces iraniennes, qui bombardent en représailles les zones frontalières par le Parti pour une vie libre au Kurdistan (PJAK), non loin de la ville de montagneuses du Kurdistan irakien, d'où opèrent les combattants indépen¬ Sarv-Abad. dantistes.

"Les terroristes ont attaqué la base (...), tuant un membre de la milice Un enfant kurde irakien de dix ans a été tué jeudi soir par les bombarde¬ Bassidji et en blessant quatre autres", a déclaré le gouverneur de Sarv- ments iraniens.

Abad, Ahmad Mohammad-Rezaei. Le ministre irakien des Affaires étrangères, Hoshyar Zebari, avait pourtant

Il a affirmé que les rebelles avaient "subi de lourdes de pertes" pendant les demandé mercredi à l'Iran de cesser ses bombardements dans le nord de l'Irak. combats, sans autres précisions.

L'agence a écrit que les rebelles avaient tué un Bassidji et un policier dans Les Gardiens de la révolution ont affirmé de leur côté qu'ils allaient poursui¬ la ville ces deux dernières semaines. vre les opérations jusqu'à ce que l'Irak reprenne le contrôle de la région, selon des médias iraniens.

66 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ôzeti

Le Point La tension monte entre l'Irak et l'Iran 27 juillet 2011 Bagdad demande à l'Iran de cesser ses bombardements, au nord du pays. Plus de cin-

quante séparatistes kurdes iraniens en seraient victimes.

Le ministre irakien des Affaires étran¬ Gardiens de la révolution, l'armée d'élite «.:

gères, Hoshyar Zebari, a demandé du régime iranien, ont lancé une large . . mercredi à l'Iran de cesser ses bombar¬ offensive contre les militants du Pjak qui ' X . ml *"-'' , dements contre le nord du pays, où les se cachent dans la région frontalière

Gardiens de la révolution ont lancé une entre les deux pays. :»

offensive contre les séparatistes kurdes ; .- , ..' iraniens du Pjak. "Nous demandons Les médias iraniens ont affirmé mer¬ \!>*l .;' ï;''«ï; ... * * '-\'! encore une fois au gouvernement iranien credi que "plus de 50 éléments contre- *-i'\' de cesser ses bombardements continus, révolutionnaires ont été tués au cours

car cela endommage les liens entre l'Irak des opérations des dernières semaines,

et l'Iran", a-t-il dit à des journalistes. "Il une centaine ont été blessés et d'autres

y a des bombardements répétitifs depuis ont été faits prisonniers". Des centaines Croix-Rouge. Par ailleurs, deux villa¬

cinq ans mais, cette fois, la durée est d'habitants de la région frontalière du geois ont été tués et deux autres ont été

plus longue que les précédentes. Ils sont nord de l'Irak ont quitté leurs villages blessés lundi par un bombardement

faits de manière indiscriminée" et ont à la suite d'affrontements entre les iranien contre un village de la région

endommagé des fermes de cette région séparatistes kurdes iraniens et les de Sidakan, à 100 km au nord-est

rurale, a-t-il expliqué lors d'une confé¬ Gardiens de la révolution, a affirmé d'Erbil, selon Maksoud Islamïl, le chef

rence de presse. Le 16 juillet, les lundi le Comité international de la de l'hôpital Souran dans la ville.(AFP)

4ÈiiroNews 30 juillet 2011

Démission collective à la tête de l'armée

Les rapports entre l'armée et l'AKP ont toujours été tendus

LA TÊTE DE L'ARMÉ e turque qui démissionne en masse. C'est une première dans un pays membre de l'Otan. Le chef d'état-major turc ainsi que les commandants des armées de terre, air et mer ont claqué la porte. Un geste pour protester contre l'incarcération de 42 généraux et plusieurs dizaines d'officiers, soupçonnés d'avoir comploté contre le gouver

nement.

Le président Gùl a nommé l'actuel patron de la gendarmerie à la tête de l'armée de terre turque. Pour mieux comprendre, nous avons joint au téléphone notre correspondant à Istanbul, Bora Bayraktar. cela qu'il y a toujours eu des tiraillements entre eux. Bora, comment expliquer cette situation ?

Quand l'AKP a fait une avancée pour devenir plus civil, il a "Nous avons deux problèmes : le premier, c'est celui classi - aussi limité le pouvoir de l'armée. que en Turquie, la lutte entre l'armée et l'administration civile. Et il y a aussi les critiques qui émergent a propos de Après la mort de 14 soldats ces derniers jours, les généraux l'armée et son futur, sa fonction et sa capacité à écraser le sont la cible de critiques. Actuellement, le gouvernement PKK, les séparatistes kurdes. L'armée a toujours eu des pro - essaye de faire évoluer l'armée vers une armée profession - blêmes avec les gouvernements. Quand en 2002 l'AKP est nelle. Alors je suppose que la nouvelle direction de l'armée va arrivé au pouvoir il faisait partie d'un mouvement politique être choisie pour permettre de faire cette révolution. qui avait déjà eu des problèmes avec l'armée, c'est pour

2 soldats turcs tués dans deux affrontements distincts

ISTANBUL, 30 juil 2011 (AFP) attaque armée contre un poste de la police militaire en charge de la circula¬ tion, ajoute Anatolie.

DEUX SOLDATS turcs ont été tués et deux autres blessés dans des Deux soldats ont d'autre part été blessés au cours d'une fusillade qui a affrontements distincts en Turquie, a annoncé samedi l'agence éclaté entre des assaillants et les forces de sécurité, indique Anatolie sans préciser le lieu et les conditions de l'incident. Anatolie.

Les rebelles séparatistes kurdes ont tué un soldat turc en ouvrant le feu Des affrontements entre les forces de sécurité et des militants du Parti des dans la nuit contre une unité militaire qui assurait la sécurité d'une route pro¬ Travailleurs du Kurdistan (PKK) se sont multipliés depuis les élections du 12 che du village de Beyyurdu au sud-est de la ville de Semdinli à proximité de juin dernier.

la frontière avec l'Iran et l'Irak, a précisé Anatolie. Le 16 juin, 13 soldats ont été tués dans des affrontements avec le PKK dans

Un deuxième militaire turc a été tué samedi dans la région de Gellezif dans la province de Diyarbakir. Ce sont les pertes les plus lourdes pour l'armée la partie méridionale de la province de Kahramanmaras, au cours d'une turque dans ce conflit depuis octobre 2008.

67 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ôzeti

\Molmmi\eâ j»jyj!ijpii

Iraqi-Kurd force to take over in Kirkuk after U.S. withdrawal

A Kurdish Jim Loney / Reuters Peshmerga sol¬

dier from the

KIRKS, Iraq - Iraq's experimental Golden Lions Golden Lions security force made up of forces, stands guard during a old foes is getting ready to stand alone patrol in the city as U.S. forces withdraw along the of Kirkuk, north potentially explosive fault line of of Baghdad July Kirkuk, the disputed northern oil city. 20, 2011. REU- Assembled as a beacon of stability TERS/Saad in a volatile mix of Kurds, Arabs and Shalash

Turkmen, the Golden Lions brought

together Iraqi soldiers and police with

the peshmerga of the semi-autonomous

northern Kurdish region under the

watchful eye of U.S. troops, who act as strength for Iraqis. them together and talk to them, until Kirk belongs to Kurdish." a buffer between the wary allies. MUTUAL SPYING

PLEASE STAY In the coming weeks, U.S. soldiers "It's very good. You know why?

will leave the Iraqi and Kurdish forces Because both sides, now they have Most Kirk want U.S. troops, now

increasingly alone on checkpoints and become like spies against each other," about 46,000 strong, to remain beyond

patrols in Kirkuk, Nineveh and Diyala said Colonel Bethune Mohammed, the year-end, when a security pact between

provinces, in areas claimed by the cen¬ police chief of Keokuk's Azadi district. Washington and Baghdad lapses. The

tral government in Baghdad and the "Each side is not letting anyone do any¬ Americans are seen as a critical buffer

Kurdish capital Arbil. thing wrong." between factions.

With the U.S. withdrawal from Iraq On a recent patrol of upscale neigh¬ "We're going to be so happy if the

scheduled for year-end, more than eight bourhoods around Kirk, the Iraqis arri¬ United States wants to stay here," said

years after the invasion that toppled ved in Ford and Chevy pickups, the Mohammed.

Saddam Hussein, American troops nope Americans in massive CRAP armoured For the moment U.S. military lea¬ the members of the amalgamated force vehicles. ders see the Lions as a success story and can overcome years of animosity and Residents hawked as the one-time express optimism that they can continue hold together. enemies the Kurd fought guerrilla joint patrols as U.S. soldiers pull back.

"We don't have any differences bet¬ battles against Iraq's army for years and Their hope is that the force can set an

ween the peshmerga and the Iraqi exploited the 1980s Iran-Iraq war to example, particularly for squabbling

army," said veteran peshmerga Captain launch attacks walk side by side. politicians. Ahmed Mohammed, waving toward a While there's been talk of a single "It shows how everybody can work Golden Lions patrol in the Gurga Chal uniform for the Golden Lions, for now together. Everybody will work together neighbourhood of Kirkuk. "We look at the Kurd wear distinctive green camou¬ and security comes first with a lot of them like we are the same." flage while the Iraqi police are in blue people," said Colonel Michael Pap pal,

Whether that goodwill between his¬ and the Iraqi army in khaki. commander of the U.S. Devil Brigade in

toric foes lasts may help determine the Kirk. "It all depends on the politicians The Iraqis take the lead. The near-term fate of the tinder-box city Americans hang back, watching. ... the hard pan is the politics involved considered a likely flashpoint for future in the province." "They all sleep in the same tent, they conflict in Iraq. all live together, eat together," said 1st But historic animosities are not Sitting atop a vast sea of oil by easily forgotten in Iraq. Lieutenant Matthew James Trout, an some estimates 4 percent of the world's American soldier who patrols with the Mohammed, the plain-spoken police reserves Kirkuk is secured by the Golden Lions. chief, said 27 members of his family, Arab-led central government but clai¬ including his wife, two children, parents He said he has seen little sign of eth¬ med by Arbil, which says the city is pre¬ and eight siblings died when Sad dam's nic tension. "All the squabbles are the dominantly and historically Kurdish. forces deployed poison gas against same ones that I see with my soldiers. The Kurdish and Iraqi forces came Kurd in 1988, killing thousands. Neighbourhood children bring glas¬ together more than a year ago across "No!" he said sharply when asked ses of water on trays to the sweating sol¬ northern Iraq but in small numbers; now whether the Lions would get along after diers, who are clad in battle gear. about 1,200 in the three provinces. By the Americans withdraw. "I swear to comparison, the Iraqi security forces "I like to see the Iraqi and posh God, three days after you guys number more than 600,000, and the force. I feel safer," said Reb war Saba (Americans) leave, you can hear it blo¬ peshmerga at least 100,000. Mohammed, a soda factory worker. wing up. But, God willing, you guys

A Golden Lions battalion, about But U.S. troops must stay, he will never leave us. God willing." 380, trains in Kirkuk. quickly adds. "U.S. soldiers have to be a referee between these people and bring The lion is a symbol of fighting

68 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ôzeti

Ruda\V.Net I 27 July 2011

Independent Iraqi MP: US Troops Needed In Iraq's Disputed Areas

By HEMIN BABAN RAHIM dispute inside Iraq's Parliament over the RUDAW.' fate of those charged with crimes against humanity. Kurdish and Shiite

In an interview with Rudaw, Dr. deputies call for their execution while

Mahmoud Othman, an independent Sunni MPs claim they were carrying out

Kurdish member of the Iraqi Parliament, orders.

said the planned US troop withdrawal "This is a big and serious problem

has turned political but that US troops and unfortunately it has become a poli¬

are needed in Iraq's disputed territories. tical issue," said Othman. "Politicizing

"Iraqi security officials have to pre¬ people's blood is a crime. The Sunnis

sent their own report about their ability Independent Iraqi MP Mahmoud say the convicts were soldiers and car¬

to maintain Iraq's security," Othman Othman. Photo Rudaw. ried out orders, but those people com¬

said. "But right now they do not play mitted genocide. They weren't in a fight

with another country. In the trials they any role and instead it is politicians who zed and are not communicating with still continue to deny their involvement make decisions for them, which is really each other to pursue their own demands. and do not apologize. Defending those bad." "If the Kurds don't follow up their people means there are still some who Kurdish politicians in Erbil and conditions won't be implemented," see things through a sectarian eye." Baghdad advocate for extending the US Othman said. "There are many pro¬ Recently Parliament Speaker Usama troop presence in Iraq. Othman, howe¬ blems with the Kurds when it comes to al-Nujayfi angered many when he sug¬ ver, said it is a national issue and if coordination and following up. The gested that Iraqi Sunnis might create a Baghdad decides the US military must ministers and MPs in Baghdad are not federal region. Nujayfi's own tribesmen leave there is nothing the Kurds can do connected and it is because we do not and colleagues blamed him for pushing about it. hold meetings among ourselves." Iraq towards partition, but Othman said "The US withdrawal is an Iraqi According to Othman, the Kurds creating more semi-independent regions issue," said Othman. "The Kurds say, have not been successful in pushing will only strengthen federalism in Iraq. 'We are not against prolonging the their agenda because of rifts among Federalism is guaranteed under the American presence,' but if Iraq decides Kurdish parties in Kurdistan. constitution but has been slow to take that they [US troops] should leave, the "We as Kurds are united and are not hold outside of Kurdistan, which is the Kurds won't have problem with it. divided," Othman said. "But the internal only official region in Iraq. However, we would like for them to political conflict in the Kurdistan region "No one has talked about the forma¬ remain in the disputed territories, and all has had an impact on our work in tion of Sunni regions and the region Kurdish parties in Baghdad share this Baghdad. Since the government was won't be formed based on Sunnis," said view." formed the Kurdish factions here Othman. "It will be formed based on After the 2010 elections the Kurdish haven't met even once and it seems that provinces. We would like to see other parties agreed to participate in Prime the [Kurdistan] Alliance has collapsed. regions so that federalism can take root Minister Nuri al-Maliki 's government The Kurdistan Democratic Party [KDP] and federalism can be balanced in the on the condition that Article 140 of the is to blame for this because they hold country. If there aren't other regions constitution, which aims to resolve most seats and [KDP MP] Dr. Rozh there will be threats to the Kurdistan issues over territories disputed by Nuri Shawaes is in charge of the region. They might say, 'We want to Kurds, Arabs and Turkmen, be quickly Kurdish Alliance." rewrite the constitution' and thus desta¬ implemented. But Othman said the Since the trials of former Baathist bilize the situation." Kurds in Baghdad are not well-organi- leaders began, there has been a serious

July 27, 2011 Bloomber tement today. Both blocks will be operated by Hess, with Petroceltic and the KRG each taking a 20 percent interest.

Iraq resumed oil exports from the semi-autonomous Kurdish Hess, Petroceltic to region earlier this year, ending a yearlong halt caused by a dis¬ pute over oil revenue between local authorities and Baghdad. Explore Two Iraqi Kurdistan has attracted more than $10 billion in energy invest¬ ments from more than 40 companies from 17 countries, Fields in Kurdistan Regional Government Prime Minister Barham Salih said on May 5.

By Brian Swint "These highly prospective blocks add further high-impact Hess Corp. (HES), the New York-based oil company, and exploration potential to our portfolio," Petroceltic's Chief Petroceltic International Pic (PCI) agreed to explore two Executive Officer Brian O'Cathain said in a statement. "While fields in the Kurdistan region of northern Iraq. significant discoveries have already been made, the Kurdistan

The two companies signed a production-sharing agreement region of Iraq remains a vastly under-explored area with huge for the Dinarta and Shakrok blocks with the Kurdistan potential." Regional Government, Dublin-based Petroceltic said in a sta

69 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ôzeti

Ruda\V.Net ! 29 July 2011

A Sunni Federal Region Is Inevitable

By JASIM ALSABAWI / Rudaw destruction following the fall of the regime and is now completely ignored

by the central government. Despite pro¬

mises to rebuild the province, nothing is During Saddam Hussein's regime no happening on the ground. Arab, particularly from Iraq's Sunni There are, however, some tribal lea¬ areas, dared to go to the Kurdistan region. ders in Anbar namely Sheikh Majid They didn't even dare think about it. Ali al-SuIeyman, the leader of the Kurdistan was considered enemy terri¬ powerful al-Dulaim tribe who says tory, and any attempt to visit was consi¬ any attempt to create a federal region is dered treason. As a result, most Arabs a foreign conspiracy to divide Iraq. were curious as to what was happening in Sheikh al-SuIeyman threatened the Kurdistan. A meeting ofAnbar tribal chiefs. Photo Anbar provincial council and called After the fall of the regime in 2003, by Sahwat al-lraq. them "robbers and bandits." He even waves of Arabs poured into Kurdistan vowed to take up arms against any such and were shocked by the progress that inspiration. project. they witnessed there. Upon their return, "The Arabs are not trying to learn In addition, Parliament Speaker families and friends gathered to listen to from the Kurdish experience, nor do Usama al-Nujayfi's recent comments the tales of Kurdistan, as if it was a dis¬ they look to the Kurds for inspiration" that Iraqi Sunnis may have to consider a tant country. The visitors spoke admirin¬ Abdullah Aljibburi, one of the mas¬ federal region of their own angered gly of Kurdistan's successful reconstruc¬ terminds behind the idea to join Arab many Arab leaders and political parties. tion, the cleanliness of the streets, the areas with Kurdistan, says, "We could Unfortunately, some Kurds also called organized traffic rules and other signs of shorten the time it takes to create our al-Nujayfi's statement "immature" ins¬ development. own region by simply looking and lear¬ tead of throwing their full support Soon many Arabs began to dream ning from the experience of others," i.e. behind him. that one day their cities would become the Kurdistan region. Since Saddam Hussein's regime fell, like those in Kurdistan. They were Today there are still voices deman¬ frustration and failure have defined unhappy with having to live under unfair ding their constitutional right to create Iraq's governments. The authorities are and tightly-controlled government poli¬ their own federal region. Establishing continuing to fail, and most people are cies. federal regions does not kill citizens' still frustrated. A group of intellectuals and tribal patriotism for their country. "The Kurdistan region should share leaders in Kirkuk and Mosul's Sunni- There are Arab leaders who refuse to their experience with the rest of Iraq and majority districts wanted their areas to consider a federal region and believe it show them the way" join the Kurdistan region. The idea was partitions the country. But those same As a result, the Kurdistan region bom in 2006 and was relayed to Kurdish leaders sat down and drafted the consti¬ must fully support Arab voices calling leaders through intermediaries. The pro¬ tution, which allows any province or for federal regions across Iraq. The posal, however, was not considered by group of provinces to create a federal Kurdistan region is strong and is in a the Kurds. No one knew why. region of their own. position to hold influence. This way, it The masterminds of this project put This kind of attitude throws the can also weaken Baghdad's hand in run¬ themselves to great risk at a time when country back to a dictatorial era, where ning the entire country. the Sunni areas raged with insurgency one man ran everything alone. These The Kurdistan region must send and violence by organizations such as al- leaders must know that people's envoys to all parts of Iraq Sunni and Qaeda. The hopes of these influential demands and interests are more impor¬ Shiite and encourage them to push for¬ Arabs to join the Kurdistan region were tant than their narrow-minded policies. ward with their demands for federal dashed in the face of Kurdish indiffe¬ Iraq's Sunni Arabs feel that a federal regions of their own. The Kurdistan rence. If the Kurds had been wise and region of their own is inevitable. They region should share their experience supported the idea, it would have boos¬ are marginalized by the current govern¬ with the rest of Iraq and show them the ted their long-term prospects in Kirkuk ment and are not given any role in deci¬ way. and the disputed territories. sion-making. The only solution for the Some are unhappy with the idea of Now the question is why the Arabs Sunni people and the only way to rule an Iraq that consists of different federal have not come up with their own propo¬ themselves is to create a federal region. regions, but that is what the reality of the sal without falling back on Kurdistan. The leaders of Sunni-dominated country calls for. Countries that have The answer is that the Kurds, despite all Anbar province have finally unani¬ strong central rule have countless politi¬ the miseries of their past and the unfor¬ mously demanded to establish an Anbar cal, economic and social problems. On tunate civil war between their parties in Federal Region. For them, it is about the other hand, places such as the United the 1990s, still managed to put most of dignity. Jasim al-Halbusi, the head of the States, Switzerland and United Arab their history behind them in order to Anbar provincial council, says, "to live Emirates make strides every day. A move forward. Nowadays, the rest of in a small region with dignity is better country with one party and a central rule Iraq is experiencing the same difficulties than living in a huge country with no only suits leaders like Saddam Hussein, as the Kurds did, but the Arabs are not dignity." Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi and trying to learn from the Kurdish expe¬ Anbar province, once the center of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. rience, nor do they look to the Kurds for the Sunni insurgency, suffered enormous

70 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ôzeti tri5pffliardian]july30'2011

not these people who come and stay Turkey's resignations, there and never leave."

On Saturday, Labor Minister Faruk a sign of military decline Celik tried to reassure the country ahead of the formation of a new com¬ mand structure at a key military mee¬ ting that begins Monday.

"I believe that what happened last night would contribute to the normali¬ zation of Turkey as well as putting the military-civilian relations on the right track," he said.

The military contributes troops to NATO operations in Afghanistan and Libya, though they are not directly involved in combat, and is fighting Kurdish rebels concentrated in sou¬ theast Turkey. The resignations of Gen. Isik Kosaner as chief of staff, along with the commanders of the navy, the army and the air force, are unlikely to have an immediate effect on operational In this photo released by the Turkish Presidency Press Service, President matters. Abdullah Gul, right, meets with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, center, Gen. Necdet Ozel, commander of Gendarmerie paramilitary force, at the But the military has seemed increasin¬ Presidential Palace of Cankaya in Ankara, Turkey, late Friday, July 29, 2011. Gul gly archaic in political terms, clinging approved the appointment of Gen Ozel as the new commander of Turkey's Land to its self-appointed role as guardian of Forces, hours after the country's Chief of Staff and other top army commander the hardline secular values of national have resigned Friday in what is seen as tensions with the Islamic-rooted govern¬ founder Mustafa Kemal Ataturk long ment. after the ruling party of Prime Minister

Recep Tayyip Erdogan, a devout President Abdullah Gul said Saturday Muslim whose grand vision sometimes that the sudden resignations a day ear¬ draws comparisons to Ataturk, came to By CHRISTOPHER TORCHIA lier of the nation's top four military power in 2002 on a platform of demo¬ commanders, who were troubled by cratic reform. the arrests of dozens of generals in alle¬ ISTANBUL (AP) In past decades, ged coup plots, would not cause a crisis The conflict between Turkey's old and the Turkish military showed displea¬ even if their departure was unprece¬ new elites partly played out as a debate sure with civilian leaders by overthro¬ dented. over the role of Islam in society, but wing them. This time, the upset gene¬ Erdogan cast it as a struggle for trans¬ rals quit, a move that only strengthe¬ The subtext of his message was: the parency and accountability when ned the hand of an elected government government is in firm control and police rounded up hundreds of retired that has in turn been accused of targe¬ there's no danger of a coup. The and active-duty military officers accu¬ ting opponents at the expense of demo¬ government sought to gloss over the sed of plotting against his government. cracy. controversy, saying the generals had The trials were widely welcomed at merely asked for retirement, but some first, but long imprisonments without The decline of military clout in Turkey, observers speculated the brass miscal¬ verdicts and alleged irregularities in a NATO member with a robust eco¬ culated by believing their radical step the handling of evidence have stirred nomy and an activist foreign policy, is could force their civilian masters to claims that the government is manipu¬ welcome for many Turks who believe make concessions. lating the legal process. any political role for commanders is a throwback to the era of coups and Merve Alici, a member of Young The resignations of Kosaner and his instability that once sullied their inter¬ Civilians, a non-governmental group peers came after a court ordered the national image. It's also key to Turkey's that promotes democracy, described arrest of seven more active duty gene¬ bid to join the European Union, though the resignations as "passive-aggressive" rals and admirals along with more than the candidacy is adrift because of behavior and said she was happy to see a dozen other officers on charges of car¬ mutual skepticism on a host of issues. that had not created a "crisis" in the old rying out an Internet campaign to sense of the term in Turkey. The undermine the government. In his fare¬ 'The military has been largely pushed Turkish currency dipped in value, as well message, Kosaner said he was to the side. They're not going to be able nervous traders reacted, but the quitting because he could not protect to implement a coup d'etat," said government was poised to fill the lea¬ the rights of his staff and he sharply cri¬ Howard Eissenstat, a Turkey expert at dership vacuum by appointing Gen. ticized the wave of arrests. St. Lawrence University in the United Necdet Ozel, the military police com¬ States. "The police force is thoroughly mander, as chief of staff. Keren Oktem, author of "Angry under the control of the (ruling party) Nation: Turkey since 1989," a book and has been militarized over the last "I believe that it's a good development about the country's transition from 10 years, and the opposition is weak in the sense that this untouchable military to democratic rule, said that and divided." image of the military is just decaying while there is "no doubt" that the mili¬ one step at a time," Alici said. 'They are tary has tried to subvert elected

71 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ozeti

governments, there are "serious shortco¬ non-democratic challenges by similar that they back.

mings" in the coup plot trials that point means. to long-standing problems in the The trials "started out as positive things, Turkish justice system. In 2008, the Constitutional Court, then a but they've grown so unwieldy and they bastion of secularism, narrowly ruled seem so political that this doesn't look to

More broadly, Oktem said, accusations against shutting the ruling party on the me like the creation of a neutral bureau¬ that the government has amassed too grounds that it had violated the coun¬ cracy," said Eissenstat, the St. Lawrence much control stem from an authorita¬ try's secular values but still gave the academic. "It looks to me like the asser¬ rian tradition of power that "does not party a warning against leading the tion by a single party over more and represent or encapsulate liberal views" country toward Islam. Ruling party lea¬ more parts of the apparatus of the state." in Turkey. In his view, the ruling Justice ders viewed the crisis as a political and Development Party followed electo¬ attack, and much of the national debate ral rules but was compelled to fight off has since focused on the coup plot trials

31 July 2011

Turkey welcomes Kurdish socialist Burkay after 31 years

TODAY'S ZAMAN, ISTANBUL

Kurdish socialist intellectual and poet Kemal Burkay returned to Turkey on Saturday, ending a 31 -year exile that began with his judi¬ cial prosecution in 1980.

A crowded group of supporters and

friends waited for Burkay at Istanbul

Ataturk Airport on Saturday evening as

his flight from Stockholm landed on the

tarmac. The crowd had posters and

banners in both Kurdish and Turkish, with references to his poems. His

daughter Berivan Kayam, whom he A crowded group of supporters and friends were waitingfor Kemal Burkay at the hadn't seen for three years, and niece Ataturk Airport in Istanbul Saturday evening. Seher Dilovan, a well-known singer,

were also at the airport. Some members

of the crowd were singing the Sezen a motion that fell short of a stampede. Justice and Development Party's (AK

Aksu song Gùlùmse (Smile), which has The excitement and the rush also pre¬ Party) stalled Kurdish initiative, a pro¬

lyrics from a Burkay poem. vented him from making a press state¬ gram that was launched two years ago

ment at the airport. He had to force his in hopes of marginalizing terrorism by

The Taraf daily interviewed Burkay's way through the crowd accompanied by maximizing the cultural rights afforded

daughter Kaya at the airport. She said screams of excitement and shouting to Turkey's Kurds. Burkay recalled that

that although she hadn't seen her father and reached the nearest taxi, which President Abdullah Gul recently said the

in three years, the two always maintai¬ took him to the Taksim Hill, the hotel Kurdish question is Turkey's most

ned ties and talked on a daily basis. where he is staying. It was also at the important question and that it can't be

Kaya said her father was coming to do hotel where Burkay could make his first settled through violence. He said such a

all that he could to contribute to Turkey's press statement. statement coming from the top of the democratization and find a democratic state hierarchy was promising and

settlement to the Kurdish question. He spoke to the press at his hotel in the important. He criticized the Kurdish

evening, saying he was ready to start movement and socialists of Turkey for

Istanbul Deputy Governor Ahmet Aydin dialogue with all sections for a solution not supporting the government's initia¬

and members of the pro-Kurdish Rights to the Kurdish question. He said the tur¬ tive saying: The strongest segments

and Freedoms Party (HAK-PAR) as well ning point in the Kurdish question was inside the Kurdish movement didn't sup¬

as the anti-militarist youth platform the period of easing of the state's port the initiative. They didn't even sup¬

Young Civilians were at the airport. Kurdish policy, which had been very port the opening of [Kurdish language

strict until then, beginning in 1993 television channel] TRT 6. The right

The long wait for Burkay finally came to during Turgut Ozal's presidency. Burkay thing to do would be to support the

an end when Burkay, together with his said this first move for peace and recon¬ government against the status quo in

daughter Helin Burkay and journalist ciliation was later overshadowed by spite of the differences in opinion that

Oral Calisar, entered the International guns and violence. there might be. Arrivals Terminal. Journalists and sup¬

porters rushed toward Burkay, creating Burkay also had things to say about the

72 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ozeti

Analysis: Kurds serve warning as REUTERS U.S. withdrawal nears july 31, 2011 - ByJimLoney - (Reuters)

KIRKUK, Iraq - When Iraq's northern Kurdish region sent a division of troops to surround Kirkuk in February, it may have been a signal of the delicate balancing act to come when U.S. forces leave the disputed oil city. c.^si

Officially, the 10,000 or so peshmerga fighters were there to protect Kirkukis from any violence associated with nation¬ wide protests. But their presence sparked a furious diploma¬ tic offensive by the United States to calm tensions between the central government in Baghdad and Arbil, the Kurdish capital.

The deployment may have been a trial balloon, analysts j$fè& said, to test Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki and to warn Baghdad and Washington that U.S. troops are needed as a buffer in the disputed northern territories claimed by both capitals. A U.S. soldier attached to the Golden Lions forces walks past a girl carrying her doll, during a patrol in the city ofKirkuk, 250 "The Kurdish military maneuver in Kirkuk in February was km (155 miles) north ofBaghdad July 20, 2011. both a message to the U.S. to keep its troops on the ground beyond 2011 - which is a Kurdish interest - and a way of tes¬ ting the resolve of the Baghdad government," said Joost world's oil reserves is secured by central government for¬ Hiltermann, an analyst with International Crisis Group. ces.

It took a month to persuade semi-autonomous Kurdistan, "The effect was a significant schism in the relationship bet¬ comprised of three northern provinces, to withdraw the ween us and the Kurds," Holland said. unit. Kirkuk has suffered huge population upheavals in recent "It was a lot of diplomacy in saying 'look this isn't right. It's decades, from Saddam's "Arabization" campaigns to more upsetting the area. It doesn't lead to stability,'" said Colonel recent moves by Kurds to reclaim parts of the city. Michael Pappal, commander of the U.S. Devil Brigade in "They were sending a message to the central government, Kirkuk. "It showed to me that a third party was necessary saying 'we can enter Kirkuk any time and you cannot stop for that to happen." us,'" a senior Iraqi Defense Ministry official told Reuters. Eight years after the United States ousted Saddam Hussein, The official said the KRG would not invade Kirkuk after the Iraq is still building its police and army to battle a lethal U.S. leaves but would seek to displace Arabs. He said the Sunni Islamist insurgency and Shi'ite militias within, as well Kurd population had soared from 150,000 to 350,000 since as defending against external threats. 2003. As violence ebbs, Kirkuk and other disputed northern areas The peshmerga, however, represent a formidable challenge are considered potential flashpoints for future conflict in a to the Iraqi army. The Kurds have 100,000 troops, better wea¬ country hobbled by ethnic, religious and political strife. ponry and experienced leaders, the official said. The late February incursion was no spur-of-the-moment "After 2003, they captured the former Iraqi army tanks. decision and prompted a quick response from the About 4,000 tanks left by the former Iraqi army in the streets Americans, who told Kurdish commanders their soldiers and cities disappeared, and our investigations indicate that would not be allowed into Kirkuk, U.S. military officials the Kurds have most of them and Iran got the rest," he said. said. The peshmerga deployment served notice that without the "You don't send a division across a border without a lot of planning and preparation ... it takes a while to put an army neutral buffer of U.S. forces, the Kurdish region might "feel compelled to use military muscle to defend its interests," on the road and that's what they did," said Lieutenant said Wayne White, an analyst with the Middle East Institute. Colonel Joe Holland, a U.S. commander in Kirkuk.

The unit was 12,000 strong, a Kurdish official told Reuters, "So, while a signal that the KRG will not tolerate any percei¬ ved trampling of its interests in Kirkuk, this deployment while the U.S. military estimated it at 8,000-9,000. Sources also was meant as a reminder to both Washington and said the Kurds had AK-47s, artillery and armored vehicles. Baghdad that greater consideration should be given to the CLOSE TO BLOWS prolongation of a more meaningful U.S. presence," he said. Holland said it was the third time in 20 years the Kurds had But because Maliki, perhaps calculating that the Americans moved into the Kirkuk area; the first in 1991 after the inva¬ would pressure their Kurdish allies to withdraw, did not sion of Kuwait and the second in 2003 when Saddam was offer a serious challenge, the deployment was not an effec¬ ousted. tive trial run for securing Kurdish control of Kirkuk, Maliki's government demanded the peshmerga withdraw Hiltermann said. and the Kurdistan Regional Government at first refused, "This will have to wait till the time when U.S. troops will no escalating tensions. Iraqi and Kurdish troops have come longer be there," he said. "At that point, all bets are off and close to blows in the past two years as Baghdad tightened its tensions could easily escalate, intentionally or inadvertently, grip on Kirkuk. to a bigger conflict, at least as long as the dispute between Iraqi officials said the incursion was illegal. Officially, the Baghdad and Arbil remains unsettled." city which by some estimates sits atop 4 percent of the

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