Multi-ethnic Committee of the STP-Kurdistan/Iraq meets Claudia Roth in the German consulate in Arbil

All members of the multi-ethnic committee of the STP section Kurdistan/Iraq gave information to the Greens politician Claudia Roth at a personal meeting on the situation of the minorities in Iraq. The meeting coordinated by the two STP officers Dr Masud Siany and Dr Yousif Dzayi lasted two hours, attended by members of the German General Consulate, took place on Monday evening in the German Consulate in Arbil, the capital of the autonomous federal province of Iraqi Kurdistan.

Romeo Hakari, a former member of Parliament and representative of the group of Christian Assyrian Syriac in the regional parliament of Iraqi Kurdistan, reported on the persecution and expulsion of the members of his religious community from south and central Iraq. Since the invasion of the US troops in 2003 many Christians have sought refuge in Iraqi Kurdistan. Romeo Hakari is a leading member of the Assyrian BET-Nahrain Democratic Party, which is represented in the regional parliament, and he cares for the interests of the Assyrian people throughout Iraq.

Dr Dakhil Said, former state minister and adviser for matters concerning the Yezidi in the regional parliament, described the situation of the Yezidi in Iraq, who number about 550,000. Even in their main settlement area, the hill country of Sinjar in the north-west of Iraq and the neighbouring regions in the adjacent autonomous federal province of Irqi Kurdistan, the Yezidi are not out of danger from the attacks of Islamic fundamentalists.

The chair of the Committee of the Shabak, Khaled Mahmud, reported on the problems of the Shabak outside the Kurdistan area. Klaled Mahmud works for the integration of the areas inhabited by this ethnic group into Kurdistan as this would be the best protection against attacks.

Clearing up the crimes of Saddam Hussein in the Barzan region was the subject of Ms. Nazdar Asaad, a committee member of the STP section Kurdistan/Iraq and the Women’s Union of Kurdistan and the Victims’ Association „Women of Barzan”. Just a short time ago new mass graves were discovered. Nazdar Asaad does all he can to snsure that Kurdish young people are fully informed concerning the crimes of the past. The STP officer Yousif Dzayi works in Arbil as the head of the victims’ association „Anfal Centre” for a proper historical analysis in all parts of Iraq.

Ms Shirin Amedy, a member of the STP-Kurdistan Committee since its inauguration, has for more than 20 years being working for the rights of the women in Iraqi Kurdistan. Besides the legal security for Kurdish women and the introduction of the 30 percent women’s quota in the regional Parliament she has scored up many other successes and is hoping that the rights of women will now receive more respect throughout the country.

Karkhi Najmadin Nuraldin reported on the situation of the Turkmens in Iraqi Kurdistan. He emphasised that the Turkmens have here the same rights as other ethnic groups and pointed out, besides participation in the regional parliament, that there are Turkmen radio and TV stations. Karkhi Najmadin Nuraldin spoke out in favour of the integration in the autonomous region of the Turkmen areas lying outside Iraqi Kurdistan, as this would bring a marked improvement in the security of the Turkmens.

The Kurdistan section of the STP speaks for more involvement on the cultural and economic levels in Iraqi Kurdistan by the Federal Republic of Germany and other EU countries in Iraqi Kurdistan. A further stabilisation and democratisation of Iraqi Kurdistan will have positive effects on the situation in Iraq and the neighbouring countries.