DOCSLIB.ORG

Official General Report on Northern Iraq (April 2000) Contents Page

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Official General Report on Northern Iraq (April 2000) Contents Page Official general report on Northern Iraq (April 2000) Contents Page 1. Introduction 4 2. Information on the country 6 2.1. Basic facts 6 2.1.1. Country and people 6 2.1.2. History 8 2.2. System of government 17 2.3. Political developments 20 2.3.1. Internal relations 20 2.3.2. External forces 31 2.4. Security situation 36 2.5. Social and economic situation 48 2.6. Conclusions 53 3. Human rights 55 3.1. Safeguards 55 3.1.1. Constitution 55 3.1.2. Other national legislation 55 3.1.3. Conventions 56 3.2. Monitoring 56 3.3. Respect and violations 58 3.3.1. Freedom of opinion 58 3.3.2. Freedom of association and of assembly 59 3.3.3. Freedom of religion 60 3.3.4. Freedom of movement 73 3.3.5. Judicial process 83 3.3.6. Arrest and detention 84 3.3.7. Maltreatment and torture 87 3.3.8. Extra-judicial executions and murders 87 10804/00 dre/LG/mc 2 DG H I EN 3.3.9. Death penalty 87 3.4. Position of specific groups 88 3.4.1. Turkmens 88 3.4.2. Staff of international organisations 91 3.4.3. Conscripts, deserters and servicemen 96 3.4.4. Independent intellectuals and journalists 98 3.4.5. Prominent political activists 99 3.4.6. Fayli Kurds 99 3.4.7. Women 101 3.4.8. Orphaned minors 104 3.5. Summary 104 4. Refugees and displaced persons 106 4.1. Motives 106 4.2. Internal flight alternative 109 4.2.1. At-risk groups 110 4.2.2. Humanitarian, social and economic aspects 111 4.3. Other western countries' policies 118 4.4. UNHCR policy 119 4.5. Conclusions 120 5. Conclusion 121 Annex 1 Map of Northern Iraq Annex 2 List of background literature 10804/00 dre/LG/mc 3 DG H I EN 1. Introduction This official general report describes the present situation in Northern Iraq insofar as is relevant in assessing asylum applications by people from (Northern) Iraq. The internal resettlement alternative for Iraqis in Northern Iraq is also considered. "Northern Iraq" is used in this report to mean that part of the Republic of Iraq which is controlled by Kurdish parties in the north of the country. The part of Iraq termed "Central Iraq", coming under the authority of the Baghdad regime, is covered by the official report of 15 April 1999 on Central Iraq. References to the pre-1991 situation make no distinction between Northern and Central Iraq. This official general report updates the earlier official general reports of 31 March and 13 November 1998 on Northern Iraq. The bases on which this official report has been drawn up include our own findings and reports from Netherlands embassies in the region. Use has also been made of documents from sources such as the German Bundesamt für die Anerkennung ausländischer Flüchtlinge [Federal Office for the Recognition of Foreign Refugees], Amnesty International, the Swiss Bundesamt für Flüchtlinge [Federal Office for Refugees], Schweizerische Flüchtlingshilfe [Swiss Refugee Aid], the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the US State Department, the UK Foreign Office, the International Red Cross and the UNHCR. Specialist literature and media reporting have also been drawn upon. Where non-confidential sources are cited, the text is in many cases also based on information supplied confidentially. Section 2 outlines the political and economic situation, including security aspects and the role of Iraq's neighbours as well as the position of political parties in Northern Iraq. Section 3 describes the human rights situation. The various religious minorities and some Islamic and Christian parties are dealt with under the heading of freedom of religion and the position of ethnic minorities and other specific groups and parties is also discussed. 10804/00 dre/LG/mc 4 DG H I EN Section 4 begins by looking at the reasons for migration from Northern Iraq before going on to examine the scope for internal (re)settlement there. Consideration is given to humanitarian, social and economic aspects of (re)settlement in Northern Iraq, with the position of displaced persons also being described. The last two subsections of section 4 give an account of the policies of other western countries and of the UNHCR. Section 5 contains some general conclusions. 10804/00 dre/LG/mc 5 DG H I EN 2. Information on the country 2.1. Basic facts 2.1.1. Country and people Iraq has a population of about 20 million 2. Ethnically and linguistically, Iraq as a whole includes Arabs, Kurds, Turkmens, Persians and Armenians among its different population groups. Estimates of the proportion of Arabs in Iraq as a whole range from 70% to 85% and those of the proportion of Kurds from 15% to 20%. In religion, for Iraq as a whole the main distinction in numerical terms is between Sunni and Shia Muslims. Sunni Arabs make up 12% to 15% 3 of Iraq's total population and Shia Arabs 50% to 65%. The number of Christians in Iraq is put at from 600 000 to 1,5 million. There are an estimated 3,5 million largely Sunni Kurds living in Northern Iraq 4, as well as Assyrian, Chaldean and Turkmen minorities, among others, totalling a few hundred thousand. Northern Iraq has down the ages had little or no Arab community and there are also few if any Armenians living there. Since the end of the Gulf War, in 1991, the Republic of Iraq has in practice been split into two, with Northern Iraq removed from the control of the central authority in Baghdad. The two main parties in Northern Iraq, the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), led by its Chairman, Massoud Barzani, and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), led by its Secretary-General, Jalal Talabani, in practice each hold de facto control of part of the region. Northern Iraq comprises, roughly speaking, the three governorates 5 of Dihok, Arbil 6 and Sulaymaniyah. There is also the newly established governorate of New Kirkuk. That northern part of the governorate of Al Ta'mim (capital: Kirkuk), 2 Fischer Weltalmanach 1996 and Harenberg Länderlexikon 1995/1996. An official census by the authorities in Baghdad put the population in 1997 at 22 million. 3 Some sources consulted give higher percentages. 4 The area inhabited by the Kurds is not confined to Northern Iraq; there is also a sizeable population of them in Central Iraq, as well as in Iran, Turkey, Syria, Armenia and Georgia. Many Kurds have emigrated from their original home area as well. The Kurdish people as a whole is estimated to number around 25 million. 5 The Arabic term being Muhafaza (governorate, province or administrative district). 6 Known in Kurdish as Hawler. 10804/00 dre/LG/mc 6 DG H I EN like a small part of the north of the governorate of Diyala, does not come under Baghdad's effective control, being run by the PUK. The southern part of the governorate of Arbil still remains under the Baghdad government's effective control. In addition, a small part of the governorate of Ninawa (capital: Mosul) comes under the KDP's control. Broadly speaking, however, there are just three governorates involved (Dihok, Arbil and Sulaymaniyah). Of the three main cities, Arbil and Dihok are KDP-controlled and Sulaymaniyah PUK-controlled. Moreover, both KDP and PUK territory are also inhabited by tribes not aligned with the party in question or even having turned against the controlling party. Such divisions are also often to be found within tribes. Northern Iraq consists in large part of inhospitable terrain, offering little by way of a living. Only the valleys, where the large towns and cities lie, contain fertile land. Their position leaves such urban centres militarily vulnerable. The mountainous countryside in the north of Northern Iraq, however, is unsuited to large-scale military operations. Language The Kurds speak Kurdish, an Indo-European language related to Farsi and comprising a number of dialects. The two main dialects in Northern Iraq are Badinan, spoken in the north-western governorate of Dihok, and Sorani, used in the governorate of Arbil and in the PUK-dominated area. In the Barzan district (KDP territory), both Badinan and Sorani are spoken. Sorani and Badinan speakers are able to understand one another fairly well. Arabic is also widespread in Northern Iraq. Most of the Kurdish population have a good command of Arabic, with some of the local population being more fluent in Arabic than in Kurdish. In Northern Iraq, Kurdish is written in a specially adapted Arabic script. Newspapers and other publications appear in both languages. The largely Sunni Turkmens are related to the Turks and speak a language of their own, related to Turkish. Assyrians, who like Turkmens and Yazidis 7 live mainly in KDP territory, use an Aramaic language of their own, as do Chaldean Christians. 7 See subsection 3.3.3. 10804/00 dre/LG/mc 7 DG H I EN Clans Kurdish society has traditionally been based on a clan system. The clan leader, or aga, used to have virtually absolute power. In recent times, however, the clans' influence has declined, partly as a result of the collectivisation campaign waged by the Iraqi President, Saddam Hussein 8, in the 1980s 9, which brought the destruction of many Kurdish villages. In the east of Northern Iraq, even, practically all villages have now disappeared. In spite of the destruction of traditional village communities and urbanisation, the old clan loyalties still remain a factor to be reckoned with for KDP and PUK leaders.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • The Turkish Diaspora in Europe Integration, Migration, and Politics
    GETTY GEBERT IMAGES/ANDREAS The Turkish Diaspora in Europe Integration, Migration, and Politics By Max Hoffman, Alan Makovsky, and Michael Werz December 2020 WWW.AMERICANPROGRESS.ORG Contents 1 Introduction and summary 4 Key findings 9 Detailed findings and country analyses 34 Conclusion 37 About the authors and acknowledgments 38 Appendix: Citizenship laws and migration history in brief 44 Endnotes Introduction and summary More than 5 million people of Turkish descent live in Europe outside Turkey itself, a human connection that has bound Turkey and the wider European community together since large-scale migration began in the 1960s.1 The questions of immigra- tion, citizenship, integration, assimilation, and social exchange sparked by this migra- tion and the establishment of permanent Turkish diaspora communities in Europe have long been politically sensitive. Conservative and far-right parties in Europe have seized upon issues of migration and cultural diversity, often engaging in fearmonger- ing about immigrant communities and playing upon some Europeans’ anxiety about rapid demographic change. Relations between the European Union—as well as many of its constituent member states—and Turkey have deteriorated dramatically in recent years. And since 2014, Turks abroad, in Europe and elsewhere around the world, have been able to vote in Turkish elections, leading to active campaigning by some Turkish leaders in European countries. For these and several other reasons, political and aca- demic interest in the Turkish diaspora and its interactions
    [Show full text]
  • Monitoring of Water Level Fluctuations of Darbandikhan Lake Using Remote Sensing Techniques
    1 Plant Archives Vol. 20, Supplement 2, 2020 pp. 901-906 e-ISSN:2581-6063 (online), ISSN:0972-5210 MONITORING OF WATER LEVEL FLUCTUATIONS OF DARBANDIKHAN LAKE USING REMOTE SENSING TECHNIQUES Dalshad R. Azeez* 1, Fuad M. Ahmad 2 and Dashne A.K. Karim 2 1College of Agriculture, Kirkuk University, Iraq 2College of Agricultural Engineering, Salahaddin University, Iraq *Corresponding author : [email protected] Abstract Darbandikhan Reservoir Dam is located on the Sirwan (Diyala) River, about 230 km northeast of Baghdad and 65 km southeast of Sulaimaniyah - Iraq. Its borders extend from latitude 35° 06' 58 ''- 35° 21' 07 ''N and longitude 45° 40' 59'' -45° 44' 42'' E. In order to monitor the fluctuation in the level of this lake, Landsat Satellite images were collected for 10 years included, 1984, 1990, 1995, 2000, 2005, 2010, 2015, 2017, 2018 and 2019 for the same time period. Next, the classification of satellite images and the measurement of areas were done using ArcGIS 10.2. In order to study the effect of droughts and wet conditions on water levels in the lake, the standardized precipitation index (SPI) method proposed by Mckee, 1993 was used. In the current study, the 12 months’ time scale SPI values (SPI-12) that was considered individually for the years 1984-2017 were estimated. Each period starts from January and ends in December. It was found that the water level in Darbandikhan Lake has experienced periodic changes during the period from 1984 to 2018. The results also showed that there were some gradual drought trends in the study area according to precipitation changes during the years studied, where severe drought dominated several parts of the study area, and the worst were in the years 1995, 2000, 2915 and 2017.
    [Show full text]
  • Eliminating Violence Against Women
    ELIMINATING VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN PERSPECTIVES ON HONOR-RELATED VIOLENCE IN THE IRAQI KURDISTAN REGION, SULAIMANIYA GOVERNORATE By Tanyel B. Taysi With Contributions from Norul M. Rashid Martin Bohnstedt ASUDA & UNAMI HUMAN RIGHTS OFFICE: ELIMINATING VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN FOREWORD ......................................................................................................................................3 I. INTRODUCTION.............................................................................................................................4 II. INTERNATIONAL, REGIONAL AND NATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS FRAMEWORKS .......................8 III. HONOR-RELATED VIOLENCE..................................................................................................14 IV. CONTEXTUAL OVERVIEW OF WOMEN’S POSITION IN IRAQI KURDISTAN ............................16 V. FINDINGS ...................................................................................................................................19 VI. SUMMARY ................................................................................................................................41 VII. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS .............................................................................43 APPENDIX.......................................................................................................................................48 Honor-related Violence in the Kurdistan Region Page 2 ASUDA & UNAMI HUMAN RIGHTS OFFICE: ELIMINATING VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN FOREWORD Honor-related
    [Show full text]
  • "Where There Is a Promise, There Is a Tragedy"
    "Where there is a promise, there is a tragedy" Cross-border bombings and shellings of villages in the Kurdish region of Iraq by the nations of Turkey and Iran TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT) – Iraq . 4 Introduction . 5 Part I Recent Turkish and Iranian Military Attacks into Iraq: December, 2007 – December 2009. ………………….. 7 Part II Violation of International Laws. 24 Part III A Brief History of Iraqi Kurdish/Turkish Relations. .. 31 Photographs of villagers of Zharawa . 41 APPENDICES Appendix 1 Glossary of abbreviations. 44 Appendix 2 Military Action Calendar (August, 2008 – June, 2009). 46 Appendix 3 Turkish bases in Iraq . 52 Appendix 4 Maps . 54 __________________ Cover Art from the Kurdish Textile Museum: a sample of Iraqi Kurdish textile weaving of the Keji design. The weaving, made of wool, contains a pre-historic symbol for peace and happiness. This piece is from a belt. The belt, traditionally made by young girls or their mothers, is used to tie the girl's dowry together. The title quotation for the report is from the grandfather of a Kurdish friend of CPT; it means that every time governments have promised something to the Kurds, a tragedy inevitably followed. - 2 - Dedication The authors wish to dedicate this report to the over 1 million displaced villagers that have entrusted us with their tears and sorrow, hopes and dreams and their desire to return to a life of dignity. During the 2 year period in which CPT collected the research for this report, we have come to love and respect these villagers. We recognize their tremendous determination and tenacity to preserve village life and their desire to be contributing members of Kurdish society within the KRG.
    [Show full text]
  • Iraq: Opposition to the Government in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI)
    Country Policy and Information Note Iraq: Opposition to the government in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI) Version 2.0 June 2021 Preface Purpose This note provides country of origin information (COI) and analysis of COI for use by Home Office decision makers handling particular types of protection and human rights claims (as set out in the Introduction section). It is not intended to be an exhaustive survey of a particular subject or theme. It is split into two main sections: (1) analysis and assessment of COI and other evidence; and (2) COI. These are explained in more detail below. Assessment This section analyses the evidence relevant to this note – i.e. the COI section; refugee/human rights laws and policies; and applicable caselaw – by describing this and its inter-relationships, and provides an assessment of, in general, whether one or more of the following applies: • A person is reasonably likely to face a real risk of persecution or serious harm • The general humanitarian situation is so severe as to breach Article 15(b) of European Council Directive 2004/83/EC (the Qualification Directive) / Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights as transposed in paragraph 339C and 339CA(iii) of the Immigration Rules • The security situation presents a real risk to a civilian’s life or person such that it would breach Article 15(c) of the Qualification Directive as transposed in paragraph 339C and 339CA(iv) of the Immigration Rules • A person is able to obtain protection from the state (or quasi state bodies) • A person is reasonably able to relocate within a country or territory • A claim is likely to justify granting asylum, humanitarian protection or other form of leave, and • If a claim is refused, it is likely or unlikely to be certifiable as ‘clearly unfounded’ under section 94 of the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002.
    [Show full text]
  • Updating the Debate on Turkey in France, Note Franco-Turque N° 4
    NNoottee ffrraannccoo--ttuurrqquuee nn°° 44 ______________________________________________________________________ Updating the Debate on Turkey in France, on the 2009 European Elections’ Time ______________________________________________________________________ Alain Chenal January 2011 . Programme Turquie contemporaine The Institut français des relations internationales (Ifri) is a research center and a forum for debate on major international political and economic issues. Headed by Thierry de Montbrial since its founding in 1979, Ifri is a non- governmental and a non-profit organization. As an independent think tank, Ifri sets its own research agenda, publishing its findings regularly for a global audience. Using an interdisciplinary approach, Ifri brings together political and economic decision-makers, researchers and internationally renowned experts to animate its debate and research activities. With offices in Paris and Brussels, Ifri stands out as one of the rare French think tanks to have positioned itself at the very heart of the European debate. The opinions expressed in this text are the responsibility of the author alone. Contemporary Turkey Program is supporter by : ISBN : 978-2-86592-814-9 © Ifri – 2011 – All rights reserved Ifri Ifri-Bruxelles 27 rue de la Procession Rue Marie-Thérèse, 21 75740 Paris Cedex 15 – FRANCE 1000 – Brussels – BELGIUM Tel : +33 (0)1 40 61 60 00 Tel : +32 (0)2 238 51 10 Fax : +33 (0)1 40 61 60 60 Fax : +32 (0)2 238 51 15 Email : [email protected] Email : [email protected] Website: Ifri.org Notes franco-turques The IFRI program on contemporary Turkey seeks to encourage a regular interest in Franco-Turkish issues of common interest. From this perspective, and in connection with the Turkish Season in France, the IFRI has published a series of specific articles, entitled “Notes franco-turques” (Franco-Turkish Briefings).
    [Show full text]
  • Turkmen of Iraq
    Turkmen of Iraq By Mofak Salman Kerkuklu 1 Mofak Salman Kerkuklu Turkmen of Iraq Dublin –Ireland- 2007 2 The Author Mofak Salman Kerkuklu graduated in England with a BSc Honours in Electrical and Electronic Engineering from Oxford Brookes University and completed MSc’s in both Medical Electronic and Physics at London University and a MSc in Computing Science and Information Technology at South Bank University. He is also a qualified Charter Engineer from the Institution of Engineers of Ireland. Mr. Mofak Salman is an author of a book “ Brief History of Iraqi Turkmen”. He is the Turkmeneli Party representative for both Republic of Ireland and the United Kingdom. He has written a large number of articles that were published in various newspapers. 3 Purpose and Scope This book was written with two clear objectives. Firstly, to make an assessment of the current position of Turkmen in Iraq, and secondly, to draw the world’s attention to the situation of the Turkmen. This book would not have been written without the support of Turkmen all over the world. I wish to reveal to the world the political situation and suffering of the Iraqi Turkmen under the Iraqi regime, and to expose Iraqi Kurdish bandits and reveal their premeditated plan to change the demography of the Turkmen-populated area. I would like to dedicate this book to every Turkmen who has been detained in Iraqi prisons; to Turkmen who died under torture in Iraqi prisons; to all Turkmen whose sons and daughters were executed by the Iraqi regime; to all Turkmen who fought and died without seeing a free Turkmen homeland; and to the Turkmen City of Kerkuk, which is a bastion of cultural and political life for the Turkmen resisting the Kurdish occupation.
    [Show full text]
  • Iraq Committee on Victim Assistance
    PRELIMINARY OBSERVATIONS STATUS OF IMPLEMENTATION - IRAQ COMMITTEE ON VICTIM ASSISTANCE (Italy, Chile, Sweden and Thailand) Intersessional Meetings 30 June – 2 July 2020 Observations of the Committee on the information submitted by Iraq. 1. The Committee welcomes the submission by Iraq of updated information on its victim assistance activities. Based on the information provided, the Committee presents the following preliminary observations. Mine casualties in 2019 2. The Committee observed that Iraq reported 42 new casualties in 2019, including 24 men injured and 17 men and 1 woman killed in Anbar, Basra, Duhok, Erbil, Halabja, Mesan, Salah al-Din, Slimani and Wasit governorates. The report states that so far, the Directorate of Mine Action (DMA) has recorded a total of 34,043 including 23,974 survivors (1,974 females, 22,000 males) and 10,069 deaths (1,898 females, 8,171 males) due to anti-personnel mines, ERW and IED explosions. Establish or strengthen of a centralised (Action #35) 3. The Committee observed that Iraq reported that following the National Victim Assistance Stakeholder Dialogue held in 2018 in Baghdad, the DMA has been working with ministries of health, environment, labour and social affairs and the Commission of Persons with Disabilities and Special Needs to develop a national action plan and to establish a unified database on disabilities and victim assistance. The Committee would welcome further information on progress made in developing a plan and a unified database, and the consideration of gender and diversity in these two projects. Integrating victim assistance into broader national policies, plans and legal frameworks and designation of a government entity to oversee the integration (Action #33) 4.
    [Show full text]
  • 7 December 2017
    DAILY SUMMARY – 7 DECEMBER 2017 1. Detonation at Makhmour Refugee Camp 2. Murder of a Police Major near the North Oil Company in Kirkuk 3. Reports of increased IS presence and activity along the Salah ad Din border with Diyala 4. ISF conclude preparations and are poised to clear remaining IS held areas in the deserts of Anbar 5. Demonstration occurs outside the Umm al-Qura Mosque denouncing the US decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital 6. An IED detonates outside a lawyer’s office in Manawi Basha, central Basra 7. A grenade is thrown at a house owned by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Salim al-Jubouri, wounding a security guard North: At approximately 1845 hours on 6 December, a detonation was reported at the Makhmour / Martyr Rostam Judi Refugee Camp (38SLE7386758291). The camp, which is located east of Makhmour Town, is guarded by PKK fighters, and shelters over 10,000 Sunni Kurdish refugees from Turkey. At least five individuals were killed and eight others were wounded, with the wounded evacuated to hospitals in Erbil. Most if not all of the casualties were said to be PKK fighters. A number of buildings were damaged or destroyed. Members of the Makhmour Camp Council stated the incident was an airstrike, with a rocket targeting a training post for PKK fighters affiliated with the site. Alluding to Turkish responsibility, the statement denounced Baghdad as being responsible due to federal control of Iraqi airspace, and called on the GoI, UN, and other organizations to investigate these events. In additional reporting, a former senior Council Member named Leyla Arzu Ilhan stated that “Residents saw a flash in the sky then heard a loud explosion, so this points to an aerially launched device.” Ilhan speculated that this action may have come as part of increasing Turkish pressures to free two MIT members who were captured by the PKK in Sulaymaniyah in August.
    [Show full text]
  • CIRCASSIANS of UZUNYAYLA, TURKEY Eiji
    MEMORY POLITICS: CIRCASSIANS OF UZUNYAYLA, TURKEY Eiji Miyazawa A dissertation submitted for the degree of PhD. Department of Anthropology and Sociology Faculty of Arts and Humanities School of Oriental and African Studies University of London MEMORY POLITICS: CIRCASSIANS OF UZUNYAYLA, TURKEY BY EIJI MIYAZAWA ABSTRACT This thesis explores social memories among Circassians in Turkey. It is based on eighteen months’ field research in the Uzunyayla plateau, Pınarbaşı district of Kayseri province, central Turkey. The Circassians (Çerkez) settled there are the descendants of refugees who fled from the Russian invasion of the Caucasus in the mid nineteenth century. “Memory” here is used in a broad sense to include the experiences and expressions of historical consciousness in everyday interactions, as well as articulated historical narratives. By interweaving them, the present work aims to analyse the political process involved in the production of knowledge about history and society. In efforts to reproduce a community in their new homeland, Circassians emphasise their history and collective identity. The local elites from noble (worq) families dominate such conservative, essentialist discourses, stressing their status superiority over ex-slave families. They recognise historical significance and identify the driving forces of their history by reference to specific social themes, such as the opposition between the two status groups. They monopolise history as a resource by excluding ex-slaves from the production of authoritative knowledge. Here, memory politics, consisting of space construction, control over interpersonal exchanges, and hierarchized personhood, plays a crucial role. In that process, ex-slaves become muted, made passively to embody a “feudal” past. By contrast, in Karakuyu, an affluent village also known as “Slave Village”, male comrades produce social relations different from elite representations by committing themselves to alcohol drinking.
    [Show full text]
  • Kurdistan Rising? Considerations for Kurds, Their Neighbors, and the Region
    KURDISTAN RISING? CONSIDERATIONS FOR KURDS, THEIR NEIGHBORS, AND THE REGION Michael Rubin AMERICAN ENTERPRISE INSTITUTE Kurdistan Rising? Considerations for Kurds, Their Neighbors, and the Region Michael Rubin June 2016 American Enterprise Institute © 2016 by the American Enterprise Institute. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be used or reproduced in any man- ner whatsoever without permission in writing from the American Enterprise Institute except in the case of brief quotations embodied in news articles, critical articles, or reviews. The views expressed in the publications of the American Enterprise Institute are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the staff, advisory panels, officers, or trustees of AEI. American Enterprise Institute 1150 17th St. NW Washington, DC 20036 www.aei.org. Cover image: Grand Millennium Sualimani Hotel in Sulaymaniyah, Kurdistan, by Diyar Muhammed, Wikimedia Commons, Creative Commons. Contents Executive Summary 1 1. Who Are the Kurds? 5 2. Is This Kurdistan’s Moment? 19 3. What Do the Kurds Want? 27 4. What Form of Government Will Kurdistan Embrace? 56 5. Would Kurdistan Have a Viable Economy? 64 6. Would Kurdistan Be a State of Law? 91 7. What Services Would Kurdistan Provide Its Citizens? 101 8. Could Kurdistan Defend Itself Militarily and Diplomatically? 107 9. Does the United States Have a Coherent Kurdistan Policy? 119 Notes 125 Acknowledgments 137 About the Author 139 iii Executive Summary wo decades ago, most US officials would have been hard-pressed Tto place Kurdistan on a map, let alone consider Kurds as allies. Today, Kurds have largely won over Washington.
    [Show full text]
  • Seismic Reflections | 5 August 2011
    1 | Edison Investment Research | Seismic reflections | 5 August 2011 Seismic reflections Confidence in Kurdistan grows Iraq, including the autonomous Kurdistan region, probably has the world’s largest concentration of untapped, easily recoverable oil reserves. Pioneering moves were made into Kurdistan in the 2000s by the likes of Gulf Keystone and Hunt Oil, with considerable drill-bit success. In late July, two important Kurdistan exploration and development deals were announced. These involve Afren acquiring interests in two PSCs with sizeable contingent reserves and a Hess-Petroceltic partnership signing two PSCs for exploration purposes. With increasing production and Analysts improving relations between the regional and Iraqi federal governments, Ian McLelland +44 (0)20 3077 5756 these deals reflect growing confidence in Kurdistan’s potential as a major Peter J Dupont +44 (0)20 3077 5741 new petroleum province. Elaine Reynolds +44 (0)20 3077 5700 Krisztina Kovacs +44 (0)20 3077 5700 Anatomy of the Kurdistan oil province [email protected] 6,000 Kurdistan is located in the North Arabian basin and is on same fairway as the 5,500 prolific oilfields of Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province, Kuwait, southern Iraq and Syria. 5,000 4,500 The geological backdrop to Kurdistan tends to be simple and is characterised by 4,000 3,500 large anticlinal structures, deep organic-rich sediments and carbonate reservoirs 3,000 mainly of Jurassic to Cretaceous age. Drilling commenced in the region in 2006. So far, 28 wells have been drilled, of which 20 have been discoveries, resulting in A pr/11 Oct/10 Jun/11 Fe b/11 Aug/10 Dec/10 Aug/11 estimated reserves of over 5.8bn boe.
    [Show full text]