Kurdistan - Abbas - Jpost

8/11/2019 Kurdistan - Abbas - Jpost

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6 SEPTEMBER 19, 2014

ONE ON ONE

SETH J. FRANTZMAN

In recent months, against the back-drop of the rise of the Islamic Stateand the breakdown of Iraqs securi-

ty forces, the issue of Kurdistan hasbeen thrust into the limelight.The Kurdish people number around 30

million, spread over four major countries:Iraq, Turkey, Syria and Iran. Since the endof World War I, they have been strugglingfor independence or increased autonomyin these various states.

Dr. Sherkoh Abbas is president of theKurdistan National Assembly of Syria,which seeks to represent Kurdish inter-ests. He has been outspoken about whythe West, and particularly the US, shouldsupport the Kurds.

Active on the Kurdish issue for morethan 30 years, he sits down with TheJerusalem Post to provide an insight intorecent developments.

Could you describe the group youlead?The group was created after the major

uprising in 2004 [al-Qamishli protests inSyria]. That uprising was the first timeever breaking the iron curtain of fear [ofthe regime that ruled over the Kurds].

After that, we had many meetings to tryto influence the US administration. Somewere not effective in communicating ourmessage. We met with [George W.] Bushadministration officials to discuss Syria.

It wasnt a unified voice, and we deto look to put together a unified borepresent us.

In 2006 we had a bipartisan coence in the US Senate under the a

es of Sen. Carl Levin (D-Michiganthen-senator Robert Voinovich (R-Oand after that we had a meeting in2006 in Brussels. [Representatives omajority of Kurdish leadership, incltribal, civic and religious, [participand created the National Assemblybrella [organization] to speak on behthe Kurdish people.

I was chosen to lead that organizand am able to speak in the US anto promote federalism and democrathe Syrian Kurds in Syria. That is thtral message.

Could you tell us about your bground?

I was born in Qamishli in northeaSyria in Kurdistan. I came to the

the 1980s and was educated there. Ibeen working on the Kurdish issue US and focusing on the Kurdishin Iraq. [I have worked on] supporchange for Kurds in Iraq in terms tonomy and federalism.

This involved promoting Kurdish in general, because of the pressingwhen [president] Saddam Husseinslaughtering and gassing Kurds [iAnfal massacres of 1988]. When thesituation shifted and Iraqi Kurds

Handing Iranthe regionon a silverplatterDr. Sherkoh Abbas president of the

Kurdistan National Assembly of Syria

says in the vacuum created by thelack of US support for the

Kurdish Regional Government,

the emerging winners are Bashar Assad

and Iran, not the pro-democracy forces

A GENERALview of theKurdish town of Halabja, 260km northeast of Baghdad, asseen on February 1. (Reuters)

SHERKOH ABBAS,the presidentof the Kurdistan NationalAssembly of Syria, whichseeks to represent Kurdishrights in the country. (Courtesy)


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achieved the beginning of what theywanted [in terms of greater autonomyafter 2003], we shifted the focus to Syria.

Have you been back to Kurdishareas recently?

I have been back to Iraqi Kurdistan,sometimes on official meetings, andalso Syrian Kurdistan; Ive been thererecently. I was not there publicly be-cause as you know, the [Bashar Assad]regime is still in control of our area. Soin essence, I havent flown in; I went inthrough Turkey or Iraq.

What are the differences be-tween what Kurds face in Turkey,Syria and Iraq?

In Kurdistan in Syria, there is a grouplinked to the Kurdish Workers Party(PKK) which is called the DemocraticUnion Party (PYD), and that group cameto the stage and espouses a philosophywhich is vague on the Kurdish issue anddoes not promote autonomy, federalismor an independent Kurdistan [in Syria].Its name means United DemocraticParty, and no one knows with whichcountry it identifies. Their job is reallyto manage Kurdish affairs and makesure they [the Kurds] do not go againstthe regime.

When we look at the PKK in Syria, wesee support from Assad; we see a com-plete link to the regime, as well as to theIranian regime. There is a lot of answer-ing to do.

The political parties like the KurdistanNational Assembly Syria (KNA), andthe Kurdistan National Council (KNC,founded in 2011), which representsmore than 18 political parties and tribaland civic leaders, also believe we shouldnot get [involved] in the Syrian conflict.This is because the Syrian oppositionand regime were one as recently as 2004and [again] in 2011, against the Kurds.The only difference here is that they are

fighting over power; it is the same cul-ture and mentality.[The regime is trying to] show the

world that the Kurdish got their rights[stateless Kurds were given citizenshipin 2011 in a government bid to get t heirsupport] and are ruling their areas, butin fact there is coordination with theregime.

Is the Syrian opposition better?Absolutely not. The Free Syrian Army

moderates are either members of theMuslim Brotherhood or al-Qaida, andabsolutely for the Kurds are no differ-ent than the regime. Even out of power,they have such animosity for the Kurds.If they gain power, what will they do?The concern we expressed to the EU and

US is that the Kurdish issue should be re-solved up front and not later.Yet the Kurds are standing on the side-

lines because the Europeans and Amer-icans did not provide any help, be it asingle dollar or weapons. [The regimecontinues to manage Kurdish affairs.]We are trying to bring internationalhelp. The idea of promoting federalismis a solution, to have a federated state;this is the only way to stop the blood-shed that we see. Unfortunately, we

have not been able to bring [in the ed aid]; we advise our people to stthe sidelines.

There must be a third alternativwe, the Kurds, are part of. The WeUS have not identified the third native, and that should be demogroups and the Kurds [working togin Syria].

And in Iraq and Turkey?Across the border in Iraq, you ca

the Kurdistan Regional Govern(KRG) has done a great job in manits circumstances.

Yet the US administration in thfour years has completely ignored tand also tried to bolster the centraernment during prime ministeral-Malikis rule [2006-August 2014put on pressure to de-link from TuTurkey, compared to Iran, SyriaIraq, has done more positive inititowards Iraqi Kurdistan. Obviouslnot clear] whether they meant toor not, but that was a signal to thethat the Kurdish issue is not a redue to NATO member Turkey.

That should have opened the[for the EU and US to work withKurdistan], but the US administrhas not helped. However, there issure from Congress, the US Senatthe American public to help Kurds

Even so, there is not a bullet transferred, nor help or selling weapons. From 2005 there [has a request and agreement with theis to arm the Peshmerga [Kurdislitia]; that order and request to thas not been upheld, since the Uthe [Iraqi] central government muprove it and the central governwont.

What they are doing is limitscope. It is only to send a messaCongress and the world that [US dent Barack Obama] is doing some

but what Obama is doing is jupublic opinion, as not a single weor bullet has gone to the Kurds.send this to the Iraqi governmenonly give small defensive light ons [to the Kurds]. This has forceKurds], through many groups, toinvite Iran there to protect themmake other arrangements with regplayers to survive.

The issue comes down to contathe KRG from Iran, and now heavlying on them to survive.

So the Kurdish issue in Iraq, Turkey and Syria is linka complicated web?

All three countries encircling istan Iraq, Iran and Syria are th

ening it. In Turkey, there is a procresolve the Kurdish issue. The PKKjective is to release [former Kurdisher Abdallah] Ocalan from prison.

Those [Kurdish groups] closer tare getting to the point where theycoordinate in the Iraqi area.

All indications are that Americ[in the region]. Russia and [its PresVladimir] Putin are flexing theircles. Iran wants Iraq, Syria andLebanon under their control, with

RELATIVES AND Kurdish Peoples Protection Units (YPG) members in Syrias Hasakahprovince gesture during the funeral last month of fellow fighters, who were killedduring clashes with Islamic State fighters in the Iraqi city of Rabia on the Iraqi-Syrianborder. (Reuters)

SHERKOH ABBASstands with retired US general Ernie Audino. (Courtesy)


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the Shiite crescent stretching across theregion; frankly, they succeeded. ManyKurds are intimidated, and are startingtalks and coordinating with Iran.

Because the current [US] administra-tion did not coordinate with the Kurds,the result is the US spent trillions [atthe cost of] thousands of lives, and gaveIraq on a silver platter to Iran. People seeRussia and Iran and dont trust the USanymore, and the people on the groundgo with the strong man, and the US isengaging Iran and allowing it to cometo Iraq.

They are not doing anything to theIslamic State; it was started by Assadand managed to discredit the opposi-tion... The winners are Assad and Iran.The people who wanted democracy, theArab Spring, are ignored. And of course,there is a payout for Iran and Syria.

Is the Islamic State a major

threat?Absolutely. We see they are beingused, people look at it as a Sunni orga-nization... So the Americans are coordi-nating with the Iranians... They wanted[Kurds] to give up on the Iraqi city ofKirkuk and keep Iraq united, and havethem not ask for more rights.

The Iranian regime is also a threat.There is no one left in the region to pro-tect us.

The Kurds seem to be what theAmericans want in the MiddleEast, in terms of a stable, self-suffi-cient group that is not radical andinterested in democracy yet theyignore it. Why?

How many Arab countries are there,

and how many have oil? The Iranians,Turks, Arabs all work against the Kurd-ish cause. Even if they [the Kurds] gainin one part, they are attacked elsewhere.

People also look at the Kurds as a sec-ond Zionist state that is allied to theWest and Israel, so it would be a daggerin the heart of the Arab world. Theyuse money, power and influence inWashington to prevent the Kurds fromgetting what they want.

The US also doesnt want to change

boundaries. Having Kurdish autoor independence [threatens regboundaries]; they want Iran, SyriIraq intact. Everything this [US] adistration has done in the last yearsbenefits Iran, and it underminesallies like Israel, the Kurds and dcratic groups. For instance retiregeneral Ernie Audino told me thahas near complete influence ovpercent of Iraq. He indicates thatUS does not help the Kurdish fighIraq then Iran will fill the gap andready doing so on the ground withcial forces near Kirkuk.

What do you hope to see infuture?

I want to see Israel, the US anstop the Shiite crescent led by Irastop the Islamic State; to bring theerates and the 30 million-40 mKurds onto our side, by promoti

independent Kurdistan in Iraq.At minimum, other nations shave federalism and autonomythe West should see this as a buffeKurds can play that role, but theythe weapons and political recognThey have the same value as theand are not a threat to others, anindependent Kurdistan can be a hfor minorities.

What about the Israel contion?

They accuse us whether we tadont talk with Israel, and thatback to the 60s. We have to statfacts: How many Israelis killed SyAssad killed a quarter of a million.

The Kurds should not be fearfu

should reach out to whoever wiltheir cause and work together. Weour own interests and so does Israewe have the same interest in storadicals and promoting tolerance,and democracy; only Israel and Ktan in Iraq have those values, andto stop that radicalism.

Americans say they cant find mates, but this is nonsense they nlook to Kurds and minorities and owho were repressed.

KURDISH PESHMERGAfighters take their positions during clashes with the IslamicState on the front line at Buyuk Yeniga village September 4.(Reuters)

MASOUD BARZANI(left), president of the Kurdistan Region, stands with SherkohAbbas.(Courtesy)

How many Arab countries are there,

and how many have oil?

The Iranians, Turks, Arabs all

work against the Kurdish cause

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Kurdistan - Abbas - Jpost