(C/NF) KDSP LEADERS ON KRG'S CLOSURE OF KDSP OFFICES

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KIRKUK 000134 SIPDIS NOFORN SIPDIS BAGHDAD FOR POL, NCT E.O. 12958: DECL: 7/25/2016 TAGS: PGOV PHUM PINR PINS PTER PNAT PREF KDEM IZ TU SUBJECT: (C/NF) KDSP LEADERS ON KRG'S CLOSURE OF KDSP OFFICES REF: KIRKUK 00000133 KIRKUK 00000134 001.2 OF 002 CLASSIFIED BY: Jim Bigus, PRT Leader, POL, Department of State. REASON: 1.4 (b),(d) (C/NF) INTRODUCTION AND SUMMARY: Kurdistan Democratic Solution Party (KDSP) representatives claim the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) framed the KDSP to justify closing the KDSP Erbil and Dahuk offices. They said the KRG has not granted the KDSP any legal status as a party. KDSP leaders insist their party has no connection with terrorist organizations, is becoming increasingly popular, supports the democratic process, and is a strong advocate of women in Iraqi politics. They want Kirkuk to become autonomous, but oppose holding a referendum on its future. Attending the meetings were three KDSP leaders, Faiq Mohammad Ahmed (KDSP Secretary General),Sabah Nuri (Dahuk Office),and Najiba Omer Ahmed (Kirkuk Office). END INTRODUCTION AND SUMMARY. (C) KRG CLOSES KDSP OFFICES -------------- ¶2. (C/NF) IPAO on July 11, 2006, met with KDSP members to discuss the alleged KRG closure of KDSP party headquarters. The KDSP leaders claimed KRG security forces attacked the KDSP office in Dahuk in April and imprisoned the head of the office for 13 days. KRG security forces also allegedly closed the KDSP headquarters in Erbil. KDSP leaders argued the KRG had justified the action by claiming the KDSP had planned a terrorist attack by planting a bomb in a fire extinguisher. The KDSP leaders asserted that the KDP created the scenarios in order to attack the Erbil office and that the two police officers accused of planting the bomb are not associated with the KDSP. KRG security forces only held KDSP members from Erbil, releasing the other 5 of 7 arrested, leading KDSP members to conclude the KDP intended to handicap the Erbil office because this branch had been particularly active. (Note: Although Erbil and Sulaymaniyah have merged their KRG administrations officially, the separate security services are not expected to merge until sometime next year; Erbil's service remains under KDP control. End note.) The Erbil Ministry of Interior (MOI) allegedly did not let these two prisoners see their lawyer, and when the KDSP leaders tried to check into the arrests, they were informed that a judge, Umad Shay, had ordered the offices to be closed. When the KDSP queried the judge, he reportedly insisted he never gave such an order, and said the Erbil MOI shut down the KDSP office, which the members claimed now functioned as an Asayish HQ. The KDSP leaders said that poor security in south and central Iraq was causing human rights to be ignored in northern areas, where intellectuals and media professionals increasingly are victims. The representatives asserted the KDP and PUK were systematically repressing the KDSP because the two parties know the KDSP is increasingly popular among Iraqi Kurds. KDSP offices remain open in Mosul, Kirkuk, Baghdad, and Sulaymaniyah, although the leaders feared Sulaymaniyah would be closed next. (C) DENYING ASSOCIATION WITH TERRORISM -------------- ¶3. (C/NF) The KDSP leaders asserted the party does not support terrorism and has no connections with terrorist groups. However, the representatives noted the KDSP does share the same agenda with the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK, formerly Kongra Gel/KGK) and the Kurdistan Democratic Party of Iran, since they are secular parties "struggling for Kurdish freedom and national unity." KDSP leaders said that most of the KDSP funding of approximately 13,000-15,000 USD comes from offices and members abroad, especially in Europe and eastern Turkey. (C) KDSP STRUCTURE AND GOALS -------------- ¶4. (C/NF) The leaders organized the KDSP four years ago and in 2004 submitted a request to the KRG to register legally as a political party, but to date the KRG has not granted the KDSP any legal status. The KDSP leaders claimed their party is a secular, democratic party that supports the democratic process and U.S. goals in the Middle East. The KDSP recently joined with four other Iraqi Kurdish parties to form a bloc to enable smaller parties participating in government to oppose and possibly influence the two main Kurdish parties (Ref. Kirkuk 00000133). A 17-member Central Committee and a 6-member Politburo lead the KDSP. The representatives claimed the KDSP has 2050 members, and that the party is popular among women and intellectuals, especially students. KIRKUK 00000134 002.2 OF 002 (C) HIGH PERCENTAGE OF WOMEN -------------- ¶5. (C/NF) Najiba Omer Ahmed, Head of the KDSP Womens' Affairs Office, claimed that women constitute 40 percent of the party's membership; she argued that was higher than any other Kurdish party, and another reason the PUK and KDP oppose the KDSP. Ahmed said that 7 members of the Central Committee and 2 members of the Politburo are women. In addition, she said the KDSP has been active in criticizing the KRG for not having enough women in the Kurdistan National Assembly. (C) POSITION ON KIRKUK, ARTICLE 140 -------------- ¶6. (C/NF) The leaders said the KDSP supports Art. 140, but the KDP and PUK are pursuing this along ideological lines. They argued Kirkuk is like Jerusalem for the Jews and the Arabs. They said the best solution for Kirkuk is a confederated province with autonomous relations with Baghdad, the KRG, and other provinces. (Note: This position does not match that proposed by the new Kurdish opposition bloc, of which the KDSP is a member. End note.) The KDSP leaders asserted that Kirkuk should have a separate judicial system and government elected by the people of Kirkuk every 1 to 2 years and that a referendum could not determine the status and destiny of Kirkuk. (C) BIOGRPAHIC NOTES -------------- ¶7. (C) Dr. Faiq Mohammad Ahmed is from Halabjah, and formerly was a surgeon in Sulaymaniyah and a PUK member of parliament (Ref. Kirkuk 00000133). Sabah Nuri is from Kalar and studied at Salah ad-Din University, but did not complete his studies for economic reasons. Najiba Omer Ahmed is from Sulaymaniyah and holds a Bachelor's Degree in Economics and Business Administration from Sulaymaniyah University. (U) NOTE -------------- ¶8. (C/NF) This meeting took place before post knew that USG policy is to avoid meeting with the KDSP. JBIGUS