Sebahet Tuncel
Kurds are living in four parts of Kurdistan, but in recent years Kurds have such a national feeling that they are aware of each other and influence each other. The situation of the Iraqi Kurds [South-Kurdistan] influences the Kurds in Turkey [North-Kurdistan] and the same influence occurs among all other parts of Kurdistan. Previously some people were thinking that Kurdish problem in a particular part of Kurdistan is the problem of the Kurds of this part of Kurdistan only, but now this has changed. Now there is a common national feeling among all Kurds which has brought all the Kurds together in regard of having same national demands and even unites Kurds in their international demands.
This has made Kurds to be aware of their brother happiness and sadness. Any event that happens in northern Iraq [South-Kurdistan] is very important for us in Turkey [North-Kurdistan]. Any kind of event in the life of Kurdish people is important, but an event like Iraqi parliamentary election is even more important.
It looks like the Change list (Gorran) in the last two elections in Iraqi Kurdistan was a good step towards democracy. Though economical control by the two main Kurdish parties, Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) always could win the majority of the votes. But the existence of an opposition in Kurdistan is a bright step for all Kurds who look at Iraqi Kurdistan with great hope. We, as Kurds from Turkey [North-Kurdistan] wished more seats for Kurds in last election of Iraqi parliament.
Having more seats for Kurds in Iraqi parliament is strengthening Kurdish position in Iraq and meanwhile it’s important for whole Kurds. But unfortunately our expectation didn’t come true and Kurds appeared weaker than what we were expecting. Let’s put all of these issues aside and take Kirkuk separately. We were wishing the Kurds to win most of the seats in Kirkuk,www.ekurd.netwhich would be important for determining future of Kirkuk. But again Kurds couldn’t get what we wished. The result of the parliamentary election in Kirkuk makes us to think of any kind of referendum in Kirkuk and we must look at this issue very carefully.
The results of the election in Kirkuk tell us that the policy of the two main Kurdish parties, KDP and PUK, in Kirkuk were not accepted by the people of that city, while it could be better. Also the results of Iraqi parliamentary election must encourage Kurdish parties to share people in making political decisions and not depending on the decisions of their political bureau only. We hope Kurdistan to be a model of democracy in the Middle East, because Middle East needs such a model of democracy.
Sebahat Tuncel is a member of Turkish parliament on Peace and Democracy Party (BDP).
