Conference; Kerkuk and reflections on the Turkmen situation and Iraq

Mondiaal centrum / Stichting Tanis
Lange Herenvest 122 2011 BX Haarlem Netherlands
www.tanis-turkmen.nl
Subject: Conference about the referendum in the city Kerkuk / Iraq
Date : 05-11-2006
Address : De Balie Kleine-Gartmanplantsoen 10 1017 RR Amsterdam


After the 2003 war brought an end to the despotic Ba’ath regime, the Turkmen as an indigenous people expected to see democracy, fairness, an end to discrimination, the right to self-determination and an end to violence. Unfortunately, the opposite has occurred regarding the human rights situation in Iraq, in particular concerning the Iraqi Turkmen.
The ocean of oil beneath its surface could be used to drive the economy of an independent Kurdish State, the ultimate goal for many Kurds. The Kurds hope to make the city of Kerkuk and its vast oil reserves part of an autonomous region whereas the Turkmen, Chaldo Assyrians and Arabs are fiercely opposing the inclusion of Kerkuk in an autonomous region. A Kurdish control over Kerkuk could fuel Kurdish nationalism in the region and undermine the rights of Turkmen, Arab and Chaldo Assyrian residents in Kerkuk and the city of Kerkuk itself has become almost synonymous with the abusive Kurdization campaign, which illustrates the persistency of the designs that the Kurds have on Kerkuk. This could lead to instability in the region and, possibly, civil war.
The Turkmen, as staunch believers in firm national principles, strongly reject article 58 and its clauses in the Iraqi constitution that are of great prejudice against the Turkmen and their national identity. The Turkmen, Arabs and Chaldo Assyrians are extremely worried over efforts aiming to make Kurds a majority in the northern Iraqi town of Kerkuk.
Due to the planned referendum to be held in Kerkuk late 2007, the issue of Kerkuk's status became potentially explosive for Iraq, and ethnic conflict over the city could spark violent clashes and even a civil war across Iraq, that could eventually lead to disintegration of the country.
Unless the international community acts soon to resolve mounting tensions in Kerkuk, the result could well be another violent communal conflict in Iraq, risking full-scale civil war and possibly outside military intervention. Thus a conference has been called by Iraqi Turkmen association “ Tanis” in Holland which would be held on the 5/11/2006 on the above subject.
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TIMETABLE OF THE DAY EVENTS ON THE 5/11/2006
14.00PM: INTRODUCTION SPEECH BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE IRAQI TURKMEN ASSOCIATION (TANIS), MR. YALCHIN MUTAPCHI (10 MINUTES).
14.10PM: DISCUSSION ON THE HISTORY OF IRAQI TURKMEN BY DR. MOHAMMED SAAID AL-TURAYHI ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY ROTTERDAM (20 MINUTES).
14.30PM: A STUDY FOR THE POLITICAL SITUATION FOR THE IRAQI TURKMEN IN THE PAST AND PRESENT BY PROFESSOR DOCTOR SUPHI SAATCHI MIMAR SINAN UNIVERSITY ISTANBUL (30 MINUTES).
15.00PM: RREADING ABOUT A REFERENDUM IN KERKUK YEAR 2007 BY ASIF ISMAIL REP. OF IRAQI TURKMEN FRONT IN ENGLAND (20 MINUTES).
15.20PM: COFFEE BREAK (30MINUTES)
15.50PM: WITH THE QUESTIONS AND THE ANSWERS OPENED THE
DISCUSSIONS DOOR (45 MINUTES).
16.35PM: SUMMING UP
Gastes: Mr. Bertus Hendriks, World broadcasting in Amsterdam.
Prof. A. Bayat, chairman of Islamic university The Modern World (ISIM) in Leiden.
END THE SESSION
For further information on the above conference please contact us on the following email info@tanis-turkmen.nl
Mobl: 0640318673