Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06KIRKUK115
2006-06-04 14:02:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
REO Kirkuk
Cable title:  

SULAY STUDENTS VIEW ELECTION THROUGH KURDISH EYES

Tags:  PGOV PNAT IZ 
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VZCZCXRO7059
PP RUEHBC RUEHDA RUEHDE RUEHIHL
DE RUEHKUK #0115 1551402
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P R 041402Z JUN 06
FM REO KIRKUK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0661
RUEHGB/AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD PRIORITY 0623
INFO RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE
RUEHKUK/REO KIRKUK 0689
UNCLAS KIRKUK 000115 

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

BAGHDAD FOR ECON, POL, NCT

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PNAT IZ
SUBJECT: SULAY STUDENTS VIEW ELECTION THROUGH KURDISH EYES


UNCLAS KIRKUK 000115

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

BAGHDAD FOR ECON, POL, NCT

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PNAT IZ
SUBJECT: SULAY STUDENTS VIEW ELECTION THROUGH KURDISH EYES



1. (SBU) Summary: Students from Sulaymaniyah University met on
May 24 with IPAO to share reactions to the formation of the
national government. The twenty-six students equally
represented men, women, and both younger students from a variety
of departments and older students attending graduate level
courses in the evening program. The majority believed Kurdistan
should be independent and, drawing a parallel with recently
independent Montenegro, welcomed federalism as a necessary
first-step. Students also praised Prime Minister Nuri
al-Maliki's policy statement for raising the Kirkuk issue, and
asked for clarification of the U.S. stance on the 2007
referendum. Action request: see paragraph 8. End Summary.

Students React with Nationalism, Hope, and Skepticism
-------------- --------------


2. (SBU) Of the twenty-six Sulaymaniyah University students IPAO
met, the majority reacted to the new formation of the Iraqi
national government in Kurdish-nationalistic terms. One
responded "How can we feel anything about the formation of the
Iraqi government when we are not Iraqi - we're Kurds." Another
said: "We are obliged to live as part of Iraq however it is our
simplest human right to be on our own if we want to be."


3. (SBU) The majority of students echoed the independence
sentiment, referencing the recent referendum in Montenegro as a
model for Kurdistan to follow. One student said that even as
part of a federalist state, they do not consider themselves as
part of Iraq. She suggested that the U.N. and the U.S. should
support Kurdistan as an independent state, providing protection
from hostile states.


4. (SBU) The students expressed distrust over the appointment of
Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, suggesting that as a member
of the Dawa Party he would not support the needs of the Kurdish
Region. Several students asked for transparency on the part of
the U.S. in regards to the U.S. stance on the Kirkuk issue and
Kurdistan's independence.

Federalism Provides Hope
--------------


5. (SBU) An older Kurdish student from Baghdad said that
although most Kurds believed they "deserved independence"
because of their bitter experiences with the regime of Saddam
Hussayn, he felt, however, that federalism was the best solution
for Iraq at this time. He said that Iraq was currently split
into three regions with three separate agendas and the formation
of the government was a positive step towards balancing them.


6. (SBU) A political science student added that the Kurdish
people had voiced their support for the new situation in Iraq by
participating in the election. Further, the KRG was benefiting
from its relationship with Baghdad through pressure for greater
transparency and freedom of the press. He felt the Kurdish
Coalition had successfully brought new Kurdish faces to Baghdad,
particularly technocrats who could resolve the issue of Kirkuk
to the satisfaction of the KRG. For this, he reasoned most
Kurds were optimistic about the new government and welcomed it.

Kirkuk - Promising Resolution of Article 58
--------------


7. (SBU) Students praised Maliki's policy statement to the
Council of Representative, which included a point asking for the
resolution of Article 58, the referendum on Kirkuk in 2007.
They asked to what extent the U.S. supported the return of
Kirkuk to Kurdistan and expressed anger over the unchecked
Arabization policies of the Sadr and Dawa parties. They said
Arabs who had left after Liberation were now being paid $2,000
each to move back to Kirkuk and resettle, reverting the city
back to pre-Liberation population ethnic divisions.

Comment and Action Request:
--------------


8. (SBU) The level of Kurdish nationalism expressed by the
students was to be expected, however much could be done to
broaden perspectives on Iraqi politics. The dialogue was very
productive and the students freely discussed controversial
opinions. The student activist groups in the Kurdistan region
are more likely to reflect popular beliefs and sentiments
towards issues such as Kurdish independence or the U.S. presence
in Iraq than Kurdish government officials, who have a vested
interest in maintaining the status quo. Post requests Baghdad
support in encouraging official visitors to the north to make
visits to university students a priority. End Comment and
Action Request.

BIGUS