KURDISTAN : Land of the Kurds

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byZana IbrahimMarch, 6th 2007
Iraqi Kurdistan
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Iraq
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Iraq a New State

• Iraq was created after the World War I by the
  British and their Allies. It includes different
  Ethnic, Religious and Cultural Entities.

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Iraq

• Sunnies, a Minority, ruled Iraq for almost a
  century. Kurds and Shiites have been suppressed
  in one way or another.

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Iraqi Kurdistan

• Attached to Iraq that was has never been Part of
  it.

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KURDISTAN Land of the Kurds

• Land of the old religions and prophets Noah and
  Abraham.
• Its a region in the Middle East, located in
  South west Asia.

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Kurdistan

• Kurdistan is divided over four countries Turkey,
  Iran, Iraq, and Syria artificial borders drawn
  after the World War I
• Kurdistan is roughly the size of Texas or France.
  

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When Why the Division?

• Kurds lived in Kurdistan from as early as 2400
  BC. The first Kurdish empire was the Median
  Empire (900-500 BC).
• Due to geographical, dialectic and feudal
  factors, Kurdistan was then divided into a
  number of Kingdoms each ruled by a tribe.
• Most of it was conquered by the Arabs in the 7th
  century and converted to Islam.
• While part of the Islamic Empire, the Kingdoms
  kept their independence.

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When Why the Division?

• After the collapse of the Ottoman Empire
  following the World War I, the Kurds were
  promised the creation of an independent state
  (the Treaty of Sevres 1920) this part of the
  Treaty was never ratified, however.
• The Treaty of Lausanne (1923) later did not
  include provisions for a Kurdish state, and
  carved out the modern day Middle East.

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When Why the Division?

• The Coalition countries, Britain and France, did
  not see their interest in having a Kurdistan. It
  was their and the Turks, Arabs and Persians
  interests to have Kurdistan divided.
• At that time, the Kurds did not have one
  recognized leader representing all the Kingdoms.
  
• Bad luck !!!!

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Outcomes of the Division

• Since then, the issue of Kurdish autonomy has
  been a source of conflict and political
  instability in those countries with large Kurdish
  communities.
• Continuous Revolts
• Declaration of the Republic of Kurdistan in 1945
  in Irans Kurdistan lasted for 1 year.
• Uprising in Iraqi Kurdistan in 1991
  semi-independence since then.

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Geography Weather

• Kurdistan is a predominantly Mountainous green
  region.
• Watershed of many rivers and lakes Tigris and
  Euphrates.
• Climate varies Hot and dry summers cold, rainy,
  and snowy winters.

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Population

• Turkey Kurdistan about 15 to 20 millions.
• Irans Kurdistan about 7.5 million
• Iraqi Kurdistan about 5 to 6 millions
• Syrias Kurdistan 2 millions.
• About 2 millions in Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan,
  and Turkmenistan.
• Total 35 to 40 millions.

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Language
The Kurdish language belongs to Indo-European
language groups and its closest relatives are
Farsi and Romanian language. It is fundamentally
different from Semetic Arabic and Altaic Turkish
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Religion

• The Kurds are mostly Sunni Muslims and few
  Shias, Christians, Jews, Ezedism.

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Clothing

• A typical traditional Kurdish women/
• men clothing

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Culture

• Tribal organization
• Acceptance
• Family-oriented
• Group than individual.

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Kurdish Flag
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Now

• The Kurds in Turkey ask for cultural rights.
• In Iran, they look forward to witnessing a change
  in the regime.
• In Syria, they are part of the political
  opposition.
• In Iraq, they hope for a real independence.

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Iraqi Kurdistan

• Under Saddams Reign
• In 1980s, Saddam killed almost 182.000 Kurds
  through an ethnic cleansing policy called Anfal.
• In 1988, he attacked the Kurdish city of Halabja
  with chemical weapons and killed 5.000 souls.

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Iraqi Kurdistan

• Since 1991, the three Northern Provinces have
  been under the control of the Kurds themselves.
• After free elections, the first Kurdish
  Parliament was established which proposed Iraq to
  be a Federal Country.

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Iraq War

• Iraqi Kurds welcomed the American forces to land
  in their region after they were not allowed by
  Turkey.
• Peshmerga took part in liberating the northern
  provinces.

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The Other Iraq

• Iraqi Kurdistan is a safe and stable region No
  Actual American presence.
• Going up to Kurdistan is as entering another
  country.
• Kurdish Government.
• Kurdish is the official language.

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Kurdistan

Kurdish police and Kurdish Army (Peshmarga)
are keeping the security of the region.
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Kurdistan

• Independent International Airport

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Kurdistan

• Kurdistans President

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No Heart for Iraq

• In an unofficial Referendum in 2004, 98.5 of
  the Kurdistani people voted for Independence from
  Iraq.

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Iraqs President

• Now, Jalal Talabani, a Kurd, is the President of
  Iraq. However the Kurds are not very happy with
  this post because to them, affiliation to Iraq is
  not a goal.

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• The Big Dream is
• ONE INDEPENDENT KURDISTAN

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Southern Kurdistan

• Iraqi Kurdistan can be the pioneer.

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IDEPENDENCE

• "Indeed, almost all ordinary Kurds would like to
  see complete independence. However "They don't
  want to bite off more than they can chew.
  Specifically, the Kurdish leadership would like
  to avoid antagonizing the Americans, who have
  been their allies.
• Noah Feldman, a New York University professor

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Is It Possible?

• The Kurds believe that now is time for declaring
  independence.
• The Leadership doesnt see it Realistic now.
• Obstacles
• -Turkey, Iran, Sunni Arabs, and the Arab
  countries.
• -Kirkuk

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Kirkuk

• The originally Kurdish city of Kirkuk is the
  biggest issue for the Kurds now.
• Saddam was practicing the process of Arabization
  in this city.

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Kirkuks Future

• To any Kurd, Independent Kurdistan is impossible
  without Kirkuk.
• DeArabization.
• Referendum in 2007 over its Future.

Oil-rich city of Kirkuk
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Civil War

• Is it really CIVIL WAR ?
• Or ???
• ?!
• No Trust
• between Sects
• of Iraq any
• More !

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Casualties

• 3150 American Troops
• Between 100 000 to 600 000 thousand Iraqis.
• Thousands of Injured.
• Millions of Displaced.
• A Continuous Blood Shed !!!!

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Should Americans Withdraw?

• What will Happen ?
• When is appropriate for withdrawal ?

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Solutions for Iraq Problem

• Partitioning
• Continue the Course as Now
• Surge of Troops?
• Security Plans?
• Talks with Iran and Syria ?

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FUTURE

• Iraq is an example of the First change of regime
  in the Middle East by the US. Failure of this
  example is failure of American presence.

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Withdrawal without Success will have great
influence on the image, role and future of the US
in the World. Therefore, Iraq is a Plight that
needs to be wisely solved!
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Pictures of Kurdistan
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