Price $1 Issue no.66 Jan 8 - 21, 2010 SOMA Digest is a subsidiary of KHAK Press & Media Center. ‘Autonomy is GIRL POWER sufficient’ FIFA ban to hit An American professor underscores the similarities between the Kurds and the Albanians of Kosovo in their aspirations Erbil hardest for statehood, and their centuries’ long resistance to foreign occupation. REGION page 3 Darya Ibrahim cision even though they no longer have SLEMANI any authority,” says Aziz. “We have also Strength of nation IFA’s decision to put an end to made contact with the new IFA. The deci- The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan Iraq’s participation in interna- sion is unfair, but at least we can still par- (PUK) and the Kurdistan Democratic tional tournaments will have ticipate in domestic Iraqi football games Party (KDP) are in talks to unite an adverse effect on Iraqi foot- even if we cannot take part in the Asia their Peshmarga forces under the ball in general, but particularly championship.” jurisdiction of the Kurdistan Fon the progress of the Kurdistan Foot- Aziz believes that Erbil’s team in par- Regional Government. ball Association. Critics have panned the ticular will lose their capacity if they do REGION page 4 decision as undue ‘political interfer- not take part in matches, whether friendly ence’. or competitive, both at home and at the in- The lost children The FIFA Emergency Committee sus- ternational level. pended the Iraq Football Association Insofar as pressure applied on the Halabja families continue to pray for Baghdad and Kurdistan regional govern- the children they lost in the 1988 (IFA) last November after the Iraqi Olympic Committee dissolved the IFA ments to find a solution, Aziz says: “We chemical bombardment after 21- tried hard through the Regional Olympic year-old Ali Asmin returned to find and security forces seized control of its headquarters. FIFA gave 72 hours for Committee. We sent a delegation to Bagh- his biological mother. dad to meet with Raed Hammudi, Head COMMUNITY page 6 order to be restored. The warning was not heeded and clubs and representative teams of the Iraqi Football Association. After- of Iraq now cannot compete in interna- ward, an official invitation was sent to Redemption and tional matches. Hammudi by Mala Bakhtiar, Head of the Mahmud Aziz, Secretary of Erbil Regional Olympic Committee, to meet in resilience Sports Club, believes that the ban was in- the Kurdistan Region. All agreed that there The Amna Suraka stands testament tended to reign in the progress made so far should be cooperation among all parties. to Iraqi Kurds’ courage to by the Kurdistan Football Association. It was announced that all the problems incorporate their painful past into He pointed out that in recent years, were solved, but after Hammudi’s return their promising future. The world there had been a number of visits by to Baghdad, all promises were broken.” needs to know their story. teams from neighboring countries to Kur- The Asia Football Association delayed VIEWS page 11 dish cities. The Kuwait Club and Palestin- the championship by three days in the ian Team, to name a few, had both visited hope that the clubs of Erbil, Najaf and Erbil, and the Swedish Club had come to Nawroz would be able to take part, but in Slemani to inaugurate the city’s stadium. vain. The region’s capital Erbil had also ex- The FIFA blockage is linked to the Iraqi 400 valiant women serve on tended an invitation to the Youth Football Olympic Association’s decision to dis- Society of Asia for training and practice. solve the Iraqi Football Association. Kurdistan’s Peshmarga forces “These events certainly motivated “FIFA says that the decision is meant to Baghdad to seek to place barriers in front punish the Iraqi Football Association, in- of the Kurdistan Region’s football teams, cluding referees, teams and supervisors,” he women’s Peshmarga forces of secure the areas which they have been as such developments were not taking says Aziz. “We will have no right to par- Kurdistan are a formidable 400 assigned to. These women Peshmargas place elsewhere in Iraq,” claims Aziz. ticipate in any international activities until Tstrong team that have served their played their role in securing terror hotspots Iraq’s Olympic Committee reverses their The Kurdistan Football Association has country alongside the male Peshmargas such as Kirkuk and Khanaqeen. Their held many meetings with the Iraqi Foot- decision. Otherwise, FIFA will not change during three decades of turmoil. The valor and bravery has earned them the ball Association to find a way to reverse their position.” female Peshmargas have ensured that their respect and attention of not only the men FIFA’s decision. Iraq's Olympic Committee and the IFA presence in conflict ridden areas has been who doubted them but the society who felt “We have contacted former IFA mem- have had a long-running dispute over who recognized as a protective force able to such a role was better performed by men. www.soma-digest.com bers, who are trying hard to reverse the de- controls the game in the country. [email protected] COOL RIDERS TURNING THE PAGE HENNA HUES Two wheelers Burning Color me all the rage books in beautiful Kirkuk COMMUNITY page 8 CULTURE page 15 CULTURE page 16 INSIDE: We were promised jetpacks,by Agri Ismail p.8 Sectarian warning signs, by Dr Joseph Kechichian p.10 The Kirkuk question, by Namo Abdulla p.10 2 Issue no.66 Jan 8 - 21, 2010 STAFF CONTENTS PUBLISHING HOUSE: Khak Press & Media Center CURRENT AFFAIRS ....................................................................................................................3 COMMUNITY ..............................................................................................................................6 MANAGING EDITOR: Tanya Goudsouzian WORD ON THE STREET ............................................................................................................9 DEPUTY EDITOR: Lawen A Sagerma VIEWS .........................................................................................................................................10 COLUMNISTS: Dr Sherko Abdullah, Agri Ismail, Dr Joseph LETTERS ....................................................................................................................................12 Kechichian, Maureen McLuckie, Dr Denise Natali, Anwar M. BUSINESS .................................................................................................................................13 Qaradaghi CULTURE & MORE ....................................................................................................................15 CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Iason Athanasiadis, Karokh Bahjat, LIFESTYLE .................................................................................................................................17 Linda Berglund, Devanjan Bose (New Delhi), Ilnur Cevik (Ankara), Patrick Cockburn, Thomas Davies (Damascus), Dr Rebwar Fatah, HISTORY ....................................................................................................................................18 Basit Gharib, Dr Harry Hagopian (London), Hemin Hussein, Hewa Jaff, SOCIETY ....................................................................................................................................19 Fakhri Karim (Baghdad), Vania Karim, Namo Abdulla, Mohammed Ali CHAIKHANA ...............................................................................................................................20 Bapir, Jamal Penjweny, Asoz L. Rashid (Baghdad), Kurdawan Moham- mad Saeed, Dr Tan Azad Salih, Dr Hussein Tahiri (Australia), Qubad Talabany (Washington, DC), Abdul Karim Uzery LOST IN TRANSLATION Kurdish for beginners REPORTERS: Awat Abdullah, Zheno Abdulla, Darya Ibrahim, Dana ANWAR M. QARADAGHI Hameed, Hemin Kakayi (Kirkuk), Saz Kamal, Barzan Kareem, Sazan SOMA Digest wishes to introduce some be kelk bu.Hendi xim u hawrey dekay Mandalawi (Erbil), Galawizh H. Rashid, Dana Rashid, Jen. A. Sagerma Kurdish phrases and expressions, which ttom nasi. CULTURE WRITERS: Roshna Rasool, Kamaran Najm drezh bu. the visitor to Kurdistan will find useful. Aso: Thank you my darling. They UK CORRESPONDENTS: Lara Fatah, Raz Jabary, Sara Naz Aso: How do you compare it with Judy Roberts, an American school were also very pleased to meet you. LANGUAGE EDITOR: Anwar M. Qaradaghi the practice in the US? Supas gyanekem. Awaneesh zor dlx- teacher, has been teaching English in a Chon legul neriti Amreka berawirdi PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR: Aram Eissa osh bu ba nasenit. school in Slemani for over a year. At the dekait? PHOTOGRAPHERS: Kamaran Najm, Soran Naqshbandy school, she has met Aso, a Kurdish Judy: Our public holidays are much Glossary of key words: CARTOONS: Ako Gharib colleague, and their relationship has grown and become serious enough to shorter, such as Christmas and New DIRECTOR OF DESIGN: Darya Ibrahim result in formal engagement. In this Year. Feast - Jazhn MARKETING MANAGER AND ARCHIVES: Brwa Abdulrahman episode Judy and Aso discuss the Pishua gishtiakani eme zor kort trn, Four - Chwar CIRCULATION MANAGER: Rashid Khidr Rashid recent Jazhni (Feast of …) Qurban in weku Chrismas u Sally Taza. Fourth - Chwarhem Rest - Pishu WEBSITE: Avesta Group for Software Solutions Kurdistan. Aso: What else would you like to say about our Jazhn in general? Compare - Berawird PRINTING HOUSE: Hamdi Publishing House (Slemani) Aso: Darling, what did you think of With - Legal Jezhni Qurban? Che tr be gishti hez dakait bleyt se- Our offices are located at KHAK Press