INSTITUT KURDDE PARIS E Information and liaison bulletin N°261 DECEMBER 2006 La publication de ce Bulletin bénéficie de subventions du Ministère français des Affaires étrangères (DGCID) et du Fonds d’action et de soutien pour l’intégration et la lutte contre les discriminations (FASILD) ————— Ce bulletin paraît en français et anglais Prix au numéro : France: 6 € — Etranger : 7,5 € Abonnement annuel (12 numéros) France : 60 € — Etranger : 75 € Périodique mensuel Directeur de la publication : Mohamad HASSAN Numéro de la Commission Paritaire : 659 13 A.S. ISBN 0761 1285 INSTITUT KURDE, 106, rue La Fayette - 75010 PARIS Tél. : 01- 48 24 64 64 - Fax : 01- 48 24 64 66 www.fikp.org E-mail: [email protected] Bulletin 261 (Dec. 06) Contents: • SADDAM HUSSEIN EXECUTED BEFORE BEING TRIED FOR HIS MASS CRIMES IN KURDISTAN. • THE BAKER-HAMILTON REPORT ON IRAQ: REJECTED BY BOTH THE KURDS AND THE SHIITES. • IRAQI KURDISTAN: A PROVISIONAL AGREEMENT WITH BAGHDAD ALLOWS NEGOTIATION OF CONTRACTS WITH FOREIGN INVESTORS. • TURKEY-E.U.: FREEZE OF NEGOTIATIONS WITH ANKARA, WHICH REFUSES TO NORMALISE ITS RELATIONS WITH NICOSIA. • TEHERAN: THE FIRST ELECTORAL SETBACK FOR MAHMUD AHMEDINJAD. • GEORGE BUSH CONSULTS WITH THE IRAQI GOVERNMENT’S COALITION PARTNERS TO FORM A MODERATE BLOCK WHILE THE PRIME MINISTER LAUNCHES A NATIONAL RECONCILIATION CONFERENCE IN BAGHDAD. • TONY BLAIR VISITS ANKARA AND BAGHDAD. • A DIPLOMATIC BALLET IN THE MIDDLE EAST AGAINST A BACKGROUND OF POLITICALLY REHABILITATING DAMASCUS AND TEHERAN. • THE NUMBER OF IRAQI CIVILIAN VICTIMS OF VIOLENCE REACHES AN UNPRECEDENTED LEVEL IN DECEMBER. • STRASBOURG: THE EUROPEAN HUMAN RIGHTS COURT FINDS ANKARA GUILTY OF THE MURDER OF THE KURDISH PLAYWRIGHT, MUSA ANTER, AND OF VIOLATIONS OF THE FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION OF KURDISH JOURNALISTS AND BUSINESSMEN. • READ IN THE TURKISH PRESS: THE REPORT OF THE OF THE TURKISH FOUNDATION FOR ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL RESEARCH (TESEV) REGARDING THE FORCED DISPLACEMENT OF KURDS. • AS WELL AS … SADDAM HUSSEIN EXECUTED BEFORE BEING TRIED the Iraqi former dictator’s hanging FOR HIS MASS CRIMES IN KURDISTAN gave rise to a diversity of reactions both in Iraq and abroad. It all t dawn on 30 December, took place just before 6.00 a.m. happened as if Prime Minister three years after being (3.00 a.m. GMT). A private Maliki wanted to fulfil his promise captured in a “rat hole” television later broadcast stealthily to finish with Saddam Hussein A in his native region of take pictures of his body, with a before the end of the year. His Tikrit, Saddam Hussein broken neck, in a bloodied white subordinates must have worked was executed by hanging. Iraqi shroud. The execution of his two frantically to carry out, in record television broadcast pictures, co-accused, his half-brother, time, all the administrative showing him () with his hands tied Barzan al-Tikriti, former head of formalities required and get round behind his back, refusing to be the Intelligence Services, and President Jalal Talabani’s blindfolded, pushed to the gallows Awad al-Bandar, former president opposition to the death sentence. by two masked hangmen who put of the Revolutionary Court, was the rope round his neck. The postponed at the last moment. The timetable and circumstances of broadcast stopped short of the Iraqi former dictator’s hanging showing the hanging itself, which The timetable and circumstances of gave rise to a diversity of reactions • 2 • Information and liaison bulletin n° 261 • December 2006 both in Iraq and abroad. It all Massud Barzani, took note of the communiqué. Saddam Hussein happened as if Prime Minister hanging while recalling the “has paid”, the British government Maliki wanted to fulfil his promise importance of continuing the Anfal considered, while still reaffirming to finish with Saddam Hussein proceedings, in which the former its opposition to the death before the end of the year. His president was being tried for sentence, while the French Foreign subordinates must have worked genocide against the Kurds. “We Ministry “took note” of the frantically to carry out, in record hope that the execution of Saddam execution and called on the Iraqis time, all the administrative Hussein will open a new chapter in to “work towards reconciliation and formalities required and get round Iraq’s history and that it will mark the national unity”. The Finnish President Jalal Talabani’s end of the use of force and violence presidency of the European Union, opposition to the death sentence. against civilians” declared Massud states it has always been against While considering that they could Barzani, in a communiqué dated 30 capital punishment, considered not, in the place of the families of December. “It is important that this that the execution “could also turn hundreds of thousands of victims, execution should not be an excuse for out to become the carrier of future pardon Saddam Hussein, the not revealing the extent of the crimes divisions in Iraq”. The execution Kurdish leaders would have liked committed during the Halabja and was also seen as a “new tragedy” in the tyrant to be tried for his mass Anfal operations, as well as the the Vatican, which is opposed to crimes and be sentenced to life massacre of thousands of Kurds and of capital punishment, as well as the imprisonment at the end of these members of the Barzani clan”, the Council of Europe, that considers trials. President of autonomous that Iraq had missed an Kurdistan nevertheless qualified. opportunity “to rejoin the civilised Finally, recalling the fear that the world”. The Russian Foreign Baathists might kidnap hostages to The Party for a Democratic Society Ministry regretted that secure the release of their leader, (DTP) the principle pro-Kurdish international appeals for clemency the prime Minister, supported by organisation in Turkey, for its part, had not been heard while the the other Shiite coalition partners denounced the execution. “Even German Chancellor, Angela decided to speed up the execution though the Kurds suffered the most Merkel, stated that she “respected” process, without even taking into during his period in office (…) the verdict, while recalling that account the customary truce Saddam Hussein should not have been Berlin was opposed to capital observed on the occasion of the hanged”, considered Aysel Tugluk, punishment. Moslem Feast of the Sacrifice. DTP co-president, in a communiqué. Mrs. Tugluk pointed On 30 December, Iran welcomed His decision, considered a proof of out that her party was opposed to the execution of Saddam Hussein, his determination, was widely capital punishment and considered described by Teheran as the “author approved by the Shiite population. that hanging the ex-dictator could of the most horrible crimes against The news of his hanging was produce the outcome of still further humanity”. “With Saddam’s greeted by joyful firing into the air inflaming the situation ion Iraq, which execution, the case of one of the worst at Najaf, a Shiite holy city, but with is already torn apart by sectarian criminal dictators has been closed”, relative indifference in Baghdad. violence. “Saddam had already been commented the Iranian State Here, the announcement of the ex- sentenced in peoples’ awareness. This Television service. Also demanded dictator’s death was only greeted punishment is much more severe than that the Iraqi Criminal Court, set by a few shots in the air in quarters the death sentence that we must up to try Saddam Hussein, that were essentially Shiite. The reject”, she further stated. sentence him for crimes committed Prime Minister, Nuri al-Maliki, during the Iran-Iraq war, and in welcoming the “execution of that Immediately welcomed in particular for the use of chemical criminal Saddam”, launched an Washington: the execution “will not weapons against Iranian troops. As appeal for reconciliation directed put an end to the violence in Iraq, but soon as Saddam Hussein’s death at the old regime’s supporters it is an important stage in Iraq’s road was announced, demonstrations of whose “hands were not stained with to a democracy that can govern itself joy took place in several parts of blood”. (…) and be an ally in the war against Teheran, but also in Khorramshahr, terrorism”, declared the US a port city on the Iraqi borders, The President of Iraqi Kurdistan, President George W. Bush in a where scenes of popular rejoicing n° 261 • December 2006 Information and liaison bulletin • 3• were reported by official Iranian the platform provided by the adding that “Mr. Aziz told me that media. Khorramshahr had been court. In July he stated that, in the he had important information that occupied by Iraqi forces at the event of his being sentenced to would provoke great embarrassment beginning of the invasion of Iran in death, he should, as an officer, be inside and outside” Iraq, without 1980. The Iranian Army liberated shot not hanged. In the course of giving any details. Tareq Aziz, the city during a decisive battle in his trial, he alternately played the who was Saddam Hussein’s May 1921. tune of Arab nationalism, Islam spokesman on the international and Iraqi patriotism. He presented stage, surrendered to American In the Arab countries, reactions himself as a pious Moslem, never troops in April 2003. He has, since were mainly official and token. going anywhere without his copy then, been detained by the The hanging of Saddam Hussein, of the Qoran. Americans and his family taking place, as it did, on the first constantly calls for his release day of the Moslem Feast of the Since last July, Saddam Hussein because of the deterioration in his Sacrifice caused “surprise and has been on trial in a second state of health. consternation” according to the SPA charge in which he was accused of news agency, that reflects the genocide against the Kurds in the Another disturbing fact — a official views of the Saudi context of the Anfal campaign document presented at Saddam kingdom.