The KDP-PUK Conflict in Northern Iraq
1996; Middle East Institute; Volume: 50; Issue: 2 Linguagem: Inglês
ISSN
1940-3461
Autores Tópico(s)Islamic Studies and History
ResumoThis article analyzes causes of civil war in Kurdish region of Iraq between Mas'ud Barzani's Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and Jalal Talabani's Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) broke out in May 1994. The conflict called into question future of Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) created after 1991 Gulf war under protection of Allied no-fly zone. At end of 1991 Gulf War, Kurds who had fled to borders of Iran and Turkey were able to return to their homes in northern Iraq.' There they began to build a de facto state and government.2 This accomplished largely under aegis of allied Provide Comfort Operation, and No-Fly Zone. The unprecedented 1991 United Nations (UN) Security Council Resolution 688 also played an important symbolic role by condemning the repression of Iraqi civilian population... in Kurdish populated areas, and demanding that Iraq . . . immediately end this repression.3 In addition, limited but important Turkish and protection played a part. The Kurds also helped themselves by taking impressive strides toward unifying their ranks, which had so often proven difficult in past. The Iraqi Kurdistan Front (IKF), composed of eventually eight different parties, held elections in May 1992 led to formation of a parliament in June and an actual government, Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), in July. In October 1992, this fledgling Kurdish government declared its ultimate intention of becoming a federal state within a future post-Saddam Husayn, democratic, Iraq. The two main parties-the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) of Mas`ud Barzani and Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) of Jalal Talabani-split power equally between themselves in a coalition. By end of 1992, Talabani claimed cooperation . . . has been strengthened to extent opinions have developed within their ranks, even at leadership levels, calling for unifying these two parties.4 Barzani added pleases me to assert all affairs are managed now as if two were a single party.5 This cooperation, however, did not last long. The KDP and PUK broke up in 1994, and civil war ensued threatened very existence of everything they had achieved. The purpose of this article is to analyze background of long-standing KDP-PUK rivalry and explain present relapse into conflict. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND The Kurdistan Democratic Party The preeminent party in modern Iraqi Kurdish history, KDP, established in 1946 in response to earlier creation of Iranian KDP of Mahabad Republic.6 At its first congress in Baghdad, on 16 August 1946, Mulla Mustafa Barzani (1903-79), probably most famous Kurdish leader in twentieth century, elected president, and Hamza `Abdallah secretary-general. Two landlords, Shaykh Latif Barzinji (son of Shaykh Mahmud Barzinji of Sulaymaniyya, an earlier prominent Iraqi Kurdish leader who had battled against British in 1920s) and Shaykh Ziyad Aghaz, were chosen as vice presidents. The decision taken to publish a clandestine monthly called Rizgari (liberation), which renamed Khebat (struggle) at party's third congress at Kirkuk in January 1953.7 The KDP's original program vague. It addressed Kurds' nationalist goals and their desire to live in a state of their own. But it lacked any social or economic substance. Given Barzani's long exile in Soviet Union (1947-1958), until fall of Iraqi monarchy in July 1958, and relatively quiescent state of Kurdish affairs until time, KDP played only a limited role. The second congress of KDP, held in Baghdad in March 1951, devoted to mending relations between its feuding members. One observer concluded KDP of those days was more of a social and cultural gathering than a well-defined political party. …
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