3 March 2006

1. "Soldier killed, protestors clash with police in Kurdish unrest", suspected Kurdish rebels attacked a military vehicle in southeast Turkey Thursday, killing a soldier, while dozens of Kurdish protestors clashed with the police in the latest episode of violence in the restive region.

2. "Four regional TV stations to begin broadcasts in Kurdish", but only for a total of four hours per week and no more 45 minutes in a day. For radio broadcasts that as the limits had been set at five hours a week and no more than one hour a day.

3. "US: We have no business with PKK rebels", James Jeffrey, the U.S. State Department's coordinator for Iraq, stated yesterday that the U.S. has no business with the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).

4. "Iraq: Kurdish Politician Discusses Political Standoff", RFE/RL interviewed Kurdish parliamentarian Mahmud Uthman on March 2 to ask about political developments in Iraq following a decision by Sunni, Kurdish, and secular political groups to ask the Shi'ite-led United Iraqi Alliance (UIA) to withdraw Ibrahim al-Ja'fari's nomination as prime minister.

5. "Iraq's Kurds, Sunnis veto Shiite PM", Iraq's Kurdish, Sunni and secular political groups Thursday wrote to the Shiite alliance to reject its selection of outgoing prime minister Ibrahim Jaafari to lead the next cabinet, complicating efforts to set up a government of national unity.

6. "Kurds Want Independence if Fighting Continues", Iraqi Kurds say they want their politicians to stop brokering a national unity government should civil conflict persist.

1. - AFP - "Soldier killed, protestors clash with police in Kurdish unrest":

DIYARBAKIR / 2 March 2006

Suspected Kurdish rebels attacked a military vehicle in southeast Turkey Thursday, killing a soldier, while dozens of Kurdish protestors clashed with the police in the latest episode of violence in the restive region.

Three other soldiers were wounded as the vehicle came under fire on a road just outside Cizre, a town near the borders with Iraq and Syria, local security sources said.

The army launched an operation to hunt down the assailants, believed to be guerrillas from the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which has been fighting for self-rule in the predominantly Kurdish southeast since 1984.

In further unrest, 10 people were injured in clashes between riot police and Kurdish protestors, media reports said.

The disturbances took place in the town of Nusaybin, at the border with Syria, from where the bodies of two slain PKK militants, who were Syrian nationals, were to be sent to their home country.

The pair were among seven rebels killed last week in a major security operation in the region.

A crowd of protestors shouting pro-PKK slogans gathered in Nusaybin to hold a march for the occasion, but were stopped by the police, Anatolia news agency reported.

Dozens of people, some wearing ski masks and brandishing PKK flags, pelted the police with stones, and the security forces responded by spraying pressurized water from armored vehicles, television footage showed.

The police also fired warning shots in the air, the NTV news channel said.

Five protestors and five officers were injured, and several protestors were detained, according to Anatolia.

Similar clashes took place in Diyarbakir, the main city of the southeast, Sunday when the local morgue handed over the body of another slain militant to his family.

Tension in the southeast has escalated since June 2004, when the PKK called off a unilateral ceasefire.

The Kurdish conflict has claimed some 37,000 lives since 1984 when the PKK took up arms for Kurdish autonomy in the region.

2. - NTV/NSNBC - "Four regional TV stations to begin broadcasts in Kurdish":

Akman said that 12 local radio and television networks had applied for permission to broadcast in Kurdish.

DIYARBAKIR / 2 March 2006

Four local television networks would begin broadcasting in Kurdish in March, the head of Turkey’s electronic media watchdog said late Wednesday.

Speaking during a visit to the regional office of the Supreme Board of Radio and Television (RTUK) in the south eastern city of Diyarbakir, RTUK chairman Zahit Akman said that the beginning of broadcasts on private networks would be a first in Turkey. However, he warned that the broadcasts would be monitored by RTUK for breaches of the broadcasting laws.

Akman said that regulations for broadcasting in mother tongue languages had been prepared before they took office and that under the regulations television networks would be able to broadcast in Kurdish for a total of four hours per week and no more 45 minutes in a day. Akman said that as for radio broadcasts the limits had been set at five hours a week and no more than one hour a day.

3. - The New Anatolian - "US: We have no business with PKK rebels":

WASHINGTON / 2 March 2006

James Jeffrey, the U.S. State Department's coordinator for Iraq, stated yesterday that the U.S. has no business with the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).

Asked by reporters whether U.S. forces do patrols along with PKK members in Kirkuk and Mosul, northern Iraq, Jeffrey said, "The U.S. recognizes the PKK as a outlawed organization and has no business with them."

Speaking to reporters at a State Department briefing concerning support to Iraq, Jeffrey declined to comment on the harsh criticism voiced by the Iraqi president, Jalal Talabani, over Iraqi Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari's visit to Turkey this week, saying, "The Iraqi government should be the one giving explanations for this criticism."

Jeffrey, who is also U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's consultant for Iraq, claimed that the recent sectarian violence in Iraq will not lead to a civil war and said, "According to Iraqi standards, the situation has returned to normal."

4. - RFE/RL - "Iraq: Kurdish Politician Discusses Political Standoff":

2 March 2006 / by Kathleen Ridolfo

RFE/RL interviewed Kurdish parliamentarian Mahmud Uthman on March 2 to ask about political developments in Iraq following a decision by Sunni, Kurdish, and secular political groups to ask the Shi'ite-led United Iraqi Alliance (UIA) to withdraw Ibrahim al-Ja'fari's nomination as prime minister.

RFE/RL: What is the situation now in Iraq? We heard that the Sunnis and the Kurds will ask the Shi'a to nominate another candidate to the premiership.

Uthman: That's right. We, the Kurdistan Coalition List, and the Sunni list [Iraqi Accordance Front] and Dr. [Iyad] Allawi's list, the Iraqi National List, we have asked the Shi'ite alliance list to nominate another candidate because we think it's not easy to have another few years with Mr. al-Ja'fari. And with our past experience and with all the...we have no reservations. That's right, we have asked officially, all three of us, and also the list of Salih al-Mutlaq [Iraqi Front for National Dialogue] is also supporting this.

So, almost all the lists except the Shi'ite list have asked for this, not because they have anything personal with [al-Ja'fari]. They think that he will continue the same policy as he had before, and before as the prime minister he failed to solve the country's problems, and now again, when the other lists don't agree [with him], then I think it will be difficult for him to succeed and for us to work with him.

We think the Shi'ite list has the right to -- of course -- appoint someone to be prime minister [because] they are the biggest list. But, they should consult; they should have consulted other lists when doing this. Last year, when Mr. al-Ja'fari was a candidate for prime minister, all the UIA list...they supported him. This year, it's not the same -- half have supported him, half have supported another one [Adil Abd al-Mahdi]. So, [al-Ja'fari] doesn't have a strong position within his own list also.

RFE/RL: Did you have any response yet from the UIA, either formally or informally?

Uthman: We are waiting. We just presented this today, so we don't expect on the same day to have an official response. We are waiting, and we will see what will happen.

RFE/RL: If they disagree, and Mr. al-Ja'fari's nomination is put to a vote in parliament, do you think that some of the Shi'a will vote against his nomination?

Uthman: I am sure of that because already within his own list, half of the list voted against him [in an internal UIA vote (see "RFE/RL Newsline," February 13, 2006)]...so that's quite possible. And there's another possibility; if they insist on [al-Ja'fari] and they bring him, then the other lists, all of them together could form a bloc which is bigger than the UIA. They could then have their own prime minister.

RFE/RL: Some media reported today that the Sunnis, the Kurds, and perhaps Mr. Allawi's list were considering forming a bloc in the parliament. Is this true?

Uthman: No, we in the Kurdistan Coalition List, we are not having a bloc, against the UIA or with the UIA against the others and...that if things develop in a way that [the UIA] insists on Mr. al-Ja'fari, then we may have a parliamentarian bloc just to vote on a new prime minister and vote against al-Ja'fari. So it's possible, but I think, I hope that the UIA will be cooperative and take into consideration the role of all these lists [objecting to al-Ja'fari] and revise their decision. That's the best way to do it, that's democratic. Anyway, [al-Ja'fari] has now 64 MP votes out of 275, so he couldn't make a good prime minister...

RFE/RL: As a Kurd and a parliamentarian, do you feel that the Shi'ite list could retaliate against the Kurds later because of this?

Uthman: No, I don't think so. Maybe some people; I suppose al-Ja'fari would not be happy about it. But many within his own list are not supporting him.... Besides, we in Kurdistan are unhappy, especially now after [al-Ja'fari's] visit to Turkey [on February 28]. We are very unhappy about this because he made this visit without telling the president, without telling the assembly, without telling even the foreign minister, which is just unbelievable.

And, whatever discussions between Turkey and the Iraqi government without the Kurds being in it...we are suspicious because the Turkish policies are negative towards the Kurdish issue. That's why this has raised a lot of dissatisfaction [among] the population in Kurdistan. And [Kurds] think that if [al-Ja'fari] is going this way, than he will not implement Article 58 [of the constitution pertaining to Kirkuk] and the same old story will start again.

RFE/RL: Mr. al-Ja'fari, when he was in Turkey said that he will implement the articles of the constitution pertaining to Kirkuk to the letter.

Uthman: No, we don't believe him. It's a matter of faith and belief. If it's true, why didn't he take any Kurd with him [to Turkey]? Even the Foreign Minister [Hoshyar al-Zebari] wasn't with him. What does he have to hide from us? He took some [Iraqi] Turkomans with him, and some others. He didn't take any Kurdish minister with him, which is amazing, really -- as if he has something very important between him and Turkey to hide from the Kurds. We are suspicious about...we don't believe what he says. He could say anything but whether he will implement it or not, we are suspicious.

RFE/RL: President Jalal Talabani's response to this trip was to say that any agreements concluded by al-Ja'fari would not be legally binding under Iraqi law.

Uthman: That's right, because his government is a caretaker government. Usually, a caretaker government is not authorized to do these things. Secondly, the country is in blood -- every day we have tens of people who are killed. The security situation is very much deteriorating. At this stage instead of...being responsible for security, [al-Ja'fari's] leaving the country like this and going abroad -- [it] is not appropriate. I think none of these responsible [leaders] should go abroad now. They should be here solving the security and political problems inside.

RFE/RL: Muqtada al-Sadr's support was one of the key reasons that Mr. al-Ja'fari was nominated by the UIA. As you know, he holds a lot of power as far as the street. Do you think that these tensions are going to spill over more than they have in the past week? Do you expect a big reaction on the streets?

Uthman: No, I don't think so. Even if there is a reaction it will be...you know the people on the streets...may be a bit dissatisfied with all politicians, including the president, the prime minister, all of us because we haven't solved their problems. [Iraqis] are suffering from every sort of problem, the security situation is very bad, and they think that...for the politicians to just work out their government, or solve their problems...so I think maybe there are people who will show their feelings against this delay in the political process...not for any particular one or against any particular one but maybe they are unhappy about all these delays.

RFE/RL: Do you expect that it will take much longer now to form the government?

Uthman: Unfortunately, sometimes things come up and they take more time. For example, [the February 22 bombing of the Shi'ite] shrine in Samarra, when it was destroyed, and then the reactions came in attacks on mosques here and there.... This has delayed the political process of course...but that's what's going on in Iraq, the reality. As far as the political things are concerned, I think it's better to have a little delay and then have a decent prime minister and a government than going into a government where the prime minister is under threat and their will be problems in between [parties], they don't trust each other...because maybe then the results will be more negative if you just go in with all the problems without solving them. It's better to wait a bit...than going into [a government] in which you don't believe in. That's the problem that one has to talk about and think about.

RFE/RL: Because of the structure of the parliament, in order to approve any nominee in parliament, they need 184 votes [two-thirds majority].

Uthman: But, it's not two-thirds for everything. When you choose the president and his two vice presidents, we need [a] two-thirds vote. But that's only in the first round. If in the first round you don't get [a] two-thirds vote, then in the [next] round, you [only need] an absolute majority -- that's the constitution. The same goes for the prime minister.... So, I think those things are not a big obstacle.

5. - AFP - "Iraq's Kurds, Sunnis veto Shiite PM":

BAGHDAD / 2 March 2006

Iraq's Kurdish, Sunni and secular political groups Thursday wrote to the Shiite alliance to reject its selection of outgoing prime minister Ibrahim Jaafari to lead the next cabinet, complicating efforts to set up a government of national unity.

"The letter endorsed by the Kurdish alliance, the Sunnis and Iyad Allawi's group has been sent to the United Iraqi Alliance asking them to review their decision on Jaafari and select another candidate," senior Iraqi parliamentarian Mahmud Othman told AFP.

Earlier in the day, Othman, a Kurd, said the groups felt Jaafari was the wrong man to lead the next cabinet, the first permanent post-Saddam Hussein government.

"The Kurdish and the Sunni groups think that he (Jaafari) is not appropriate and they cannot form a cabinet with him as he is not neutral," Othman said.

The move is a latest setback in the tortuous process to form a government in the wake of December general elections. Sunnis last week announced a boycott of the government talks due to a wave of sectarian violence that left hundreds dead.

A string of rebel attacks across Iraq Thursday killed at least 33 people.

Last month, Jaafari was re-selected -- by just one vote -- for the post of premier by the dominant Shiite alliance which won 128 of parliament's 275 seats in the December elections.

Jaafari's selection must be formally endorsed by a new three-member presidential council. But the presidential council must itself be appointed by a two-thirds majority of parliament, which has not yet met.

The constitution stipulates that the prime minister must form his cabinet within 30 days of his appointment, failing which another can be appointed in his place.

Jaafari, a doctor turned politician, now faces a growing opposition campaign.

His candidacy is opposed by two key political factions: the Kurds who are part of the outgoing government coalition and who control 53 seats in the new parliament, and the Sunni alliance known as the National Concord Front which controls 44 parliamentary seats.

Former premier Allawi, who controls 25 seats in the new parliament, has also raised objections to Jaafari's candidature.

"The prime minister should be somebody who is agreed upon by everyone. They (Kurds and Sunnis) have decided to talk to Shiites on this in the next couple of days," he said.

Both groups view Jaafari, who has run the government for much of the past year, as unsuccessful, said Othman, who added "they think the experience with him has not been good and may lead to similar problems in future."

A leader of the main Sunni-based party confirmed its objection to Jaafari's candidature.

"We have nothing against him (Jaafari) but his performance has been below expectations," said Alaa Maki, parliamentarian and senior leader of Islamic Party, which is part of the National Concord Front alliance.

"He was unable to control the security situation... and what has happened in the last few days is a proof of what we have said," he said referring to a surge in violence across Iraq that has left hundreds dead.

Jawad al-Maliki, a member of Jaafari's inner circle, told reporters he hoped "the authors of this letter will reconsider their position."

"To maintain it will only chip away at dialogue and understanding during this fragile period," he said.

Maliki also warned that the stance could slow down the formation of the new government "because no list can for the government alone... any delay weighs heavy on the current security situation in the face of the terrorist challenge we are confronting."

Jaafari's present term has been marked by a persistent insurgency and last week the government faced an outbreak of sectarian violence triggered by the bombing of a revered Shiite shrine which threatened to escalate into civil war.

Jaafari has also came under strong criticism from President Jalal Talabani, a Kurd, for holding talks this week in neighbouring Turkey without prior approval from other members of the caretaker government.

Meanwhile, Shiite leaders vowed continued support to Jaafari.

"It is an internal affair of the Alliance and the decision to change the candidate is our prerogative. Even if other groups come to us with requests, we will not even discuss it," said Shiite transportation minister Salam al-Maliki.

Iraq's national security advisor Muwaffak Rubaie also said Jaafari's selection would stand. "We would like our partners to respect our decision," he said.

Iraq's new parliament was elected in mid-December, but negotiations have been going on for weeks with little progress on setting up a government of national unity, a move seen as essential by the United States to stabilize the country and allow for the drawdown in US troops.

6. - IWPR - "Kurds Want Independence if Fighting Continues":

Iraqi Kurds say they want their politicians to stop brokering a national unity government should civil conflict persist.

SULAIMANIYAH / by Frman Abdulrahman

Many Iraqi Kurds believe Kurdish territories should secede from Iraq if sectarian violence continues to escalate.

As Kurdish leaders in Baghdad, led by Iraqi president Jalal Talabani, urged national unity and brokered political talks between Sunni and Shia leaders, Kurds in the northeastern city of Sulaimaniyah said their leaders should stop negotiating and go it alone if the situation does not calm in Baghdad.

Iraq's Kurdish territories, widely considered the safest area in Iraq following the fall of Saddam Hussein's regime, have remained largely immune to the sectarian violence that wreaked havoc in Baghdad and other southern and central provinces, particularly in the last week.

For many in Iraqi Kurdistan, a semi-autonomous region of Iraq since 1991, the violence raging elsewhere serves to reinforce their strong desire for independence.

"Sectarian sentiments are stronger than nationalist [ones] in Iraq, so the Kurds need to split [from Iraq] if a sectarian war explodes," said Azad Rostam, a 23-year-old university student, reflecting a commonly held view.

As Baghdad shut down for a three-day curfew, life remained pretty much the same in Iraqi Kurdistan.

Iraqi news stations carried virtually non-stop coverage and analysis of the crisis, but the main Kurdish station, Kurdsat, focused on issues that affect the Kurds, such as the bird flu outbreak in Sulaimaniyah that has panicked citizens here.

Kurdish leaders are currently trying to negotiate a national unity government in Baghdad, but the Kurdistan Regional Government president Masood Barzani has warned that if a civil war broke out, the Kurds would declare independence.

But one Kurdish Iraqi analyst, Behman Tahir, suggested that this was not a serious threat, rather "a pressure card" aimed at drawing together Iraqi political factions that are now battling over the new cabinet.

Although Tahir did admit that if civil war engulfed the country, it would provide the Kurds with a rare opportunity to "liberate other parts of Kurdistan that are still under Iraqi government, such as Kirkuk".

Kirkuk is one of several predominantly Kurdish cities outside of Iraqi Kurdistan that were ethnically cleansed under Saddam Hussein's regime. Many Kurds carry a deep mistrust of Arabs because of the campaigns, and are particularly frustrated with central government’s failure to address their grievances over Kirkuk.

Leaders of the two ruling parties in Iraqi Kurdistan, the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan and the Kurdistan Democratic Party, refused numerous requests for interviews for this story.

Commenting on how Iraqi Kurdistan should respond to the escalating violence, Muhsin Bayyz, deputy minister for Peshmarga (Kurdish forces), said that the trend was worrying and that efforts would be made to prevent the insurgency spilling across into the region.

"We don't want this conflict to ignite in Iraq, and we'll do our best to maintain the stability of our region," he said.

Bayyz said the Kurdish authorities were prepared to welcome families from other parts of Iraq who were trying to escape the troubles, as they did when the United States invaded Iraq in 2003.

While many Kurds believe the violence could hasten their independence, there are some who caution against such a move because of the strong economic ties that have emerged between Iraqi Kurdistan and Baghdad.

Halkawt Ramazan, a 34-year-old businessman, traded goods between Baghdad and Sulaimaniyah until last week when violence broke out.

"The start of a sectarian war in Iraq would not work in favour of the Kurds," he said. "We might lose all of the political and economic achievements we have gained in the last few years."

* Frman Abdulrahman is an IWPR trainee journalist in Sulaimanyah.