The report published by the Kurdish Initiative Against a Turkish Invasion in South Kurdistan and called “Avoiding a new war in South Kurdistan” exposes the “lies, disinformation and dirty plans by KDP” which are “endangering the stability and security in Kurdistan”.

The report exposes the lies spread by the KDP are part of a smear campaign against the PKK. The report outlines how this KDP campaign has two goals: “Building the basis for an inner- Kurdish war and creating a justification for planned attacks; providing a basis for the occupation of South Kurdistan as planned by the Turkish for years.”

The Kurdish Initiative Against a Turkish Invasion in South Kurdistan said: “We believe that both these goals will do great harm first and foremost to the KDP itself, but also to the Kurdish people and their friends. The KDP is unable to find any support for these policies by the people of South Kurdistan and the Kurdish people as a whole. In fact, the PUK, a government ally of the KDP, has also publicly stated that it did not have any information and did not agree with KDP claims previously made. The KDP had accused the PKK of planning attacks on representatives of foreign states and governments in South Kurdistan. The KCK has also rejected the KDP lies and stated that these lies and intentional scenarios served to hide the KDP crimes and to provide a basis for a new war.”

The report also underlines how “the people of Kurdistan clearly rejects the KDP war preparations. It has called on the KDP to stop its collaboration with the Turkish state and take necessary steps against the Turkish occupation of South Kurdistan.”

The Kurdish Initiative Against a Turkish Invasion in South Kurdistan ask everyone “to not believe the KDP lies and defamations and to use your influence to put pressure on the KDP” and “call on you to take a clear stance against the plans of the KDP that endanger the stability and security in Kurdistan.”

Background

Since the liberation of South Kurdistan from Saddam’s rule in 1991, KDP (Kurdistan Democratic Party) has done everything at its disposal to curb the liberties of the Kurdish people and to abuse the Kurdish cause for its own family and tribal interests. It instigated a 6-years-long civil war with PUK, PKK, and other factions which lasted untill 1998.

After 2003 it has monopolized the power in it hands and used it to take control over all spheres of economic, political, and social life. This has led to widespread corruption, favoritism, poverty, brain drain, and immigration,

Journalists and opposition figures who dared to discuss these issues in public were intimated, kidnapped, imprisoned, and murdered.

The regional parliament which wanted to make some reforms in the political sistem was suspended, with its Speaker being banned from even entering Erbil. This has further aggravated the situation for the people. People cannot get salaries, while KDP exports more than half a million barrel of oil to Turkey and has monopolised the economic gains to the border gates. The money gained from oil sales are illegally transfered to foreign banks and used to buy properties for Barzani family members abroad. People who cannot make two ends meet and cannot speak have from time to time taken to the streets to claim their rights (in Duhok, Zakho, and Sheladize), each time to be heavily suppressed by pro-KDP forces and be taken into prison in large numbers.

On November 1, 2020, families of the imprisoned people called on human rights organisations and NGOs to support their case and help end KDP pressures. According to the call, from August 13, 2020 until now, 280 people have been arrested by KDP forces.

The KDP regards the Turkish military and intelligence presence in Kurdistan as an insurance for preserving its kleptocracy over the people. For 13 years Turkish Military and intelligence have been looming around the mountains, villages and cities of Kurdistan and we have witnessed daily air attacks on Kurdish lands.

These attacks, conducted under the pretext of fighting the PKK have only added to the plight of the people.

Now the people of South Kurdistan are fed up with all the corruption, poverty, favoritism, and especially KDP’s cooperation with the archenemy of the Kurdish people, Erdogan of Turkey.