ITF leader Sadettin Ergeç evaluates recent events
We have Turkey behind us!
05 June 2007
ITF
President Dr. Sadettin Ergeç:
WE HAVE TURKEY BEHIND US!
Yavuz Selim DEMİRAĞ
Iraq Turkmen Front (ITF) Leader Sadettin Ergeç evaluating the recent
events answered the threats. Ergeç emphasized that the Kirkuk referendum
must be cancelled and requested that for Iraq's solidarity a dependable
consensus be carried out under the supervision of UN and Turkey.
According to recent information there are speculations that the
referendum might be postponed until 2008, however we are aware that Iraq
Turkmen want the referendum to be postponed. Can you provide us with the
latest developments?
As
you are aware the process under way in Kirkuk is far from normalization,
it is downright abnormalization. We want the normalization process to
continue in a proper way under the supervision of neutral states, the
United Nations, we do not propose an interruption. The documents
belonging to us in Kirkuk have been plundered twice, once in 1991, the
second a much more serious incident in 2003 when the Peshmerge invaded
the city. That is why we claim that any numbers quoted are false. Even
if false numbers added up to a correct total, mistakes will incrue. We
reject these mistakes which equals rejection of the referendum.
You
stated that the documents were plundered in 1991 and 2003. However we
are aware that an original copy of these documents is in Turkey and one
in Great Britain. Are efforts being carried out in order to have a new
consensus in line with re-emerging these documents with the consensus
carried out in 1957?
First of all the consensus must be carried out in the whole of Iraq.
There are no population statistics in Iraq. In order to carry out proper
elections and get judicial results, a consensus must be carried out
first. Even in 2004 we insisted on this. However, unfortunately the
Planning Ministry replied that at present is was not feasible. Our reply
to that was that if a consensus was not feasible, then neither were
elections because elections required much more security provisions than
did a consensus, however they insisted on their view.
Finally after the elections were over and the election results were
inspected it was observed that the number of votes were more than the
overall population number. Once upon a time the population number were
inflated in order to obtain food stamps from the UN. A province like
Kirkuk was awarded with 9 parliament memberships. The 9 members of
parliament were exposed as a result of the combats, moving Kurds into
the city, to be revealed as a result of the election coffers. The errors
reflected on the Parliament which is the basis of the errors in
Parliament. On the other hand this is the way the Constitutional Law was
written.
The
first party to reject the Constitutional Law written in Iraq was the
Iraq Turkmen Front which also said that the Constitutional Law deserved
criticism.
Although the word Turkmen is mentioned five times in the constitutional
law, we say that one must look into its contents. If a stone is made of
gold but contains poison, it has no worth. That is our approach to the
constitutional law.
The
steps take the process towards abnormalization. For that reason we
reject any and all results of it. We declared that we would not
participate. If a proper demographic structure is not put forward during
the normalization process we will not participate in the consensus
either.
The
true structure of the city is Turkmen in all its features.
No matter what is done true history can never be erased. Anyone who
comes to Kirkuk and tastes its bread, visits its hamam, views the
structures of homes is immediately aware of the Turkmen character of the
city. This is a Turkmen city and must represent the Turkmen.
Article 141 frightens us as it might erase and divide the Turkmen
geography.
Iraq consists of 18 provinces. 14 provinces are Arab, the Turkmen should
at least have one province. I believe this province should be Kirkuk. In
other words the crew may be an assembly of various nationalities but the
ship's captain must be Turkmen.
The
referendum set forth today and postponement of the normalization
process, on the other hand 200 million dollar budget was set aside for
the normalization. Since this budget is from the 2008 budget the
postponement has become contemporary. I am not in favor of this
postponement. I say do away with the timing. Normalization must proceed,
the elections concern all Iraq. A referendum is unnecessary.
In
2003 when USA invaded Iraq they said they would bring democracy and
human rights to the country, Thousands of people were killed and human
rights were violated in Iraq. You come from Iraq and you are a deputy in
the Iraqi Parliament. How do you evaluate this situation?
Iraq Turkmen had an expectation regarding human rights, however these
expectations have yet to realize. Today we ask, is the price of human
rights so many lives, does it mean brother fighting against brother? We
do not recognize such a democracy. So the democracy we get is like this,
the democracy they apply for themselves is different. They never
delivered what they promised.
They said there was no democracy, they did not apply democracy, they
spoke of mass destruction weapons, that did not fit either. The US or
conflict forces arriving in 2003 did not expect to find such resistance
in 2007. However that is the reality of today because there are serious
errors in implementation These errors started on day one and have
continued ever since.
What are the Turkmen losses in Iraq since the occupation?
It
is difficult to give a clear number. This number constantly varies.
Unspecified perpetrators are an issue, others are killed for judicial
reasons. It must be clear that these killings are not random. Definitely
there is a political or operational motive. There is a forced emigration
issue to change the future referendum. Our people are still under
threat. Although we are also interested in the events occurring in the
whole of Iraq, it is evident that the events of Kirkuk hold a different
dimension. Kirkuk has a future. There are those who wish to shape the
future path of Kirkuk. Turkmen are more liable to be kidnapped and being
under constraint. Turkmen businessmen are more likely to be put under
constraint here. A major part of the explosions taking place in Kirkuk
happen in Turkmen neighborhoods.
These events force our people to emigrate. Many of our people with
financial means have come and settled in Turkey. Likewise our people
have settled in Syria. However, in these critical times we need our
people in Kirkuk. Some forces are determined to crush the power of the
Turkmen community in Kirkuk.
People have been arrested and placed in detention without questioning or
even appearing in court, Are there any judicial works or developments in
this area?
We
speak out in the Iraq Parliament about each and every error. Law can be
a valid subject in a stable country which is respectful of the law. In
my opinion it would be useless to speak of the law in a place where the
abovementioned do not exist. In other words we have an equation. You are
obliged to resist in all ways in order not to be led by someone who
wants to lead you. That requires strength. Yet the Iraq Turkmen have
never been armed, they have always believed in democracy. On the other
hand, our deep belief in the Almighty has prevented us from straying
into lawlessness. However, today our faith has put forth our real
strength. So far we have endeavoured to do the right thing and will
continue to so.
However, those wishing for violence in Iraq have started to realize
where it is taking Iraq. The unity of Iraq concept which we have claimed
since the beginning is now in the agenda of all political structurings.
The
Arabs who previously oppressed Turkmen have begun to get closer to them
after being on the receiving end of the same. What is the attitude of
Arabs toward the Turkmen recently? What are your observations?
Like I stated previously, those who carried a different tune in the
beginning have now come to our point of view. The Turkmen have put forth
their sincerity and convinced everybody in Iraq.
We
have defended the unity of Iraq since the beginning of the occupation. A
unified Turkmeneli is a reality. The Turkmeneli territory will be
undivided. If Iraq is divided into federal regions then it will be
difficult to speak of a Turkmeneli territory. There are great dangers
for us.
We
say special status for Kirkuk, brotherhood, but my view is this: There
are Kurds as well as Arabs in Baghdad, also Turkmen, it is a city of
brotherhood, but it is special because it is an Arab city. There are
Turkmen, Arabs, Kurds in Süleymaniye, it is a city of brotherhood, and
special because of its Kurdish features.
Kirkuk is also a city of brotherhood but with Turkmen features.
At this point I say if you bring me a document I will reciprocate with
ten for each of them. I had Telafer, Tuzhurmatu, and regions in Diale.
Because the people of Iraq know how sincere we are they support us and
demonstrate side by side with us. Many have realized after this process
that they will be redeemed after Kirkuk is transferred to its owners.
When we look at Turkmen politics we see that during recent years Turkmen
Front has taken the initiative. We also observe that they are the only
spokesman for Iraqi Turkmen. How did you succeed in uniting the divided
Turkmen political structure?
This success is of course something singularly achieved, it has been
done through team work. Our friends and personnel carry on our duties
under the roof entrusted to us by our great martyr
Necdet Koçak.
Even in the most dangerous if I need to sign some document first I look
at his picture and then sign. Football is played on the football field,
it cannot be done by remote. The nation must move from within. If a
nation is united it will succeed. Our nation is united and represented
by the Iraq Turkmen Front. The faith of our people in us is clearly set
forth when they come to us with fear of reprisal in Kirkuk.
How
did the Ankara meeting reflect on Kirkuk Turkmen?
Although we tell our nation that we feel the breath of Anatolia behind
us it was important for us that they could visualize this. Seeing this
also boosted their morale greatly. They started saying if you threaten
me I have Turkey on my side, which we are saying in the Parliament. It
gave us strength. Everyone should know. So far Turkmen have kept going
by hope and expectations. Seeing these expectations realized raised
their morale in a major way. I believe the second meeting will be much
better than the first one.
Yeni Çağ
info@turkmeninstitute.org
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