Misplaced Pages

Revision as of 18:28, 13 June 2017

Iraqi Kurdistan independence referendum

25 September 2017
Location of Iraqi Kurdistan in Iraq   Official borders of the Region of Iraqi Kurdistan   Territory captured by Iraqi Kurdistan from June 2014–March 2017   Other territory claimed by Iraqi Kurdistan   Rest of Iraq
Voting system	Single transferable vote

A non-binding independence referendum for Iraqi Kurdistan will be held on 25 September 2017. It was originally planned to be held in 2014 amidst controversy and dispute between the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and the federal government of Iraq. Longstanding calls for Kurdish independence gained impetus following the Northern Iraq offensive by ISIL in which Baghdad-controlled forces abandoned some areas, which were then taken by the Peshmerga and controlled de facto by the Kurds.

The referendum was announced and delayed on several occasions as Kurdish forces co-operated with the Iraqi central government for the liberation of Mosul, but by April 2017 it was being seen as happening some time in 2017. On 7 June 2017, President Masoud Barzani held a meeting with the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), the Kurdistan Islamic Union (KIU), the Kurdistan Islamic Movement (KIM), the Kurdistan Communist Party, the Kurdistan Toilers Party, the Kurdistan Toilers and Workers Party, the Kurdistan Development and Reform Party, the Erbil Turkmen List, the Iraqi Turkmen Front, the Turkmen Development Party, the Armenian List in the Kurdistan Parliament, the Assyrian Democratic Movement and the Assyrian Chaldean Popular Council, where the independence referendum was confirmed to be held on 25 September 2017.

Background

The Kurdistan Regional Government had criticized Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, claiming that his rule was divisive. After the central government began withholding funding to the Kurdistan Regional Government in January 2014, the KRG attempted to export oil via the northern pipeline into Turkey in May, but the Iraqi government lobbied international governments to block the export and sale of this oil.

As jihadis affiliated with the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) took control of much of western and northern Iraq in June 2014, the Iraqi military in those areas largely disintegrated and abandoned their positions. The Peshmerga stepped into this vacuum, taking control of the city of Kirkuk and other northern areas long claimed by the Kurdistan Regional Government but until then outside its formal control.

Nouri al-Maliki's government was widely blamed for the failure of the security forces and for Sunni Arab dissatisfaction with the central government, and international and domestic calls for a new prime minister became widespread. On 1 July, Kurdish president Masoud Barzani announced his intention to call a referendum on independence sometime in 2014 on the grounds that the country had been "effectively partitioned" already.

In September 2014, after Maliki was replaced as prime minister by Haider al-Abadi, Kurdish leaders agreed to postpone the referendum while they focused on the fight against ISIL.

On 3 February 2016, Rudaw.net reported that Iraqi Kurdish leader Masoud Barzani told KRG legislators that the referendum would be held sometime before the 2016 American presidential election in early November. On 23 March, Barzani stated, in an interview with Al-Monitor media website, that the referendum would take place before October 2016. However in late October, Iraqi Kurdistan Prime Minister Nechervan Barzani confirmed that the referendum would not be held until after Mosul had been liberated.

In August 2016, Haider Al-Abadi said that he saw self-determination as an "undisputed right".

News reports from December 2016 stated that Iraqi Kurdistan’s Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani had suggested the region could push for independence from Baghdad once the ongoing battle to liberate Mosul from the Islamic State group was complete.

In early April 2017, as the liberation of Mosul was progressing, the ruling political parties of Iraqi Kurdistan, the KDP and PUK, announced their goal of holding an independence referendum in 2017.

On 7 June 2017, Kurdish President Masoud Barzani announced that the referendum would take place on 25 September 2017. Barzani's assistant Hemin Hawrami stated that the referendum will also take place in Kirkuk, Makhmour, Sinjar and Khanaqin regions. All of these areas are disputed and are claimed by the central government. The senior Kurdish official Hoshyar Zebari stated that the "Yes" vote in the referendum wouldn't mean an automatic declaration of independence, but will "strengthen the Kurds' hand" in talks on self-determination with the central government.

International reactions

UN member states

•  Bulgaria: Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov has stated that Bulgaria had listened to President Barzani when he visited the country in May 2017, but had no official stance on this issue.
•  Germany: Germany warned against Erbil making a unilateral decision in a "one sided" referendum.
•  Greece: Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias stated that Iraq's unity should be desired by the people themselves and that the Kurdish referendum is a right under the Iraqi constitution.
•  Iraq: Saad al-Hadithi, a spokesman for the Iraqi Prime Minister, said, "Any decision concerning the future of Iraq must take into account the constitutional provisions, it is an Iraqi decision and not one party alone. All Iraqis must have a say in defining the future of their homeland. No single party can determine the future of Iraq in isolation from the others."
•  Iran: The Iranian Government claimed that the unilateral referendum is inconsistent with the Iraqi constitution and that "the Islamic Republic of Iran’s principled and clear stance is supporting Iraq’s territorial integrity and coherence".
•  Turkey: The Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that the Iraqi Kurdish Regional Government's decision to hold an independence referendum was a "grave mistake". Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım has said: "A decision by the authorities in the Kurdistan Region to hold a referendum on the independence of Kurdistan on September 25 is irresponsible". An AKP MP Mehmet Galip Ensarioğlu said: "People should respect the decision of the people of Kurdistan". The head of the Nationalist Movement Party, Devlet Bahçeli, said, "Let us look at the national unity of our country, the Barzani gang would make a referendum on independence on September 25th, which is called disgrace, shame and betrayal." The left-wing Peoples' Democratic Party supported the referendum.
•  United Kingdom: On behalf of the British government, British consul to Kurdistan Region Frank Baker stated that the United Kingdom recognizes "the inalienable right of everybody around the world to be free and to decide on their own governments", but that it's not the right time for this. Furthermore, he stated that a referendum should be held with Iraqi consent. Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs Boris Johnson echoed the position, stating that "a referendum at this time will distract from the more urgent priorities of defeating Daesh, stabilising liberated areas and addressing the long-term political issues that led to Daesh’s rise".
•  United States: US State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said: "We support a unified, stable and a federal Iraq. We appreciate and understand the legitimate aspirations of the people of the Iraqi Kurdistan." Nauert warned that the referendum could distract from the final defeat of ISIL. "We have expressed our concerns to the authorities in the Kurdistan Region, but holding a referendum even a non-binding resolution at this time would distract from urgent priorities and that be the defeat of ISIS, the stabilization, the return of displaced people, managing of the region's economic crisis, and resolving the region's internal political disputes," she said.

Regional actors

• The Chieftain of the Arab tribe Jubur in Kirkuk has expressed support for the referendum and urged members of the tribe to vote yes.
• Iraqi Turkmen Front: "The referendum decision is clearly against the constitution. In addition, the participation of non-Kurdish regions in the referendum is unilateral and the Arabs', Turkmens' decisions are against the wishes of the Kurds." The Iraqi Turkmen Front also stated that they would not recognize the referendum. Iraqi Turkmen leader Arshad al-Salihi said: "Holding this referendum at such a sensitive time is dangerous, the ITF is deeply concerned about this. The Kurds could end up forfeiting the significant political and military gains they have achieved in recent years. Kurdish political parties don’t even seem to agree on the issue, while Kurdistan Islamic Group, along with the Movement for Change oppose the referendum altogether".
• President of the Iraqi National Accord Ayad Allawi warned Kurdistan Region "not to ponder separation".

1. ^ "Iraq Kurdistan independence referendum planned". BBC News. 1 July 2014. Retrieved 13 August 2014.
2. Kurdistan Referendum Movement - International Committee (2005-02-08). "98 percent of the people of South Kurdistan vote for independence". KurdMedia.
3. ^ "Kurds agree to postpone independence referendum". theStar.com. 2014-09-05.
4. ^ "Iraqi Kurdish Leader Calls For Nonbinding Vote On Independence". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. 3 February 2016. Retrieved 3 February 2016.
5. ^ http://www.kurdistan24.net/en/news/e4536e45-41b2-49f7-8cba-bb569cb4a6d3/pm-barzani--mosul-could-be-liberated-within-three-months
6. ^ "Kurdistan will hold independence referendum in 2017, senior official". Rudaw. 2017-04-02. Retrieved 2017-04-02.
7. "UPDATES: Kurdistan Region to hold independence referendum on Sept 25". Rudaw. 7 June 2017. Retrieved 7 June 2017.
8. ^ "Iraq crisis: Incumbent PM Maliki left out as country moves on". BBC News. 12 August 2014. Retrieved 13 August 2014.
9. Eli Lake (15 June 2014). "'Practically Speaking, Iraq Has Broken Apart'". The Daily Beast. Retrieved 13 August 2014.
10. ^ "Iraqi Kurdistan profile: Timeline". BBC News. 12 August 2014. Retrieved 13 August 2014.
11. Keith Wallis (31 July 2014). "Kurdish oil cargo unloaded at sea, destination a mystery". Reuters. Retrieved 12 December 2016.
12. "Iraqi media broadly welcome new premier". BBC News. 12 August 2014. Retrieved 13 August 2014.
13. "Barzani: Kurdistan will hold referendum before October". Kurdistan24. 23 March 2016.
14. "Iraq's PM sees Kurdish referendum as "undisputed right"". Rudaw. 2016-08-26. Retrieved 2017-04-03.
15. "Iraqi Kurdistan renews call for post-IS independence". alaraby.co.uk. The New Arab. 12 December 2016. Retrieved 12 December 2016.
16. "UPDATES: Kurdistan Region to hold independence referendum on Sept 25". Rudaw. 2017-06-08. Retrieved 2017-06-08.
17. "Iraqi Kurds plan independence referendum on Sept. 25". Reuters. 13 June 2017. Retrieved 7 June 2017.
18. "Bulgarian PM: 'Bulgaria has not Given Stance on Iraqi Kurdistan Independence Referendum'". novinite. 9 June 2017. Retrieved 9 June 2017.
19. "Iraqi and foreign reactions to Kurdish referendum plan". Rudaw. 9 June 2017.
20. "Συνέντευξη Υπουργού Εξωτερικών, Ν. Κοτζιά, στο Ραδιόφωνο του «Alpha», «Πρόσωπα του Σ/Κ», με τη δημοσιογράφο Μ. Νικόλτσιου" (in Greek). MFA of Greece. 10 June 2017. Retrieved 12 June 2017.
21. "Iraq criticizes plan of Kurds independence referendum". 9 June 2017.
22. "Iraqi Kurdistan's 'Unilateral' referendum plan only to cause new problems: Iran". The Iran Project. 10 June 2017. Retrieved 10 June 2017.
23. "Türk Dışişleri: IKBY referandumu vahim bir hata". 9 June 2017.
24. "Yıldırım'dan Barzani'ye çok sert sözler". 9 June 2017.
25. "AK Partili Ensarioğlu: Kürdistan halkının kararına saygı duyulmalı". 9 June 2017.
26. "MHP lideri Bahçeli'den Kuzey Irak'taki referandum kararın ilişkin açıklama". 10 June 2017.
27. "HDP offers congratulations, support for Kurdistan independence vote". Rudaw. 12 June 2017. Retrieved 13 June 2017.
28. "Kurdistan UK: Now is not right time for referendum, Baghdad first must authorize". Rudaw. 12 June 2017. Retrieved 12 June 2017.
29. "Foreign Secretary statement on the Kurdistan Regional Government's intention to hold a referendum on independence from Iraq". Foreign & Commonwealth Office. 12 June 2017. Retrieved 13 June 2017.
30. "US says it understands 'legitimate aspirations' of people in Iraqi Kurdistan". 9 June 2017.
31. "Kirkuk Arabs Vote Yes to Kurdistan Referendum: Chieftain". Basnews. Retrieved 13 June 2017.
32. "Irak Türkmen Cephesi'nden Kürtlerin referandum kararına tepki". 9 June 2017.
33. "Vote on Kurdish independence 'risky': Turkmen leader". 9 June 2017.
34. "Iraqi delegation under Allawi to visit Erbil about Kurdish referendum plan". 11 June 2017. Retrieved 13 June 2017.